Let's face it, even though Paula Abdul announced (via the increasingly-viable communication outlet Twitter) last night that she'd not be returning for American Idol's ninth (!) season, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time.There had been all kinds of stories flying around last fall that Paula was unhappy on the show, and that she was shopping around her own talk show. (Can you imagine? That would be class!)
Hell, I caught her on the Home Shopping Network last week, hocking jewelry. Does a gainfully employed, million-dollar-earning American Idol judge really need to go on cable and sell earrings at 10 p.m.?
And forget Kara whatshername—Simon Cowell needs a true foil, a polar opposite, and that person was always zoned-out Paula.
Truthfully, this show has been coasting for about the last four or five years. But now more than ever—without Paula's eyebrow-raising gushing, gurgling, glazed-over "what did she just say?" moments—it just ain't gonna be the same.
Here's what Paula twaddled on Twitter:
"With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to #IDOL. I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all ...being a part of a show that I helped from day1become an international phenomenon ... What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me ... It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month ... I do without any doubt have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all."Straight up.