http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/realityrocks/422537/for-your-consideration-richard-marx-as-an-idol-judge/

Posted Tue May 17, 2011 2:15pm PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks

It’s not every day that a member of pop royalty like Richard Marx comes to my office. So of course, being the “American Idol” dork that I am, I had to take advantage of the opportunity to ask him about his work on the upcoming Daughtry album and a rumored unreleased Chris Daughtry/Kelly Clarkson duet. It turns out that duet might not ever get released, which was the bad news…but the GOOD news is, Richard was more than willing to express his “Idol” opinions, and he was friggin’ hilarious.

Despite having many of his compositions covered on “Idol,” it turns out Richard isn’t too big a fan of the show–which, in a most Simon Cowell-esque fashion, he dubbed “one long karaoke night.” And despite the fact that he’d probably never consider taking a job as a reality show judge–because it would require him to, you know, actually WATCH a reality show–I admire his honesty and still think he’d be a great guy for the job.

“It’s not about artistry,” Richard said of “Idol” and similar shows. “How am I supposed to know about some 20-year-old’s artistry when they’re making him sing some old Motown track to a horribly bad arrangement?” Hey, the man had a point.

Additionally, Richard argued, with great validity: “Audiences seem to think that a singer is really good not necessarily because that singer is singing well, but because they’re just singing loud. Singing loud doesn’t necessarily mean you’re singing well–and everyone on ‘American Idol’ sings loud!”

Still, I’d love to see Richard on a panel alongside Randy Jackson, as it would undoubtedly be a total lovefest. Said Richard of The Dawg: “I love that Randy Jackson has become a gazillionaire because of ‘American Idol,’ but what I don’t like is that people don’t know that he’s one of the most talented people we’ve ever had in the music business. He is such a deeply gifted musican, and he’s sort of become a little bit of a cartoon because of that show.”

Well then, maybe Richard could give Randy some tips on how to be a tougher, better judge? And maybe Richard would reconsider taking a judging job like Randy’s? Mr. Marx may be a little polarizing, and more than a little snarky, but his refreshing hard-stance opinions are just what reality television needs.

Watch Richard’s hysterical anti-“AI” interview below: