The Parents Television Council is unsurprisingly against the idea of controversial shock jock Howard Stern replacing Simon Cowell on American Idol next season and wants Fox to put the rumor to rest.
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The watchdog group has issued a release demanding that Fox "dispel the rumor that Howard Stern is being considered to take over Simon Cowell's seat as judge on American Idol," The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
"Any involvement by Howard Stern on American Idol would be disastrous and would immediately destroy the show's hard-earned reputation as one of the most reliably family-friendly programs on broadcast television," PTC President Tim Winter said.
According to a Friday New York Post report, American Idol had approached Stern after hearing his repeated on-air mentions that he is "open to other offers" once his current $500 million Sirius XM Radio deal expires in January 2011.
Stern subsequently confirmed he would be interested in replacing Cowell and made numerous comments that suggested there was merit to the Post's report, which was then denied by two American Idol insiders.
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However Fox has yet to officially go on the record and confirm or deny the rumors, allowing them to persist. The network also declined to comment on the PTC statement when contacted by The Times.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio