As you might expect, most of the questions for Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly and chairman Peter Rice this morning were Idol -centric. Here are the salient points:According to Rice, Paula Abdul was the only member of Idol whose contract was up. They were talking to her about it for months, and they very much wanted her to return. In past few weeks, "negotiations came to conclusion, as Rice put it. "We made a fair offer with a substantial raise. Paula decided not to return. It was not our choice. We wanted her to return to the show."
They are most likely looking to keep the number of judges at four, but Rice feels they have between now and January's live shows to find a judge. "We're looking to bring different element and energy to the season." There will be guest judges during the audition process, including Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry. Rice and Reilly wouldn't announce who else, but they said that these would be mostly female singers, artists, and performers.
More from the exec session coming up.
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Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-06-2009 @ 4:52PM
Owloo said...
I was hoping, Simon, would bring in Lulu (of To Sir, with Love) who was a mentor a year or two ago as one of the judges
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8-07-2009 @ 6:05AM
jimy said...
Life is so cool !!! a good place for us Seeking for the stimulation------Wealthyloving -C O M ----i think u would like it,,,trust me u may find something make u excited.now join free
8-07-2009 @ 6:43AM
Sally said...
How about making the fourth judge someone funny like Rosanne Barr.
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8-07-2009 @ 6:49AM
Garjaya said...
Victoria Beckham why? she look's like a constipated chihuahua.
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8-07-2009 @ 7:20AM
Linda W said...
I have never missed ONE episode of American Idol in 8 seasons...but if Victoria B is on there I will STOP watching. I can not endure that stone faced twig for ONE minute. They need to just do what they need to do to bring Paula back and get rid of Kara too!!!
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8-07-2009 @ 7:08AM
BETH said...
WOW, HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AI WOULD LET PAULA GO AND NOOOOOOOOOO MATTER WHO THEY BRING IN TO REPLACE HER AI WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT PAULA SO WHY WATCH? SHAME ON YOU AI AND THE PRODUCERS FOR LETTING YOUR SHOW GO IN THE CRAPPER. AND I AS WELL AS SO MANY WILL JUST FIND ANOTHER SHOW AND SAVE OUR FINGERS FOR DIALING. I HAVE BEEN A FAN FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT NO PAULA AI RATINGS WILL DROP AND AGAIN SHAME ON ALL OF YOU FOR DOING THIS TO THE FANS OF AI....
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING PAULA IF SHE GOES ON SYTYCD WITH NIGEL....
KARA IS BORING, SIMON WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT ALL THE KIDDING THEY USED TO DO AS MANY LOVED THE CONNECTION OF THERE FRIENDSHIP.
SHAME ON YOU ALSO MR COWELL WITH ALL YOUR CONNECTIONS NOT TO INSIT THAT PAULA BE BACK.
BYE, BYE, SO LONG AI..
PAULA IS NOT REPLACEABLE.
ANOTHER GOOD SHOW THAT FAMILIES LOVED THAT HAS SHOWN THAT THEY DO NOT GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THE FANS.. TO THINK OF THE RAISE RYAN GOT AND SIMON GOT AND TO CRAP ALL OVER PAULA..
SHAME, AGAIN ON YOU. AI IS NOW A FLOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
AND HAS SHOWN THERE TRUE COLORS...
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8-07-2009 @ 8:42AM
Andy said...
Stop blaming AI. PAULA QUIT. Put blame where blame is due.
8-13-2009 @ 12:22AM
LaJeune said...
I am all for change and I wish Paula the best! Maybe something better for her and now she can pursue her dreams, reach for higher ground, and make more money...maybe? I will miss her, goofy ways... I would like to see them use the vacancy spot for different guest judges each week...how cool is that? Either way ~ the sun will come out tomorrow~ Peace out LJ
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8-07-2009 @ 7:34PM
Dusty said...
American Idol is a money machine. Inasmuch as they're the #1 show on television these days, with that comes the money they make from commercials. For them to be able to offer Simon $30 million (give or take) and Ryan a 3 year contract at $45 million, they have money to burn.
To offer Paula $5 million and say that it was a fair offer is out of whack. Since all the $$$ figures cast about are off the charts, why shouldn't she share in the profits to a larger degree. After all, besides the contestants, the show is all about Simon, Paula & SOMETIMES Ryan. Does anyone really care whether Randy Jackson returns or not? Probably not.....and, it should be noted that his salary has rarely, if ever, been mentioned. Kara DioGuardi? I mean.....she's ok....nothing special, but it's evident that she was brought in knowing that Paula's contract was off and she may have been a safety net for Fox. Without Paula, AI WILL go on, but it seems to be, at this moment, it will be a bit flat. The fans will tune in, grumble about Paula not being there, and then forget about it. EVERYTHING goes on in life. It has been rumoured that Paula may be offered jobs on "Dancing With The Stars" (NOT as a contestant) or "So You Think You Can Dance". If those rumours are true, there will most likely be more offers on the table and she'll be just fine. I'm sure she had counsel behind her advising her as to how to handle the AI affair, AND.....it's not over till it's over. IS there a chance that Fox may receive so much mail that they'll up her ante'? Who knows....In the end, I DO think that AI made a mistake but they could be SO full of themselves while riding high on their continual top rating on the show that they may not really care. She was high maintenance in their eyes, and they might be toasting champagne while saying "Good riddance". A testimony to the fact that they really might not care about the feelings of their viewing audience. In any event, Paula is a character and she WILL be missed.
I wish her all the best and hope to follow her to another station.
8-07-2009 @ 7:26AM
Karen said...
I agree with Beth. I don't want to see a new judge every week. I want to concentrate on the contestants. Shame on you AI for letting Paula go, she helped make the show what it is today.
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8-07-2009 @ 7:37AM
Janelle said...
I said it before and will say it again ...paris hilton or phyllis diller could be judges I would not care I watch the show for the singers and watching them grow
8-07-2009 @ 7:43AM
jmsucro said...
I think this is a shame that you could let Paula go. She also made the show a tremendous hit. I realize times are tough and everybody needs to cut back, but giving enormous raises to both Simon and Ryan and a small raise to Paula just isn't fair. I can understand why she doesn't want to return to the show. Simon and Paula made the show and the show could definitely turn sour without her. Sometimes being pound wise and penny folish is not worth it. Paula was the one that made the contestants feel really good about themselves. Even though someone was eliminated, she always treated them with kindness. I think this is a big mistake and I hope the people will continue to watch the show without her. It has happened in other shows where one of the major stars leaves and the show ends up going off the air. Please reconsider. I think many many people will agree with me. We need Paula to round out "American Idol".
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8-07-2009 @ 7:46AM
Michael said...
I love Paula Abdul. I would never have started watching Idol if Paula Abdul was not on the show, and I will never watch idol again without Paula Abdul. She was the heart of the show.
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8-07-2009 @ 7:49AM
Ray said...
Another1 bites the dust. I'm not talking abour Paula Just another time slot I won't have toworry about
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8-07-2009 @ 8:03AM
vivian said...
With guest judges, the contestants don't stand a chance. Every week, there will be a different viewpoint that will only confuse things. Sorry but I think Kara should have gone- she never gets a good point across and Paula was very nurturing and also a very fair judge. I'm not sure if it will be worth watching this time. No way that having guest judges is fair to the contestants. Bad, bad for AI.
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8-07-2009 @ 7:56AM
lori said...
Beckham???? HELLO! This is America, not Britain. We could care less about the Beckham's. Binging her in is like asking someone off the streets to come in. NO ONE would care. YAWN... AI has lost it's shine. Simon is getting nice, Paula's out, Kara is a bitch and makes everyone cringe because listening to her is like listening to nails scrape down a chalkboad, and Randy's has only one line, "That was the bomb, dawg." Predicable and boring. I watched years ago, a bit in between and then didn't anymore. Started watching again last year after someone told me about Adam. Now? Not worth the bother, think I'll read a good book or entertain friends instead.
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8-07-2009 @ 9:13AM
Mom in Illinois said...
I couldn't agree with you more had I said it myself, Kara drives me to want to turn the channel when she is talking, you know that Randy is going to say the same thing everytime, and Simon will be oh so boring without his sidekick Paula. I watched the show for Paula and the singers, and those were the only reasons.
8-07-2009 @ 7:59AM
Lauren said...
Fox is so screwed for not offering Paula an amount that was equal to the boys club. Now they are on the hunt for someone with whom Simon, et al will have chemistry... when they already HAD THAT. This is the most agregious example of greed on a network's part that I've seen to date Good luck replacing Paula. She's so unique in so many ways it will be like finding a 2nd needle in a haystack. Looking forward to seeing the show tank
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8-07-2009 @ 7:59AM
Cheryl said...
Paula was one of the greatest singers/dancers of her and my time. What a waste to let her go. She know what she is doing as well as Randy and Simon, only on the female side. Kara is the one that needs to go home !!! End of that story. The show was much better without Kara in the first place. Let Paula have her salary without Kara in there - HEY, would that be a way AI could save some money. Kara is not worth the money !!!! She stinks and has ruined me even watching last season - she's boring and doesn't look like she can make a decision until everyone else has put in theirs.
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8-07-2009 @ 7:59AM
Cathy said...
I am glad she is gone she is so fake..Always says the same thing time and time again. Best thing the show could have done and her...
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