American Idol

Some of the honchos at "American Idol" -- and Jennifer Lopez -- have been aggressively courting super-manager Scooter Braun because their research shows people don't care about the judges -- they want to watch the birth of the next big star.

Sources connected with the show tell us ... "A.I." execs believe the show has lost its way by sinking their fortunes on the judges. The research is clear -- viewers want to see the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood emerge from the pack.

The execs believe there is no one in music better to accomplish that task than Scooter Braun, who built careers for Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Wanted, and many others. BTW, they're right. Braun's a genius.

But here's the rub ... Sources very close to Scooter tell TMZ ... he's flattered but has lots of doubts about doing the show. One of the biggest -- he's saying he likes being able "to go to the grocery store under the radar."

We're told the only way Scooter would even consider doing the show is if he could have management control of any contestant he chooses -- even the ones who don't win.

Jennifer Lopez must sure think Casper Smart is cute, because upstairs there's a vacancy -- he just ruined her big announcement that she's returning to "American Idol."

Smart was promoting his new show -- yes, anyone can -- when he was asked if his GF was coming back to the struggling show. He dug deep and said, "Yes."

Apparently Casper thought the cat was already out of the bag.

NBA player Jason Collins hit the West Hollywood club scene last night ... and ran into former "American Idol" star Adam Lambert at a new place called Hooray Henry's.

Randy Jackson predictably sidestepped our question about his good bud "American Idol" cohort Simon Cowell.

Randy had just landed at LAX and he pretended like he was coming from Mars when we asked about the happy-ish news that Simon was about to become a daddy after secretly banging his friend's wife.

Simon Cowell's FORMER good buddy claims Mr. 'X Factor' was sticking it to his wife before they parted ways ... and THAT'S why he's accusing Cowell of adultery ... TMZ has learned.

We know real estate mogul Andrew Silverman isn't buying what Simon is selling -- that he didn't lay a finger or any other part on Lauren Silverman until after the split.

There's some proof to back Andrew -- photos (above) of Lauren and Simon kissing during a yacht vacation a year ago. By the way, Andrew was also on that trip.

Andrew, we're told, just wants out of the marriage and away from Lauren and Simon, and he's willing to settle custody and financial issues quickly. For now, he's asking for full custody of their 7-year-old son, but it appears from what we know that's a negotiable point.

A source close to Lauren tells TMZ ... Lauren and her husband were over before she and Simon entered into any kind of relationship.

Simon Cowell may have committed a crime in addition to a bro sin by allegedly banging his good friend's wife ... because that, our friends, is considered CRIMINAL ADULTERY!

Who knew ... but we did some digging and found a New York law making homewrecking a criminal misdemeanor, punishable by up to 3 months in jail.

As we reported ... real estate mogul Andrew Silverman filed divorce docs in NYC, alleging his wife Lauren and Simon committed adultery during his marriage and made a love child. She's 10 weeks pregnant.

Here it is ... THE FIRST PHOTO OF SIMON COWELL'S ALLEGED BABY -- unfortunately, you can't really see the thing because it's buried inside the womb of his friend's wife.

Simon's alleged baby mama Lauren Silverman -- the 36-year-old wife of his real estate pal Andrew Silverman -- stepped out in the Hamptons on Thursday, carrying Simon's little bundle of rapidly multiplying cells in her uterus (allegedly).

As we reported, Andrew just filed divorce docs claiming Lauren committed adultery when she conceived Simon's baby.

Adultery ... the real "ex" factor.

Simon Cowell is a homewrecker -- at least according to his good friend who filed divorce papers accusing Simon of banging and then knocking up his wife DURING their marriage, TMZ has learned.

Andrew Silverman has filed divorce docs in New York and TMZ has learned he's alleging ADULTERY in seeking to end his marriage to Lauren Silverman ... who is believed to be pregnant with Simon's child.

It's pretty shocking ... in New York claiming adultery is like a legal nuclear weapon ... if proven, the cheating party (and Simon) can be forced to take a DNA test -- something that's hard to get in New York when a couple is married and the wife gets pregnant.

In the docs, Silverman, the plaintiff, lists Lauren as a defendant and Cowell as a co-respondent.

Andrew doesn't pull any punches in the divorce papers, saying, "The nature of this action is: to dissolve the marriage between the parties based upon (1) the commission of acts of adultery by the defendant and (2) defendant's cruel and inhuman treatment of the plaintiff."

Judge this: Simon Cowell impregnated his good friend's wife ... and she's already nearly 3 months along ... this according to reports.

Us Weekly broke the story, reporting Cowell is expecting a child with New York socialite Lauren Silverman, the estranged wife of Cowell's close friend Andrew Silverman, a real estate mogul.

36-year-old Lauren and her husband have been in the middle of a divorce for a while ... but still haven't severed the cord.

Lauren is reportedly 10 weeks pregnant. FYI, Simon is 53 and this would be his first child.

Lauren's got talent too ... she's pretty damn hot. And it's safe to say Simon has a type. Just check out his recent exes, Mezhgan Hussainy and Terri Seymour.

Ten black former "American Idol" contestants from various seasons have filed a lawsuit against the show, claiming they were unjustly booted because of their race ... and they EACH want $25 million ... minimum.

We broke the story ... the contestants have accused producers of conducting a "cruel and inhumane" scheme to exploit them for ratings by illegally digging up their arrest histories and using the records to humiliate them on national TV.

The contestants -- Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8), and Chris Golightly (Season 9).

The contestants' lawyer claims the show used the arrest info to make his clients appear to be "violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants" ... when they weren't. In fact, none had ever even been convicted of the charges stemming from their arrests.

Worse, the lawyer claims ONLY black people were ever probed about their alleged criminal pasts ... never white people.

Not only do the contestants feel they got the shaft, they claim their lives have been ruined by the show's racist portrayals.

The 10 are suing for discrimination and other alleged misdeeds. They also want Idol to adopt new anti-racism regulations.

Ryan Seacrest has some serious game -- but it didn't help him this week in Monaco when he got burned at a fancy casino ... playing craps.

Just like an effervescent James Bond ... Seacrest hit up the famous Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco Tuesday night along with his gang of smokin' hot female friends who we already told you he's definitely NOT hooking up with.

Our eyewitness on scene says there was no limit posted on the table so its unclear how much the A.I. host dropped ... but after 30 minutes of rollin', we're told he lost a majority of his stack and eventually decided to play some roulette instead.

Two important things -- 1) "Pants on the Ground" auteur General Larry Platt is STILL ALIVE!!! ... and 2) He absolutely loves the new saggy pants ban in New Jersey.

As we reported, the Jersey Shore town of Wildwood has passed a law banning saggy pants from its boardwalk, and it's scheduled to go into effect next month.

But unlike a bunch of famous rappers, legendary "American Idol" anti-sag crusader Platt tells TMZ, "I am happy about the law and would like to see the law passed worldwide."

The 65-year-old General says he's actually talking to politicians in his hometown of Atlanta about getting the same law passed there.

Platt -- who says he'd consider a post with Wildwood PD just to enforce the ban -- adds, "Saggy pants are a disgrace to the community. When you wear your pants on the ground, you look like a fool, and it pulls down people, churches, schools, education and jobs."

Take us home, Larry!

Nathaniel Marshall -- who made the top 36 on season 8 of "American Idol" in 2009 -- is now trying his hand (and a few other appendages) at a new career ... gay porn.

Marshall, now using the porn name Jadyn Daniels, is appearing in a film called "Men Caught on Video 2" which became available just yesterday. The movie does not appear to have much of a plot, so if you like your porn with a gripping story ... this is not the one for you.

Marshall/Daniels isn't the first reality star to transition into gay porn -- Steven Daigle, who appeared in "Big Brother 10," moved into the gay XXX biz 18 months after he left the show.

Mariah Carey made it official ... she will NOT be back at the "American Idol" judges' table for a second season -- and just a few hours later her 'AI' nemesis Nicki Minaj also bolted.

Mariah announced her exit amid rumors that 'AI' producers were going to make a clean sweep anyway before next season.

As we previously reported ... 'Idol' is extremely interested in bringing back Jennifer Lopez to judge next season -- and keeping Mariah and J.Lo would clearly be a bad fit ... and a pricey one at that.

Nicki tweeted her sayonara ... thanking 'Idol' for a "life changing experience."

If you've forgotten just how "life changing" -- TMZ broke the story last October when Nicki and Mariah got into a 4-letter-laced battle royal during 'Idol' auditions in Charlotte.

Still no official word on last man standing, Keith Urban's future. Randy Jackson's already said he won't be back.

Just how replaceable ARE "American Idol" judges? According to "Idol" champ Taylor Hicks ... SUPER DUPER REPLACEABLE.

Taylor was out in L.A. on Friday when our photog asked the season five winner the only interesting thing left to ask about "Idol" ... is it time to replace ALL the judges?

Randy Jackson -- the last remaining original judge -- made his exit after the season finale, and it's been reported that newbie judges Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey and Keith Urban are all on the chopping block.

But Taylor is unfazed by the "A.I" shake up and believes the "revolving door" of judges COULD be a way to save the slowly dying show.

And in case you forgot who Taylor is, here you go:

The Dawg is putting his "American Idol" career to sleep -- Randy Jackson just announced he's leaving the show for good at the end of the season.

Jackson -- who's been with the show from the very beginning -- just released a statement saying, "Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to rest, after 12 years of judging on 'American Idol' I have decided it is time to leave after this season."

Randy continued, "I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry. It's been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures."