Passion, disagreements within Idol team

Pasadena - Five minutes into their season-opening news conference and the new team at American Idol were having their first disagreement - about their disagreements.

Asked on Tuesday whether a supposed feud between new judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj was a publicity stunt, Fox network executive Mike Darnell said it was authentic.

He said there was a lot of passion within the group, which also includes country star Keith Urban and returning judge Randy Jackson. He said there were also a lot of disagreements.

Carey, however, called the story "some trumped-up thing".

Minaj later called Carey one of her favourite all-time artists who has shaped a generation of singers.