Posts Tagged ‘paula goodspeed’

Paula Abdul’s Stalker Overdosed

January 20th, 2009

A coroner has confirmed that Paula Abdul’s stalker died from a drug overdose.

TMZ reports that L.A.’s Assistant Chief of Coroner says Paula Goodspeed–who was found dead in her car outside of Paula’s home in November–committed suicide by ingesting prescription drugs.

No word yet on what drugs Goodspeed took. Abdul revealed recently that Goodspeed had been stalking her for 17 years and had attempted to take her own life once before.

Of the tragedy, Paula said last month, “It was extremely tragic. I was at the Kodak Theater doing Hollywood Week for American Idol when it happened. It was devastating and tragic, and there aren’t enough feelings that I can articulate without getting into a whole plethora of things.”

Cowell: “Tragedy Hit Us Like An Express Train”

December 17th, 2008

Simon Cowell has spoken out emotionally about the death of Paula Abdul’s stalker, saying it "hit us like an express train."

The tough American Idol judge said the tragedy was "awful" and that he wished he could go back in time and have tried to save misguided fan and Idol contestant, Paula Goodspeed.

But the Brit, dubbed Mr. Nasty, said that he has decided not to tone down his famously harsh criticism because of the incident.  

"I have thought long and hard about this," he said on Wednesday, "and I think the answer to the question is we continue in the way that we have always done."

"I think for the people at home," he said, "it is helpful showing people the process that, if you’re not very good, don’t spend years trying to do something you’re not very good at doing."

In a conference call with reporters, Cowell added that instead of going easy on Goodspeed, who killed herself outside Paula’s home on Nov. 11, he would rather have got her proper help.

"My regret is that we didn’t know how troubled this person was," he said. "If I could have gone back in time and known what she was going through, we could have then tried to help her, but we genuinely didn’t know."

 

Contrary to Paula’s claims that producers allowed Goodspeed, whom she said has been stalking her for more than a decade,to audition against her will, Simon told OK! that he was sure the show’s bosses would have called off the try-out if she had said the word.

The new season of American Idol premieres Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 8PM ET/PT and  Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 8PM ET/PT on FOX.

 

By Oliver Coleman

Producer Blames Abdul For Stalker’s Appearance

December 15th, 2008

An American Idol executive producer has told OK! it was Paula Abdul’s fault that her stalker was allowed to audition for the show.

 

Ken Warwick said that Paula hadn’t told anyone who had "enough clout" that she didn’t want the obsessed woman to audition.

 

Ken said that, in spite of Paula’s claims that "everyone knew" that she didn’t want  Paula Goodspeed — who committed suicide outside of Abdul’s home last month — to try out, he was completely unaware of the situation.

 

Last week the Straight Up singer had claimed that she warned producers that she was "terribly nervous" about Goodspeed — who had been stalking her for 17 years — being allowed to perform for her.

 

On Barbara Walters’ radio show last week Paula said that, before Goodspeed was brought into the room during the taping of season five she had said, "this woman’s a stalker – do not let her in.

 

"Everyone knew [about my fears] – I was shaking.”
 
But today Ken said, "I was in the room, and I can absolutely put my hand on my heart and say, I didn’t [know] — that’s the truth," he told OK!.

"If I thought anyone was dangerous, for any reason, I would not let them in.

"Now, she may have mentioned it maybe to security men, she may have mentioned it another junior producer — I’m not sure," he said.

"So the fact is, she may have mentioned it to somebody, she certainly didn’t mention it to me, she certainly didn’t mention it to someone who had the clout to say, ‘OK, we don’t let that person in,’" said Ken.

 

He also denied the ongoing rumors that the producers want to get rid of Abdul as a judge.

 

"There’s never, ever been any discussion that we would want to get rid of Paula," he said.

 

"Her job is not in any jeopardy."

 

By Oliver Coleman

 

Idol Tells Paula To Zip It!

December 11th, 2008

Looks like there’s yet more behind-the-scenes tension at American Idol.

According to TMZ.com the show’s producers are not happy about Paula Abdul’s recent outbursts about fellow judge Simon Cowell and the makers of the show.

And apparently they stepped in yesterday to tell Paula that she was not to spout off again when she appeared on Letterman last night.

A couple of days ago, the Straight Up singer told Barbara Walters that she had been made to feel "terribly nervous", because Idol bosses allowed her stalker Paula Goodspeed, who later commited suicide, to audition despite her protests.

Then yesterday she said on the Martha Stewart Show that Simon was like an "uncontrollable" family member that she had never asked for.

But before the judge had a chance to continue her campaign on The Late Show last night, Idol bosses are said to have stepped.

The site reports that, "A.I. suits got in touch with Paula and demanded that she not stoke the coals.

 

"A.I. made it clear — they were paying Paula’s bills so she needed to play by their rules."

 

With the show set to premiere early next month, this doesn’t seem like a happy atmosphere to begin the eighth season with! 

 

But TMZ also claims that, in spite of rumors that Paula will be replaced at the end of this season, Idol has opened negotiation to host season nine of the show.

Paula: ‘I didn’t want stalker on Idol’

December 9th, 2008

She’s never one to keep her thoughts to herself, but Paula Abdul has made some pretty explosive allegations about her American Idol bosses in the last couple of days.

Yesterday Paula revealed that Paula Goodspeed, the woman who committed suicide outside the Idol judge’s home on Nov. 11, had been stalking her for 12 years.

And later that day, in an interview on Barbara’s Walters’ Sirrius radio show, Here’s Barbara, Paula said that she had pleaded with Idol producers not to allow Goodspeed to audition during season five.

But the Opposites Attract singer claimed that despite the fact that she had had restraining orders taken out against Goodspeed — Idol bosses were excited to have her try out because she was "crazy about" Paula.

On this morning’s edition on The View, Barbara relayed some of the conversation they had had on the radio.

"[Paula Abdul] said she did not want [Goodspeed] trying out," Barbara said, "she said, ‘we had restraining orders at times’: she knew this woman was stalking her.

"She said, ‘I asked them not to put her on — it made me terribly nervous — but she showed up and I was pre-warned by the producers, ‘wait til you see this next girl — my God, she’s crazy about you.’

 

"And, against my wishes, they kept allowing her to try out."

Fox which broadcasts Idol declined to comment on Paula’s remarks.

Paula Opens Up About Fan’s Suicide

December 8th, 2008

Paula Abdul appeared on The View on Monday to promote her new line of jewelry but instead spent the first part of the interview discussing the tragic death of Paula Goodspeed, 30, a former American Idol hopeful turned stalker, who was found dead from an apparent drug overdose in a car outside Abdul’s L.A.  home on Nov. 11. Police said that prescription pills, along with CDs and pictures of Abdul were found in the car.

"It was extremely tragic," Abdul said. "I was at the Kodak Theater doing Hollywood Week for American Idol when it happened. The crew knew but waited to tell me until I was done taping. But I had a premonition that something was going on."

Paul says Goodspeed had actually tried to take her own life a few months prior to her Nov. death while the Idol judge was in NYC, but somehow came through.

 

"What most people don’t know is that she attempted the same thing. She went code blue apparantly, in front of my house in the back seat of a car," Abdul says, "but they took her to the hospital and she survived."

While Paula revealed Goodspeed had been stalking her for years, it wasn’t until she joined American Idol that the obsessed fan’s actions started becoming alarming.

"She had been a stalker/fan for about 17 years, but it wasn’t until American Idol that she knew how to get to me," Abdul said. "So, the last five years have been really tough for me."

In an interview earlier today with Good Morning America, Paula said she’s been struggling in the weeks following Goodspeed’s death.

"It was devastating and tragic, and there aren’t enough feelings that I can articulate without getting into a whole plethora of things," she says. "I can’t even imagine if I was right there in my home. It’s just been a very, very tough three weeks for me…and for her family and for everyone involved."

Paula Abdul: Haunted?

November 17th, 2008

After the tragedy last week when a fan of Paula Abdul apparently committed suicide in her car outside the American Idol judge’s house, there are some spooky rumors floating around.

 

A story in the New York Post’s Page Six claims that the fan’s death has left Paula "freaked out," quoting a source who says the star hired a healer to cleanse the house of ghosts. According the "friend," Paula won’t go back into her house.

 

"[Paula Goodspeed] was a deranged stalker who sent her death threats. Paula instructed guards to keep Goodspeed away from her at all costs," the source tells the paper. "She refuses to stay at home because she fears that the spirit of Goodspeed is haunting her house. She feels like this is the absolute worst omen, a really bad curse . . . Paula is suffering. It is well known that she is emotionally fragile."

 

So is Paula really seeing dead people? Not quite, according to her rep, who says,  "There’s no validity to this. She’s been home since the incident happened. There’s no issue with spirits. Paula is shocked and saddened by what transpired. Her heart and prayers go out to the Goodspeed family."

Paula Abdul Fan “Not a Stalker”

November 14th, 2008

Despite reports calling Paula Abdul fan Paula Goodspeed a stalker, the deceased woman’s friends and family are coming to her defense after she was found dead in her car outside the American Idol judge’s home on Tuesday.

 

"She sent me a text at 10:22 the night before about meeting for a latte and movie," good friend Brianna Schlanger tells the New York Daily News. "She ended the message with a happy face. She seemed fine. Something must have happened after that. It needs to be further investigated."

 

Cops say Goodspeed, a huge Paula Abdul fan who tried out for the show three years ago and had been mocked and sent home, had been casing the star’s block as far back as January.

 

But Schlanger doesn’t believe that her friend, who she says didn’t do drugs or drink and wasn’t a "loony freakazoid" obsessed with Paula, could have been suicidal.

"I’m still in disbelief, waiting for her to show up at my door," says Schlanger. "I knew she admired (Paula Abdul). But there’s no way she was stalking her or had any bad intentions."

Goodspeed’s niece Sonja McIntyre also doesn’t believe her aunt was a suicidal stalker, and claimed that the aspiring singer had met with her idol for coffee once.

"Not an ounce of truth to this," Paula Abdul’s publicist Jeff Ballard tells the Daily News. "Paula met her only at ‘Idol.’"

 

The American Idol judge spoke to Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday expressing her grief over the situation, saying, "I am deeply shocked and saddened by what  transpired yesterday. My heart and prayers go out to her family."

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