Randy Jackson still hasn’t forgotten about Jennifer Hudson’s breathtaking performances on season three of the hit show American Idol. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, while promoting his modern TV venture, Name That Tune, Jackson reflected on Jennifer Hudson’s elimination when she was sent home in 7th place.
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“I feel like we missed a little bit on Jennifer Hudson, even though she’s gone on to do well,” Jackson, who originally judged Idol with Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, told the publication. “I felt like we missed a bit on Tamyra Gray. Tamyra was such a great singer, and such a great talent. I always think there’s some that we miss on — I mean it’s tough, you’re not going to get them all. You only really need one per season.”
Though the record producer hasn’t been a judge on American Idol in years — season 12 was his last at the table — he did take a minute to give flowers to its current panel of Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. “We did it from the beginning, before anybody knew the show would be a success, so, when people all talk about — you know success has many fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers,” he said. “I just tip my hat off to the show and to the legacy of the brand, and Katy, Lionel, and Luke, you guys are killing the game trying to keep it alive. I love it.”
Iggy Azalea and @IAMJHUD performing “Trouble” on @AmericanIdol in April 2015 #Iggy2015Review pic.twitter.com/Op1P5X99Hw
— ⚰️ (@AzaleanDaily) December 30, 2015
The fact that Jennifer Hudson didn’t win her season of American Idol is baffling to me 😩 like HOW?! pic.twitter.com/G0ZCb7avRz
— 𝙴𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚊💜 (@_theeunicorn_) November 18, 2021
Jackson also spoke about what it was like creating the show from the ground up, including the period he knew it would be a hit. “One of my favorite memories is when Kelly [Clarkson] won the very first season, because that’s when I realized that the show was really going to work,” he said. “I mean, it was meager beginnings, y’all. We started from the bottom, now we’re here.”
Jennifer Hudson is the ONLY American Idol contestant that has a Grammy, Emmy, and a Oscar.#UrbanOneHonors pic.twitter.com/HTSI5btEKb
— NewsOne (@newsone) January 18, 2022
“I mean, I’m like — I’m sitting there at the finale like, ‘All these people voted?” he added.
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Since Idol was established, myriad related singing competition shows have arisen in its wake, from Simon Cowell’s X-Factor to The Voice, where, in what is something like a full circle story, but Kelly Clarkson’s show is now progressing as well. But Jackson doesn’t think any of those shows hold a candle to American Idol.
“The greatest ever of any kind, to me,” he said of Idol. “I mean nothing like it before, nothing like it after, and there’s a bunch to try and copy, and to duplicate and imitate, but yo, you never beat the OG.”