Randy Jackson, Judge On American Idol Quits The Show; The 'Dawg' Is Leaving[VIDEO]

Randy Jackson, the last original "American Idol" judge, announced Thursday he's leaving the singing competition after the current season ends.

Jackson, who's been an "Idol" judge since day one, confirmed he's giving up the talent-show gig. Along with Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, the musician and producer was one of the original three judges when the Fox show debuted in 2002.

"Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol I have decided it is time to leave after this season," Jackson said in a statement.

"I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry," he said. "It's been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures."

After years of sensational ratings, the current season had bad reviews and the worst ratings yet. Fox could be firing all four "American Idol" judges.  Randy Jackson's exit could be joined by Mariah Carey, Nicki Ninaj, and Keith Urban who are all reportedly getting the boot  from the Fox singing competition.

Ratings for "American Idol" were down 22 percent this season and reached a series low when it managed to only get 11 million viewers, a good reason to ax the current judges.

The only reason "American Idol" hasn't gotten canceled yet is the $836.4 million in ad revenue a year the show still manages to pull in.

If all "Idol" judges left it would be the biggest change to the long-running program since Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul left the show.

"None of the four judges on the singing competition will be asked to return next season, an individual with knowledge of Fox's plans told "The Wrap." "All four are gone," the insider claims. "They feel they've lost their core audience and they want it back."

Veteran judge Randy Jackson is confirmed to be leaving the show.

Judge Nicki Minaj told Ryan Seacrest in an interview:

"That's a million-dollar question," she laughs. "I have to say this all the time, but I want people to know it's genuinely from my heart. I love the people on Idol. I genuinely do. If I had to do this all over again, I would have done Idol. Because it's fun, it's laughs. It's kind of sad that what people read all the time is only when something is negative. But they don't realize that we built a family. I feel happy here and I have to thank them for giving me this chance. They could have picked anyone in the world. And they picked me. So that's all I'll say about that."

Interestingly, judge Mariah Carey has fired Randy Jackson as her personal manager. Jackson helped Carey win a $18 million contract with American Idol. And now she fires her co-judge?

Carey isn't just battling with Jackson.  Mariah's dramatic feuds with Minaj have overshadowed the talent on the show.  It is caddy and takes away from the integrity of the competition.  "Idol" has strayed away from it's initial goal, focusing more on the judge's drama than the singers.  More people can recount the Carey/Minaj quarrels than name one singer still  in the competition.

Do you think "Idol" has run it's course and the network should give the judges and the entire program the boot?