Former "American Idol" Producer Responds To Abdul's Stalker Claims

Former American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has responded to Paula Abdul's claims that the show's producers put her in an uncomfortable position by allowing her stalker to audition because of the encounter's "entertainment value." "[Paula Goodspeed] had been through an audition process with the producers, an audition process with the executive producers, and we were wheeling her in as a huge fan of Paula Abdul," Lythgoe said. "This is what we knew: She was a great fan, she was a lovely girl. And a great fan of Paula."

Goodspeed later committed suicide in front of Abdul's home following a string of threatening letters addressed to Abdul. As for whether Abdul asked producers not to let Goodspeed audition, "This is three years ago. I honestly say I can't remember the conversation. If Paula said, that's what she said, I believe her," Lythgoe said. "We've seen over 700,000 contestants. And one has made a terrible, terrible mistake. If you're an odds man, they are great odds," he added. Lythgoe left American Idol this past summer to concentrate on So You Think You Can Dance? and Superstars of Dance.

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Song Stories

“Push It”

Salt-N-Pepa | 1987

Originating as a B side to their cover of the Stax classic “Tramp,” Cheryl “Salt” James, Sandi “Pepa” Denton and Dee Dee “DJ Spinderella” Roper came up with the goods on this career-making, Grammy-nominated platinum single about working it on the dancefloor. “Push It” has been sampled and spliced to death since it debuted in 1987, yet the original track is as fresh and fly as when SNP — among the few original women of hip-hop — debuted it. “Most men will never believe ‘Push It’ was never about sex,” said James. “And that’s why the record went to Number One,” said Denton. “Everybody thought it was about sex.”

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