After one season serving as a judge of "American Idol," Ellen DeGeneres is stepping down from her post. The comedienne released the following statement to "The Insider": "A couple months ago, I let FOX and the 'American Idol' producers know that this didn't feel like the right fit for me. I told them I wouldn't leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on 'Idol' and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be." She also tweeted Thursday, "Dim the lights...I've voted myself off American Idol." "We love Ellen and understand and support her decision to bow out of IDOL," Peter Rice, Chairman of Entertainment, FOX Networks Group told "The Insider." "We were fortunate to receive the humor, energy and love for talent that she brought to the show." "I loved Ellen's passion for the artists and her nurturing skills," "Idol" creator and executive producer Simon Fuller told us. "She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly."

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Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin tweeted her opinions of President Barack Obama's interview on "The View" this morning. Palin wrote: "President with no time to visit porous US/Mexican border to offer help to those risking life to secure us, but lotso' (lots of) time to chat on 'The View?'" A later tweet read: "I'm headed to border in near future... let's see how quickly his travel schedule will allow that border visit after all." While on "The View," Obama spoke on a variety of topics ranging from the unemployment rate and the war in Afghanistan, to Lindsay Lohan and what he plays in his iPod. Meghan McCain, daughter to former presidential candidate Senator John McCain, also had some critiques of the president's daytime TV appearance. She wrote on her Daily Beast blog, "I found the president’s appearance pretty predictable and his answers very rehearsed. I mean, how many times can he talk about how he has Jay-Z on his iPod? This was something emphasized at great length during the election to prove how hip he was. ... I don’t care what the president currently has downloaded on his iPod."

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It's time for "The Insider"'s best and worst celebs for Thursday. Lara Spencer, Chris Jacobs and our Niecy Nash are handing out today's coveted best and much-dreaded worst award. Watch the video to find out which star is getting our worst award for reportedly partying so hard recently that she had to be carried to her car!

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Elvis has entered the theater! Fans of the Rock 'n' Roll King will gather at theaters across the country tonight for special one-night screenings of an updated award-winning documentary on Elvis.  Warner Bros., Elvis Presley Enterprises and NCM Fathom are commemorating the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birth by presenting the Golden Globe-winning documentary: 'Elvis on Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration.' The film -- which follows Elvis on a 15-city tour of the United States in 1972 -- is the last before the music icon's death and features incredible never-before-seen footage onstage and off that shows a side of Elvis never previously seen as he made his way across America. 'Elvis On Tour' also debuts August 3 in newly-restored and remastered Blu-Ray™ and DVD versions, including a book filled with color photos, quotes, trivia, a tour itinerary, set lists, costumes and background information about the filming techniques. Click here to find a local screening near you and for more on Elvis Week events, visit www.ElvisWeek.com.

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Zac Efron was recently spotted coming out of a strip club in New York City, and spoke to Jimmy Kimmel about how he broke the news to longtime girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens that he was going to the risque bar. The actor admitted to going to the strip club with his "High School Musical" costar Corbin Bleu. "I'm not really the type of guy that does that kind of thing very often, but I had this image of what it would be like," he told Kimmel. He added jokingly, "I've heard a lot about these places, mostly from rap music. They're supposed to be pretty reputable. So I just envisioned myself on a nice couch in stunner shades with T-Pain and Usher making it rain money, and it just wasn't like that." As for whether the reports were true that he spent $2,000 at the club, he responded sarcastically, "It was like six [thousand.] ... No, I don't remember." The 'Charlie St. Cloud' actor explained to Kimmel how he told Hudgens of his evening out, saying, "The hardest part was calling [my] girlfriend before. That's the awkward call. ... How do you even start that conversation? ... She was fine with it." Kimmel joked that next time he should have Corbin Bleu make the call. Efron rounded out the strip club story, saying, "So, I've done it. I've been there, done that."

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