Kara DioGuardi Booed at TCAs After Refusing to Answer 'Idol' Question

PASADENA - Kara DioGuardi has a new job and she’s not interested in rehashing her ouster from American Idol. DioGuardi is a judge on Bravo’s upcoming Platinum Hit, which is not a singing competition, but a songwriting competition.

The series, which bows this summer, follows 12 contestants through songwriting challenges. The winner gets $100,000, a recording deal with RCA/Jive and a publishing deal with Sony and BMI Songwriters and The Writing Camp.   The producers, DioGuardi and fellow Platinum judge Jewel, worked strenuously to differentiate their show from the Fox juggernaut during a panel discussion here at the semiannual Television Critics Association press tour. And when DioGuardi refused to answer a question about her departure from Idol (Was she pushed? Did she feel she was treated unfairly?), she was booed.   Which at least pried loose this nugget from DioGuardi: “It was an incredible experience. It really was. But I’m here as a hit songwriter and I’ve sold more than 150 million albums and that’s why I love this show… because it helps me empower young songwriters.”   Executive producer Evan Bogart, who told THR in November that "the critics will be surprised" by DioGuardi's  performance on Platinum, added: “Whether American Idol ever had Kara or not in my opinion, Kara is the perfect person for this show.”