Just in case you did not believe the Fox announcement yesterday about the identity of the four judges for next season of American Idol, the proof is in this first promotional photo of the quartet released by the network.

Auditions for season 12 of Idol kicked off in NYC Sunday and the four judges, along with host Ryan Seacrest, made their collective debut.

The photo was released a few hours after Fox made it official that hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj and country singer Keith Urban have joined veteran Randy Jackson and Mariah Carey on the show this upcoming season.

In the photo, Jackson resumes his usual seat on the judge’s table. Carey and Minaj who reportedly already don’t get along are separated by Urban. Something about this strange mixture of talent makes me already miss JLo and the quirky Steven Tyler. Heck, I really miss Simon Cowell but that’s why The X Factor is stealing more and more of my time.

What do you think of this eclectic group of judges? Do you think Minaj has enough experience yet to judge a singing competition? Do you think the brewing feud between Carey and Minaj will bring interest to the show? Are you happy to see Jackson back in the line up?