The American Idol-Carey Secret Plan: Plot Discovered to Replace Mariah Carey With Jennifer Lopez On American Idol; Fox Reps Say "Just Another Idol Judge Rumor"

There's an Idol-Carey secret plan from the the brains behind American Idol. Producers of the Fox talent search show plotted to replace Mariah Carey as a host in an effort to boost faltering viewership. Jennifer Lopez, a popular former host, was pegged to replace Carey mid-season. 

According to the sources speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, there was an American Idol Mariah Carey secret, in which the show runners wanted to replace the wife of Nick Cannon, multiplatinum singer Mariah Carey, with singer and actress, Jennifer Lopez.

A spokesperson for Fox released a statement saying, "This is just another ridiculous Idol judge rumor, likely started by talks of Jennifer performing on the final." And Idol producer, Nigel Lythcoe, said "[I] have not been included in any conversation regarding replacing Mariah with Jen this season."

The plan was reportedly dropped after Carey's people threatened litigation if Fox Producers went ahead with the proposed change. They will most likely be replacing Carey and Nicki Minaj after the current season has concluded, anyway. 

American Idol started their 12th year in January with a 6.0 rating among adults aged 18-49, and 17 million viewers overall. But since the OK opening, the ratings have plummeted and they're going down nearly every week. Currently, the show is averaging a paltry 4.3 rating with adults 18-49, the lowest such rating in that demographic since the show's initial year. 

The Fox show has some competition this year as well, which might be a part of the ratings slump. NBC's new reboot of The Voice, with Shakira and Usher hosting, recently sported a rating of 5.2 in the 18-49 demo, while the same week Idol had a record low 2.8 rating. 

Carey, who reportedly makes eight figures to host, is the show's most accomplished performer, with multiple Grammys and multiplatinum album sales. But she's frequently feuded with co-host, Nicki Minaj, since she was introduced as Idol's newest judge, and has remained uninspired and unimaginative in her judging role since joining.

While Nicki has become the Simon Cowell-esque, wisecracking ,"keeping it real" presence next to the gentlemanly austerity of Keith Urban and the, still ticking, Randy Jackson, Mariah has largely failed at an attempt to spark interest with fans. 

This contributed to the Idol Producers 'plot' because, when compared with Jennifer Lopez's reign in the two years prior, Carey has failed to match J-Lo's draw of television viewers.

Producers have backed off the plan because of the legal rigmarole threatened, but a source that spoke with THR says they were approached about joining the team next season, and they're unlikely to be as big a star as Carey and Lopez are. It's another effort by the show to make it more about credibility in the music scene, rather than album sales and popularity. Anything to get the ratings back up.