...What? Idols are supposed to be entertaining, on stage and/or in variety. When a variety program invites an idol as a guest, of course they expect them to be funny. I'm not saying they should act like a clown or anything like that, but clever responses/comments are always appreciated in variety.
Being entertained doesn't equal being funny, musicians are entertainers, are they expected to be funny? No. While idols are referred to as someone with multiple talents, there's very few that are acknowledged for being funny. Idols in general are still called as guests on variety shows for the "pretty face" factor, nothing else. The comedians are the ones who are acknowledged for the funny aspect, and variety specialist talents who are good at talking. I wouldn't say a one word remark or clever answer equals being funny, maybe amusing, interesting if you have to insist.
That depends on the definition of "ace." For you being able to sing well may be a big part of that, but others may consider an "ace" to be someone who's more all-round.
What's the point of individualizing a term just to fit your definition when the rest of the world doesn't use it that way? There's a reason why the Idoling members only use the term "ace" when referring to Rurika only, they obviously value popularity and singing/dancing far more as an idol than being funny. Even if you use the term to describe an all-rounder, none of the ones mentioned are good enough singers to fit into that description, especially Kikuchi.
She's been a member of Idoling for a whopping six days. Let's give her some time.
I was fortunate enough to watch Karen on other variety shows numerous times, trust me, she is not funny.
Just adding something on Karen just so people won't take it the wrong way, I'm not knocking Karen, it's not like she is trying to be funny and failed, she doesn't even try to be funny, is my point. Karen is a former model, she idolizes Maipuru, in her mind an ideal idol has nothing to do with being funny. Expecting her to be funny down the road is as extreme as saying expecting Asahi to win a Nobel Prize down the road, it's just not in their persona.