Paula-Gate: The Ripple Effect From Her Leaving “American Idol”

• Over many seasons of “American Idol,” contestants and viewers alike became familiar with the sometimes incoherent ramblings of Paula Abdul. Now that she’s decided to leave the show, producers have come up with a creative solution on how to replace her. Contestants auditioning for the next season of “American Idol” will not only have to get over stage fright, but they’ll need to stop themselves from being starstruck. For the auditions, Paula will be replaced by a rotating cadre of actual celebrities, a new star in each of the seven cities. Yesterday, we found out Victoria Beckham would be one of the guest judges. Now Katy Perry is in. Producers are scrambling to find five more. [E! Online]
• Paula may have belted out some hits in the ‘90s, but she’s just as famous for being a kick-ass dancer. So we’re not surprised to hear that Nigel Lithgow from “So You Think You Can Dance?” has talked to Paula about possibly becoming a judge on that show. That would make sense if she’s tired of sitting through thousands of auditions where people butcher Whitney Houston. [NY Daily News]
• Meanwhile, even mentioning Paula’s name can start serious trouble. One minute “American Idol” former contestant Constantine Maroulis was saying how he wished Paula would stay on “American Idol.” The next minute, he’s getting beaten to the ground. The rocker, now starring in “Rock of Ages” on Broadway, was punched in the face multiple times by a random guy in a suit after mentioning Paula’s “Idol” departure. The drunk Abdul-hater also got in several kicks before security realized what was happening. Maroulis later tweeted about the incident. [NY Daily News]

Watch out! The Paula frenzy is spreading!