American Idol Season 9 will be different according to Simon Cowell

You must have seen the commercials and heard the news:
American Idol returns to dominate the TV landscape on January 12!

But will it be the same Idol fans have fallen in love with over the years? Not exactly, says Simon Cowell, and he points to new judge Ellen DeGeneres as the reason why.

“She’s going to be very different than Paula,” Cowell told Extra. “I think she’s probably quite nervous... She’s smart, but make no mistakes: this will be a very different kind of show than what you’re used to.”

Hey, as long as it produces the next Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, we'll be happy!

Simon was also asked about Susan Boyle, the singing sensation he helped discover. He's in the process of producing a documentary about her life

“It’s her story... so you hear it all in her words,” he said. “It’s fascinating seeing it through her eyes.”

Are you excited for the return of American Idol? What about the overabundance of Simon Cowell chest hair above?