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Randy, Kara both shocked by Paula’s exit

“She’s definitely the heart of the panel and the kind of heart she treats the contestants with she treated me with last year during the auditions,” DioGuardi told Ryan Seacrest.
/ Source: Access Hollywood

Paula Abdul’s sudden departure from “American Idol”  has left fellow judges, Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson, in shock. DioGuardi is hoping Abdul will still return to the hit Fox reality competition.

“I can’t get over it. Completely shocked,” Kara said Friday morning from Denver, where “Idol” is taping auditions, during an interview on KIIS FM’s “On Air with Ryan Seacrest. “It’s such a loss for the show, such a loss for the contestants.”

DioGuardi said Abdul’s absence is going to leaving a gaping hole in the show.

“She’s definitely the heart of the panel and the kind of heart she treats the contestants with she treated me with last year during the auditions,” she continued. “She was so kind to me and made me feel immediately like I was part of the panel. And I hoping she’ll reconsider.”

DioGuardi responded to cynics, who believe Abdul’s departure had something to do with the songwriter returning.

“The way I’m understanding, it was her choice to leave,” she told Seacrest. “How could you ever replace (her)? She’s an incredible talent. She is somebody who helped to make the show as big as it is. And how could you ever replace that?”

Jackson also talked to Seacrest Friday morning, saying, “We gotta try and make it work. I’m really still sad about (Paula leaving)… shocked. I can’t believe it. Sad to not have her with us. “

Despite the “Idol” judge’s table upheaval, Jackson believes the road for Abdul will be paved with success.

“I’m sure there’s gonna be great things out there for her,” he said.

Queen Latifah in the mix Queen Latifah has been approached to be a guest judge on “Idol,” a source tells Access Hollywood.

The multi-talented star would join a list of celebs who have already been tapped to fill the gap at the judges’ table such as Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry.

Latifah’s rep could not be reached for comment.

One star who won’t join the judges, though, is Jennifer Lopez. A rep for Lopez told Access that a Media Take Out report that the star was in active negotiations to replace Abdul was not true.

According to the New York Post, other stars under consideration for the Fox reality competition are Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany and Belinda Carlisle.

The first to take a seat next to Simon Cowell, Jackson and DioGuardi is Beckham, who will serve as guest judge for Friday’s Denver auditions.