THE DAILY BLADE: Paula Abdul: The New Lily Ledbetter?
The Stiletto has only a passing interest in “American Idol” – after the first season, she tired of the interpersonal dramas and accusations of vote-rigging - but this article in the New York Post caught her eye, because it seemed to be chiding her for trying to drive a hard bargain and get pay parity with her male co-stars (emphasis throughout, The Stiletto):
Paula Abdul spurned a "massive" raise to leave "American Idol" - and everything that comes with TV's biggest show. …
And the "Idol" producing triumverate - Fox, FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment - apparently didn't appreciate "rude" statements made last month by Abdul's new manager, David Sonenberg.
In comments to the LA Times, Sonenberg characterized Abdul as "hurt," "angry" and "not a happy camper" over the prolonged contract talks.
"Her camp tends to be really dramatic about a lot of things," said the source.
Abdul was reportedly offered a 30 percent raise for a multiyear deal, bringing her annual take to over $5 million, but walked away when the producers refused to meet her demand of $12 million (down from her $20 million opening gambit). Co-judge Simon Cowell is currently being paid $35 million annually and the show’s host Ryan Seacrest, who just re-upped for three years, will earn $10 million a year plus another $5 million earmarked for side projects.
Karen Goldberg Goff of The Washington Times summed up the feelings of many of the show’s fans when she wrote that Abdul is “likely to take the heart of the show with her”:
"Idol" is a common-man's music competition, and Miss Abdul provided the common touch. Yes, Miss Abdul, 47, has made millions as a singer, dancer, choreographer and, for the past eight seasons, "Idol" judge. However, to the singing cowboys, waitresses, students, single mothers and just plain crazies seeking a shot at stardom, Miss Abdul was one of them.
Judge Randy Jackson and Mr. Cowell represent the suits at the record labels. They are bottom-line kind of guys who are thinking about platinum records, performer packaging and dollar signs. …
Miss Abdul was just so nice. Even when a contestant fractured a song, Miss Abdul's criticism would start out with something like, "Let me just say, you look beautiful tonight," before segueing into a variation of "You gave it your all. It wasn't your best performance - maybe it was the song choice - but you were very brave to try it."
Granted, Abdul isn’t in Cowell’s league – rumor has it that he will be offered $100 million per year to remain with the show when his contract runs out - but why shouldn’t she make as much as Seacrest, or even Jackson? She was as important to the success of the show as either of them.
Details, Details
The Washington Post frets that “[v]ideo footage of the sometimes-belligerent [Democrat town hall] protests has taken hold online and on television in a relatively quiet news week, threatening to drown out any health-care debate.”
Um, you can’t have a “debate” without facts and figures, and when it comes to healthcare “reform” details are mighty scarce – and that’s just the way the Obama administration wants it. In a Washington Post op-ed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote:
“President Obama and I are working closely with Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate and health-care experts to make sure we get the details of health reform right. But we can't let the details distract us from the huge benefits that reform will bring.”
Columnist Cal Thomas points out that the reason Dems are running into a buzz saw of criticism is because they are “trying to defend a health care reform plan that is only partially written, unexplainable and still unread by many representatives and senators.” He predicts that “[i]f the liberal Democratic congressional leadership forces a bill through anyway, Republicans may have the issue they have been seeking to help them take back at least the House of Representatives in the 2010 election and to stop this risky scheme and other out-of-the-mainstream programs.”
In Memoriam
John Hughes, Feb. 18, 1950 – August 6, 2009
Budd Schulberg, March 27, 1914 - August 5, 2009
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