Were actual fans angry at the loss of Paula? Or was it haters upset at the loss of her oddball drug and alcohol influenced comments? I’m thinking the later, in the early days Paula sometimes had something useful to say, but she’s gotten weirder every season and by the mid-point of last season she had become pretty much a full time embarrassment.
Are you kidding, people love Paula. She is dopey, but she is a sweetheart. Besides, it gives Simon someone to poke fun of. Paula has a lot of fans who liked the show’s chemistry. Besides, this a a popular show with mainstream America. The elites in the big cities look down on Idol. And I really don’t think Ellen is popular with the more rural conservative crowd. I think there will be a large backlash and Idol will not be the rating juggarnaut it has been for 8 years.