American Idol" back in season 10.

DeGeneres explained herself during a recent interview on Howard Stern's radio show, calling her one-season appearance on the singing competition series "one of the worst decisions I've made."

But before you think that DeGeneres has suddenly morphed into fellow one-season judge Mariah Carey, who famously trashed the show after her season 12 judging stint, DeGeneres said that her opinion had more to do with her personal dislike for dashing contestants' hopes than for her feelings about the show itself.

"As a fan of the shows, it doesn't matter that I sing or I know anything about pitch ... I'm like everybody else at home, so I thought I'm gonna represent those people at home that have opinions," DeGeneres said of what initially interested her in joining the judging panel. "But then I just thought ... I can't break this person's heart. Let somebody else do that."

DeGeneres even admitted as much when she first got the gig. The Ellen DeGeneres Show" back when "Idol" season 10 debuted in 2010, she told fellow judge Kara DioGuardi, "It's hard ... giving bad news," adding, "I'll get used to it, I guess."

Looks like she never did, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. We're glad Ellen is still being herself.

[via: TheWrap]

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