Kara DioGuardi is still shocked that Paula Abdul has quit American Idol after eight seasons.

“I can’t get over it. I’m completely shocked,” she said on Ryan Seacrest’s KIIS-FM radio show Friday. “It’s such a loss for the show, such a loss for the contestants. She’s definitely the heart of the panel.”

“The kind of heart she treated the contestants with she treated me with last year,” said DioGuardi, who added that she was “scared” joining the show last season. “She was so kind to me and made me feel immediately like part of the panel.”

DioGuardi added that she hopes Abdul “will reconsider” her decision to leave.

“I’ve left her a lot of messages. I talked to her last week,” DioGuardi said. “I haven’t spoken to her this week.”

DioGuardi shot down speculation that she was hired last season as an insurance policy against Abdul in case she leaves.

“The way I’m understanding it is that it was her choice to leave,” DioGuardi said of Abdul. “I never was here to replace her. It would be impossible to replace Paula Abdul. She’s an incredible talent. She is somebody who helped make the show as big as it is. How could you ever replace that?”

“If anything, she was really somebody who helped me because it was awkward at times being the fourth person,” she added.

DioGuardi – who is in Denver Friday to begin auditions – said she is excited to return to the show alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson for a second season, calling Idol “an incredible show.”

Said the new judge, “Last year, it was tough at times. Being the new kid, you get beat up a bit. I’m hoping this year that people are more accepting.”

On Thursday, Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice said producers are currently looking for a fourth judge to replace Abdul. (Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham are among the guest judges who have signed on.)

Abdul – who left show because she reportedly she didn’t get her desired $20 million deal – isn’t sweating the fact that she is out of a job.

“At this point, there are so many wonderful things that are being offered to me,” Abdul told the Associated Press Thursday. “And I got to take a deep breath, sleep a little … and go through everything.”

Source, Bauer-Griffin

Paula Abdul inspires men to fight over her, but not in the way you might think.

“American Idol” alum Constantine Maroulis, 33, got his butt kicked by an Abdul hater during Casio’s G-Shock party Wednesday night at Cipriani Wall Street.

The partygoer threw punches, pushed Maroulis to the ground and kicked him repeatedly before security guards stepped in. According to witnesses, fisticuffs erupted because Maroulis professed his desire for Abdul’s return to “Idol.” His attacker was more than happy to see her gone.

“It was hilarious! Constantine got into it with this guy who was probably 6 inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter,” laughs an observer. “The guy body-slammed him and punched him in the face and then just stood up, straightened his tie, and said, ‘B—ch, don’t you ever,’ before walking away.”

The attendee adds, “Security didn’t know what to make of this guy. He was so well-groomed in his suit, and he didn’t look like a threat at all. Constantine was so overwhelmed he just sat there on the floor for a few minutes.”

Later, the Tony nominee, who just signed for another year in the Broadway show “Rock of Ages,” tweeted about the incident.

“It broke up quick, didn’t even know him. Or throw one punch. I don’t mind a fight … but only when it’s fair and I’m looking!” wrote the star, adding, “I’m fine! Some drunk dude tackled me in the middle of the concert and jumped on me.”

Maybe hostility was in the air. While Maroulis’ fight transpired, performer Kanye West rapped about his anger over a March arrest for breaking a paparazzo’s camera. West sang, “I have to pay $100,000 to the photographer who said I hurt his arm, but I was just breaking them (bleeping) cameras, I wasn’t trying to do you no harm dude.” He added, “I’m not trying to stop you from getting paid at all, but I feel the pictures you take are trying to make the icons fall.”

West’s on-and-off gal pal Amber Rose, singer O’Neal McKnight, Ashanti and Russell Simmons were all on hand to catch the lyrics and the action.

Source, Bauer-Griffin

While promoting So You Think You Can Dance at the Fox press conference this morning in L.A., the show’s producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe told reporters, “absolutely, no question,” he would want Paula Abdul to be a guest judge on the show.

“I spoke to her yesterday,” Nigel says. “I said, ‘we’re going to Vegas for season 6 this weekend. She’s coming out to meet me. We’re going to talk about what the opportunities are.

“I don’t know anybody who’s had her experience of being a performer, dancer, choreographer and judge,” he added.

But, Nigel admits, “I still don’t know that she’s going to leave Idol. Until Idol goes on the air, there’s always an opportunity for renegotiations. Who knows?”

For right now, Nigel reveals that Paula is on the East Coast, working on an episode of Drop Dead Diva.

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Life & Style has learned exclusively that Paula Abdul is not returning to Idol because producers refused to raise her salary! “Paula had demanded a raise from $8 million to $12 million to stay on as a judge on Idol,” an insider close to the show tells Life & Style. “And her management took a tough line with show’s bosses and refused to negotiate.”

Paula was shocked when Idol executives then failed to raise her $8 million salary. “Paula’s managers issued a statement in July saying Paula hadn’t been offered a deal at all, which only inflamed the situation,” the insider continues. “After that, the relations between both sides deteriorated to the point where Paula’s management was slamming the phone down on Idol staff.”

Paula is said to be upset because her co-stars, like Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest, hold much more lucrative contracts. “Paula’s team believes that because Simon, Randy Jackson and Ryan have such great deals, Paula deserved more.”

And the whole situation is taking a toll on the former pop star. “Poor Paula has been having daily meltdowns over the negotiations,” says the insider, and has been left feeling hurt and abandoned by her Idol colleagues.”

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Before announcing she was leaving American Idol Tuesday, Paula Abdul — who was believed to have earned about $2 million in salary last season — had demanded “a substantial raise,” according to The New York Times.

A person close to negotiations tells The Times that the producers had offered Abdul, 47, a 30 percent raise and a total multi-year deal worth more than $10 million.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Abdul asked for about $20 million to continue with the show.

She “felt unappreciated” in recent months, The Times reports. Ryan Seacrest had inked a three-year $45 million deal, and Simon Cowell, who has suggested he may leave at the end of his current deal, is already in talks to sign a deal for a reported $100 million a year.

Despite denials, Abdul also was “surprised and upset” that Kara DioGuardi was added as a fourth judge last season, The Times reports. According to the paper, DioGuardi’s hire was “widely viewed as an insurance policy” against Abdul should she leave.

On his KIIS-FM radio show Wednesday, Seacrest said it was sad that Abdul’s exit has “come to fruition.”

He said her departure isn’t just a publicity stunt.

“As far as I know, it’s real,” he said. “Obviously, she has her reasons for doing it, and if she didn’t feel like she was getting what she needed, then I understand that, too.”

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Paula Abdul is out.

After eight seasons, she confirmed late Tuesday that she is leaving the hit Fox show American Idol.

“With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to Idol,” Abdul, 47, Twittered. “I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day one become an international phenomenon.”

“What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me,” she added. “I do, without any doubt, have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all.”

Her announcement comes weeks after her manager hinted the singer-dancer was leaving the show because there was no contract on the table.

In a statement Tuesday, a Fox TV rep said: “Paula Abdul has been an important part of the American Idol family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she’s a tremendous talent and we wish her the best.”

Added host Ryan Seacrest (via Twitter): “I am shocked and saddened about Paula.” He said he “cant’ imagine” a judge’s panel without her.

With Abdul’s exit, the number of judges returns to three, with Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi, who announced Monday she will be returning.

Taping begins Thursday.

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Despite word that Paula Abdul likely won’t appear on American Idol next season, fellow judge Simon Cowell isn’t worried.

“She’ll be fine. She’ll be on the show,” he tells Extra. “I don’t get a lot of say. I’ve just made it clear that I want Paula on the show.”

Added host Ryan Seacrest (who just inked a $45 million, three-year contract): “I think as far as I know, you’ll see everybody back. I hope so.”

David Sonenberg, Abdul’s manager, raised concern over the weekend, telling the Los Angeles Times that the singer-dancer hasn’t been offered a contract yet.

“She’s not a happy camper as a result of what’s going on. She’s hurt,” he told the paper.

Meanwhile, a grass-roots “Keep Paula” campaign has launched on Twitter to keep Abdul on the show.

Matt Giraud, Anoop Desai and Danny Gokey — who are now on the Idol live tour – are among the alums who’ve taken time out to join the campaign.

Over the weekend, Abdul took to her Twitter page to thank fans for standing by her.

She wrote: “I”m actually moved 2 tears upon reading the enormous amount of tweets showing me your kindness, love & undying support. God bless all you! If it weren’t for you, this specific time and situation would feel a lot worse! XoP”

Source, Bauer-Griffin