Mariah Carey says ‘American Idol’ was like ‘hell with Satan.’ Really?

Mariah Carey didn’t dance around the issue when asked about her time on “American Idol.” During a recent radio appearance, the singer said her time as a judge on the show was like “going to work every day in hell with Satan.”

Carey appeared on “The Angie Martinez Show” on New York radio station Hot 97 on Tuesday and was asked, “Did you like [working on ‘American Idol’]?”

Carey’s response: “Honestly? I hated it. ... Here’s what I was led to believe. I was the first person signed on. ... I thought it was going to be a three-person panel. They gave me a nice dangling monetary moment. ... I thought Randy Jackson will be there. I’ve known him forever. He used to play bass for me. This isn’t a big deal. This will be nothing. But it wasn’t that. It was like um ... hell -- like going to work every day in hell with Satan.”

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Of course, she immediately backpedaled, saying, “Nah, just playing.”

But she then said, “It didn’t affect me that much. But I was disappointed.”

It wasn’t all bad. She loved the contestants.

But who was Satan? Carey didn’t spell that out, but it’s safe to assume she was referring to fellow panelist Nicki Minaj. Minaj and Carey reportedly feuded constantly during their one season on the show earlier this year. Country singer Keith Urban was also a panelist and will be the only returning judge from the Minaj-Carey year.

Urban will be joined by Jennifer Lopez, who last judged in 2012, and Harry Connick, Jr.

Carey and Minaj are both focusing on new albums and touring. Carey released her new single, “The Art of Letting Go,” on Monday.

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