Ellen DeGeneres has said she will be a “compassionate” judge when she joins the panel of American Idol on its upcoming season. But she’s also promising to be honest with Idol hopefuls — whether they sing well or not.

“I think it’s going to be hard, but as my career has grown, … I’ve learned how to be tougher and learned how to say no,” DeGeneres tells the AP. “I think I can do it and I think I can do it in a respectful way.”

In the interview, DeGeneres also reveals that American Idol reached out to her to fill the spot left empty by Paula Abdul after the talk show host and comedian was a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance.

Idol creator Simon Fuller, who also works on SYTYCD, “started sniffing around and said, ‘Are you interested?’ and I said, ‘Yes, of course. … I love that show and I’d love to do it,’” DeGeneres said.

For a sample of DeGeneres’s judging style, watch clips of her stint on So You Think You Can Dance, which show a decidedly nice — and funny! — guest judge.

In keeping with that style, DeGeneres hesitated when asked to name her favorite Idol contestant from the past, instead diplomatically listing Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler.

But DeGeneres is already employing a “just say no” attitude. “That I can guarantee you will never happen,” she says of possibly recreating costar Kara DioGuardi’s famous sing-off in a bikini on the season finale of Idol in May. “I don’t ever, ever like to definitely answer anything with a yes or no, but that’s a no.” –Aaron Parsley