14 DAY TRIAL // For many years in a row, Paula Abdul was a fixture on the American Idol panel of judges, often being considered a “safety net” for contestants whose confidence had taken a serious hit, as last season’s runner-up Adam Lambert also said recently. It was a big surprise then when she announced she would not return for the upcoming season, with rumors claiming it was over money issues. Only that it wasn’t money that made her leave Idol, Abdul is now telling TV Guide.
In a recent interview with the magazine, the singer and television personality opens up about the reasons that prompted her to take the decision of leaving American Idol when everything seemed to be going so well. It wasn’t a money dispute at the root of the problem, Paula says, although she refrains from disclosing what it was exactly that forced her to go down a different path, save from mentioning a matter of principle that demanded that she make a stand.
“I had to stand on my principle. I’m going to miss the experience of watching young talent evolve into a place where they get to take off and soar.” Abdul says of leaving American Idol, the highest rated, televised singing competition in the US at the moment. “I stand on principle where many people stand on money. I’m a hard-working artist. I’ve lasted in this business for 23 years. And you can’t do that unless you are good at what you do.” the star further explains, rubbishing rumors that she left the show because she wanted more money and the producers were not willing to offer her a pay rise.
However, even if Paula’s recent years have been marked, career-wise, by her appearance on American Idol, choosing to bid farewell to the show does not equal the end of the road for her. In the same interview, the singer explains how she’s currently considering and making plans for the launch of her own talk show – Paula is certainly not the type of woman to just fade into oblivion and her ambition guarantees her success in all her endeavors.
“I believe in myself and you have to have your own self respect. And sometimes decisions are very difficult to make, but I’ve always believed that at the core I’m a survivor. There’s not one thing I’ve done that I’ve really set my mind to that I’ve failed at. I definitely want to do a talk show because it would be different. It would be a lot of fun variety with a ton of unexpected stuff and tributes to everyday people getting their big chance.” Abdul explains for TV Guide.