Kara DioGuardi Opens Up About Paula Abdul's Departure

'American Idol' to Add Fourth Judge
Copyright 2008 Chad Buchanan / Getty Images
"American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi is dishing on her co-judge Paula Abdul's decision to depart, and also spilling the beans on why her fellow judges and "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest were not invited to her recent wedding.

"I'm completely shocked," Kara told Ryan Seacrest of Paula's decision to leave the show, on his KIIS-FM radio show, "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" Friday morning. "It’s such a loss for the show, such a loss for the contestants. She’s definitely the heart of the panel."

"I'm hoping she’ll reconsider," Kara said. "I've left her a lot of messages."

Kara said that speculation that she was brought on board to replace Paula is not true: "I never was here to replace her. It would be impossible to replace Paula Abdul. She's an incredible talent. ... If anything, she was really somebody who helped me."

And of her July wedding to Mike McCuddy in Maine, Kara says that she didn't invite Ryan and the "Idol" judges because it was a small wedding and the event took place in a remote location in Maine. She joked that the flight to Boston and a nine hour car ride might be too much for the "Idol" team.

Published 8/7/09 by the Insider

Comments (20)

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  • no one like kara bring back paula!!!
    Anonymous 9/10/09 Reply
  • AI WILL NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT PAULA IF SHE GOES ON ANOTHER I WILL FOLLOW PAULA I AM A FAN OF HERS SHE[S REALLY A SWEET PERSON I WOULD LOVE TO MEET HER GOOD LUCK PAULA IN THE FUTURE I'LL MISS THE WAY SHE FOUGHT WITH SIMON LOL
    TheresaC7 8/28/09 Reply
  • well last year was my last to watch American Idol without Paula the show will go no where now watch the rating drop but the people of idol will lie and say that the rating are still up but a lie is a lie still.
    bamamom04 8/27/09 Reply
  • American Idol will not be the same without Paula. I have watched American Idol from Day 1 and I am not sure if I will continue as Paul, Simon is what makes a lot of the entertainment for the show. I hope you do what ever you can to get her back.
    Anonymous 8/13/09 Reply
  • Paula was becoming more and more of a trainwreck. I'm glad she's decided to do something else because I'm tired of listening to her useless comments. Kara actually knows her stuff when it comes to music and I'm glad she's staying!
    Anonymous 8/11/09 Reply
  • K, people need to stop with the Paula and Kara bashing! Personally, i love them both, Paula and Kara have rightfully earned their place on the panel, and i believe that they are actually really good friends, i love the fact that they are friends! So...
    Anonymous 8/10/09 Reply
  • I think Kate is just doing everything to make herself look better. She did nothing before Jon left.
    Anonymous 8/10/09 Reply
  • BELIEVE ME. THIS IS THE BEGINING OF THE END FOR THAT SHOW. YOU BAKE A CAKE WITH THE SAME INGREDIENTS AND SOMEHOW YOU EXPECT IT TO TASTE DIFFERENT? GUNSMOKE, MASH, CHEERS AND FRASIER ALL HAD TO COME TO AN END AND SO WILL AMERICAN IDOL.
    GILLY31350 8/10/09 Reply
  • It seems that she is dating online now. I saw her profile on a 40 plus people meeting site " 4 0 P l u s K i S s . C 0 M " last week. It is said she is dating with a 40 plus black man there..
    Anonymous 8/9/09 Reply
  • KARA KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK I HOPE THAT PAUL ABDUL WAS THERE TO JOIN YOU AS YOU WERE ALSO GOOD FRIENDS BEFORE BUT ANYWAY WELCOME AND GOD BLESS YOU AND ENJOY
    bunnyrabbit0825 8/9/09 Reply
  • LIKE KARA'S COMMENT IS NEWS-WORTHY????
    Anonymous 8/9/09 Reply
  • Paula is an incoherent has-been who fell into a dream job as luck would have it and then she proceeded to disregard her responsibility in the job by continually drinking or drugging up before the live shows. Her inability to be spontaneous with an...
    Anonymous 8/8/09 Reply
  • Everyone inherently knows when it's time for a change. The circumstances or reasons can be emotional or factual. She made a decision and now we all move on. Good luck Paula.
    Anonymous 8/7/09 Reply
  • It was extremely distracting to listen to Paula talk..... she couldn't talk in complete sentences. Plus her bad, immature behavior on the show (always complaining about Simon) was annoying. They all need to take lessons on judging from the "So you...
    Anonymous 8/7/09 Reply
  • well for me..its ok..i think its enough now for paula to leave..its time to change the new environment of the idol...new judge new rules....
    MichaelP54 8/7/09 Reply
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