Best idea I’ve heard yet re: Simon’s replacement. According to The Hollywood Reporter, San Francisco crooner and actor Chris Isaak has already met twice with American Idol producers to discuss filling Simon’s currently vacant seat at the judges’ table for next season.

Here’s my pitch for why Isaak should get the job:

1 – Unlike Randy Jackson or Kara DioGuardi, who like to name check all the people they’ve worked with in the music industry, and remind us constantly of their singing/songwriting/performing experience, Isaak has experience — current experience — in all those areas.

2 – In fact, the hubby and I have tickets for an Isaak show in New York City tonight. It will be the fifth time we’ve seen him, because he’s in that very rare category of performer who knows how to put together a great show. Fantastic songs, great voice, talented band, charming stage patter and cool costume changes (including his famous mirrored suit) are part of what makes an Isaak show a sure bet, and the thing that has been sorely lacking in many AI contestants is performance skills.

“I think I have a talented band,” Isaak told an interviewer earlier this year. “I think I’m a good singer and songwriter. But there’s all kinds of people with talent. For a live show, it’s more than just talent. You have to want to entertain people.”

At last, it would be nice to have someone on the judges’ panel who could sincerely help school the contestants in this area.

3 – Think Issak is an out-of-left-field pick, with a lack of TV experience? Not at all. His 2001-04 Showtime comedy The Chris Isaak Show was a perfect example of what makes him so great. He played a slightly exaggerated version of himself, with his band co-starring, and proved what a great sense of humor he has as “TV Chris” was a little arrogant, a lot cheap and a big ladies man.

And more recently, he’s hosted Bio Channel’s The Chris Isaak Hour, where he interviewed and performed with fellow music stars like Michael Buble, Trisha Yearwood, the Smashing Pumpkins, Stevie Nicks and Glen Campbell. He’s a relaxed, funny interviewer, and those skills would transfer to Idol.

He’s also guest starred on Friends, Ed, American Dreams, in the From the Earth to the Moon miniseries on HBO and has been a correspondent on Extra and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (and, for those of us who are devoted Team Coco members, Isaac performed with Conan O’Brien‘s The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour stop in San Francisco in April).

Bottom line: He has a lot of TV experience, a great sense of humor, eclectic music background, charming presence and can bring some genuine insights into critiquing American Idol contestants. Hire this guy, Fox!

By the way, THR also reports that Bret Michaels is definitely out as a potential Simon replacement, Donald Trump doesn’t appear to be under any serious consideration (despite the fact that he lobbied for the gig pretty hard) and Harry Connick Jr. is, with Issak, a top contender.

What do you think? Would you would watch AI with Chris Isaak or Harry Connick at the judges’ table? And if you had to choose between the two, who would you hire?

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• Filed in American Idol, Music on TV, TV News
• Tags: Chris Isaak, Chris Isaak American Idol judge