The whole will-Paula-return-to-Idol? story has taken a new twist.  A $20 million twist, to be exact.

Well, maybe I should take back the "to be exact" part.  That bit's unconfirmed, but if we're to believe the folks at Radar Online, the reason for all this furious chatter about Paula Abdul not possibly returning to the ninth season of American Idol is because she's asked for a $20 million paycheck this year--and was turned down.


Let's backtrack a bit.  Over the weekend, if you may recall, her manager, David Sonenberg, told the Los Angeles Times that he thinks she won't be returning to the show, implying that Idol's producers are not giving her a good offer.  It's quite the opposite of what Paula previously said, that she's optimistic about her return to the show--just the latest in a string of statements about her continued involvement on the show.

Anyway, Radar Online reports that Paula's asking for $20 million for the show's next season, a demand that producers are not willing to do.  They're offering her $10 million instead.  Paula's reportedly a little frustrated to hear that the show's host, Ryan Seacrest, got a $45 million three-year deal--that's $15 million per year--before she did, and thus all this is happening, all before Idol really gets swinging with the auditions next month.

Then again, Paula's always renegotiated her contract, but her manager seems to be the one talking tough at this point.  And, of course, there's the possibility that this is a negotiation ploy for producers to finally budge.

Let's put this in perspective then.  Can American Idol survive without Paula Abdul?  It's been a persistent rumor since Kara DioGuardi joined in, but whether you like her or not, she's one of the reasons why the show's been making it big throughout its eight-year run.  Yeah, she may be "crazy" and all, but for the other side it's entertainment.  Let's flip that: could Paula survive without American Idol?  She's had a comeback of sorts thanks to her stint on the show, lately working on an album, with its first single being debuted on Idol.  And you all know what happened with her own reality show...

Finally, is Paula really worth $20 million?  Here's where you come in: how much should a judge get?  With Ryan getting $15 million this year, and Simon Cowell still rumored to get a much bigger paycheck, maybe Paula has a point in (allegedly) demanding that much.  Who has the most important role anyway?  The recognizable faces of the show, the host, the contestants, who?

Yeah, I'm blabbering.  But as Paula gets a trending topic on Twitter to save her, well, this is going to take a while.




- Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Radar Online
(Image courtesy of PR Photos)