Michael Johns has become a good friend of Paula Abdul’s since his time on American Idol and he’s weighed in on her departure from the show.  According to E! Online, Johns said: "She’s not asking for what [Ryan] Seacrest is getting paid.  She’s asking for $20 million over three years, so I think she totally deserves that money. She’s a huge reason people tune in to the show…I think Fox should pull their finger out and pay her what she deserves."
Apparently, she confided all of this to Johns who seems more than happy to spill the beans.  If what …read more

If Paula Abdul had planned to quit American Idol, she definitely didn’t let co-worker, Ryan Seacrest, know about it.  On his radio show this morning, he said the following:  “The news stunned me last night.  I was shocked… She’s a dear friend. I love her to death and am really sad that it came to fruition.  I’m just bummed because we’ve worked together for so many years. It’s sad.”
I speculated that it might be a stunt to pressure the Idol bosses into giving in to her contract demands.  Apparently, people are asking Ryan the same thing.  He said “everyone …read more

American Idol judge, Paula Abdul, put up some interesting (and possibly sad) Twitter updates.
Tweet #1 – With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to #IDOL. I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all..Cont’d…
Tweet #2 – 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.
Tweet #3 – What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me
Tweet #4 – It truly has been breathtaking, especially over …read more

I tend to avoid all the gossip and speculative posts about contract negotiations since nothing is final and we really don’t know what is happening.  I do, however, take it a little more seriously when someone representing one of the parties makes a statement.
On the LA Times blog, they reported that Paula Abdul’s manager, David Sonenberg, had the following to say:  "Very sadly, it does not appear that she’s going to be back on ‘Idol.’  I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful.  I find it kind of unconscionable and certainly rude and disrespectful that …read more

American Idol judge, Paula Abdul, has been invited to stay on the show.  According to People.com, Abdul said:  “I’ve been invited to stay the duration of the show, however long it lasts.”
She described their little group as a “dysfunctional family of sorts” and added that she is “the nurturing mom, Simon [Cowell]’s the disapproving dad, and Randy [Jackson]’s the cool brother.  It’s been an interesting journey. It’s something that I’ll always would want to be a part of.”
While details about an actually renewed contract have yet to emerge, I do think this is a positive sign that the judging …read more