The feud between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj will probably be more memorable than whoever wins this season of "American Idol" -- but is all their fighting real?
"It's authentic," FOX's president of alternative programming Mike Darnell told the crowd at today's 2013 TCA in Pasadena.
"The two of them were always angry," added the show's executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.
But the two judges were also in the house -- with Keith Urban sitting between them -- where they played down the on set threats and upped security stories.
"This is a very passionate panel, there are a lot of strong personalities," Mariah said. "The fighting is what it is. This is 'American Idol,' it's bigger than all that. It's bigger than some stupid trumped-up thing."
In true diva form, she then went on to call the rivalry "one-sided" ... under her breath.
One critic then asked the two women to say something nice about the other.
"I say nice things about Mariah all the time, she's one of my favorite artists of all-time she's really shaped a generation of singers," said Minaj ... who was sporting a brand new black wig.
"To be on a panel with her, it's kind of crazy because these singers aspire to be a Mariah Carey," she added. "So I feel excited to see them so excited."
Carey reminisced on working with Nicki in the past on a song called "Up Out My Face," saying "I did feel that she was going to go very far [then] and still have that feeling.”
All this comes after Carey talked about the feud with Barbara Walters, dissing Minaj when Babs asked about lyrics in a new song. Check out the clip below:
Are you looking forward to the new season of "Idol" -- and are you more interested in the judges or the actual talent? Sound off in the comments!
