Howard’s Happy to See Ellen Go

Howard said he was glad to hear Ellen DeGeneres had been fired by the ‘American Idol’ producers: “It was a silly idea to have her on as a judge.”

Howard laughed that she could never even pretend to flirt–like Paula Abdul–with Simon Cowell: “She should be fingering Kara! That would’ve been interesting.”

Howard also laughed at the idea that Ellen ‘left’ the show: “It’s all bullshit. She was fired.”