MARIAH CAREY NAMED AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE

As was widely anticipated, Mariah Carey was named the new judge of American Idol today (Monday). Her selection comes following the departures of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler earlier this month. Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly told TV reporters and columnists gathered for their annual summer “tour” that the completed judging panel will be revealed within the next two weeks. He declined to disclose whether Randy Jackson, who has been with the show since its inception, would be returning, but most writers attending the conference inferred that he would be since he is Carey’s manager — and because Reilly described him as “a very important part of that television show.”