American Idol

(Newser) - Simon Cowell may be doling out his famously harsh feedback—on Coldplay’s current tour, the Mirror reports. “At the end of one song I want him to come on screen and say, ‘That was absolutely terrible!’” frontman Chris Martin said. The band will have to stay together in order for that to happen, though: Martin jokes they’ve split up six or seven times this tour alone. More »

(Newser) - Poor, beleaguered Paula Abdul came unglued at the end of her interview with David Letterman last night, Gawker reports. The singer got upset when Letterman brought up her recent allegations that American Idol purposely brought known stalker Paula Goodspeed—who later committed suicide—onto the show. After a few minutes of being encouraged by Letterman to sue Idol , Abdul got up out of her chair and made as if to leave. More »

(Newser) - Paula Abdul is selling the Los Angeles home where an obsessed fan committed suicide outside in her car, Us Weekly reports. The American Idol judge, who reportedly employed a “healer” to cleanse the house of ghosts, now wants to live in a gated community. “Paula simply feels she has outgrown her house,” said the pop star’s spokesman. More »

(Newser) - Amid family tragedy, Jennifer Hudson found herself “blessed” with four Grammy nominations, People reports. “It’s been a childhood dream of mine to release an album,” Hudson said in a statement. “I'm extremely honored and humbled.” The nods came on the same day Hudson's estranged brother-in-law was ordered held without bail in the murders of her mother, brother, and nephew. More »

(Newser) - Fearing that the spirit of her suicidal stalker is haunting her Beverly Hills house, Paula Abdul has hired healers to cleanse it of ghosts, the New York Post reports. Even so, a friend says Abdul has not returned to the house. Former American Idol competitor Paula Goodspeed, found dead outside Abdul’s house last week, was a “deranged stalker,” said the source. More »

(Newser) - The timing isn't the best, but Jennifer Hudson has given her blessing to the inclusion of her photo in a new Gap ad, E! Online reports. The holiday ad campaign, conceived and photographed before the murders of her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew, features the Academy Award-winner looking cheery in a red sweater. More »

(Newser) - A suspected stalker was found dead of a possible drug overdose or suicide outside Paula Abdul’s house last night, TMZ reports. The woman, whose parents tipped police off that she may be at Abdul’s house, had Paula stickers hanging from the mirror of the car police found her in. Sources say cops have dealt with the woman before, and Paula’s “people” were reportedly familiar with her. More »

(Newser) - Though not bound by any laws, Simon Cowell gave his ex-girlfriend $9.6 million in “goodbye gifts” after she dumped him six weeks ago. Terri Seymour, who reportedly ended their 6-year courtship because he wouldn’t get married or have kids, got $5 million in cash and a $4.6 million mansion in Beverly Hills from the American Idol judge, Life & Style reports. More »

(Newser) - Simon Cowell might have gone back to an old flame after his breakup with girlfriend Terri Seymour, with the American Idol judge’s mother telling the Daily Mail differing views on settling down doomed the relationship. “The split was really based on the fact that she wanted a baby and to get married,” said Julie Cowell, 82. More »

(Newser) - John McCain has spent more than $5,500 for the prime-time expertise of an American Idol makeup artist so the 72-year-old can be camera-ready for his TV appearances, Us Weekly reports. Tifanie White, who's also worked on So You Think You Can Dance , used her beauty school tricks to the tune of $5,583.43, according to the Federal Election Commission.  More »