I’m having a problem with American Idol. To begin with let me say that we never really got into American Idol until recently. We were weird, I guess. My husband and I resisted it forever. We used to laugh at other people who watched it. How could someone care about a television show so much that they would dedicate two or three whole nights of TV to it? (Overlooking the fact that we were instantly hooked by So You Think You Can Dance, which is another two-night show.) And then somehow during season seven we accidentally watched one episode. We cautiously liked it, too. Today we are converts, I guess. Not rabid fans. Casual fans since — I must admit — we are liberal with the TiVo remote. We watch two hours in about 35 minutes. Tonight’s 35 minutes were pretty bad from a singing perspective, but I’m not writing about that debacle. Instead, I’m writing about the bigger problem: What’s going on behind the host table.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me give you more background. The first season we watched the show it was great. We liked the stage. We liked the contestants. David Cook! Syesha Mercado! That stoned-looking guy Jason. (Must admit I was never a David Archuleta fan.) We liked Paula, and how sweet she was. We liked Simon and Randy, too. Great chemistry. Season 8 was weird with Kara being added in. I can imagine how hard it must have been for long-time viewers to accept her since we’re still getting used to it, and we only watched the show for a single season before her arrival. Still, it was okay. But then all hell broke loose and Paula was out and Ellen DeGeneres was in.

And there’s where it started: Swapping Paula for Ellen. I understand why the producers did it that way. Ellen is the Queen of Nice. They needed a queen to take over for the Princess of Sweetness and Light. But while the queen is really nice, you can absolutely tell she’s just being nice because that’s supposed to be her role on the show. She’s there to temper all of Simon’s honest and usually spot-on comments. She’s the professional fluffer of sorts. Just the fact that Ryan went back to her for a comment after almost every one of Simon’s especially brutal comments during the first live shows proves this. But — and here’s my problem — she doesn’t really mean all of what she’s saying. You can tell.

Paula, on the other hand, meant every wacky comment, every “I just loved it,” every raised hands sway. She really did. Maybe she was stoned. Maybe she was drunk. Maybe she was high. Or maybe she’s one of those people who can truly see something good in everyone she meets. But she did. She meant it. So to have to go from that to Ellen, with her striking blue eyes and fake-sincere expressions — nah, I don’t like it at all. It will only get worse next year when Simon leaves and the panel is down to one original judge. (Who I happen to really like, but still…) And so I say this, American Idol: It was nice meeting you. Sure, we’ll stay for a while more but when this season is over, we’re probably out of here. Unless they bring Paula back. Maybe.

Do you watch Idol? Do you agree? Will you keep watching next season? Let’s hear it.