Paula Abdul

This former pop princess started out as a Laker Girl before becoming an Emmy-winning choreographer for performers (Janet Jackson), movies ( Coming to America ) and TV series ( The Tracey Ullman Show ). Abdul stepped into the spotlight in 1988 with her first album, Forever Your Girl , which spawned a succession of hit singles and made her a familiar face on MTV. Following disappointing sales of her 1995 album Head Over Heels , Abdul's career began to flag, but was revived in 2002 when she signed… Show more on as a judge for the televised singing competition American Idol . Her touchy-feely presence on the massively popular series helped Abdul weather a handful of scandals, including a hit-and-run accident and allegations she had an affair with a contestant. In 2009, Abdul announced she would not be returning for the ninth season of Idol , and her slot on the judging panel was subsequently filled by talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. ~ Rovi

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