ARETHA SAYS SHE WANTS TO JUDGE AMERICAN IDOL

Aretha Franklin has tossed her name into the ring as a candidate to replace the departing Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez on American Idol. The legendary singer — she was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — sent an email to CNN on Saturday saying that she was a longtime fan of the show and wanted to be considered. Moreover, she suggested that another music legend, Patti LaBelle, also be considered. While her email received plenty of press attention and positive reaction on numerous blogs, several commentators suggested that it was unlikely that the producers would be willing to chance putting another senior citizen on the judging panel following the ratings slump after 64-year-old Tyler was installed. (Franklin is 70; LaBelle, 68.) “The goal for Idol is to bring in young viewers,” wrote Orlando Sentinel columnist Hal Boedeker. “Aretha Franklin will always have the world’s respect. She is a classic. But television programmers are interested in the current, not the classic.”