Paula Abdul

American singer and entertainer (born 1962)

Paula Abdul

Abdul at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2023

Born|

Paula Julie Abdul

(1962-06-19) June 19, 1962 (age 62)

San Fernando, California, U.S.

Alma mater| California State University, Northridge
Occupations|

* Singer
* dancer
* choreographer
* actress
* television personality

Years active| 1978-present
Spouses|

Emilio Estevez

(m. 1992; div. 1994)​

Brad Beckerman

(m. 1996; div. 1998)​

Musical career
Genres|

* R&B
* pop
* dance
* new jack swing

Instrument| Vocals
Labels|

* Virgin
* Captive
* Mercury[1]
* Concord
* Filament

Musical artist

Website| paulaabdul.com

Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962)[2] is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by the Jacksons.[3] After choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Her debut studio album Forever Your Girl (1988) became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles from a debut album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her second album Spellbound (1991) scored her two more chart-toppers – "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". With six number-one singles on Hot 100, Abdul tied Diana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time.[4] As of 2025, Abdul places seventh along with Diana Ross and Lady Gaga for the most number-one singles by female artists in the U.S. to date.

Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series American Idol from 2002 to 2009, and has since appeared as a judge on The X Factor, Live to Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Masked Dancer. She received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy Me Love (1987), The Running Man (1987), Coming to America (1988), Action Jackson (1988), The Doors (1991), Jerry Maguire (1996), and American Beauty (1999). She received 17 MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning five, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show, and her own performance at the American Music Awards in 1990. Abdul was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards' Hall of Fame Award.

## Early life

[edit]

Abdul was born in San Fernando, California. She is Jewish:[5] her father, Harry Abdul, is of Syrian Jewish heritage and was born in Aleppo, Syria, raised in Brazil and emigrated to the United States.[6] Her mother, Lorraine (Rykiss), was a concert pianist of Jewish heritage, from Minnedosa, Manitoba.[7][8][9] Abdul has an older sister named Wendy.[10] As an avid dancer, Abdul was inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the film Singin' in the Rain.[11]

Abdul began taking dance lessons at an early age in ballet, jazz, and tap. She attended Van Nuys High School, where she was a cheerleader and an honor student.[12] At 15, she received a scholarship to a dance camp near Palm Springs, and in 1978, appeared in a low-budget independent musical film, Junior High School. In 1980, she graduated from Van Nuys High School.[12] Abdul studied broadcasting at the California State University, Northridge. During her freshman year, she was selected from a pool of 700 candidates for the cheerleading squad of the Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball team—the famed Laker Girls. Within a year, she became head choreographer.[13] She remained with the Laker Girls until 1986.[14]

## Career

[edit]

### 1982–1986: Career beginnings

[edit]

Abdul was discovered by the Jacksons, after a few of the band members had watched her while attending a Los Angeles Lakers game.[15] She was signed to do the choreography for the video to their single "Torture".[16][14] Abdul recalled feeling intimidated by having to tell the Jacksons how to dance, stating that she was "not quite sure how [she] got through that."[17] The success of the choreography in the video led to Abdul's career as choreographer of music videos, notably Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done for Me Lately", "Nasty", "When I Think of You" and "Control" videos.[18] It was also due to the success of the video that Abdul was chosen to be the choreographer for the Jacksons' Victory tour.[11][18] Abdul also choreographed sequences for the giant keyboard scene involving Tom Hanks's character in Big (1988).[19][20]

### 1987–1999: Forever Your Girl, Spellbound and Head over Heels

[edit]

Abdul at the 42nd Primetime Emmy Awards, 1990

In 1987, Abdul used her savings to make a singing demo.[21] Soon thereafter, she was signed to the newly formed Virgin Records America by Jeff Ayeroff, who had worked in marketing at A&M Records with Janet Jackson. Although she was a skilled dancer and choreographer, Abdul was a relatively untrained singer, and worked with various coaches and record producers to develop her vocal ability. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range.[22][23] Ayeroff recalled signing Abdul to a recording contract years later, stating: "She said, 'I can sing, you know. I want to do an album.' Paula's in our industry. Here's someone with a personality and she's gorgeous, and she can dance. If she can sing, she could be a star. So she went into the studio and cut a demo record and she could sing."[24]

Abdul's debut studio album, Forever Your Girl (1988), would become the most successful debut album in history at that time, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart after 64 weeks (where it would spend 10 weeks at number one), and set a record for the most singles from a debut album to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, with four: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract".[25][26] The album was later certified 7× platinum by the RIAA. A remix album, Shut Up and Dance: Mixes, was also released and reached number seven in the United States, becoming one of the most successful remix albums to date.[27] At the 32nd Grammy Awards, Abdul won her first Grammy for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract".[28][29] She was also nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Straight Up", but lost to Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time".[28] In 1991, singer Yvette Marine filed a lawsuit against Abdul and the Virgin label, alleging that it was her vocals that were used on several tracks from Forever Your Girl, most notably "Opposites Attract".[22][30][31] A jury sided with Abdul and the label two years later in 1993, rejecting Marine's claim to credit and copyright compensation.[32][33]

Abdul saw continued success with her second studio album Spellbound (1991), which saw two additional number-one singles: "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". A third single "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" reached number six for three consecutive weeks. Spellbound retained the dance-pop sound from Forever Your Girl and introduced elements of R&B, and sold 7 million copies worldwide.[22][34] The music video for "Rush Rush" featured a Rebel Without a Cause motif, starring Keanu Reeves in the James Dean role.[35] The album's other singles, "Vibeology" and "Will You Marry Me?", saw moderate success on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the top 20.[36][37] In 1991, Abdul starred in a popular Diet Coke commercial in which she danced with a digital image of her idol, a young Gene Kelly.[38] Abdul was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 1991.[39] Abdul promoted Spellbound through the Under My Spell Tour, which was named by an MTV contest for fans.[40][41] The tour was nearly cancelled due to an accident during rehearsals, but began on schedule in October 1991 and concluded in August 1992.[41]

After her initial period of professional success, Abdul's career entered a brief hiatus while she sought treatment for personal and physical issues.[22][42] Her third studio album, Head over Heels (1995), retained both pop and R&B elements and saw moderate commercial success, peaking at number 18 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and later becoming her lowest-selling release.[22] The lead single from Head over Heels, "My Love Is for Real", featured a fusion of R&B and traditional Middle Eastern instruments, and was performed with Yemeni-Israeli singer Ofra Haza. Its accompanying Lawrence of Arabia-inspired music video was played in theaters across the world as a prologue to the film Clueless. The single performed well on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it reached number one, and peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Crazy Cool" and "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up" served as the album's second and third singles. To date, Head over Heels has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States.[43] In 1995, Abdul released a dance workout video entitled Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance! (re-released on DVD in 2003), a fast-paced, hip-hop style workout.[44] In 1997, Abdul co-wrote a song called "Spinning Around" with record producer and composer Kara DioGuardi, which was intended to be her comeback single from a new album, but the plan never materialized and the song was later given to Kylie Minogue.[22][45] That year, Abdul appeared in the ABC television film Touched By Evil, playing a businesswoman who discovers that her boyfriend is a serial rapist.[46][47] In 1998, she released a second workout video called Cardio Dance (re-released on DVD in 2000).[48] Thereafter, Abdul served as the choreographer for several film and theater productions, including the 1998 musical Reefer Madness and the cheerleading scenes in American Beauty (1999).

### 2000–2009: American Idol, Hey Paula and return to music

[edit]

In 2000, Virgin Records, with whom Abdul was already no longer affiliated,[49] released the first of two compilation albums by Abdul, Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits. Abdul co-produced the 2001 pilot for Skirts, an MTV television series about a high school cheerleading squad; Abdul was also set to appear as the head coach. The pilot never aired.[50] In 2002, she began appearing as one of three judges on the Fox reality competition series American Idol, where she won praise as a sympathetic and compassionate judge and mentor. She seemed especially kind compared to fellow judge Simon Cowell, who was often blunt in his appraisals of the contestants' performances. When she realized that Cowell's over-the-top judging style was heartbreaking for many young contestants, Abdul was horrified and she considered leaving the series. Although their differences often resulted in heated on-air exchanges and confrontations, Cowell says he played a major role in convincing Abdul not to leave the series.[51] While serving as a judge on American Idol, Abdul accepted a second assignment as reporter for Entertainment Tonight.[52] In December 2005, Abdul launched a cheerleading/fitness/dance DVD series called Cardio Cheer, which is marketed to children and teenage girls involved with cheerleading and dance.[53] Abdul also choreographed The King's touchdown celebration, as seen in a string of Burger King television commercials that aired during the 2005–06 NFL season.[20] In 2006, Abdul appeared on the third series of The X Factor UK as a guest judge during the auditions, sitting alongside judges Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.

A second compilation album, Greatest Hits: Straight Up!, was released in 2007 by the Virgin label, who also made all of Abdul's releases under their label available for digital download on iTunes. That year, Bravo began airing a reality television series centered around Abdul, Hey Paula, which followed her through her day-to-day life.[22][45][54] Abdul's behavior as depicted on the series was described as "erratic" by comedian Rosie O'Donnell and was criticized by audiences and critics, and Hey Paula was cancelled after a single season.[55]

Abdul at the Los Angeles Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in March 2007

In 2007, Paula Abdul Jewelry launched its nationwide consumer debut on QVC, with the tagline "fashion jewelry designed with heart and soul."[56] Abdul's first QVC appearance resulted in 15 sellouts of her first jewelry collection involving more than 34,000 pieces.[57] In 2008, Abdul returned to music charts for the first time in nearly thirteen years with the single "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow", the first track on the album Randy Jackson's Music Club Vol. 1.[58] The song debuted on On Air with Ryan Seacrest,[59] and Abdul performed it during the pre-game show for Super Bowl XLII.[60] "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" was a modest comeback hit for Abdul, peaking at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The moderate success led to reports of Abdul beginning work on a new album, but this never materialized.[61][62] Abdul also made a brief guest appearance on an episode of the British television series Hotel Babylon, which aired in the United Kingdom in February 2008.[63]

In January 2009, Abdul hosted "RAH!," a cheerleading competition on MTV.[64] "RAH!" featured five collegiate squads competing in a series of challenges with Abdul crowning one the winner.[65] In May 2009, Abdul debuted her latest original song to date, "I'm Just Here for the Music" (originally an unreleased song from Kylie Minogue's ninth album Body Language) on the Ryan Seacrest Radio KIIS-FM show and performed the single on the American Idol. "I'm Just Here for the Music" reached number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Abdul's fifteenth song to appear on the chart.[66][67]

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in July 2009, Abdul's manager David Sonenberg told the newspaper that, "Very sadly, it does not appear that she's going to be back on Idol."[68] This came about as a result of stalled negotiations between Abdul and the series. In August, after numerous contract negotiations, Abdul confirmed that she would not return to Idol for its ninth season.[69] The Times cited reports Abdul had been earning as much as $5 million per season and that she was reportedly seeking as much as $20 million to return.[70] Abdul was replaced by Ellen DeGeneres. Abdul claimed her departure from Idol was not about money, but that she had to stand on principle.[71][72][73]

### 2010–2015: Live to Dance, The X Factor and So You Think You Can Dance

[edit]

In January 2010, Abdul presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to choreographer Julie McDonald at the 11th Anniversary show of The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball.[74] In November, Abdul launched and co-founded AuditionBooth.com, a website that allows aspiring talents to connect with casting directors, producers, and managers.[75]

Abdul on the set of Live to Dance in 2011

In January 2011, Abdul began appearing on the short-lived CBS reality competition series Live to Dance, where she was also an executive producer.[76] Abdul said that unlike American Idol, Live to Dance is less about "competition" and more about "celebration".[77] After its first season of seven episodes, it was cancelled by CBS.[78] In May 2011, it was announced that Abdul would rejoin Cowell on the first season of the American edition of The X Factor.[79] In January 2012, Abdul announced that she would not return as a judge for the series' second season.[80][81] Abdul was replaced by Britney Spears. In October 2012, Abdul served as a guest judge during week four of the All-Stars version of Dancing with the Stars.[82] In April 2013, Abdul appeared on the Top 5 results show of season 12 of American Idol to compliment contestant Candice Glover on her performance of "Straight Up".[83]

On July 9, 2013, Abdul was a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance (season ten).[84] In October 2013, Abdul was named as a judge on the revamped So You Think You Can Dance Australia, which aired on Australia's Network Ten from February 9 through May 1, 2014. Abdul was present as a permanent member of the judge's panel for all episodes of this season. She later became a permanent judge of the American version starting with its twelfth season.[85] In January 2017, Abdul announced that she would not be returning as a judge for its fourteenth season because of her tour schedule.[86]

In April 2014, Abdul was a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race (episode "Queens of Talk"), which reunited her with previous Idol contestant Adore Delano. In June 2014, Abdul made a cameo appearance on the Australian soap opera Neighbours and shared scenes with established character Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher).[87] In 2015, Abdul made a guest appearance on the comedy sitcom Real Husbands of Hollywood on its season 4 premiere. She was shown in a comedic scene with Arsenio Hall where she was trying to kick Hall out of her pool house. On November 16, 2015, Abdul along with Charles "Chucky" Klapow, Renee Richie, and Nakul Dev Mahajan won the World Choreography Award for Outstanding Choreography Digital Format for the video 'Check Yourself'. On November 22, 2015, Abdul and Donnie Wahlberg presented Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock at the 43rd American Music Awards; the award Abdul won at the 1990 AMAs, presented to her by Wahlberg.

### 2016–present: Return to performing, Las Vegas residency

[edit]

On August 6, 2016, Abdul performed a full headline set for the first time in 26 years at the Mixtape Festival in Hershey, Pennsylvania.[88] In November 2016, New Kids on the Block announced that Abdul would be touring with them and Boyz II Men on their Total Package Tour in 2017; her first tour in 25 years.[89] The tour began on May 12 in Columbus, Ohio, and concluded on July 16, 2017, in Hollywood, Florida, for a total of 47 shows.[90][91] In an interview with Elle magazine, Abdul stated there were "many reasons" she decided to return to the stage after over two decades, saying: "I took a long break and had sustained some injuries in the past. Then I returned to television with American Idol and that took up a good decade of my life. Then I went out to do some more television, as well. I always wanted to get back on stage, because I missed it. I wanted to get back in close contact with the people who have supported me all throughout my career and be able to see them again. Plus, I was getting asked all the time if I would ever do it again! I finally said, You know what, I want to and I'm going to make it a priority. I'm really passionate about it and it's fun, and I want to connect with my fans around the country."[92]

In July 2018, Abdul announced that she would embark on a solo headlining tour across North America that fall, entitled Straight Up Paula!, as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of her debut studio album Forever Your Girl.[93][94] The tour began in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on October 18 and concluded in Los Angeles, California, on June 7, 2019, for a total of 25 shows.[93]

Abdul performed a medley of her greatest hits at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, closing out the show.[95] On May 1, 2019, Abdul announced her first Las Vegas residency, Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl. The residency's first leg began on August 13, the first of 20 dates, ending in January 2020.[96] On June 7, 2019, Abdul opened LA Pride.[97]

Abdul also performed at the fourteenth series finale of America's Got Talent with Light Balance Kids, Brian King Joseph, and Tyler Butler-Figueroa to surprise Cowell. In October 2020, it was announced that Abdul would serve as a panelist for Fox's reality competition, The Masked Dancer.[98] In April 2021, ABC announced that Abdul would return to American Idol as a guest-judge while Luke Bryan was out sick after being diagnosed with COVID-19.[99] She returned as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars for Music Video Night in its 32nd season.[100] In 2023, Abdul joined the producing team of the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio.[101] She also appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.[102] In 2024, Abdul co-headlines The Magic Summer Tour.[103] Her Straight Up! to Canada Tour that was scheduled to commence in September 2024 has since been cancelled.[104]

## Personal life

[edit]

### Relationships

[edit]

Abdul married actor Emilio Estevez in 1992, and filed for divorce in 1994.[105][106] In 1995, Abdul stated that the reason for their divorce was that she wanted children and Estevez, who had two children from a previous relationship, did not.[107] Abdul married clothing designer Brad Beckerman in 1996, at the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, Connecticut. They filed for divorce in 1998, after 17 months of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.[108]

### Beliefs

[edit]

Abdul is observant in her Jewish faith,[109] and is proud of her heritage. She once stated, "My father is a Syrian Jew whose family immigrated to Brazil. My mother is Canadian with Jewish roots. My dream is to go to Israel for a real holiday." In November 2006, when Israeli Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog invited her to Israel, Abdul responded with a hug, adding, "I will come; you have helped me make a dream come true."[110] In 2013, at the age of 51, Abdul had her bat mitzvah in Safed, Israel, at the International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah,[111] a museum and spiritual retreat for the study of Kabbalah – Jewish mysticism. In 2003, Abdul was reported as a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation.[112]

Abdul is a dog lover who raised awareness about National Guide Dog Month in May 2009, and she teamed up with Dick Van Patten to help people with blindness to have more independence through the help of guide dogs.[113] She does not wear real fur.[114]

### Health

[edit]

Abdul has said that she was injured in a plane crash in 1992 during her Under My Spell Tour, necessitating 15 cervical spinal surgeries. When, in 2020, some gossip sites, including Jezebel, questioned the veracity of this, Abdul responded during an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, stating "You know what? It's like, there are seven other people that were on the plane, who were in that plane accident with me. So, I really don't care what people have to say. I don't."[115][importance?] Abdul has insisted in interviews that the reason the crash has no official NTSB record or was documented in the media at the time is because the occupants on the plane signed non-disclosure agreements .

In 1994, Abdul sought treatment for bulimia nervosa, which she revealed years later had first developed during her teens and only intensified after she became a pop star. She said: "I learned at a very early age I didn't fit in physically. I learned through years of rejections from auditions. I would ask myself, 'Why can't I be tall and skinny like the other dancers?' I felt nervous and out of control, and all I could think about was food. Food numbed the fear and anxiety. I'd eat and then run to the bathroom."[42]

In 2005, Abdul said she had been diagnosed in November 2004 with a neurological disorder causing chronic pain, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), following a "cheerleading accident" at age 17.[116] She discussed the diagnosis in response to allegations of drug use.[116]

In April 2006, Abdul filed a report at a Hollywood police station stating she had been a victim of battery at a private party at about 1 am on April 2, according to LAPD spokesman Lt. Paul Vernon.[117] "According to Abdul, the man at the party argued with her, grabbed her by the arm and threw her against a wall," Vernon said. "She said she had sustained a concussion and spinal injuries."[118]

#### Allegations of drug use

[edit]

Substance abuse allegations arose as the result of what some described as "erratic behavior"[116] by Abdul during episodes of American Idol. After reading these allegations on message boards, Abdul told People in April 2005 about her RSD diagnosis; she added that she was pain-free following treatment with anti-inflammatory medication.[116] Allegations arose again in January 2007 when videos circulated on the Internet of Abdul appearing to sway in her chair and slur her speech during a set of interviews.[119] Abdul's publicist attributed this to fatigue and technical difficulties during the recording of the interviews.[119] It was revealed on the Bravo show Hey Paula, which had followed Abdul with a video camera prior to the interviews, that Abdul had not been sleeping, perhaps suffering from some mild form of insomnia.[120] In February 2007, Abdul told Us Weekly that she had never been drunk or used illegal drugs, and called the allegations "lies".[121]

In May 2009, Ladies' Home Journal posted an article on its website that said that Abdul told them she stayed at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California, for three days the previous year to recover from physical dependence on prescription pain medications.[122][123] The medications, prescribed due to injuries and her RSD diagnosis, included a pain patch, nerve medication, and a muscle relaxant. According to the article, Abdul said the medications made her "get weird" at times and that she suffered from physical withdrawal symptoms during her recovery.[123] Later that same week, in an interview with Detroit radio station WKQI, Abdul rejected the article's accuracy. She told the radio station she never checked into a rehab clinic and never had a drug abuse problem.[124]

### 2004 car crash

[edit]

In December 2004, Abdul was driving her Mercedes-Benz on a Los Angeles-area freeway when she changed lanes and hit another vehicle, but did not stop or render assistance.[125] The driver and passenger took a photograph with a cell phone camera and wrote down the license plate number of the car, which was traced to Abdul. In March 2005, Abdul was fined US$900 and given 24 months of informal probation after pleading nolo contendere (no contest) to misdemeanor hit-and-run driving. She was ordered to pay US$775 for damage to the other car.[126]

### 2005 accusations by Corey Clark

[edit]

In May 2005, ABC's Primetime Live reported claims by season 2 American Idol contestant Corey Clark that he and Abdul had had an affair during that season, and that she had coached him on how to succeed in the competition.[127] Some considered Clark's timing suspicious as he was marketing a CD and trying to get a book deal, but Clark said that his career was being prejudiced because of his relationship with Abdul, and that is why he came forward with the information to clear his name.[127]

For the most part, Abdul refused to comment on Clark's allegations. Simon Cowell came to Abdul's defense,[128] stating, "It was just somebody using her to get a lot of publicity for an appalling record, full stop."[129][130] Abdul appeared in a Saturday Night Live skit, making light of the situation.[131] In August 2005, the Fox network confirmed that Abdul would be returning to the show, as the investigation had found "insufficient evidence that the communications between Mr. Clark and Ms. Abdul in any way aided his performance".[132]

### 2008 stalking incident

[edit]

On November 11, 2008, a 30-year-old woman named Paula Goodspeed was found dead in her car outside of Abdul's Los Angeles home in Sherman Oaks, California.[133] The death was ruled a suicide by drug overdose, and she was found surrounded by prescription pills, along with photos and CDs of Abdul. Goodspeed was an obsessive fan of Abdul, having legally changed her name to Paula, drawn many pictures of her, sent her flowers and auditioned for Abdul on season 5 of American Idol in 2005 at a stop in Austin, Texas, before being dismissed from the show.[134] Goodspeed had been accused in the press of being a celebrity stalker but her relatives disputed the claim.[135][136][137]

### 2023 sexual assault lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe

[edit]

On December 29, 2023, Abdul filed a lawsuit accusing producer Nigel Lythgoe of sexual assault when they worked together on American Idol in the 2000s. Lythgoe denied the allegations.[138] It was reported in December 2024 that the case had been settled.[139] Abdul commented on the settlement, "I am grateful that this chapter has successfully come to a close and is now something I can now put behind me," while expressing optimism that her experience could inspire women facing similar obstacles.[140]

## Discography

[edit]

Main article: Paula Abdul discography

Studio albums

* Forever Your Girl (1988)
* Spellbound (1991)
* Head over Heels (1995)

## Tours and residencies

[edit]

Headlining

* Under My Spell Tour (1991–92)
* Straight Up Paula! (2018–19)
* Straight Up! to Canada Tour (2024; cancelled)[104]

Co-headlining

* Club MTV Live (1989)[141]
* Total Package Tour (2017) (with New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men)
* The Magic Summer Tour (2024)[103] (with New Kids on the Block and DJ Jazzy Jeff)

Residency

* Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl (2019–20)

## Filmography

[edit]

### Film

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1978  | Junior High School | Sherry  |
1983  | Private School | Cheerleader  | [142]
1986  | A Smoky Mountain Christmas | Choreographer  | TV movie
1987  | Can't Buy Me Love | Dancer  |
1991  | L.A. Story | Roller Skater  |
1997  | Touched By Evil | Ellen Collier  | TV movie
1998  | The Waiting Game | Amy Fuentes  | TV movie
1999  | Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story | Denise Walton  | TV movie
2002  | The Master of Disguise | Choreographer  |
2005  | Robots | Watch (voice)  |
Romy and Michele: In the Beginning | Herself  | TV movie
2009  | Brüno | Herself  |
2018  | A Sister's Secret | Detective Tupper  | TV movie
2020  | Impractical Jokers: The Movie | Herself  |
2022  | Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers | Herself  |

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1988  | Soul Train | Herself  | Episode: "New Edition/Paula Abdul"
Showtime at the Apollo | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #2.5" & "#2.12"
1989  | The Tracey Ullman Show | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #3.18"
1990  | Going Live! | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #3.30"
1995  | Fully Booked | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #1.8"
1996  | Muppets Tonight | Herself  | Episode: "Paula Abdul"
Cybill | Herself  | Episode: "Lowenstein's Lament"
The Single Guy | Herself  | Episode: "Affair"
1998  | Saturday Night Live | Herself  | Episode: "David Duchovny/Puff Daddy/Jimmy Page"
Spin City | Herself  | Episode: "It Happened One Night"
1999  | The Wayans Bros. | Sasha  | Episode: "Dream Girl"
All That | Herself  | Episode: "All That Live! (100th Episode)"
Chicken Soup for the Soul | Herself  | Episode: "The Window/Cookie Thief/Appointment/All Good Things"
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Herself  | Episode: "Aging, Not So Gracefully"
2002  | Mad TV | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #8.1"
Hollywood Squares | Herself/Panelist  | Recurring Guest
2002-2009 | American Idol | Herself/Judge  | Main Judge: Seasons 1–8
2003  | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #2.3"
2003–06  | E! True Hollywood Story | Herself  | Recurring Guest
2004  | Driven | Herself  | Episode: "Paula Abdul"
The Bernie Mac Show | Herself  | Episode: "That Old Mac Magic"
That's So Raven | The Host  | Episode: "The Road to Audition"
2005  | Your Total Health | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #2.2"
Fashion in Focus | Herself  | Episode: "Big Money Under the Tents"
Biography | Herself  | Episode: "Paula Abdul"
Dateline NBC | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #13.36"
All of Us | Herself  | Episode: "Hollywood Swinging"
Saturday Night Live | Herself  | Episode: "Johnny Knoxville/System of a Down"
The Contender | Herself  | Episode: "Series Finale"
I Love the '80s 3-D | Herself  | 10 episodes
Less Than Perfect | Kathleen  | Episode: "Distractions"
2005–07  | Family Guy | Herself (voice)  | Guest: Season 4, Recurring Cast: Season 6
2006  | The X Factor | Herself  | Recurring Guest: Season 3
2007  | Hey Paula | Herself  | Main Cast
The Friday Night Project | Herself/Guest Host  | Episode: "Episode #5.6"
2008  | RAH! Paula Abdul's Cheerleading Bowl | Herself/Host  | Main Host
Hollywood Residential | Herself  | Episode: "The Hotness"
Hotel Babylon | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #3.1"
2009  | InFANity | Herself  | Episode: "American Idol"
Howie Do It | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #1.5"
E! Investigates | Herself  | Episode: "Stalkers"
VH1 Divas | Herself/Host  | Main Host
2009–11  | Drop Dead Diva | Herself  | Recurring Cast: Seasons 1–3
2010  | American Idol | Herself  | Guest: Season 9 Finale
2011  | Live to Dance | Herself/Judge  | Main Judge
The X Factor | Herself/Judge  | Main Judge: Season 1
2012  | I Will Survive | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #1.14"
Dancing with the Stars | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Opponents' Choice Week"
2013  | American Idol | Herself  | Guest: Season 12
2013–14  | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Reunited" & "Queens of Talk"
2013–16  | So You Think You Can Dance | Herself/Judge  | Guest Judge: Season 10, Main Judge: Seasons 12–13
2014  | So You Think You Can Dance Australia | Herself/Judge  | Main Judge: Season 4
Neighbours | Herself  | Episode: "Episode #1.6910"
2015  | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Herself  | Episode: "Suck My Trick"
Strictly Come Dancing | Herself  | Episode: "Week Four"
2016  | American Idol | Herself  | Guest: Season 15 Finale
Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life | Herself  | Episode: "How to Survive Insufficient Funds"
Lip Sync Battle | Herself  | Episode: "Channing Tatum vs. Jenna Dewan-Tatum"
Bookaboo | Herself  | Episode: "Bookaboo's Barkin' New Year's Eve"
2017  | Fresh Off the Boat | Holly  | Episode: "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
2018  | Impractical Jokers: After Party | Herself  | Episode: "Bull Shiatsu"
The X Factor | Herself/Adviser  | Episode: "Judges' Houses 1"
2019  | America's Got Talent | Herself  | Episode: "Live Results Finale"
2020  | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Herself  | Episode: "Paula Abdul"
Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party | Herself  | Episode: "The Backyard Cookout Episode"
2020–21  | The Masked Dancer | Herself/Panelist  | Main Panelist
2021  | American Idol | Herself/Judge  | Guest Judge: Season 19
For Real: The Story of Reality TV | Herself  | Episode: "Make It Work"
Secret Celebrity Renovation | Herself  | Episode: "Paula Abdul"
The Movies That Made Us | Herself  | Episode: "Coming to America"
Superstar | Herself  | Episode: "George Michael"
I Can See Your Voice | Herself/Panelist  | Episode: "Holiday Spectacular: Debbie Gibson, Nicole Byer, Paula Abdul, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Houghton"
The Greatest AtHome Videos | Herself  | Episode: "Let Paula Be the Judge"
2022  | American Idol | Herself  | Guest: Season 20
Janet Jackson | Herself  | Episode: "Part 2 & 4"
Bling Empire | Herself  | Episode: "Adieu ma Chérie"
American Rescue Dog Show | Herself/Judge  | Main Judge
Made for Love | Anydoors  | Recurring Cast: Season 2
2023  | The Muppets Mayhem | Herself  | Episode: "Track 7: Eight Days a Week"
Luann & Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake | Herself  | Episode: 2 episodes
Hell's Kitchen | Herself  | Chef's table guest diner for the red team; Episode: "Just Bring the DARN Fish!"
Dancing with the Stars | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Music Video Night"
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | Herself  | Contestant
2024  | The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills | Herself  | Episode: "Bitter Pill to Swallow"
Impractical Jokers | Herself  | Episode: "Paula Abdul:

### As choreographer

[edit]

Music Videos  Year  | Artist  | Music Video

|
|

1984  | The Jacksons | "Torture"
1986  | Janet Jackson | "What Have You Done for Me Lately"
"Nasty"
"When I Think of You"
"Control"
ZZ Top | "Velcro Fly"
Toto | "Till The End"
Duran Duran | "Notorious"
The Pointer Sisters | "Goldmine"
1987  | Angela Winbush | "Run to Me"
Debbie Gibson | "Shake Your Love"
1988  | Steve Winwood | "Roll with It"
INXS | "Devil Inside"
Taylor Dayne | "Prove Your Love"
George Michael | "Monkey"
2014  | Avon | "Check Yourself"
Tours  Year  | Artist  | Tour

|
|

1984  | The Jacksons | "Victory Tour"
1987  | Kool & the Gang | [143]
1988  | George Michael | "The Faith Tour"
Movies  Year  | Title  | Notes

|
|

1983  | Private School
1986  | A Smoky Mountain Christmas
1987  | The Tracey Ullman Show | Won an Emmy Award
Dragnet |
Can't Buy Me Love |
The Running Man |
1988  | Action Jackson |
Coming To America |
Big | [144][145]
Bull Durham | [146]
1989  | She's Out of Control |
Dance to Win |
The Karate Kid Part III |
1990  | 17th American Music Awards | Won an Emmy for her own performance, "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me"
62nd Academy Awards | "Under the Sea" from 'The Little Mermaid' and "Best Costume Design" category
1991  | The Doors | Val Kilmer's choreographer
1996  | Jerry Maguire |
1999  | American Beauty |
2001  | Black Knight |
Reefer Madness | Off-Broadway
2003  | Zoe's Dance Moves |
2009  | American Idol | Season 8-Disco Week (Results Show)
2022  | 1660 Vine |

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Award  | Year  | Category  | Nominated work  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

America's Dance Honors  | 1990  | Choreographer of the Year  | Herself  | Honored  | [147]
American Music Awards | 1990 | Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Herself  | Won  | [148]
Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Nominated
Favorite Dance Artist  | Won
Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Forever Your Girl | Nominated
1991 | Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Herself  | Nominated  |
1992 | Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Herself  | Won  | [149]
Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist | Nominated
Favorite Adult Contemporary Album | Spellbound | Nominated
Billboard Music Awards | 1990 | #1 World Album  | Forever Your Girl | Nominated  |
Billboard Music Video Awards | 1989  | Best Female Video  | "Straight Up"  | Won  | [150]
Best New Artists Video  | Won
Best Editing  | Won
Best Choreography  | "Cold Hearted"  | Won
1990  | Best Female Video  | "Opposites Attract"  | Nominated  | [151]
Best Director  | Nominated
Brit Awards | 1990 | International Breakthrough Act | Herself  | Nominated  |
Choreographers Carnival | 2013  | Lifetime Achievement  | Herself  | Honored  | [152]
Ellis Island Medal of Honor | 2019  |  | Herself  | Honored  | [153]
GLAAD Gala | 2019  | Ariadne Getty Ally  | Herself  | Won  | [154]
Grammy Awards | 1990 | Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | "Straight Up"  | Nominated  | [155]
1991 | Best Short Form Music Video | "Opposites Attract"  | Won
Hollywood Christmas Parade  | 2023  | Humanitarian of the Year  | Herself  | Honored  | [156]
Hollywood Walk of Fame | 1991  | Herself  |  | Honored  | [157]
Impact Awards  | 2022  |  | Herself  | Honored  | [158]
Industry Dance Awards  | 2014  | Icon  | Herself  | Honored  | [159]
2024  | Paula Abdul Legacy Award  | Herself  | Honored  | [160]
Juno Awards | 1990 | International Album of the Year | Forever Your Girl | Nominated  |
International Single of the Year | "Straight Up"  | Nominated
Los Angeles Music Awards | 1992  | Pop Album of the Year  | Spellbound  | Won  |
MTV Video Music Awards | 1987 | Best Choreography in a Video | "Nasty" (by Janet Jackson) | Won  |
"When I Think of You" (by Janet Jackson) | Nominated
1989 | Best Female Video | "Straight Up"  | Won  |
Best New Artist in a Video | Nominated
Best Dance Video | Won
Breakthrough Video | Nominated
Best Choreography in a Video | Won
Best Editing in a Video | Won
1990 | Best Female Video | "Opposites Attract"  | Nominated  |
Best Dance Video | Nominated
Breakthrough Video | Nominated
Best Direction in a Video | Nominated
Best Choreography in a Video | Nominated
Best Special Effects in a Video | Nominated
1991 | Best Female Video | "Rush Rush"  | Nominated  |
1995 | Best Dance Video | "My Love Is for Real"  | Nominated  |
Best Choreography in a Video | Nominated
Music Business Association | 2017  | Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian  | Herself  | Won  | [161]
National Eating Disorders Association | 2005  | Profiles in Living  | Herself  | Honored  | [162]
Nevada Ballet Theatre | 2007  | Woman of the Year  | Herself  | Honored  | [163]
Nevada Equality Awards  | 2019  | Ally Leadership  | Herself  | Honored  | [164]
NewNowNext Awards  | 2010  | Always Next, Forever Now Icon  | Herself  | Honored  | [165]
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | 1990 | Favorite Female Musician/Group  | Herself  | Won  |
1991 | Hall of Fame  | Herself  | Won  | [166]
People's Choice Awards | 1990 | Favorite Female Musical Performer | Herself  | Won  |
1991 | Won
Primetime Emmy Awards | 1988 | Outstanding Choreography | The Tracey Ullman Show | Nominated  | [167]
[168]
1989 | Won
1990 | The 17th Annual American Music Awards | Won
2003 | Outstanding Reality-Competition Program | American Idol | Nominated
2004 | Nominated
2005 | Nominated
2006 | Nominated
2007 | Nominated
Queerties Awards | 2024  | Straight Up Ally  | Herself  | Honored  | [169]
Revel Dance Convention  | 2021  | Revelation Icon  | Herself  | Honored  |
Shorty Awards  | 2020  | Best Celebrity  | Herself  | Nominated  | [170]
Soul Train Music Awards | 1990 | Best Song of the Year | "Straight Up"  | Nominated  |
Teen Choice Awards | 2003 | Choice TV: Reality Babe  | Herself  | Won  | [171]
2004 | Choice Reality/Variety TV Star - Female  | Herself  | Nominated  |
2005 | Choice TV Personality - Female  | Herself  | Nominated  |
YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund AMY Awards  | 2006  | Leadership  | Herself  | Won  | [172]

## See also

[edit]

* List of artists who reached number one in the United States
* List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart
* List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
* List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart

## References

[edit]

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112. ^ Cooke de Herrera, Nancy (2003). All You Need Is Love: An Eyewitness Account of When Spirituality Spread from the East to the West. San Diego: Joodere Group. p. 438.
113. ^ Mitchell, E. (May 7, 2009). "Paula Abdul & Guide Dogs". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on August 16, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
114. ^ "Paula Abdul's faux fur vest". The Gloss. May 29, 2011. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
115. ^ Parker, Lyndsey (March 11, 2020). "Paula Abdul opens up about mysterious 1992 plane crash: 'I didn't want to talk too much about it'". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved September 28, 2020.'&rft.pub=Yahoo!+Entertainment&rft.date=2020-03-11&rft.aulast=Parker&rft.aufirst=Lyndsey&rft_id=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/paula-abdul-opens-up-about-mysterious-1993-plane-crash-i-didnt-want-to-talk-too-much-about-it-182841961.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Paula+Abdul" class="Z3988">
116. ^ a b c d "Abdul says odd behavior not drug-related". USA Today. April 20, 2005. Archived from the original on February 19, 2006. Retrieved April 20, 2005.
117. ^ "Paula Abdul tells police she was assaulted at LA party". Augusta Chronicle. April 7, 2006. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
118. ^ "Paula Abdul Tells Police She Was Assaulted". MTV. AP. April 6, 2006. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
119. ^ a b "Paula Abdul seen slurring in TV interview". Today.com. Reuters. January 15, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
120. ^ Andy Dehnart (June 29, 2007). "Paula Abdul's loopy TV interviews blamed on exhaustion, insomnia, the flu, audio problems". Reality Blurred. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
121. ^ "Paula Abdul claims she's 'squeaky clean'". Today.com. Associated Press. February 13, 2007. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2007.
122. ^ "Paula Abdul: No Painkillers, No Rehab". E! Online. May 8, 2009. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
123. ^ a b "Paula Abdul Reveals Struggle with Prescription Painkillers". People. May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
124. ^ "Paula Abdul Denies Report She Abused Painkillers; Magazine Stands by Story". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
125. ^ "Abdul sentenced for traffic accident". Los Angeles Times. March 26, 2005. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
126. ^ "'Idol' Judge Fined For Hit-And-Run". CBS News. AP. March 24, 2005. Archived from the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2007.
127. ^ a b "Corey Clark Says Paula 'Told Me She Loved Me'". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
128. ^ "Paula Abdul: Simon Saved Me!". The Extra! TV Web site, Celebrity Highlights section. Time Telepictures Productions, distributed by Warner Bros. January 10, 2007. Archived from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
129. ^ "Simon Cowell Says Corey Clark Is A Creep". POPDIRT.com. May 11, 2005. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
130. ^ "Simon Says Clark's A Creep". Extra! TV. Time Telepictures Productions and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. May 10, 2005. Archived from the original on July 24, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
131. ^ "Abdul pokes fun at sex scandal on 'SNL'". Today.com. Associated Press. May 11, 2005. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
132. ^ "After probe, Paula Abdul to remain on 'Idol'". Today.com. Associated Press. August 24, 2005. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
133. ^ Greg Braxton (January 21, 2009). "Paula Abdul embraces 'American Idol,' survives controversy - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
134. ^ "Obsessive Fan of Paula Abdul Commits Suicide". ABC News. 13 November 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
135. ^ Fleeman, Mike (November 14, 2008). "Paula Goodspeed Sent Abdul Flowers Days Before Suicide". People. Archived from the original on September 22, 2016. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
136. ^ Singh, Anita (November 13, 2008). "American Idol contestant Paula Goodspeed humiliated by 'rude' Cowell, say family". Telegraph. Archived from the original on October 7, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
137. ^ Dillon, Nancy. "Friends defend Paula Abdul fan who committed suicide". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
138. ^ Jacobs, Julia (December 30, 2023). "Paula Abdul Accuses Nigel Lythgoe of Sexual Assault During 'American Idol'". The New York Times. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
139. ^ "Paula Abdul settles sexual assault lawsuit with former American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe".
140. ^ NPR https://www.npr.org/2024/12/13/nx-s1-5228180/paula-abdul-american-idol-nigel-lythgoe-sexual-assault-lawsuit. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
141. ^ Grein, Paul (July 2, 1989). "'Club MTV' Hits the Road and It's Live". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
142. ^ Private School (1983) - IMDb, retrieved February 22, 2023
143. ^ Brown, George (2023). Too Hot: Kool & the Gang & Me. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1641609180.
144. ^ West, Kelly (December 29, 2010). "Live To Dance Preview: Paula Abdul Returns". CinemaBlend. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
145. ^ "Paula Abdul - IMDb". IMDb.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
146. ^ Nashawaty, Chris. "Worshipping at the Church of Baseball". SI Vault.
147. ^ Sondak, Eileen (January 22, 1990). "'Dance Honors' Limps Through Its 1st Show : Dance: New National Academy of Dance changes honorees in midstream, leaving out those who didn't make it to the San Diego Convention Center". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
148. ^ "17th American Music Awards". Retrieved June 24, 2021.
149. ^ "C + C Tops American Music Awards". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
150. ^ "Madonna, Abdul Top Billboard's Music Vid Awards" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 48\. December 2, 1989. p. 1.
151. ^ Newman, Melinda (October 13, 1990). "Janet Leads With 6 Billboard-Tanqueray Video Award Noms" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 41\. pp. 1, 43.
152. ^ "The 14th Annual Choreographers Carnival Showcases Movie and Televisions Top Choreographers and Dancers. Honoring The Gene Kelly Legacy, Paula Abdul and Surprise Guest J-Lo!". The Official Website of Choreographers Carnival. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
153. ^ "Paula Abdul, Montel Williams and More Honored at Ellis Island Medals of Honor Ceremony". HOMBRE1. May 13, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
154. ^ "Video! Paula Abdul's Heartfelt Speech as She Accepts GLAAD Award". Extra. September 30, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
155. ^ "Paula Abdul". The Recording Academy. November 19, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
156. ^ Cordero, Rosy (November 20, 2023). "Paula Abdul To Be Honored As Humanitarian Of The Year At Hollywood Christmas Parade". Deadline. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
157. ^ "Paula Abdul". Retrieved June 24, 2021.
158. ^ "Impact Awards Gala Returns to Miami". Aventura Magazine. May 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
159. ^ PR), Company (EKC (September 12, 2014). "2014 Industry Dance Awards Honoring Nigel Lythgoe, Paula Abdul and More, Rocked the House at Avalon Hollywood on Wednesday Night". GlobeNewswire News Room (Press release). Retrieved September 12, 2023.
160. ^ "Gala of the Stars Honors Dance Legends and Supports Cancer Fight". KTLA. October 7, 2024. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
161. ^ "Paula Abdul to Receive Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award at Music Biz 2017 in Nashville". Music Business Association. February 28, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
162. ^ "Prize fight". Tulsa World. September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
163. ^ Katsilometes, John (November 7, 2018). "Remembering our Woman of the Year moment with Paula Abdul". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
164. ^ "Paula Abdul, David Parks lauded for their LGBTQ advocacy". Las Vegas Sun. November 6, 2019. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
165. ^ "Paula Abdul to Receive Always Next, Forever Now Icon Award at Logo's Third Annual 'NewNowNext Awards' 2010" (Press release). June 1, 2010. Retrieved September 12, 2023 - via PR Newswire.
166. ^ "'Kids' Choice Awards' Best Moments, From John Cena and Britney Spears to Michelle Obama". TV Insider. March 12, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
167. ^ "Paula Abdul". National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
168. ^ "Outstanding Choreography - 1990". National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
169. ^ "Paula Abdul's sleeper hit defied all expectations, saved her career & made her a "Straight Up" global superstar". Queerty. March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
170. ^ Mamo, Heran (January 21, 2020). "Beyoncé, Zendaya, J Balvin & Lil Nas X Nominated for 2020 Shorty Awards". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
171. ^ "2003 Teen Choice Awards Nominees". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 18, 2003. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
172. ^ "Paula Abdul". Today.com. August 5, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Paula Abdul.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paula Abdul.

* Official website
* Paula Abdul at AllMusic
* Paula Abdul at IMDb
* Paula Abdul collected news and commentary at The New York Times

* v
* t
* e

Paula Abdul

* Discography

Studio albums|

* Forever Your Girl
* Spellbound
* Head over Heels

Remix albums|

* Shut Up and Dance: Mixes

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits
* Greatest Hits: Straight Up!

Singles|

* "Knocked Out"
* "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me"
* "Straight Up"
* "Forever Your Girl"
* "Cold Hearted"
* "Opposites Attract"
* "Rush Rush"
* "The Promise of a New Day"
* "Blowing Kisses in the Wind"
* "Vibeology"
* "Will You Marry Me?"
* "My Love Is for Real"
* "Crazy Cool"
* "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up"
* "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow"
* "I'm Just Here for the Music"

Concert tours|

* Under My Spell Tour
* Total Package Tour
* Straight Up Paula!
* Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl

Television|

* American Idol
* Hey Paula
* Live to Dance
* The X Factor
* So You Think You Can Dance

* Category

Awards for Paula Abdul

* v
* t
* e

American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist

* Helen Reddy (1974)
* Olivia Newton-John (1975)
* Olivia Newton-John (1976)
* Olivia Newton-John (1977)
* Linda Ronstadt (1978)
* Linda Ronstadt (1979)
* Donna Summer (1980)
* Barbra Streisand (1981)
* Pat Benatar (1982)
* Olivia Newton-John (1983)
* Pat Benatar (1984)
* Cyndi Lauper (1985)
* Tina Turner (1986)
* Whitney Houston (1987)
* Whitney Houston (1988)
* Whitney Houston (1989)
* Paula Abdul (1990)
* Janet Jackson (1991)
* Paula Abdul (1992)
* Mariah Carey (1993)
* Whitney Houston (1994)
* Mariah Carey (1995)
* Mariah Carey (1996)
* Alanis Morissette (1997)
* Celine Dion (1998)
* Celine Dion (1999)
* Shania Twain (2000)
* Faith Hill (2001)
* Janet Jackson (2002)
* Sheryl Crow (2003)
* Jennifer Lopez (2003)
* Sheryl Crow (2004)
* Gwen Stefani (2005)
* Kelly Clarkson (2006)
* Fergie (2007)
* Rihanna (2008)
* Taylor Swift (2009)
* Lady Gaga (2010)
* Adele (2011)
* Katy Perry (2012)
* Taylor Swift (2013)
* Katy Perry (2014)
* Ariana Grande (2015)
* Selena Gomez (2016)
* Lady Gaga (2017)
* Taylor Swift (2018)
* Taylor Swift (2019)
* Taylor Swift (2020)
* Taylor Swift (2021)
* Taylor Swift (2022)

* v
* t
* e

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography

1955–1975|

* June Taylor (1955)
* Tony Charmoli (1956)
* Hermes Pan (1959)
* Norman Maen (1970)
* Ernie Flatt (1971)
* Alan Johnson (1972)
* Bob Fosse (1973)
* Tony Charmoli (1974)
* Marge Champion (1975)

1976–2000|

* Tony Charmoli (1976)
* Ron Field (1977)
* Ron Field (1978)
* Kevin Carlisle (1979)
* Alan Johnson (1980)
* Walter Painter (1981)
* Debbie Allen (1982)
* Debbie Allen (1983)
* Michael Smuin (1984)
* Twyla Tharp (1985)
* Walter Painter (1986)
* Michael Peters and Dee Dee Wood (1987)
* Alan Johnson (1988)
* Walter Painter / Paula Abdul (1989)
* Paula Abdul, Dean Barlow and Michael Darrin (1990)
* Debbie Allen (1991)
* Paul Taylor (1992)
* Michael Peters (1993)
* Linda Talcott (1994)
* Ulysses Dove (1995)
* Anita Mann and Charonne Mose (1996)
* Marguerite Derricks / Sarah Kawahara (1997)
* Marguerite Derricks and Peggy Holmes (1998)
* Judith Jamison / Marguerite Derricks (1999)
* Rob Marshall (2000)

2001–2018|

* Jim Moore, George Pinney and Jon Vanderkolff / Doug Jack, Sarah Kawahara and Kenny Ortega (2001)
* Debra Brown (2002)
* Sandra Bezic, A.C. Ciulla, Christopher Dean, Jamie Isley and Michael Seibert (2003)
* Jason Samuels Smith (2004)
* Christopher Dean (2005)
* Charles Klapow, Kenny Ortega and Bonnie Story (2006)
* Wade Robson / Mia Michaels / Rob Marshall and John DeLuca (2007)
* Wade Robson (2008)
* Rob Ashford / Tyce Diorio (2009)
* Mia Michaels (2010)
* Mia Michaels / Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo (2011)
* Joshua Bergasse (2012)
* Derek Hough (2013)
* Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo (2014)
* Derek Hough, Julianne Hough and Tessandra Chavez / Travis Wall (2015)
* Quest Crew / Kathryn Burns (2016)
* Mandy Moore / Travis Wall (2017)
* Mandy Moore (2018)

Scripted Programming
(2019–present)|

* Kathryn Burns (2019)
* Mandy Moore (2020)
* Debbie Allen (2021)
* Ryan Heffington (2022)
* Jon Boogz (2023)
* Nina McNeely (2024)

Variety or Reality Programming
(2019–present)|

* Tessandra Chavez (2019)
* Al Blackstone (2020)
* Derek Hough (2021)
* Parris Goebel (2022)
* Derek Hough (2023)
* Karla Puno Garcia (2024)

* Complete list
* (1950–1975)
* (1976–2000)
* (2001–2018)

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Best Music Video

Video of the Year
(1981−1982)|

* Elephant Parts – Michael Nesmith (1981)
* Olivia Physical – Olivia Newton-John (1982)

1983–1986|

* "Girls on Film" / "Hungry Like the Wolf" – Duran Duran (1983)
* "Jazzin' for Blue Jean" – David Bowie (1984)
* "We Are the World" – USA for Africa (1985)
* "Brothers in Arms" – Dire Straits (1986)

Best Concept
Music Video
(1987−1988)|

* "Land of Confusion" – Genesis (1987)
* "Fat" – "Weird Al" Yankovic (1988)

1989–2009|

* "Leave Me Alone" – Michael Jackson (1989)
* "Opposites Attract" – Paula Abdul (1990)
* "Losing My Religion" – R.E.M. (1991)
* "Digging in the Dirt" – Peter Gabriel (1992)
* "Steam" – Peter Gabriel (1993)
* "Love Is Strong" – The Rolling Stones (1994)
* "Scream" – Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson (1995)
* "Free as a Bird" – The Beatles (1996)
* "Got 'til It's Gone" – Janet Jackson (1997)
* "Ray of Light" – Madonna (1998)
* "Freak on a Leash" – Korn (1999)
* "Learn to Fly" – Foo Fighters (2000)
* "Weapon of Choice" – Fatboy Slim featuring Bootsy Collins (2001)
* "Without Me" - Eminem (2002)
* "Hurt" – Johnny Cash (2003)
* "Vertigo" – U2 (2004)
* "Lose Control" – Missy Elliott featuring Ciara & Fatman Scoop (2005)
* "Here It Goes Again" – OK Go (2006)
* "God's Gonna Cut You Down" – Johnny Cash (2007)
* "Pork and Beans" – Weezer (2008)
* "Boom Boom Pow" – Black Eyed Peas (2009)

2010–present|

* "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga (2010)
* "Rolling in the Deep" – Adele (2011)
* "We Found Love" – Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris (2012)
* "Suit & Tie" – Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z (2013)
* "Happy" – Pharrell Williams (2014)
* "Bad Blood" – Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar (2015)
* "Formation" – Beyoncé (2016)
* "Humble" – Kendrick Lamar (2017)
* "This Is America" – Childish Gambino (2018)
* "Old Town Road" – Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)
* "Brown Skin Girl" – Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & Wizkid (2020)
* "Freedom" – Jon Batiste (2021)
* All Too Well: The Short Film – Taylor Swift (2022)
* "I'm Only Sleeping" – The Beatles (2023)
* "Not Like Us" – Kendrick Lamar (2024)

* v
* t
* e

MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography

* Michael Jackson and Michael Peters (1984)
* David Atkins (1985)
* Prince (1986)
* Paula Abdul (1987)
* Barry Lather (1988)
* Paula Abdul (1989)
* Janet Jackson and Anthony Thomas (1990)
* Jamale Graves (1991)
* Frank Gatson, Travis Payne and LaVelle Smith Jr. (1992)
* Frank Gatson, LaVelle Smith Jr. and Travis Payne (1993)
* Frank Gatson and Randy Connor (1994)
* LaVelle Smith Jr., Tina Landon, Travis Payne and Sean Cheesman (1995)
* Michael Rooney (1996)
* Peggy Hickey (1997)
* Madonna and Jonas Åkerlund (1998)
* Richard Koufey and Michael Rooney (1999)
* Darrin Henson (2000)
* Michael Rooney, Spike Jonze and Christopher Walken (2001)
* Michael Rooney (2002)
* Frank Gatson and LaVelle Smith Jr. (2003)
* Fatima Robinson (2004)
* Kishaya Dudley (2005)
* Shakira (2006)
* Marty Kudelka (2007)
* Michael Rooney (2008)
* Frank Gatson and JaQuel Knight (2009)
* Laurieann Gibson (2010)
* Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami and Jeffrey Page (2011)
* Anwar "Flii" Burton (2012)
* Bruno Mars (2013)
* Ryan Heffington (2014)
* OK Go, air:man and Mori Harano (2015)
* Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight and Dana Foglia (2016)
* Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Matthew Pasterisa, Jae Blaze and Derek Watkins (2017)
* Sherrie Silver (2018)
* Charm La'Donna (2019)
* The Lab and Son Sung Deuk (2020)
* Paul Roberts (2021)
* Fullout Cortland (2022)
* Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung and Taryn Cheng (2023)
* Charm La'Donna (2024)

* v
* t
* e

MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video

* "Straight Up" – Paula Abdul (1989)
* "U Can't Touch This" (1990)
* "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (1991)
* "Cream" (1992)
* "Free Your Mind" (1993)
* "Whatta Man" (1994)
* "Scream" (1995)
* "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (1996)
* "Wannabe" – Spice Girls (1997)
* "Smack My Bitch Up" (1998)
* "Livin' la Vida Loca" (1999)
* "Waiting for Tonight" – Jennifer Lopez (2000)
* "Pop" (2001)
* "Get the Party Started" (2002)
* "Rock Your Body" – Justin Timberlake (2003)
* "Yeah!" (2004)
* "Lose Control" (2005)
* "Buttons" (2006)
* "When I Grow Up" – The Pussycat Dolls (2008)
* "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga (2010)
* "Feel So Close" – Calvin Harris (2012)
* "Stay the Night" (2014)
* "How Deep Is Your Love" (2016)
* "Stay" – Zedd and Alessia Cara (2017)
* "Lonely Together" – Avicii featuring Rita Ora (2018)
* "Call You Mine" – The Chainsmokers featuring Bebe Rexha (2019)

* v
* t
* e

MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video

1980s|

* "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" – Cyndi Lauper (1984)
* "What's Love Got to Do with It" – Tina Turner (1985)
* "How Will I Know" – Whitney Houston (1986)
* "Papa Don't Preach" – Madonna (1987)
* "Luka" – Suzanne Vega (1988)
* "Straight Up" – Paula Abdul (1989)

1990s|

* "Nothing Compares 2 U" – Sinéad O'Connor (1990)
* "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" – Janet Jackson (1991)
* "Why" – Annie Lennox (1992)
* "Constant Craving" – k.d. lang (1993)
* "If" – Janet Jackson (1994)
* "Take a Bow" – Madonna (1995)
* "Ironic" – Alanis Morissette (1996)
* "You Were Meant for Me" – Jewel (1997)
* "Ray of Light" – Madonna (1998)
* "Doo Wop (That Thing)" – Lauryn Hill (1999)

2000s|

* "Try Again" – Aaliyah (2000)
* "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" – Eve featuring Gwen Stefani (2001)
* "Get the Party Started" – Pink (2002)
* "Crazy in Love" – Beyoncé (2003)
* "Naughty Girl" – Beyoncé (2004)
* "Since U Been Gone" – Kelly Clarkson (2005)
* "Because of You" – Kelly Clarkson (2006)
* "Piece of Me" – Britney Spears (2008)
* "You Belong with Me" – Taylor Swift (2009)

2010s|

* "Bad Romance" – Lady Gaga (2010)
* "Born This Way" – Lady Gaga (2011)
* "Starships" – Nicki Minaj (2012)
* "I Knew You Were Trouble" – Taylor Swift (2013)
* "Dark Horse" – Katy Perry (2014)
* "Blank Space" – Taylor Swift (2015)
* "Hold Up" – Beyoncé (2016)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Australia
* Czech Republic
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Croatia
* Korea
* Poland
* Israel

Artists|

* MusicBrainz
* Emmy Awards

People|

* Trove
* Deutsche Synchronkartei

Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC

*[m.]: married
*[div.]: divorced
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template