It might be an interesting counterpart to what American Idol had going for it with Simon Cowell, but Stern would still have to keep himself a bit in check even using Cowell as a comparison! Then again, maybe NBC is thinking that even if some debacle does ensue, bad press is better than no press.

Meanwhile, Morgan announced that he would be leaving the show to focus on his CNN talk show ”Piers Morgan Tonight,” and the upcoming presidential election year.

Police intercepted him for questioning but eventually let him go to his audition.  Laura’s body was found in a stairwell in the hotel, and police are now very interested in finding out exactly what happened in those final hours of her life.  Finley says he believes his wife was murdered, but denies any involvement.  Oh, and he says he and his wife were high on ecstasy when she disappeared.  The plot thickens.

Unfortunately for Boyle, she did not have a back-up song prepared, and since everyone is sick to death of hearing her sing “I Dreamed a Dream,” the producers elected to scrap the performance altogether.  I’m not sure how smart a decision that was, seeing as Boyle’s 15 minutes of fame are just about up, and if she wants to stay in the public eye, she needs to, well, stay in the public eye.

Howie Mandel

“Howie is one of America’s favorite entertainers and his sense of humor and energy are irrepressible,” NBC Executive Vice President Paul Telegdy said in a press statement issued Sunday. “He’s passionate about new talent and his years of experience across a variety of disciplines in entertainment, not to mention the fact that he headlines and performs in Vegas all the time, will bring new depth to our panel. He will be a real asset to our contestants and help them take their talents to the next level. We are thrilled to have him join Sharon and Piers and are sure that sparks will fly!”

“We’re thrilled to have Howie join the show,” said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. “He’s an extraordinary, multi-faceted talent whose success story spans the gauntlet of all things entertainment. He will no doubt bring a dynamic, poignant and entertaining perspective to the judging panel that is all his own.”

The press release from NBC did not address the resignation of David Hasselhoff from the judging panel for the next season of America’s Got Talent. Piers Morgan said he was “really shocked” by the announcement David Hasselhoff would not be returning. “I didn’t know anything about this until last night,” Morgan said on the Today Show Thursday.

Hasselhoff announced Wednesday night he would be leaving the show after serving as a judge since 2006. Hasselhoff said he is planning on his own television project, which he said would be “announced very shortly.” Personally, we’re hoping Hasselhoff takes a break for some serious rehab before his new project…

America’s Got Talent returns in the summer for the show’s fifth season.

>> Previously:  David Hasselhoff Released from Hospital, Denies Psychiatric Hold

Boyle, who has undergone a glam makeover from her initial appearance on last season’s “Britain’s Got Talent,” told Vieira that anyone faced with sudden stardom probably “finds it really hard to get a head around it.”

Susan Boyle became an international sensation overnight after her first appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent,” blowing the judges away with a rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables. Almost instantly, her previously mundane life became a tabloid sensation and paparazzi were camped at her doorstep night and day.

Videos of Boyle’s performances nabbed over 100 million views on the Internet within weeks of her audition on the show. Although Boyle only ended up taking second place on “Britain’s Got Talent,” by that point the prize hardly mattered. She was already a bona fide celebrity.

The massive public interest in her life ended up being more than Boyle could handle initially. After the show ended, she checked herself into a clinic for a few days – sparking rumors about her mental condition. Boyle told Meredith Vieira in her “Today Show” interview that it “was pretty much necessary at the time. I needed a rest, just to get away.”

Now, however, Boyle is ready to eat up whatever her newfound fame serves up. Finally, she has realized her dream of being a famous singer and she has no desire to go back to obscurity. “I don’t want it to end,” Boyle told Vieira. “It’s just incredible.”

Boyle is currently recording her debut album, tentatively scheduled for release later this year.