Idol Worship: Randy Jackson Says Fewer Mentors For Season 8

For all the rumor-mongering about season 8's contestants, there's been relatively little chatter about our next slate of mentors. Barry Manilow made his requisite appearance early in the Hollywood rounds -- is he a sign of who's to come? What about Tina Turner, as had been speculated? Or a host of ex-Idols who'd impart their own post-win wisdom? We asked Randy Jackson, who had little insight, but did say there would be fewer mentors this time around. "There have been a bunch of names bandied about, but I really don't know who they are yet," he said. "I do think we're going to have less of them because it's hard to get people to really chime in with all of these contestants. Not everyone is that vocal. Plus, it takes quite a bit of time." Randy added that, like the addition of Kara Dioguardi, season 8 is all about "switching things up" and hinted that their could be big changes coming to the genre nights, too. "We gotta keep it real and interesting, right?"

-- Shirley Halperin