This does not make the American Idol producers look good.  Paula Abdul was interviewed on XM Radio by Barbara Walters on Monday, and spoke about the recent suicide death of her stalker, Paula Goodspeed, outside of her Los Angeles home.  Among other disturbing details about Goodspeed, Abdul told Walters that the Idol producers were informed prior to Goodspeed's audition on American Idol's fifth season that she was, in fact, a stalker. "She had been writing disturbing letters for 17 years, almost 18 years," Abdul said of Goodspeed, continuing, "We had restraining orders at times."  Before that American Idol audition, Goodspeed had been kept at a distance, mostly because she was not privy to Abdul's home address.  But, that changed a few years back.  As Abdul told Barbara Walters,"For me, I was lucky enough that all the letters would come through the fan club. But come American Idol, when anyone could audition, she showed up.” 

American Idol: Paula Abdul's Stalker Kills Self Outside of Paula's Home

Goodspeed, who committed what is assumed to be suicide in her car outside of Abdul's home on November 11, was allowed to audition in front of the American Idol judges because, according to Abdul, she would bring good “entertainment value.”  This is all after Abdul protested: "I said, 'This girl is a stalker of mine. Please do not let her in.' Everyone knew. I was shaking."  After that audition occurred, and Goodspeed was summarily rejected and ridiculed on national television, she began sending Abdul naked pictures of herself.  She also threatened Abdul.  "She said the only way I will serve her purpose is when I'm up in heaven being her guardian angel,” Abdul told Walters.  

Abdul has not slept in her home since Goodspeed took her own life.  It's hard to really understand where her head is at after a situation like this.  It's so unique and involves what we have to assume are very complex emotions.  How much blame do the American Idol producers have to take here?  If Abdul did indeed have restraining orders against Goodspeed in the past, then it probably should be considered grossly negligent that the Idol staff allowed Goodspeed to audition in front of Paula.  But, if they were unaware that she was crazy, and had been sending letters, or that there were any restraining orders in place, then they're really only guilty of poor taste.

It's one big, bizarre, tragic tale.  Abdul is apparently quite bitter about the whole thing and the gossip magazine twist is that Abdul “blames” the Idol producers for Goodspeed's death.  From her actual quotes, I would say she's more upset, rattled and regretful of how it all turned.  I can't find any specific quote where Paula blames the Idol producers.  Regardless, we'll be able to see if any of this bitterness remains when American Idol season 8 begins next month on FOX.


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: People Magazine
(Image Courtesy of FOX)