Steven Tyler Reveals If He’d Ever Return To Judge On ‘American Idol’ 6 Yrs. After Last Stint On Show

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Steven Tyler told HL EXCLUSIVELY that he’s pretty receptive to rejoining ‘American Idol’, depending on who comes back with him!

With an upcoming Vegas residency, Steven Tyler is also open to the idea of returning to American Idol. While attending Steven Tyler’s Grammy-viewing party benefiting Janie’s Fund (which helps “bring hope and healing to girls who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect,” according to the fund’s mission statement), HollywoodLife got a chance to talk with the rock star about whether he’d come back to American Idol as a mentor following his departure from the show in 2012. “It depends on who’s on with me,” he told us. “I really think that Randy was — maybe people would say he was good for his time. He was great for his time. He was 10 years a leader and then he would walk out, ‘Yo dog!’ and we’d be sitting there for 8 hours, seeing kid after kid after kid — like 300 kids in Minneapolis auditioning, and you’re sitting there like, ‘Oh hey!’ Some people get dressed up in the car, as a car, other girls, red lipstick and you know. And he made the best of it of some times that weren’t so good, but would I do it? Yeah, I’ll do it.”

Later on in the group portion of the interview, Steven opened up about Aerosmith‘s upcoming Las Vegas residency, which spans from April 6 to December 4. After HollywoodLife asked how excited he was for the residency, Steven replied, “Good question! I didn’t know what I was getting into doing American Idol. Sitting next to JLo and Randy — once I had lunch with him. I met him over at the Sunset Marquis. I knew that I could do a TV show with him. I’d never done TV, but to be able to show my personality without being in a rock band was something I had not done and so this also — Vegas?! Isn’t that kind of where you go hang it up? Then I thought about the Rat Pack, and I thought, ‘Wait a minute!’ So we met a bunch of people, people that’ve worked with a lot of great people that have sold out, and our tickets went on sale and we beat them. I’m grateful for that. The meet and greets are sold out.”

And when it comes to the staging for their residency, audience members can expect it to feel like a huge rock ‘n roll show, as you might expect from Aerosmith. “The side of the stage — we’re in the Park MGM — it’s 150 feet wide,” he went on to say. “We’ve got side seats going; we’ve got a bar on each side; we’ve got a long ramp going out. We’re going to be all over the place! It’s going to be Aerosmith.” After two seasons (the 10th and 11th) as a judge on the show, Steven announced on Jul. 12, 2012 that he’d be leaving the show in a statement: “After some long…hard…thoughts…I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit. I strayed from my first love, AEROSMITH, and I’m back – but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band. The next few years are going to be dedicated to kicking some serious ass – the ultimate in auditory takeover…On Nov. 6, we are unleashing our new album, Music from Another Dimension on the Earth, Moon, Mars, and way beyond the stars…IDOL was over-the-top fun, and I loved every minute of it…Now it’s time to bring Rock Back. ERMAHGERD.”

Meanwhile, in Sep., 2017, Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith had to cancel shows in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Mexico due to a medical issue. “Steven Tyler is seeking immediate care and has been advised by his doctors that he cannot travel or perform at this time,” the band wrote in a statement at the time. “Therefore, the last four shows of the South American tour will be cancelled. Steven is expected to make a full recovery. With proper rest and treatment he will be back on his feet soon rocking the world.”