Paula Abdul really messed up this time.
On Tuesday night, the “American Idol” judge everyone loves to laugh with — or at — announced via Twitter that she was done with the show. The news raises many questions, not the least being if the bold move is just a publicity stunt by her and Fox, or a negotiating ploy by Paula’s management team. And can the show go on?
“With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to ‘Idol,’ ” Paula tweeted. “I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all I’ll [miss] being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon.
“What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me. It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month.”
Paula, who has been negotiating for a big salary bump to return for Season 9, could be playing hardball. According to some reports, she wanted to increase her salary from about $4 million a year to $20 million, a demand she reportedly dropped to $12 million recently. She also reportedly rejected a 30 percent increase.
She and judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi were set to film early auditions in Denver on Friday, so maybe Paula was using Twitter to pressure Fox and producers FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment into giving in to her demands. (The surly Brit, Kara and Randy have locked up deals.)
If Paula’s tweet was a negotiating ploy, it appears to have failed. In a statement, Fox, Fremantle and 19 Entertainment responded: “Paula Abdul has been an important part of the ‘American Idol’ family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she’s a tremendous talent and we wish her the best.”
Even “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, who recently upped his salary to $30 million over the next three years, seemed stunned Wednesday morning on his radio program.
“I’m just bummed because we’ve worked together for so many years,” Ryan said, according to ew.com, which reported that he said the news was “not a publicity stunt.”
When I called Fox on Wednesday, I was told that the network stands by its earlier statement, which said, “Paula will not be continuing with us.”
If Paula is in fact leaving, she’s dealing a major blow to the series. Sure, the show will go on, but it’ll be without that Simon-Paula chemistry that attracted many fans.
Her lovey-dovey cheerleading offered no real advice to contestants and may have annoyed viewers (and Simon especially), but it was the perfect foil to Simon’s acerbic attitude. Their clashes — whether real or scripted — made the show fun. They were even funnier if Paula’s digs against Simon fell flat, like in the March 25 episode, when Paula handed Simon crayons and said, “Here you go, 6-year-old. … That’s an insult to 6-year-olds.” He drew a mustache on her face.
It was one of the few times they sparred in Season 8, and I think that might be why the show lost viewers.
I don’t see Randy or Kara — both of whom fire off the occasionally harsh critique — stepping up to protect the singers from Simon’s snark the way Paula did. Simon won’t get away with picking on either of them the way he did Paula.
Finally, I don’t see fans warming up to Kara, who was brought in last season to shake up the show. Rumors began swirling that Paula would soon be shown the door. (Interesting, no?) Besides Kara’s bikini stunt — which I admit was a highlight of the season — she added only long, overly earnest critiques that pushed the show over its allotted time on several occasions.
True, this past season Paula delivered more insightful, worthwhile critiques than ever before. She was a lot less loopy than she had been during the past eight seasons. But the show was more fun when she made little sense while delivering lightweight, sugary praise. And crying. And slurring her speech. And did I mention making no sense?
I’m so going to miss mocking her.
What’s next?
The L.A. Times reports that former “Idol” show-runner Nigel Lythgoe said Abdul will join him and the “So You Think You Can Dance” judges this weekend in Las Vegas to discuss her potential future with that show, which he now produces. RedEye offers its own career advice.
— Reunion tour with MC Skat Kat
— Another reality show
— New dance workout videos
— Go back to being a Laker Girl
— Write an “Idol” tell-all. We know Ryan and the others are hiding something.
— Cosmetics
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‘American’ Abdul
When “American Idol” debuted in the summer of 2002, viewers had one question: “What is Paula drinking from that Coke cup?”
C.W.
2002
“American Idol” debuted. This early argument was between judges Paula, Randy and Simon, but it signaled the beginning of the sparring that would define the Simon-Paula relationship.
Paula (putting an arm around Simon): He’s just having a tough day.
Simon: I’m not having a tough day.
Paula: He hadn’t been held much when he was a child, and he needs it now.
2003
Toward the end of the season, Paula and Simon filmed a spoof video in which they pretended to be on a date. It included the pair licking whipped cream off each other’s fingers and ended with an open-mouthed kiss. And America threw up.
2004
Paula wore a sling in one episode, explaining that she had to have her thumbnail removed after a manicure mishap. “They punctured me,” she told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “I had surgery to remove the entire nail. … I almost lost my thumb!”
2005
Paula appeared to fall asleep during eventual winner Carrie Underwood’s first audition, but that was her least controversial moment that season. In April, Season 2 contestant Corey Clark (left) alleged that Paula coached him at her house — and slept with him — back in 2003. Everyone denied it and Paula was vindicated.
2006
Paula and host Ryan Seacrest seemed to fight after he cracked jokes about her “loopy” behavior and music to Jay Leno. On April 10, Paula shot back by telling Leno that Ryan was not dating “Desperate Housewives” star Teri Hatcher. “He only kisses the mirror,” she said.
2007
Was Paula drunk when she did a bizarre interview with a Seattle TV station in which she appeared wobbly and, surprise, incoherent? It wasn’t the first, and wouldn’t be the last time viewers wondered. Paula says never. “I’ve never been drunk. I have never done recreational drugs,” she told Us Weekly. Years later she admitted to abusing prescription meds. Later in the season, she was rushed to the hospital after falling over her dog, Tulip.
2008
Paula raised questions of pill popping and judge rigging when she critiqued a Jason Castro song that he had yet to perform. The next night Ryan came to her defense, saying, “Last night the judges were thrown a curveball on the air, which is just part of a live show. … Just for the record, the rumors — they’re not true.”
2009
Paula was far less loopy in Season 8, with her comments actually making sense at least half the time. Her big mistake was performing — er, lip-synching — her single “I’m Just Here for the Music” during a live broadcast. Simon looked speechless. It was straight-up awful, dawg.
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That’s so Paula!
I want to squish you! Squish your head off and dangle you from my rearview mirror.”
— to David Archuleta in 2008
“You awakened the spirit in all of us with your unique way of Allenizing the song.” — to Kris Allen in 2009
“Simon gave me advice he always refers to a fortune cookie and says the moth who finds the melon finds the corn flake always finds the melon, and one of you didn’t pick the right fortune.” — to a semifinal contestant in 2006
“You’re the perfect mix of a diamond. You’re sparkling and you’re smooth as silk. You just really cut to the very heart.” — to Kimberley Locke in 2003
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Twitter judges say …
We asked RedEye’s Twitter followers if they’ll miss Paula Abdul. Here are some of the responses. Make RedEye your newspaper idol in Chicago every day at twitter.com/redeyechicago.
@tanya527 Paula will not be missed. Kara has the edge, looks and attitude… just what the panel of judges needed.
@AaronBSam Not like they’re killing her off — the show will manage and if ratings really drop, they’ll beg to get her back. No biggie.
@Paigeworthy Two words: What. Ever.
@BeckyGonz1 YES I AM DEVASTATED! Seriously — Idol will not be the same!!!! 🙁
@Badbadleroyb actually, I wouldn’t miss any of the judges or the show if it never came back.
@BVAX It wont be the same without Paula. I wonder what Willam Hung is doing.
@teefy I will miss paula terribly, she was my favorite limited dose of crazy
COMPILED BY SCOTT KLEINBERG.
