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Nick Cannon: American Idol Needs to Double Jennifer Lopez’s Pay to Get Mariah Carey

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Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon attend the 2012 Project Canvas Exhibition & Art Gala at The Opera Gallery on May 11, 2012 in New York City.

If FOX wants to hire Mariah Carey as a new judge on American Idol, they're going to have to pay up!

Carey's husband Nick Cannon told TMZ the show would need to "double" what they paid Jennifer Lopez to get his wife on the show.

Related: PHOTOS: Idol judges then and now

While Cannon, 31, wouldn't confirm or deny if Carey is "in talks" to be a new judge on American Idol or not, he did joke, "I don't know if they could afford a Mariah Carey, though. That's a lot of money. I mean they gave J.Lo $20 million, they might have to double that." 

Is Carey, 42, negotiating with the show? 

Related: PHOTOS: Idol's most shocking eliminations ever

"I don't know! I'm not her manager, I'm her husband," he said. "I mean, you never know. It's one of those things where she's got an album coming out, so it's promotion." 

Lopez, 42, confirmed her exit from Idol to host Ryan Seacrest on Friday just one day after fellow judge Steven Tyler, 64, announced his departure. "We had magic," the singer told ABC News on Sunday about Tyler's exit cementing her own. "I don't know, with him gone, it might be a different formula."

Related: VIDEO: Music's most glamorous divas

A source told Us Weekly that Idol's remaining judge, Randy Jackson, may move from the judges panel to a mentoring role. Jackson, 56, is Carey's manager and the source tells Us, "They are in serious talks with Mariah and it's very close to being a done deal."

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