Paula Abdul will see familiar faces when she hosts the “VH1 Divas” concert – former “American Idol” winners Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks are among the singers.

The special, which also includes Adele, Leona Lewis and Miley Cyrus, will air live on Sept. 17.

Abdul has been filling in her dance card with work since Twittering her decision to quit as an “American Idol” judge. Besides the VH1 concert, she’s filmed an appearance on Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva.”

Producer-judge Nigel Lythgoe of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” expressed interest in an Abdul cameo on the show, and ABC programming chief Stephen McPherson said he’s been in touch with her.

But Abdul has yet to announce a steady job to replace the hit singing contest, which she left amid contract negotiations.

(source)

TMZ had a little blurb today about Paula Abdul telling them she has something in the works. Yeah, yeah, I am sure she does but guest appearances do not really qualify as “in the works.” At the end of the blurb they mentioned Dunkleman. I had totally forgotten about the guy and so decided to see what happened to him since he left American Idol.

Does anyone remember Brian Dunkleman? This is a guy who left American Idol voluntarily because he thought he would have a better career off the show rather than on it. Like the rest of us Paula obviously forgot about Dunkleman and what happened to his career after he decided to pull the plug on Idol. He told The Howard Stern show that he still holds a grudge against Ryan Seacrest and is jealous. You think so? You think it is any more so now that Ryan just signed a deal for $45M over three years? They were both unknown when American Idol started and now it seems like Ryan controls the world and Brian is out trying to peddle a show about his life called American Dunkleman.

(source)

She may have said farewell to her longtime spot on “American Idol,” but could Paula Abdul soon land on another reality show?

Former “American Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said he will be asking Paula to take a seat at the judge’s table on his current reality venture – “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“I’ll ask her to come on the show… possibly as a performer and as a dancer,” Nigel revealed to Access Hollywood on Wednesday.

But as to whether he thinks Paula will accept his offer, the reality mogul admitted, “she knows more than any of us.”

Paula broke the news of her “Idol” departure on Tuesday night, announcing the decision on her Twitter page.

“With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to #Idol,” she posted on her Twitter page. “I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent,but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day1become an international phenomenon.”

Following the news, “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest said he was “shocked” and “saddened” by the announcement – a sentiment shared by Nigel, who tapped Paula as a judge when the show launched in 2002.

“I’m sad. It’s sort of an end of an era for me,” Nigel told Access. “Obviously money had something to do with it.”

And quite possibly, a lot of money.

Paula was believed to be making around $2 million per year. The New York Times is reporting producers offered her a 30 percent salary increase in a deal worth more than $10 million.

However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Paula was seeking a $20 million per year contract.

By comparison, “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest recently inked a three-year deal worth $45 million, while fellow judge Simon Cowell – who has one year left on his “Idol” contract – reportedly makes $36 million per year on the hit FOX show.

Randy Jackson is attached to the show through 2011.

The newest member of the “Idol” judging panel – and now the lone female member — Kara DioGuardi recently re-signed with the show and will return next season. No details on her contract were available.

However, Nigel admitted that despite the statements from Paula and FOX, he wasn’t ready to rule out a return to “Idol.”

“I think there’s always a chance that we’ll get her back on ‘Idol,’” he added.

(source)

Yes, I know. Two Paula Abdul stories today. It can’t be helped. Remember that very detailed and lengthy interview she gave to Ladies Home Journal? Remember how she said in it she was addicted to pills and had been for 12 years and gave the reasons why she was addicted and which pills she took? Remember how she said she went to rehab at Thanksgiving? Well now she says none of that is true and it was all completely taken out of context. Uh huh.

This is Ladies Home Journal we are talking about here. They are not exactly a tabloid rag that needs to make stuff up or go scandalous to sell magazines. Plus, that article was extremely detailed and there were lengthy direct quotes, and so I’m guessing Paula doesn’t remember giving the interview or she was on pain killers when she gave it. Maybe she is afraid that she will have to talk about it everyday now because she will be doing press for her new record. Oh, and I say record in the absolute possible loosest terms. I was in a hurry before when posting the video, but I hope that she had to pay for everything on her own. I hope the record label didn’t deprive however many new artists their spot because Paula wanted to make a record.

It was awful. The performance was awful. She moved like a 50 year old who has been injured a lot in her life. That being said, why couldn’t she just stand there and lip synch. Was she trying to distract us from how bad she was? Just stand in one place, turn off the backing track and sing. If she can’t do that then I don’t think she is qualified to judge other singers.

Simon probably can’t sing, but he is judging on the basis of being a record executive. Randy can sing, but doesn’t have to, because his role is to judge based on being a producer and having been in bands. Paula on the other hand is there because she was a singer. The thing is she can’t sing herself so why should anyone listen to her?

(source)

Tuesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 1
Wednesday, Jan. 14 (8:00-10:00 PM) Season Premiere, Part 2
Tuesday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 21 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 27 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 28 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Thursday, Jan. 29 (8:00-9:00 PM) Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1
Wednesday, Feb. 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2
Tuesday, Feb. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 3
Wednesday, Feb. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 4 –
Top 36 Semifinalists Announced
Tuesday, Feb. 17 (8:00-10:00 PM) 12 Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM) First LIVE Results Show
Tuesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM) 12 Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM) LIVE Results Show
Tuesday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM) 12 Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) LIVE Results Show
Thursday, March 5 (8:00-9:00 PM) Wild Card Round – Top 12 Revealed
Tuesday, March 10 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Finalists Perform

What do you think of the changes? BTW with all these changes, I hope that they get some good singers, otherwise all the changes mean nothing.

(source)

Paula Abdul has spent the better part of the week telling anyone who would listen that she’s dissatisfied with the producers of “American Idol” and the she’s upset with Simon Cowell (“he’s like a family member you can’t get rid of”).

Seems a little strange to air so much dirty laundry just weeks before the new season of “Idol” premieres, but as it turns out, Abdul might not have much reason to care about awkwardness. That’s because she’s seriously considering not going back to “Idol” at all.

“Paula has a reality show on MTV (‘Rah! Paula Abdul’s Cheerleading Bowl’) and her jewelry line,” says a source close to Abdul. “She’s got no reason to put herself through the stress of the show if she doesn’t want to. She’s all but done; and given her other successes, she has no reason to be afraid about speaking out now.”

An “Idol” source says that the scenario — one that includes Abdul leaving as early as the pretaped auditions — is one they’re preparing for. “Obviously we have three other judges who can carry the show, and if she leaves before the live shows, the auditions can be edited so that she’s hardly noticed.”

(source)

Paula Abdul says the Fox network and “American Idol” producers knew Paula Goodspeed had stalked her, and allowed the woman to audition for the show anyway. “I said this girl is a stalker of mine and please do not let her in,” Abdul said Monday during an interview with Barbara Walters on her Sirius XM radio show.

Goodspeed was found dead of an apparent suicide in a car near Abdul’s home last month.

Abdul said “Idol” producers ignored her protests and brought Goodspeed on the show “for entertainment value.”

“It’s fun for them to cause me stress,” Abdul said. “This was something that would make good television.”

At the behest of producers, Goodspeed appeared on the show more than once, Abdul said.

Both Fox and Fremantle Media North America, which produces “American Idol,” declined to comment Tuesday.

Abdul, 46, said Goodspeed had written her “disturbing letters” for nearly 18 years and that she maintained a restraining order against the woman at times.

The “American Idol” judge also accused Fox of making her home address public, although she added that Goodspeed found the place on her own after an audition: “She followed me home with her mom.”

When Walters asked why Abdul remains on a show that put her in peril, Abdul replied: “I’m under contract.”

(source)

Could season 8 of American Idol be Paula Abdul’s last? Well according to OK Magaine Paula is planning her exit.

According to a source close to the reality judge, Paula, 45, who has been with the show for seven years, is developing new TV projects and is hoping to “transition” out of the Fox hit.

With her fellow judge,  Randy Jackson, telling friends that American Idol has lost its magic, another Paula insider explains, “She knows that every season could be her last. Now she’s got a new secret venture that she’s really excited about.”

After years of wanting Paula off the show, I would now miss her if she was gone because you never know what she is going to bring the Judges’ table. Now when it comes to Randy Jackson and the new chick, if they left I wouldn’t care. Dog.

BTW I am not sure if OK! got the information before the incident happened with Paula’s fan, but I think that would make her want to leave more than she alredy did. 

(source)