Jennifer Lopez Once Allegedly Banned Her Ex-Husband Ojani Noa From ‘American Idol’
Jennifer Lopez wielded considerable power back when she hosted American Idol. Her judgment could make or break the dreams of aspiring singers from all walks of life. But when it was rumored one of her exes would appear on the reality show, she put a stop to those plans quickly.
How Jennifer Lopez reportedly reacted to her ex being on ‘American Idol’
Lopez met a lot of new faces while hosting the long-running reality TV series. But rumor had it Lopez was warned that a familiar face was planning on making his appearance on American Idol. Way before marrying Marc Anthony and Ben Affleck, Lopez was married to Ojani Noa. Unlike some of her more high-profile relationships, Noa worked a normal job as a waiter before crossing paths with Lopez. She was on the cusp of superstardom back then, and felt an immediate connection with Noa after he served her table in a chance meeting.
During Lopez’s meteoric ascension, Noa would accompany his wife on several red-carpet events, where he met other celebrities. Sometimes Noa wondered why his glamorous partner still stayed with him.
“I asked her: ‘Why me? I’m just a regular guy,’” Noa recalled in an interview with Daily Mail. “And she said, ‘I know, but I saw something special in you I didn’t see in the other guys I worked with.’”
The relationship didn’t last, however. The pair would eventually end up divorcing in 1998, almost a year after they exchanged wedding vows. Noa insisted that he harbored no ill feelings towards Lopez after their break-up. But according to reports, he was hoping for a little reunion with the singer while she was hosting American Idol.
Noa was going to audition for American Idol not too long after she was officially announced as one of the show’s judges. According to sources, the former waiter had the potential to be a contender for the show. But he wasn’t on Lopez’s good side at the time, which cost him an American Idol opportunity.
“As it turns out, Noa does have a very good voice reportedly good enough to qualify for the initial rounds of American Idol auditions. He can sing, that’s for sure, but given his history with Lopez, he’s not getting a showcase on American Idol,” the source once said according to Marie Claire.
Lopez allegedly also provided evidence as to why Noa wouldn’t be a good fit for American Idol. It was claimed that she showed Fox execs photos of Noa and recordings of him singing to make her case.
Ojani Noah felt Jennifer Lopez should stay single for a while after her divorce from Ben Affleck
Noa couldn’t help but see many parallels between his and Affleck’s marriage with Lopez. The former waiter had been paying attention to the gossip and headlines about the couple’s marital troubles. Some of the stories he’d been reading reminded Noa of his own experiences with the Hustlers star.
Noa believed that Lopez’s desire for the spotlight may have been a factor in her divorce from Affleck. Especially when Affleck struck Noa as someone who avoided attention.
“I’ve met him and he’s an amazing guy. Even though they’re both in the spotlight, you can tell that he’s a really private man,” Noa said.
Although he was sad to see his former lover and friend go through another divorce, Noa felt living the single life might’ve benefited Lopez.
“Stay single for a while, take 12 months off,” he added. “If she meets someone new, maybe keep it private and not get married again. She has an amazing career and she’s a hard-working, beautiful woman, but when you’re with someone, you have to spend quality time with them and not think about being on camera.”
