American Idol Judge Randy Jackson On American Idol, Type II Diabetes Diagnosis

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Randy Jackson has been with American Idol from the very beginning, but after a huge shakeup there, is he sticking around?

Jackson joined us on The Couch to clear things up - he also chatted about Fashion Week, and some very important health issues.

"American Idol is an amazing, amazing show, I think it's the best of its kind ever," Jackson joked when asked if he'll be making a return to Idol. "I think it's an amazing program and I love it."

John Elliott posed the question: When it comes to American Idol, are you now a judge, or a mentor?

"In life, I do everything," Jackson said as he slyly changed the subject. "I do everything, but, I try and help to educate people about type II diabetes."

The Grammy Award winner was diagnosed with the illness in 2003 and has recently joined "Taking Diabetes To Heart," a program aimed at educating Americans about the illness, and motivating those with type II diabetes about the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

"It's a very serious disease, and a lot of people out there don't even know that they have it," Jackson said. "I didn't know that I had it."

The music producer admitted that he had to make a big change in his diet and exercise regimen after his diagnosis. After growing up in the South, he had spent years eating all sorts of fried foods - and large portions.

"I had to completely change my lifestyle," he said. "I have kind of nixed most of [the fried food] altogether," he said.

Suggesting that such a transformation takes a lot of willpower, Jackson mentioned the importance of portion control. As he pointed out, this isn't just about looking good - it's about battling a disease.

"There's no cure, but you can definitely manage it," he said.

For the complete interview, check out Jackson's appearance on The Couch below.