Keep On. Keep, Keepin' On.
Words.
"Unsuccessful in her contract negotiations with the hugely popular reality TV show, Abdul appears to have walked away from a multimillion-dollar salary, a gig that brought her out of obscurity and, in her 40s, a renewed wave of fame and popularity. Is it part ploy for Abdul to resign and part posturing for the show's executives to take her exit so blithely? Sure. Is all of this kabuki theater? Maybe. Will Paula jump out of a cake in February, once the judging begins in earnest? Quite possibly. But already the Hollywood wags are reminding us that "no one is indispensable," that the country's most popular show, even with its slipping ratings, will remain a hit, even without Abdul. (Reports that Victoria Beckham, keen to extend her Posh Spice brand in the states, will do at least a one-off appearance as a judge, seem to confirm this.)
Contestants may miss her loopy mothering and relentless cheerleading. But the real tragedy is that she has abandoned that dysfunctional, squabbling dinner table known as the panel of "American Idol" judges. Forget the increasingly polished and professional singers competing on the stage. The real reality TV is the group dynamics at that table and even, sometimes, under that table. Who can replace Abdul there?
...As a judge, Abdul was overemployed: She generally contributed absolutely nothing to the verdict of the talent that stood before her, as she was incapable of being mean, saying no or issuing a thumbs-down. But she didn't need to. Cowell took care of that with laser-like accuracy. As entertainment, Abdul was the star of that second layer of reality TV, the one at the dinner table. She was maddeningly magnetic, a character you were glued to even as sometimes you watched her unraveling. That's good TV. Fans know it. Whether Fox comes to agree remains to be seen."
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