Mariah Carey told Barbara Walters in a recent interview that she hired extra security following last year's expletive-filled confrontation with rapper Nicki Minaj at the judges' table on "American Idol."

The two made their debut on the FOX singing contest series last year as part of a casting shakeup and the season 12 premiere, the first episode showing them with fellow new co-judge Keith Urban, is set to air on the network on January 16.

In October 2012, the website TMZ, whose daily TV show airs mainly on FOX affiliate stations, posted a video of Minaj and Carey arguing at the judges' table during a taping of auditions in Charlotte, North Carolina. Minaj hurls expletives at the singer. FOX had no comment on the video.

Barbara Walters later said on the daytime show "The View" that Carey claimed multiple people heard Minaj say, "If I had a gun, I would shoot the b----" following her expletive-filled rant. The rapper has denied saying such a thing. Walters recently interviewed Carey, just ahead of the return of "American Idol." Her interview is set to air on ABC's "Nightline" on Monday, January 1 at 11:35 p.m. ET

The singer, who shares a twin son and daughter with husband Nick Cannon, told Walters: "It felt like an unsafe work environment. Anytime anybody's reeling threats at somebody, you know, that's just ... it's not appropriate."

After a monthlong hiatus, Nicki Minaj is back on Twitter.

The reason for her disappearance? She wanted to cool things down after a series of rants -- one calling former American Idol judge Steven Tyler a racist for some comments he'd made about her judging onIdol, and another blasting Wal-Mart and Target for pulling Roman Reloaded: The Re-Up off shelves.

But with American Idol retuning to FOX on January 16th, Nicki is ready to play nice with her millions of followers. She writes, "I didn't leave, Barbz -- I was still here in spirit, and you guys know that, so stop with the dramatics."