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by Peter LangIt seems that Kyle Sandilands has paid the ultimate price for last week's 'Lie Detector Test' debacle with Network Ten dumping him as the third Australian Idol host for 2009.
The controversial shock jock will still appear in all the audition episodes as they've already been filmed but once the live audience Top 30 shows begin, his place will be taken by as yet undetermined guest judges.
Channel 10 says they made the decision because Idol is seen as very much a family focused show and they didn't want anyone on it, especially a judge, tarnishing that image.
I think this is a total over-reaction by the show's producers who tolerated Sandilands numerous contestant insults and barbs for years because they knew it helped draw ratings points for the show.
Now that Sandilands is on the nose with the mainstream media and getting too much negative attention, he has been unceremoniously dumped.
Unfortunately Sandilands is in this unenviable position because over the years he has p**ed off far too many journalists and media moguls. I hate to say it but I think Sandilands thought he was untouchable and could say whatever he wanted, about whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted, without consequence.
He has just learned, he can't, no one can!
Meanwhile the Kyle and Jackie O media circus continued today with reports that the top rating twosome were on some self imposed exile rather than an official suspension by Austereo.
Of course the cynical amongst us wonders if this is actually true or just some publicity stunt aimed at drawing more attention to the talented twosome in the hope that once they're back on air their ratings points will double.
If it is a stunt, I just hope it doesn't backfire on them, like it did to the once popular Chasers.
Time will tell I guess.
