TVSquad

It happens every year. Somebody online always puts together a list of "finalists" for the upcoming season of American Idol, and while they usually have at least some of them right, they usually don't have them all right. MTV News says this year's list comes courtesy of IdolForums.com, so if you don't like spoilery stuff, don't go there. "JoesPlace" posted the list giving names, ages, and MySpace pages of the Hollywood bound contestants.

If you do want to learn anything about these people outside the FOX media influence, you'd better hit up the MySpace pages, as past experience has proven that FOX strips these pages to the bare minimum once the show starts. "Hi, my name is Bob. Vote for me on FOX's American Idol", and maybe one picture.

(S01E01/S01E02) Hey, have you heard? American Idol's Paula Abdul is the latest celebrity to have a reality TV show on Bravo and it's called Hey Paula. And I'm so sure that we're all going to see Paula in a brand new light after getting a peek into her private life.

Or maybe not. Look, I like reading the tabloids, scanning celebrity gossip blogs, and even reading celebrity autobiographies (I just completed autobiographies by Jane Fonda, Marlon Brando, and Anne Heche). But when it comes to celebrity reality TV, it's almost like "you've seen one, you've seen them all." Do we really need another celebrity reality show? Or are some things better left unseen and unknown?

Paula Abdul, often seen as a nurturing, loving maternal-figure to American Idol's young contestants, is now talking about her desire to experience personal motherhood. Paula says she "loves kids" and she'll consider adoption if she is unable to produce her own mini-Abduls.

Still, the 44-year-old former cheerleader remains optimistic about her chances of giving birth to a biological child. "With medical technology these days, I could have children by myself using a donor. But I would rather be in a relationship so the child has a father to help instill core values," Paula said.

Paula Abdul recently told OK! Magazine, "Being a judge on American Idol overshadows being a Grammy Award winner and selling millions of records." Paula went on to say, "My purpose is bringing out everybody's best and being that cheerleader to other people's success."

As for her on-going erratic behavior, Abdul once again denied alcohol or drug abuse. "If I appeared exhausted on television, it's because I am! I have a lot of sleepless nights because I'm in so much pain." Paula suffers from reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), a chronic neurological disorder.

Many people, including Rosie, have accused American Idol celebrity judge Paula Abdul of sipping more than Diet Coke from the big old red cup that sits on the desk in front of her. Their proof: slurring speech, ditzy behavior, and often erratic body movements.

But it's all hogwash, according to Paula who told Us Weekly, "I've never been drunk. I have never done recreational drugs. Just look at my 20-year career. Tell me someone who is into partying or doing drugs that could have done that."

There, she's said it. Of course, celebrities say lots of things, and deny tons more.

Paula Abdul is returning to American Idol after successfully fending off allegations that she slept with and helped coach contestant Corey Clark. Yes, we all know that, don't we? Now folks are speculating over whether or not Idol watchers will still stick by Paula's side after this whole fiasco. I think Abdul came out of this more or less squeaky clean, and I doubt the show will suffer at all. As publicist Michael Lavine so nicely put it, "It's an entertainment show and people know that in their core," he said. "Like wrestling, it's not serious sports. It's not Watergate, it's not Monica Lewinsky."

Well, this is interesting: just before the ABC PrimeTime Live investigation hits the airwaves (May 4), Fox has launched its own investigation into whether or not judge Paula Abdul slept with 2003 American Idol semifinalist Corey Clark. Could we have another Quiz Show like scandal like they did in the late 50s with Twenty-One and other game shows? Abdul has denied the charges. With these charges and the investigations from both ABC and now Fox, not to mention the fact that we're into the real nitty gritty of the competition (was Constantine terrible last night or what?), this is an exciting time in the world of AI.