This is officially the moment when you really start wondering whether the producers of American Idol know what they're doing.  Oh, no, I do not mean to offend anyone, or drag anyone's credential's down, but it's just weird putting their last two guest judges in the frame of a nationwide talent search.  No, I'm not saying they're devoid of talent, either, but it just really doesn't fit as much as we want to.

Last week it was announced that Joe Jonas, one-third of the Jonas Brothers (cue screaming), will act as a guest judge on the Idol callbacks.  During the Dallas auditions earlier today, however, they grabbed what is perhaps one of the more surprising, if not baffling, decisions the show took: get Neil Patrick Harris as guest judge.

Oh, no, I'm not saying he'll be a bad judge.  He's sung a bit, all right, having done Broadway and the Tonys (and soon the Emmys, although I don't think he'll be singing like Family Guy's Stewie and Brian did) but we know him more for being "legendary" Barney in How I Met Your Mother.  It's just, well, he isn't really a guy who's got lots of experience with the recording industry, or at least someone who's worked a lot with music--the sort of folk that you'd expect to show up as a guest judge on Idol.

That's why I understood why Victoria Beckham was a guest judge: she's had lots of experience before being the missus to David Beckham, at least.  Shania Twain and Mary J. Blige and Kelly Clarkson, sure.  Katy Perry, well, she's too new to this, so I'm over the fence.

But I'm singling out NPH and that Jonas because, well, I'm sensing it's a ratings stunt.  Neil because he's Neil, and Joe because, well, he's Joe.  You've got screaming fans anxious about how he'll exactly judge Idol wannabes when all he's done is do some bubblegum power pop for the bosses at Disney.  It'd be entertaining, sure, but if we're looking out for (quoting the DioGuardi again) "artistry" on the show, especially with last season's big guns (yes, Kris and Adam), well, I'm a bit scared.

But the best thing to do is, of course, wait for the whole thing to air and then wonder if they did well by then.

Oh, by the way, Paula Abdul's hosting next month's VH1 Divas concert, featuring performances from Idol graduates Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks, as well as Adele, Leona Lewis, and... Miley Cyrus.  Ohhhh, goodness.





- Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of WENN)