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5-09-05, 11:11 AM
from www.usatoday.com
Paula trades troubles for laughs on 'SNL'
By Donna Freydkin and Bill Keveney, USA TODAY
Paul Abdul has pulled a Paris Hilton. The American Idol judge appeared on the NBC comedy series Saturday Night Live to laugh off allegations of an inappropriate relationship with former contestant Corey Clark, just as Hilton used a December 2003 SNL appearance to make fun of her sex-tape scandal.
Abdul appeared in SNL's opening sketch, introducing what she dubbed "a re-enactment of some events from this week's biggest news story."
With Amy Poehler playing Abdul, SNL mocked last week's Primetime Live report on which Clark charged that Abdul had coached him and had sexual relations with him. "Corey, that was beautiful," said Poehler's Abdul in critiquing his singing. "You really blew me away. It's like I rolled over and said to you this morning, 'You have real star quality.' I'll see you at home."
Abdul also released a statement Friday through new publicist Ken Sunshine that read, in part: "I do trust my fans who can see through attempts at character assassination."
The Idol judge's visit to SNL is part of a tried-and-true tradition for celebs in an image jam. Ben Affleck, Janet Jackson and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have all made SNL appearances aimed at laughing off touchy subjects. The seeming willingness "to get laughs at my expense," as Abdul put it on SNL, can help humanize celebrities and translate into audience sympathy.
Fox and Idol producers have said they're looking into Clark's charges.
Former Idol competitor Mario Vasquez, who voluntarily left the show in March for personal reasons, had praise for Abdul while making an appearance at Saturday's Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation charity carnival in New York.
The scandal, he says, is "very unfortunate. She's wonderful with every contestant, and to hear something like that, it was a little bit odd (and) kind of hurtful. You're shocked." Did he witness any questionable behavior on her part? "Of course not," Vasquez says.
The controversy hasn't hurt Idol's ratings; Wednesday's show drew 20% more viewers than the comparable show last year.
Paula trades troubles for laughs on 'SNL'
By Donna Freydkin and Bill Keveney, USA TODAY
Paul Abdul has pulled a Paris Hilton. The American Idol judge appeared on the NBC comedy series Saturday Night Live to laugh off allegations of an inappropriate relationship with former contestant Corey Clark, just as Hilton used a December 2003 SNL appearance to make fun of her sex-tape scandal.
Abdul appeared in SNL's opening sketch, introducing what she dubbed "a re-enactment of some events from this week's biggest news story."
With Amy Poehler playing Abdul, SNL mocked last week's Primetime Live report on which Clark charged that Abdul had coached him and had sexual relations with him. "Corey, that was beautiful," said Poehler's Abdul in critiquing his singing. "You really blew me away. It's like I rolled over and said to you this morning, 'You have real star quality.' I'll see you at home."
Abdul also released a statement Friday through new publicist Ken Sunshine that read, in part: "I do trust my fans who can see through attempts at character assassination."
The Idol judge's visit to SNL is part of a tried-and-true tradition for celebs in an image jam. Ben Affleck, Janet Jackson and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have all made SNL appearances aimed at laughing off touchy subjects. The seeming willingness "to get laughs at my expense," as Abdul put it on SNL, can help humanize celebrities and translate into audience sympathy.
Fox and Idol producers have said they're looking into Clark's charges.
Former Idol competitor Mario Vasquez, who voluntarily left the show in March for personal reasons, had praise for Abdul while making an appearance at Saturday's Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation charity carnival in New York.
The scandal, he says, is "very unfortunate. She's wonderful with every contestant, and to hear something like that, it was a little bit odd (and) kind of hurtful. You're shocked." Did he witness any questionable behavior on her part? "Of course not," Vasquez says.
The controversy hasn't hurt Idol's ratings; Wednesday's show drew 20% more viewers than the comparable show last year.