It looks like Nick Cannon was wrong. Turns out American Idol CAN afford his wife Mariah Carey, but she sure didn't come cheap!

The pop diva has reportedly signed a one-year deal for judging duties next season that will pay her nearly $18 MILLION! That's according to TMZ. Her massive payday trumps the comparatively paltry $15 million deal Britney Spears has for the current season of The X Factor and the $12 million check Jennifer Lopez got for last season of American Idol.

Related Article: Mariah Carey Confirmed As a New Judge on 'American Idol'

Why are some people nervous about working with Mariah though? Sources close to the show still remember her mentor cameo on Season 7 of the show and said she was a nightmare to deal with! They claim that Mariah showed up outrageously late for the shoot, was overly nitpicky about small details and "not very nice at all." We're smelling drama at the judges table already!

If judging on the show can provide a total career 180 like it did for J.Lo, imagine what it will do for Mariah! She's still very much a relevant figure in the music world with her 2010 holiday album Merry Christmas II You certified gold and her 2009 single Obsessed reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Check out Mariah's cameo appearance on American Idol below!

What do you think of Mariah's massive payday?

Photos courtesy of Fame Flynet