Mariah Carey, ‘American Idol’ Judge? Rumors Suggest “She’s In Play” [Report]

Steven Tyler is out. Jennifer Lopez? Out. Who’s next on the American Idol judge’s dais? Rumor has it, Mariah Carey is a very likely contender for a judge’s seat.

Big names have been thrown out all week in an effort to answer the question “who will be the next American Idol judges?” but few (probably none) are bigger than Mariah Carey. Since Steven Tyler called it quits, Jennifer Lopez backed out just this morning, and even Randy Jackson’s future with the show is uncertain according to Us Weekly, Idol is in need of some serious star-power if it wants to keep its staying-power. Idol execs are saying that they “think they need to freshen everything up now,” and an anonymous source said of Carey that “she’s in play,” for a judgeship, reports MSN.

“They are in serious talks with Mariah and it’s very close to being a done deal,” said the source about Carey’s potential future as an Idol judge. “And they will move Randy into a more mentoring role.”

So who else is rumored to join Carey on the Idol dais? Some reports put Idol alum Adam Lambert next to her. “They have been talking about Adam for over a month,” a source told E! News. “He personifies the show, and will be a popular choice right from the start. He knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of the judges’ comments, he has a human touch, and they know they can’t go wrong if they bring him on. He would be able to bring a unique perspective to the show. People love him.”

Of course, Mariah Carey is no stranger to Idol. Here’s a video of the singer performing “Fly Like a Bird” during American Idol Gives Back.

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/T4USgXRSnTI” width=”420? height=”315?]

Do you think Mariah Carey will accept a judges role on American Idol?