Paula Abdul criticizes 'American Idol' producers for letting stalker Paula Goodspeed audition
Paula Abdul blames "American Idol" producers for allowing known stalker Paula Goodspeed to get too close to her, according to People.com.
Abdul says she told them that Goodspeed had been stalking her for years, but they still brought her in to audition on the show.
People reports that Abdul, in a Sirius XM radio interview on "Barbara Live!" with Barbara Walters on Monday night, said she begged producers not to let Goodspeed audition for Season 5.
Related: Why did Paula Goodspeed die?
"She had been writing disturbing letters for 17 years, almost 18 years," Abdul, 46, told Walters. "We had restraining orders at times."
On the day of Goodspeed's audition, "Idol" producers told Abdul they had found -- and were about to bring in -- a fan who was "crazy about" Paula.
Abdul objected. "I said, 'This girl is a stalker of mine. Please do not let her in.' Everyone knew. I was shaking."
The producers ignored her, saying that they wanted the "entertainment value."
Abdul also claimed that Goodspeed showed up at auditions in Las Vegas and tried out for Season 6. After an audition, Goodspeed was able to follow Abdul home and get her home address.
From then on, Goodspeed sent naked pictures of herself to Abdul and threatened her with "bodily harm" in some letters.
"She said the only way I will serve her purpose is when I'm up in heaven being her guardian angel."
OMG, scary! So why is Paula still on "American Idol"?
"Well, I'm under contract."
Photo: WireImage
I hope this haunts everyone involved for the rest of their lives, except for Simon, he has no soul, he could be watching the Holocaust happen right in front of him and he wouldn't flinch... and that poor girl, she was beautiful too, didn't AnyOne try to get her psychological help instead of just laughing in her face? I knew this would happen sooner or later with their tasteless format... you reap what you sow
If this is true-than the Producers should be ashamed of themselves. Saliciousness and ratings can't always
be # 1-human beings need to be.
This is really sad. Kudos to the person who made the comment before me! I hope this show loses all it's ratings and rots in show cancelation hell! I always hated this show! What they did was totally irrisponsible and morally wrong. They should get thier @sses sued off!
The producers are partly responsible for Goodspeed's suicide. Paula Goodspeed was unstable. The producers knew she was unstable, and they put her into contact with Abdul. The actual contact with Abdul was too much for this unstable fan to handle... Goodspeed was overstimulated by the whole situation. The actual "real life" contact with Abdul is probably what triggered the suicide. I hope Goodspeed's family AND Abdul sue the producers of this stupid show.
This is really sad to me. I used to frequent a karaoke bar that Paula would sing at and I remember the day she told us she was going to audition (and we encouraged her eventhough admittedly she was terrible singer) and how excited and determined she was. and I also remember how sad she was after and how she told us Simon made fun of her braces. I will give her credit she was DETERMINED...she always asked me and other singers for tips and sang some really ambitious songs. Even after the failed audition she seemed upbeat and even determined to succeed. I had no idea she was a stalking Paula Abdul in fact she never realy talked about her. So its hard for me to believe she killed herself because of rejection from the show. I can verify that the last time I saw her she was REALLY thin had dyed her hair blonde and gotten her braces off. I also knew (everyone did!) that there wasn't quite right with Paula in the head. She was eccentric to say the least and wore strange outfits. Sometimes she had a plush toy strapped to her leg that was similarly dressed like her. However she was a sweet girl, with obvious self esteem issues. And no matter how horrible she sounded the regulars never laughed at her. It just seemed the humane thing to do considering how fragile minded she seemed. Though she always looked happy and upbeat sometime you could a pain in her eyes deep inside. For that I am really sorry she took her own life. But I don't think it was because she was rejected from American Idol...I am sure it was much deeper than that or really simply just a drug overdose.
American Idol is a ridiculous show that exploits so many young naive people and exploited Ms. Goodspeed, (an obviously mentally ill, handicapped person), which fueled this horrible tragedy and endangered the life of P.A. all for the money. P.A. should have taken action at the time of the audition. Tragic. Glad she revealed the truth, albeit, too late for Ms Goodspeed.
'American Idol' needs to end.
"She had been writing disturbing letters for 17 years, almost 18 years," Abdul, 46, told Walters. "We had restraining orders at times."-Paula Abdul
Comment: Are we to believe that Paula Goodspeed (age 30 at time of her death) starting stalking Paula Abdul when she was 10-12 years old?!
Paul Abdul is sooo delusional and obviously lies to make herself seem more of a victim. Way to make someone elses tradgedy all about you, Paula Abdul. You really need help and to get sober.
The judges and judging process of A. I. is very unprofessional and distracting both to the viewers and the young participants. The interactions between Simon and Paula and Simon and Ryan are adolescent (Simon choking and poking Paula and drawing a moustache on her face WHILE THE contestants are performing!). Simon has publicized that he is bored with life and most of the contestants which explains why he trivializes and insults them so relentlessly. The only reason I watched it again was to enjoy Adam and the program even cheated with the voting. They should take note of the respect the judges of their sister program So You Think You Can Dance give the dancers and choreographers. Much more professional. A I needs to replace Simon, Paula and the laughable Kara
I'm a fan of idol from Sri Lanka and I know that this was just a reason for her to commit suicide. No one could have done anything about it. In our school, a girl who brought a mobile phone to school and was caught committed suicide. Who is to blame there?