paula abdul (113 posts)

Sony Pictures

UPDATE: This Is It earned an estimated $2.2 million from last night's North American screenings. Sony calls the results "unprecedented" for a Tuesday in October, and early estimates for Wednesday and Thursday are looking equally as jaw-dropping.

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She may be 77 years old, but Elizabeth Taylor is nothing if not a trendsetter.

Michael Jackson's close friend was the first to twitter her review of the star's final performance, This Is It, in 19 rounds of 140 characters or less, but, after last night's premiere, she certainly wasn't the last.

And she wasn't the only idol loving the film, either.

"I'm sitting in the Nokia Theater in awe of the This Is It movie!," wrote Paula Abdul. "So many emotions are coming up for me I can't believe He's Gone BRILLIANT."

"Mj movie is powerful," Ryan Seacrest said. "The singing..the dancing!! He was a perfectionist…and very funny."

Dancing With the Stars hottie Julianne Hough felt the message as well.

"MJ movie was amazing so inspiring and motivating!!! Let's make this world a better place," she encouraged.

Like Liz, one viewer thought the film was ripe for awards, while several Glee-ful stars gave their takes…

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There's no real feud here. In fact, the prodding love between Ellen DeGeneres and Paula Abdul is enough to make our stomachs churn.

But at least the two are making us laugh.

In addition to the sugary-sweet comments and tweets exchanged when the talk-show host scored the "Opposites Attract" lady's seat at the American Idol judges table, the two have been exchanging mocking barbs.

Paula showed "nothing but love" when she hosted VH1 Divas last week, dancing down the aisles and doing a full-bodied impression of Ellen.

But now, the funnylady strikes back, this time a little harder than that initial Twitter reaction.

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Who better to bring the love than Paula Abdul?

The pint-size popster came roaring into her role as host of tonight's VH1 Divas special, gushing with love for the honorees (especially the Idol babies she "practically breast-fed") and eager to prove that she doesn't take herself—or diction—seriously.

There were so many Paula highlights, from her opening introduction as "Paula Abdul" to trading "firecrotch" jabs with Kathy Griffin to pretending not to know Liza Minnelli—only to hand over her shoes when Liza paid them a compliment.

But in our opinion, the smartest wink-wink was Paula donning a blond wig, blazer and sneakers to pay tribute to American Idol's newest judge.

"Why you all staring at me? Can't a girl try out a new job?" she asked innocently after boogying her way up the aisle of the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

And by the way: Congrats to the newest VH1 divas: Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Miley Cyrus, Adele, Leona Lewis and Jordin Sparks.

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Paula changed clothes no less than five times tonight. Check out a whole bunch of other outfits—and pass judgment on them—in our Fashion Police gallery.

ADC/Keystone/ZUMA Press; Michael Becker / FOX

Some people just can't take a joke. Others just can't tell them. Simon Cowell falls into the latter category.

While the American Idol judge apparently can't spare a moment to officially comment on Ellen DeGeneres' replacement of Paula Abdul (unlike everyone else involved), he did take time to go on record today to clarify a joke he made about the Beatles on CBS' Early Show Wednesday morning. Which, as the most cursory of Google searches will tell you, didn't exactly translate well.

Cowell was on the show to talk about Susan Boyle's recording future but got slightly off course when his interviewer, his Britain's Got Talent cojudge Amanda Holden, asked the critical Brit, "If the Beatles came on Britain's Got Talent or American Idol, do you think you would have put them through to boot camp?"

Unfortunately, Cowell never met a piece of bait he didn't lunge for.

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Michael Becker/FOX

All Paula Abdul can do now is sit back and laugh.

The former American Idol judge is wishing her old show and its wisecrackin' new judge lots of luck.

Yup, that's her story and she's sticking to it.

"American Idol is a fantastic show that offers an invaluable platform to young talent," Abdul, who announced early last month that she was leaving Idol after eight seasons, said Thursday.

"Ellen DeGeneres is wildly funny and talented in her own right. I wish her and the show only the best of luck."

As if we expected anything less than utter graciousness. And she actually expanded on the sentiment, Paula-style, on Twitter.

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Michael Rozman/Warner Bros

Count Ellen DeGeneres among those shocked by Fox's announcement that she would be permanently filling Paula Abdul's infamously vacated American Idol seat.

Though, to be fair, she did have a (tiny) bit more warning as to the prime-time development than the rest of us. And that includes Ryan Seacrest.

The talk show host turned reality judge told the Idol ringmaster on his morning radio show that making yesterday's shock announcement was "really exciting, 'cause this has been going on for a few weeks just quietly. I wasn't sure if you knew; I thought you'd call me or something…"

"They didn't even ask me to be a guest judge," DeGeneres said of the unexpected job offer. "It just went straight to 'Would you like to be…'"

But don't expect the new opinion-wielder to try and replace everyone's favorite rambling sycophant.

"I hope Paula is OK with it," said DeGeneres, who in addition to not talking to Abdul about her new gig has also so far refrained from speaking to Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson or Kara DioGuardi. "I don't want anybody to think that I took Paula's job away."

Now why would they think a crazy thing like that?

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Paula Abdul's comic timing is good. Her ironic timing is even better—if not completely unintentional.

Just hours before Team Paula's collective dreams of a last-minute deal with American Idol producers was incinerated by reality-judge opportunist Ellen DeGeneres, VH1 released this amusing, reunion-teasing promo for its Divas 2009 special.

Starring none other than Miss Abdul consulting an L.A. employment agency for work (two stipulations: "something glamorous" and "no more assholes"), she's nearly pipped to the diva post by a certain omnipresent Idol and E! News host.

Perhaps you've heard of the ever game Ryan Seh-crest?

Right sentiment. Wrong spiky-coiffed, blond-highlighted, job-undermining TV host.

Abdul out.

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Before Ellen takes over, a slew of stars will be warming her judging seat. Check out who in our American Idol 2010: Guest Judges Galore gallery.