I don't see the problem with the AJ GM role... it's no more random than when Teddy Long became the GM of SmackDown outta nowhere, and stayed GM for 8 years at that. Also, I don't see why anyone would be ready to give up on her in this role after one episode anyway, it's not like she flat-out bombed. As a amtter of fact, I don't see anything she did particularly bad.
Also, let's not forget people did the same with Laurainitis, and his character turned out to be hilarious (IMO). Some people would say he was bland or had a dry personality but he was such a dikkhead, he became a heat magnet.
And DEFINITELY let's not forget someone far less talented than AJ, Teddy, or Laurainitis... who went from being terrible in any role they gave her to being one of the best heel characters of the last five years. VICKIE. Maybe we need to bring back some 2006 Smackdown clips to remember how wack her very presence was, and she ended up givin' us all kinds of classic shyt.