The History of Mariah Carey’s Idol-Size Feud with Nicki Minaj

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The High-Profile Replacement

Last July Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly announced Mariah Carey’s signing at a meeting of the Television Critics Association, and then put the pop diva on speaker phone to confirm the deal. “I am so excited to be joining American Idol,” exclaimed Carey about replacing Jennifer Lopez and joining longtime pal Randy Jackson on the show. “This kind of all just happened really quickly.” Carey, who will reportedly earn about $18 million for the season, tweeted in July, "I'm excited to help find and nurture new talent."