Victoria Beckham's 'Idol' Appearance Panned

Jan. 13, 2010— -- Just hours after "American Idol" started its ninth season Tuesday night, the show's first guest judge Victoria Beckham has already come under fire from critics .

Television critics complained about the former Posh Spice's "gaunt" appearance and her lame commentary. Beckham is the first of several celebrity judges scheduled on the show this season, including Mary J. Blige, who appears tonight, Katy Perry, Shania Twain and Joe Jonas, who are filling in for new judge Ellen DeGeneres, who will start during Hollywood week.

Following last night's show, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "The night's saddest failure, however, was guest judge Victoria Beckham, who actually made plenty of appealing comments and bonded beautifully with fellow judge Kara DioGuardi but whose gaunt appearance was so off-putting it might have cost her the slot DeGeneres eventually won."

The Village Voice was equally harsh. "Victoria Beckham does look sharp, if rather Jackie O. Barbie, tonight in a trim red suit. But her face is just too crazy for the close-up, and she has nothing to add to the commentary," the paper wrote. "I always thought a British accent made people sound smart but I guess I was wrong."

The Washington Post blasted her black lace headband. "Beckham-Spice appears to have cracked open her head, because it seemed to be held together with a strip of lace she found in her granny's closet," the Post wrote.

Beckham didn't say much during the two-hour show, except near the end when she took Simon Cowell to task for being rude to a contestant.

"Why do you do that?" she scolded him.

"Do what?" he said.

"That thing where you roll your eyes," Beckham replied.

This will be the last season for Cowell's eye-rolling, acerbic commentary.