Underdogs Paige Miles, Lilly Scott and Katelyn Epperly shine during new judge Ellen DeGeneres’ first official show. By Gil Kaufman Paige Miles on ‘American Idol’ Tuesday Photo: Fox After endless weeks of prep, “American Idol” finally went live Tuesday (February 23), offering fans of the show the first look at the top 12 female performers as well as new judge Ellen DeGeneres, who quickly established that she will be offering up plenty of good advice mixed with comedy chops and support. DeGeneres, who uncharacteristically seemed nervous at times, set the tone early, setting up a video gag explaining why she was on the opposite end of the judge’s table from Simon Cowell, explaining that he “wants” her via a doctored clip in which he appeared to be feeling her leg under the table during Hollywood week. And then it was on to the real business of the night as preschool teacher Paige Miles, 24, went first, growling her way through a peppy, gritty cover of Free’s classic rock staple “All Right Now.” “I think out of all the girls you have the best voice,” Cowell said, before blasting her for the poor choice of what he called a cheap wedding-singer tune. Kara DioGuardi loved the soulful take on the rock song, also praising her chops. One of the season’s early audience favorites, 22-year-old student Ashley Rodriguez, took on Leona Lewis’ “Happy,” offering up a breathy, dramatic and sometimes off-key version of the song by one of Cowell’s prot
