It looks like Jennifer Lopez and "American Idol" producers are playing cat and mouse over the singer's future in the talent show.

It was a show that helped her revive her career. Furthermore, it gave her the much needed exposure to bounce back in show business and that's exactly what happened.

Lopez has her career back, her business running smoothly, not to mention this year's breakthrough for topping the list of Forbes Celebrity 100. But the question is, is Jennifer Lopez ready to leave the talent competition that brought her back to stardom?

American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe said on Friday that Lopez must make her decision whether to leave or stay in the show. Might be a bit of negotiating tactics, Lopez released an intriguing statement last week that she wasn't sure about renewing her contract.

A source close to JLo said that she was just "too busy" to commit to the show. Looking back, she made similar comments a year ago before signing in a new one-year deal. So is JLo just bargaining?

On a press conference last Friday, Lythgoe said that he realizes that the three judges- Lopez, Tyler and Jackson- have very busy schedules outside the show. However, the producer also added that he would be pleased to have all three of them back.

"She (Jennifer) has had a wonderful resurgence world's most beautiful woman (for People magazine), two No. 1 records, she is doing brilliantly. She is going to have to balance everything up, as is Steven Tyler too. It's not just Jennifer," Lythgoe said.

Using her Twitter account, she clarified on Thursday that she has not made a final decision. So it is not true that she is out of "Idol."

"There is no truth to reports that say I am definitely leaving 'Idol'. All I said was I haven't decided what I am doing next year," Jennifer said.

This season's American Idol is down to two episodes that will air May 22 and 23 on Fox. Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips, the two standing contestants will battle it out to see who wins this American Idol season.

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