This is not nearly as surprising as the news that she would be a judge to begin with.  Ellen Degeneres has bowed out of American Idol and will not be appearing on the upcoming season.  So no Simon, no Ellen.   Looks like American Idol is due for a major face lift.  Would this be an opportune time to bring back Paula?

In a statement released moments okay, FOX quoted American Idol creator Simon Fuller as saying “I loved Ellen’s passion for the artists and her nurturing skills, She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly.”

The press release featured similar words from other American Idol and FOX executives, but nothing from Ellen's co-hosts. It did, however, feature a statement from Ellen herself explaining the reason for her departure - and it turns out the decision was made some time ago. “A couple months ago, I let FOX and the AMERICAN IDOL producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” said DeGeneres. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on IDOL and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.”

So, essentially, Ellen is out of American Idol because she doesn't like the judging part.  It will be interesting to see who FOX gets to replace her, although not half as interesting as seeing who they get to step in for American Idol's bad-guy, Simon Cowell.