When American Idol was scrambling last year to figure out a way to rework the tired reality series, the producers went on a hunt for new judges for the program.
We know how things worked out, obviously, but can you imagine Iggy Pop sitting on the panel?
It could have happened.
Billboard reports Idol executives contacted Iggy about possibly being one of the show's judges for its 10th season.
"It didn't go very far," he tells Billboard. "There were two phone calls...I wasn't sure I was interested or available. They called me...I was curious and we spoke a couple times, and that was as far as that went. I don't think I could've done the right job for them on that particular show. I think Steven Tyler does a really, really good job of it."
Pop acknowledges that he "really hated" American Idol when it first started but that his opinion "changed over time and I came to respect certain things about it, bit by bit. I began to see if not the good in the format at least the good in the contestants, especially some of the final contestants," particularly, he says, Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Hudson.
Iggy created a buzz last week with his live appearance of “Real Wild Child,” as he stomped, shirtless, all over the Idol stage.
"I enjoyed it," said Pop. "I enjoyed the band they put together for me, and they were good to work with. It was a very specific participation, very limited, and I kind of liked it that way. I went and did my thing, basically. I don't know what to say about it, exactly, except I didn't know what to expect, I had a good time and actually enjoyed singing the song and enjoyed the audience."
Iggy Pop Iggy Pop – Real Wild Child (Wild One)
American Idol – April 7, 2011
