Hot ticket for aspiring pop stars (American Idol)

"American Idol" has a shortage of judges at the moment, but it's doing fine with would-be contestants.Nearly 50,000 people have turned out in the first four cities where tryouts have been held, according to series producers.

"American Idol" expanded the pool by lowering the age eligibility a year, from 16 to 15 years old. The maximum age to audition remains 28.I think people are sensing that season 10 is a historic moment, and they all want to take a shot at being the 10th American Idol.

Fox hasn't addressed the status of judges Randy Jackson or Kara DioGuardi.Nigel Lythgoe, the "So You Think You Can Dance" judge and co-creator who is rejoining "American Idol" as an executive producer, told Fox News he thinks there is more talent to be discovered and hopes to "find the next Michael Jackson."

He's also ready to have attention shift from judges to singers, Lythgoe said.Even if it's Sanjaya (and) we're talking about his ... hair, for goodness' sake," Lythgoe told Fox, referring to former contestant Sanjaya Malakar's eye-catching hairdo parade.On Wednesday, News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch told a conference call with analysts and journalists, "we're very close to announcing who the judges will be.

The music will certainly be better and we've got great expectations for it."The makeover comes after a season during which ratings dipped, but not enough to deny "American Idol" the No. 1 spot.