Paula Abdul: Bret Michaels Would Be an "Awesome" American Idol Judge

via US Magazine

Ex-American Idol judge Paula Abdul has given Bret Michaels her blessing as Simon Cowell's successor.

"If he were to take that position I think he would be awesome at it because you've got to have a passion and love for music," Abdul, 47, told UsMagazine.com at the Tony Awards Gift Lounge in NYC Sunday.

Michaels has been considered a top contender for the open seat since his surprise performance of "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" at the May 26 finale.

"It takes somebody who really, really understands young people to try to make the magic happen in those 30 seconds," she added. "[Bret] would fit the mold perfectly."

But Michaels isn't the only person Abdul envisions sitting with Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres at the judge's table.

"I think Simon's mom Julie would be brilliant, because who knows him better than she?" Abdul told Us.

"Honestly, the word replacement to me does not apply because, as we all know, they broke the mold after Simon. I don't think he could ever be replaced," she said. "There should be no comparison."

And as Us Weekly first reported in May, Abdul is gearing up for her role as head judge on CBS' upcoming Got to Dance, a U.S. version of the hit U.K. reality competition.

"I'm beyond excited about this," Abdul said. "We’re in the middle of hiring the amazing talent that makes the magic happen!"

Bret Michaels: I Would Make a Great Idol Judge

via People

Ten songs into Bret Michaels‘s recent concert in Biloxi, Miss., the rocker casually mentioned, “I don’t know if it’s true, but I could possibly be a judge on American Idol.”

Though no formal job offer has been extended, departing judge Simon Cowell suggested Michaels as a replacement when chatting with reporters at the Idol finale party last week.

The 47-year-old Michaels had performed on the show that night alongside finalist Casey James despite suffering life-threatening health problems. “I was honored that Simon said that,” Michaels tells PEOPLE, “and I would be honored to do it.”

The Poison frontman says he has all the qualifications that 23 years in the rough-and-tumble music business brings.

“I’m talking old-school, paying-my-dues experience,” he says. “I used to move the pool table out of the way to play for people six nights a week, playing five sets a night, where I had to announce the dinner special. I grew up the old-fashioned way. I would have done anything to have a platform like American Idol when I was growing up.”

“For a lot of these young musicians, I’d be able to give them incredibly awesome and very, very real advice,” adds Michaels. “Not just the music, but their attitude and what it’s gonna take. Because everyone forgets one simple thing: Once you get chosen as the winner, you still have a big road ahead.”

Michaels already has quite the reality-show resume: He was a judge on Nashville Star, he wooed the ladies on three seasons of his own Rock of Love series, and he just won Celebrity Apprentice.

“I would bring my heart and my soul and amazingly honest and truthful advice,” he says. “And I would tell them if I thought their chances of making it were really slim — and how to fix that. Because my chances of making it were extremely slim. It’s come from brute determination.” –- Anne Marie Cruz