<i>American Idol</i> Needs to Fire Nicki Minaj Now

Nicki Minaj is out of control.'s producers may be thinking they have ratings gold on their hands, but they are playing with fire.
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This image released by Starpix shows singer and newly named "American Idol" judge Nicki Minaj at Macy's Herald Square to launch her new fragrance, "Pink Friday," Monday, Sept. 24, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Starpix, Amanda Schwab)
This image released by Starpix shows singer and newly named "American Idol" judge Nicki Minaj at Macy's Herald Square to launch her new fragrance, "Pink Friday," Monday, Sept. 24, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Starpix, Amanda Schwab)

Ratings smatings! Nicki Minaj needs to get a boot off the American Idol judging panel, pronto! It's completely unacceptable, unprofessional and illegal to threaten to shoot anyone, let alone Mariah Carey, her fellow judge.

American Idol producers, no quest for ratings justifies allowing Nicki Minaj to retain her position as judge after being overheard saying, "If I had a gun, I would shoot the b**ch."

She was referring to fellow judge Mariah Carey with whom she had a heated argument during an American Idol audition in Charlotte, NC, and it was caught on video.

It was bad enough that during that argument, Nicki Minaj swore at Mariah and threatened, "I'm gonna knock you out," said that she wouldn't put up with "her f**king highness over there," and then threatened, "if you say one more disrespectful thing to me -- off with your head."

All of that is quite enough to justify cutting up Nicki's contract and shoving her immature booty out the door.

Disagreements and heavy ribbing among judges are find, but nasty threats to knock off and cut off other judge's' heads have no place in ANY work environment, let alone school yards.

Plus actually making a threat to shoot someone is criminal behavior. It's not something to be joked about EVER. And Mariah shouldn't be subjected to it.

No wonder Mariah told Barbara Walters of The View that she "doesn't feel comfortable emotionally," on the show.

Mariah's Paycheck Doesn't Make Up for Being Verbally Abused

Who would? Talk about stress at work. No $18 million paycheck is worth death threats, is when you have your 17-month-old twins on the American Idol set, like Mariah does. I think it's amazing that Mariah hasn't tendered her resignation yet.

Far from apologizing since threatening to shoot Mariah, Nicki has since taken to Twitter to throw more dirt into Mariah's face.

"I guess it hurts 2 have the producers tell u to ur face that nicki is the best judge we've had since simon. Aww, poor u. Keep them lies cmn," she tweeted on Oct. 4.

Nicki's not even denying she made the shooting threat. Instead, she's tweaking her nose at the American Idol producers about it. "Ironically no camera or mic heard the gun comment tho. LOL @ the struggle. Not even the producers believed u. Say no to violence barbz," she also tweeted, Oct. 4.

Furthermore, she also extended her threats to respected journalist and The View host, Barbara Walters, threatening to "hit up Barbara."

American Idol Is Playing With Fire

Nicki Minaj is out of control. American Idol's producers may be thinking they have ratings gold on their hands, but they are playing with fire.

If she's behaving this badly during the out of town tryouts, what's going to happen when the serious performances and winnowing down process begins?

Nutty, explosive behavior may be entertaining for a short period of time, but it will end up being a VERY SHORT period of time.

Mariah isn't going to put up with a continual string of verbal abuse. Keith Urban and Randy Jackson don't want to spend their days caught in the middle being Nicki's cannon fodder. They all have better things to do with their time, and they could all walk off the show -- mid-season.

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