‘I’m a straight shooter,’ new ‘Idol’ judge promises

When Kara DioGuardi's dream of rock stardom didn’t materialize, she switched gears and became a songwriter, rising to the top to become a go-to tunesmith for music superstars ranging from Celine Dion to Pink. DioGuardi believes her struggles and successes will earn her artistic empathy among contestants and critics alike as she joins the ranks of “American Idol” as the hit talent show’s fourth judge.

DioGuardi, 38, joins the familiar trio of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson when the show begins its eighth season Tuesday night on the FOX network. Appearing live on TODAY Monday, the New Rochelle, N.Y., native told Matt Lauer she will only prick the balloon of an aspiring singer’s dreams if it is warranted.

“I’m a straight shooter, I’m going to tell it like I see it, but I’m also going to bring some heart to the show,” DioGuardi told Lauer. “I don’t want to make anyone cry. I’m not there to destroy their dreams.

“It’s very hard to tell someone that it’s not going to be their career,” she said. “You don’t want to crush anybody, but if they have some talent, you do want to encourage them to keep going.”

DioGuardi showed off her no-nonsense style in a sneak preview clip aired by TODAY, telling a comely young contestant after her audition, “You don’t have the chops to sing that song — you’re a beautiful girl, but that’s a big song,” she advised.

DioGuardi, who’ll sit between Jackson and Cowell at the judges’ table so she won’t get caught in the crossfire between Cowell and Abdul, admitted it’s taking some getting used to being the new kid on a block full of cultural icons.

“I’m a little nervous, believe me,” she admitted to Lauer. “It’s scary, especially with the live shows coming up, and the first day, you’re there with Paula, with Simon, with Randy — they are a common trio, they are so well-known. It’s a little nerve-racking.”

DioGuardi was faced with controversy right out of the box when it was announced she had been added as a fourth judge for “American Idol” back in August. Abdul seemed to have been blindsided by the move, saying she was “concerned about the audience and their acceptance of the changes.”

Potshot?
Many took that remark to be a put-down of DioGuardi, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth. Abdul was actually one of DioGuardi's first contacts in the music business and lived with her for a short time. Together they penned the hit “Spinning Around” for Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue.

DioGuardi told The New York Times recently she knew where Abdul was coming from, saying, “Paula found out pretty late in the game that I was coming on board, so if it were me, I would have been upset.”

DioGuardi's addition is the first of several changes in “American Idol.” Though it is still one of the highest-rated shows on television, its viewership dipped 6 percent last season. Thus, the airing of the taped tryouts — famous for the notoriously off-key auditioners — has been cut from four weeks to three. In addition, the number of contestants being sent to the show’s Hollywood Week to make the final cut of 12 has been bumped up from 24 to 36.

Stylistically, DioGuardi's judging style is said to be a little more hard-hitting than Jackson’s or Abdul’s, but not as acerbic as Cowell’s. She told Lauer she does have a soft spot for the underdog, after enduring the slings and arrows of the music business herself.

“I was told, ‘You’re never going to go anywhere, you’re not a great writer,’ ” DioGuardi told Lauer. “But I believed in myself and I kept going and I eventually got there.”

DioGuardi has since racked up a slew of songwriting hits for the likes of Christina Aguilera (“Ain’t No Other Man), season 1 “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson (“Walk Away”) and Ashlee Simpson (“Pieces of Me”). She admits her first love is still singing, making her in touch with the contestants she now judges.

“Really, I wanted to be an artist, I never wanted to be a songwriter,” she told Lauer. “But I couldn’t get any songs. So that’s how I became a songwriter.”

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