7 Reasons Why "American Idol" Needs Paula Abdul

Newsweek - USA - American Idol without Paula Abdul is like Christmas without presents, summer without sunshine, Three's Company without Suzanne Somers. Simon Cowell might be the mastermind at the judges' table, but Paula is the show's No. 1 star. When she's at her best—the cleavage, the tears, the dancing—who cares about any of the contestants on stage? When she's at her worst—the slurring, the crazy talk, the bickering with Simon—she's even better.

But it looks like Paula's job might be on the line. In an interview Sunday with the Los Angeles Times, her manager David Sonenberg said: "Very sadly, it does not appear she's going to be back on Idol." Then Paula went on Twitter Sunday afternoon and told her fans: "If it weren't for you, this specific time and situation would be a whole lot worse." Then Sunday night, Paula went on a binge—and wrote personal messages to dozens and dozens of her Twitter fans (e.g., "I love you too" and "YOU make me smile" and "Happy Birthday Julianna," to a girl who seems to be spearheading some sort of Keep Paula campaign). This could all be an elaborate bargaining ploy to get Fox to offer Paula more money. But the new season of Idol starts filming in just a few days. Maybe Paula really is getting the pink slip.