Janet Jackson may be joining Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid for the second season of The X Factor, multiple sources tell Us Weekly. The casting news comes weeks after Cowell fired judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger.
"She wants a spot on the judging panel," a source close to Jackson, 45, explains. FOX has not confirmed or denied having discussions with the "Someone to Call My Lover" singer.
Jackson fueled speculation when Anderson Cooper asked her about The X Factor on his eponymous talk show (airing Monday). "Oh my God," she said, bursting into a fit of giggles and covering her face. "No, I am not a judge on The X Factor."
"You're not currently a judge on The X Factor," Cooper, 44, said.
"No, I am not," Jackson replied, "but that's all I really think I should say."
An X Factor source tells Us that Cowell, 52, "wants to go big, a big star" — and Jackson very well may be the one.
Tell Us: Would Janet Jackson be a good fit on The X Factor?