Michael Becker/FOX; Donato Sardella/WireImage.com; John Shearer/WireImage.comDawg pound, meet Jenny from the block.
On the heels of Ellen DeGeneres' maybe not-so-sudden departure from American Idol come reports that Jennifer Lopez is close to signing a contract to be the show's new judge.
All official channels, including Lopez's rep, Fox and producer FremantleMedia, are remaining mum at the moment, but Deadline Hollywood has a source saying J.Lo's manager, Benny Medina, put the deal in motion a month ago.
Lopez, who has served as a guest mentor and performed on Idol in the past, would be quite the glamorous—and, we would imagine, costly—addition to the panel. And she might not be the only one...
Meanwhile, in another wrinkle, Gossip Cop says that Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has also been offered a judging slot, but as with Lopez there's no official word yet on whether he is onboard.
The addition of Lopez (and possibly Tyler) would likely also spell the end of Kara DioGuardi.
Fox is expected to announce the rebooted Idol lineup during its presentation to the Television Critics Association on Monday.
(Originally published July 29, 2010, at 8:38 p.m. PT)
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Think of all the new fodder for our Fashion Spotlight gallery if J.Lo were on American Idol every week!