Is the Mariah Carey-Nicki Minaj back-and-forth a genuine feud or a ratings ploy? Neither, claim American Idol producers.

Is Nicki Minaj for real?

It looks like the rumors about American Idol judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj hating each other are true. According to TMZ, Minaj snapped and cursed out Carey during a recent audition. After a disagreement over a contestant's peformance, Minaj said:

Who would have thought two pop divas wouldn't be instant BFF?

Are you ready to start caring about American Idol again? Me neither. But here's your Season 12 judges' panel anyway: original judge Randy Jackson (wait, really?), recent addition Mariah Carey, and total newbies Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban.

American Idol couldn't lure Katy Perry with $20 million, and now Mariah Carey knows she's worth less than Katy.

As a companion to our glossary of Mariah Carey's 10-cent words, here's a supercut of her talking about her songwriting throughout her 22-year career. Just as she keeps coming back to a heartbreaker, this is something she does incessantly.

Yesterday, Mariah Carey released the first single from her as-yet-untitled 14th album, “Triumphant (Get ‘Em).” She’s an odd nonfactor in her own song, singing the chorus, a bridge and some backup while guest rappers Meek Mill and Rick Ross do the heavy-lifting (she does the driving on a house remix, though).

It's been, uh, hours since the announcement that Mariah Carey is joining American Idol, and TMZ is already digging up dirt on her last Idol appearance.

It is a beautiful day for gay men and all people who love ridiculousness. TVbytheNumbers reports: "Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly announced at the network's TCA session that Mariah Carey has officially signed on to judge the upcoming season of American Idol." Mariah Carey being forced to say many words on live-ish television is only a good thing for pop culture. You know how she gets.

Are you ready to meet your new American Idol judge?

Tonight, NBC aired its annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting special. It was boring! Well, except for the part where Justin Bieber debuted the music video for his duet with Mariah Carey of "All I Want for Christmas Is You (Superfestive!)." Because what the hell?

It's the Golden Rule of Pop Divadom: Thou shalt throw shade upon your contemporaries (so long as they aren't in the room). So consider this sprawling supercut by Rich Juzwiak the Holy Bible of Diva Cuntitude. Each clip contains a Whitney, a Mariah, a Madonna, etc., talking smack behind another one's back, followed by a clip of the gossiped-about diva talking about another diva, and so and and so forth, until it all devolves into a cannibalistic diva free-for-all, where all that's left is a pile of bones and pearly teeth and silicone inserts and Dior shoes and Versace gowns. It's very entertaining! [FourFour]

Back in July, Mariah Carey made an insane two-hour live appearance on the Home Shopping Network, which I distilled down to the most entertaining four minutes. So when I found out that Carey would kick off another round of HSN hawking early this morning, I couldn't help but tune in (and not just because she challenged Gawker to do so).

Madonna explains what she looks for in a lover. Cuba Gooding's gay makeout partner speaks. Mariah Carey doesn't feel pretty unless she can "feel my bones." Kim Kardashian's former publicist stabs in her the back. Thursday gossip tells all.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon showed off their six-month-old twins for the first time on 20/20 on Friday night. But the babies—a son named Moroccan and daughter named Monroe—came at a high price for Carey, as you'll see in this clip of her discussing her pregnancy with Barbara Walters.

Prince Harry is apparently dating a cocktail waitress from San Diego who looks kind of like his sister-in-law. Kim Kardashian is not divorcing, uh, what's-his-name. And Mariah Carey's babies are finally photographed. Saturday gossip wants Lindsay Lohan to send it 30 In-n-Out burgers.

Mariah Carey hasn't been seen much since giving birth to twins in April, so people were especially curious on Sunday night ahead of her appearance on HSN to hawk everything from her fragrances to her jewelry. And by God, she delivered.

New Spider-Man villain Rhys Ifans thinks America sucks. Mariah Carey partied in a nightclub bathroom, while Brooke Mueller prepares to hallucinate in Mexico. Meanwhile, David Hasselhoff had a Las Vegas meltdown. Sunday Gossip is in deep trouble.

After Charlie Sheen's marijuana bikini model lover dumped him, he consoled himself with an orgy. Jennifer Aniston goes on a strange double date. Lindsay Lohan shoots another Vanity Fair cover. Monday gossip bounces back.