AP
The show's host said Wednesday that things got intense between new hosts Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey during a tryout taping in Charlotte, N.C. the day before.
In the midst of a dispute over a contestant, Minaj announced that she was no longer putting up with "her ... Highness," in a reference to Carey with a few expletives added in. Another new judge, Keith Urban, was in the unenviable position of sitting between the two of them.
On his radio show, Seacrest said that "Idol" needs some passionate debate.
"It did get intense," he said. "We want that. We want them to be on this panel together. This is a good team, a great team, to go out and look for the next 'American Idol' ... the feedback that they give is very good."
"American Idol" is still the nation's most popular show despite a dramatic fall-off in ratings last season that led to three new judges joining Randy Jackson. The show's new season premieres in January.
A Fox representative said Wednesday the network has no comment on its feuding judges.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
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