Jennifer Lopez isn't sure if she'll come back for a third season of "American Idol," but the big cheese on the show says he wants her back in the worst way.

"A.I." EP Nigel Lythgoe tells TMZ, "We want her back. I want her back." Nigel is reacting to Lopez' comment on "Ellen," saying, "I don't know if I can go for a third year. I miss doing other things. It really does lock you down."

Nigel says, "I know how much she loves doing the show and how much she cares for the kids."  That said, Nigel adds, "It's a business. She has to weigh everything. I know she's gotten lots of offers to do movies and other things."

Ever the optimist, Nigel says by saying she "doesn't know" if she'll come back, it's classic negotiations, which means the door is open. Welcome to Hollywood.

4:50 PM PDT -- Sources tell TMZ ... Ryan is going to go for it ... although they will have puke buckets on the stage ... just in case he loses it.


Ryan Seacrest feels like crap ... so much so he missed the rehearsal for "American Idol" tonight, and sources connected with the production of the show tell TMZ ... Ryan may be MIA for the first time in the 11-season run of the show.

We're told Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe stepped in for Ryan during the dress rehearsal this afternoon.

Sources say Ryan had an IV in his arm, and is fighting "a bad stomach bug." We're told he was throwing up all last night and today.

Ryan was not at the rehearsal and it's unclear if he'll do the show. If he doesn't, Nigel is ready to step in.

As for whether Ryan decides to take the stage ... let's just say one of the songs on  the show tonight is Queen's "The Show Must Go On."

Still, Nigel tells TMZ, "I'm sending my rehearsal tape to "X-Factor." I could be the next Steve Jones. Not as handsome but just as good. Literally!"

Jermaine Jones got a swift kick in the ass from reality last night ... when 'Idol' producers confronted the singer on tape and told him he's FIRED from the show for lying about his criminal past.

Jones took it well ... thanking executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick for the opportunity ... and then getting into the back of a waiting car ... not a cop car.

TMZ broke the story ... Jones has 4 warrants out for his arrest and a history of allegedly using multiple fake names with cops.

Goodbye Jermaine ... whoever you are. 

The bigwigs at "American Idol" tell TMZ ... they would have done everything in their power to help Jermaine Jones clear up his legal situation ... if only he would have been HONEST about his past.

"A.I." executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick called in to "TMZ Live" moments ago ... and explained why they HAD to confront Jermaine when they discovered he LIED about his criminal history.  They said they were particularly worried when they found out he had used false names with police.

The "Idol" honchos explained, "There might be other false names and other charges out there that we just dont know about."

Lythgoe and Warwick tell us lots of kids that appear on the show are entangled in legal situations ... but the producers insist, "We help them where we can in clearing them up."

The producers say they captured the confrontation on tape ... and say he was "very apologetic."

Still, too little too late ... he'll be officially axed on tonight's show.

"American Idol" honcho Nigel Lythgoe has balls -- he's asking Prez Obama to come on the show to do the song that made him even more famous -- with Al Green.

Seems Nigel was blown away by Obama's short rendition of "Let's Stay Together" at the Apollo Theater earlier this month.

So Nigel just tweeted the Prez, "We loved your vocal performance so much we'd love to invite you on to American Idol this Season for a duet with Al Green."

We'd watch.  But is it a good move for the Prez?

Ryan Seacrest should fear not if producers cut his "American Idol" salary for next season, because we've learned Nigel Lythgoe has vowed to make up the difference ... out of his own pocket.

There have been a few reports that producers may try to cut Ryan's paycheck -- estimated at $15 million for this season. Nigel is telling people Ryan is "extremely important" to the show and doesn't know how it could work as well without him.

Nigel says if production starts slashing, he'll start cashing to keep R.S. on board.

Kim Kardashian is all set to return to the "Pussycat Dolls" ... only this time, she'll be running things BEHIND THE SCENES -- as the executive producer of a new PCD reality show ... TMZ has learned.

Kim signed a TV deal with "American Idol" honcho Nigel Lythgoe -- to be the E.P. for an upcoming reality show about the "Pussycat Dolls empire" ... that will feature the launch of a "new" PCD group.

One source tells us the newbies are "10 times better than the original group."

We're told Kim has a good relationship with PCD founder Robin Antin -- plus Kim really enjoyed performing with the group in Vegas a few years back.

Kim is telling friends she's "super excited" to work with Nigel because "he's the best in the business."

Amy Winehouse's death is "unexplained" .. at least for now -- this, according to Scotland Yard.


Police issued a statement, saying, "At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained and there have been no arrests in connection with the incident."

TMZ reported yesterday ...  a source connected with the death investigation told us police were "operating under the suspicion" it was an overdose.

Scotland Yard also said, "Police were called by London Ambulance Service to a house in Camden Square NW1 shortly before 16.05 hours on Saturday 23 July, following reports of a woman found deceased."

And as we reported yesterday, we were told when paramedics arrived there were "signs of life," though we did not have specifics.

Now the post-mortem is scheduled for Monday morning.

TMZ caught up with "American Idol" honcho Nigel Lythgoe who called Amy's passing "tragic."

Nigel Lythgoe has tweeted the first pic of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez (alongside Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest) officially judging "American Idol" auditions.



Interestingly, Randy has pulled rank and moved over to Simon Cowell's old spot on the right.

Nice work, dawg.

Sources connected with "American Idol" tell TMZ ... execs on the show recklessly rolled the dice by choosing Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as the new judges.



Our "A.I." spies tell us producers have never put Lopez, Tyler and Randy Jackson in the same room to see if they have the right chemistry.  As one source put it, "It's ridiculous not to road test these people before committing ... it's insane."

We're told before choosing Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, Exec Producer Nigel Lythgoe organized dinners with the three prospective judges, to see how they meshed.  We're told Nigel even had Simon and Randy go to a few strip clubs together ... to see how they got along.
FOX, we're told, was adamantly opposed to Paula because the Network felt she was "washed up," but Nigel convinced the execs it was all about the "magic" between the three.

Turns out ... there's still time.  High level sources tell us the deals with Lopez and Tyler still haven't been signed, and auditions with the judges are just a month away.

Maybe the biggest move "American Idol" made this week is bringing back Nigel Lythgoe as executive producer -- which now explains why Nigel made this slip of the tongue on live TV.


Wednesday night on "So You Think You Can Dance" Nigel seemed to forget which set he was working on at that moment.

Easy mistake to make when you're about to shake up the biggest show on TV.