Randy Jackson Feels "Idol"

Not really -- it's what I've been doing all my life. With us three judges, we call it like we see it. We each have twenty-five years plus in the music industry. Simon was an executive in the U.K., still is; Paula's a star and an artist in her own right. I was an executive for fourteen years, senior VP of A&R at Columbia Records and MCA Records and a staff producer at both places. And I had been producing and songwriting and playing for a long time and blessed to play with a lot of great legends. I critiqued myself when I was coming up. I still do sometimes.

You mention your career prior to Idol. You've worked with some great people -- from Madonna to Bruce Springsteen to Mariah Carey. What are your feelings on Mariah's comeback success?

I'm so happy for her. I was fortunate enough to work on the Emancipation of Mimi record with her. I'm performing on the Grammys with her on Wednesday. She's still one of my best friends in the world -- and one of the greatest talents the world has ever seen. As a writer, she's unbelievable -- seventeen Number One hits that she's co-written -- and as a singer, probably one of the five best singers in the known world. After selling 160 million albums, she's the bomb. I love her. She deserves all of it.

Fantasia and Kelly Clarkson could both walk away with a Grammy, which would give Idol additional legitimacy. What are your feelings on that?

I feel proud of the validity of the show, and I do think Fantasia and Kelly could walk away with a Grammy. I'm happiest at the end of the show when the public has chosen the one that we all feel is "the one," and seeing these people go on to great success. This is a show that wins you an opportunity to be instantly famous -- and a huge recording contract with Clive Davis himself, one of the greatest people in the history of the music business. I'm happy when it all cooks and works.