American Idol's Nicki Minaj And Mariah Carey Duke It Out, Ryan Seacrest Explains

Everybody likes to buzz about conflicts between judges on the set of reality competitions like The X Factor and The Voice, but it looks like things really did get ugly between fellow divas Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj on American Idol during a rehearsal taping, when a video of the two singers duking it out at the judge's table was leaked online.

Minaj could be heard cursing about Carey's "f–king highness" and "f–king problem," at an Idol audition in Charlotte, N.C., while judge Keith Urban sat between them and put his hands up more than once, reports E! Online. Randy Jackson was at the table, but not seen in the video. Finally, it looked as if Carey was ready to get up from the table and either walk out or come over and put Minaj in her place the old-fashioned way.

Idol host Ryan Seacrest, however, played peacekeeper when he addressed the spat on his show Wednesday. "It got heated between Nicki and Mariah," he said. "There's nothing wrong with disagreeing, and that's gonna happen, and that's ok.

"These are all very different individuals with different perspective and different opinion that provide for interesting conversation and dialogue and feedback for the contestants," Seacrest added. "Each one of those members of the panel this year is an essential ingredient to the sum of the show."

But it may not be as diplomatic as all that. "This is the sort of thing producers considered might happen when they cast Nikki opposite Mariah, but not this bad and not this fast," an inside source told E! "They have to protect Mariah to make sure she doesn't walk. After everything it took to get that panel in place, they need everyone, especially Mariah. She was their first choice."

See how things turn out between Carey and Minaj when American Idol returns to Fox in January 2013 … if they get that far.

Get Uinterview's FREE iPhone App For Daily News Updates here.

American Idol's Nicki Minaj And Mariah Carey Duke It Out, Ryan Seacrest Explains

Nicki Minaj And Keith Urban Join 'American Idol' Judging Panel

Mariah Carey Gets Gig On Simon Cowell's 'X Factor'

Mariah Carey Joins Simon Cowell's Haiti Single

Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledit, Phillip Phillips Keep On Wowing 'American Idol'

Joshua Ledet, Jessica Sanchez Get Standing Ovations On 'American Idol'

RECAP: 'American Idol' Top 5 Duke It Out

Tyler Perry Speaks Out On Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey And Nick Cannon Welcome Twins

Jennifer Lopez Also Departing 'American Idol'

Steven Tyler Leaves 'American Idol' To Focus On Aerosmith