Now that American Idol's meanest and nicest judges have left, loyal watchers have to be wondering who the heck might be sitting at the judges' table for Season 10.

Most of us had just got used to the idea of no Simon Cowell next year when along comes funny lady Ellen Degeneres statement last night confirming that she, too, was bowing out from the reality TV powerhouse.

So what happens next? We can't honestly be expected to endure the likes of Randy "Dawg" Jackson and Kara "Cougartown" DioGuardi alone, can we?

Rumor has it that there could be BIG changes in store for the whole table. With original executive producer Nigel Lythgoe reportedly back on board, some have been speculating that only Jackson (who has a contract good through next season) will remain to judge the Idol hopefuls. (DioGuardi has a year-to-year contract that has yet to be renewed.)

Many names have been floated around to fill the table. Shortly after news of Degeneres departure had made the rounds, a new report surfaced that Jennifer Lopez had already inked a deal to join up. That has yet to be confirmed as has whether there will be four judges at the table or just three.

Former Poison-frontman Bret Michaels has been at the forefront of celebrities practically begging for a chance to sit and sip out of a plastic Coca Cola glass, while Elton John leads the list of tight-lipped notables with the right credentials and demeanor to fill Cowell's big shoes.

Here are just some of the names floated around as potential judges and my thoughts on each of them:

Bret Michaels - Like it or not, I can't seem to avoid any reality show Micheals' is on, be it Rock of Love or Celebrity Apprentice. He's a genuinely likable guy who's baby blues I don't mind gazing at for hours on end in any given week. Plus, he's done the judging thing before on Nashville Star. And he knows all about super stardom. If we can keep him from showing contestants the "Tour Bus Thrust," I think he could be a winner.

Justin Timberlake - As a cowboy-hat-wearing 11-year-old, Timberlake took to the Star Search stage in hopes of forging a music career so clearly the former N'Syncer knows what the contestants are going through. And he knows what's potentially ahead of them. It would be a real coup for Idol to land a youthful superstar like Timberlake, but I wonder if he's got it in him to crush dreams by keeping it real or if he would revert to his comedic bits to fill the awkward space.

Usher - No. He barely removed his sunglasses for two seconds when he took his mentoring turn. I'm not going to stare at that all season long.

Elton John - If anyone could fill Cowell's cranky shoes, it's Elton John. But John's appeal would probably be limited to the show's older demographic and I have a feeling producers are hoping to build back up that youthful audience contingent with their cell phones at the ready.

Bette Midler - I love the idea of the Divine Miss M knocking the cocky out of the contestants. It would be great to see a strong, knowledgable woman like Midler on the panel - someone who doesn't have to be nice to try to win fans. My concern is that like John, her appeal is limited more to baby boomers.

Chris Isaak - No. We don't need him or his wicked games.

Jennifer Lopez - Lopez is an admitted fan of the show, but so was Degeneres. Being a celebrity and being a fan is not enough in my book to earn a seat on the judge's panel. However, she's been a mentor on the show before and wasn't too terrible. Still I think there are better choices out there.

Donald Trump - He already has the "Apprentice" franchise. That's enough.

Jessica Simpson - Are we trying for Paula Abdul v. 2.0?

Harry Connick, Jr. - I don't hate this idea. He was the most personable and involved of any mentor in Season 9 and seemed to genuinely enjoy working with the contestants.

Shania Twain - Everyone seems to think that she was not only an amazing celebrity judge during the auditions, but also a great mentor. I disagree. I think she came off like a hungry cougar and frankly, I was frightened for some of the contestants' safety.

So what do you think? Who should get the gig? Should producers clean house and start fresh at the judges' table? And should Idol keep the four judge format or return to a trio?