When I first heard about ABC doing the story (through Drudge), Fox tried to beat them to it and say they were trying to damage the show during sweeps with false allegations and rumormongering. Now, if Fox comes out tomorrow and holds that same stance, they risk making themselves look even sillier than they do now.
I know bloggers constantly blast the exempt media (I'm going to start using Morrissey's term instead of "mainstream") for weak reporting, and rightfully so. But this wasn't one of those times. ABC's story was airtight. I don't know how any person - even if you aren't objective - could actually look at that story and not believe Paula had a relationship with Corey Clark.
Let's review the facts for a second:
- Corey Clark had a cough syrup bottle filled in PAULA'S NAME.
- Phone records showed DOZENS of calls made by Paula's phone number to Clark's home, his momma's cell phone, his father's cell phone, and his grandfather's home.
- Clark's friends met Paula at a club.
- Clark's mother actually talked to Paula on the phone.
- Clark had no money, something that his friends backed up, yet he was able to get a new wardrobe, a fresh hair cut, fresh braids, and a new cell phone.
- Clark could describe the interior of the house in detail: the jacuzzi, the dogs, where the guest room was, what was in her bedroom, etc.
- Voice messages. Nuff said.
- The song choice that would win Randy Jackson over. (And can I clown Randy for a second? DAWG, lissen up. 300 llb men shouldn't wear leather pants and a red blouse. And I know it was the 80's, but what was with the hair? You looked like Jermaine Jackson's image in a funhouse mirror.)
- One of the former contestants had heard the same thing in a rumor soon after she left the show.
There really isn't a need for Idol to do an investigation. ABC's already done it for them. In order for this to be fake, Clark would have had to constantly break into Paula's house as well as steal her purse (I imagine that's where she keeps her cell phone), and call every house the records showed she called, not to mention steal her cough syrup. He would also have to collaborate to get his friends to lie, his mom and dad to lie, the Sprint customer service rep to lie (ABC stated a rep saw Paula and Clark come in together to buy a phone.) as well as impersonate her voice. No matter how you look at it, Paula is guilty.
So what should she do? Quit. I originally thought she would simply leave after the end of this season, but now I'm not certain if she will last the weekend. This is no doubt the worst scandal Idol has ever had. The sooner they can fix it, the better, especially as the crucial weeks for American Idol wind down. Idol producers have acted quickly in the past. Is there any doubt they won't do it here as well?
To be perfectly honest, I don't blame Clark for coming out with this. After all, Paula dropped him like a sack of potatoes after he was booted from Idol. Besides, if I tagged Paula Abdul, I'd want to tell the world too. Paula's the stupid one for engaging in this behavior with a man 16 years her junior in a competition she's judging. Who does she think she is....Tom Cruise?
