According To Paula Abdul, American Idol Had To Delete A Scene In Which Simon Cowell Horribly Fat-Shamed A Competitor

According to singer Paula Abdul, American Idol producers once had to delete a sequence from the show when Simon Cowell fat-shamed one of the hopeful participants.

Cowell joined the singing competition as a judge in its first season in 2002, alongside Abdul and music manager Randy Jackson.

Abdul worked on the show until 2009, and Cowell officially left the following year, although despite spending years sitting next to one other on American Idol, Abdul has stated that they didn’t always agree.

In fact, while appearing on the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum this week, the singer made some startling charges regarding Cowell.

Rosenbaum said that he understood Abdul’s reluctance to discuss her old coworker, but he asked her if she’d ever ‘confronted’ Cowell or attempted to’make it cool’ with him.

Abdul answered by saying that she was used to working in high-pressure situations, but that live reality TV was a ‘whole new thing’ for her.

As a result, she was taken aback when she discovered that a critical comment made by Cowell to a competitor had been removed from the show.

“Guys, wait until you hear what Simon says and how I defend this amazing girl,” she told her relatives. This is the most crazy thing you’ve ever said. All you have to say is, ‘you look like a big version of Jessica Simpson’? “How are you able to say that?”

When Rosenbaum asked if it was Cowell who’d supposedly made that statement, Abdul said, “Oh yes… and all of that’s cut.”

According to Abdul, the only aspect of the scenario that remained was a comment in which the competitor was termed “pretty.”

The singer previously discussed Cowell’s severe demeanor as a judge on The Jennifer Hudson Show, where she spoke with the singer after finishing eighth on Season 3 of American Idol.

“I have to say you were always extra-supportive on the show,” Hudson said of Abdul’s efforts as a judge. She used to bring us gifts and other goodies, which was quite encouraging. “You were the softness of it all that kept us — at least, I hope — grounded.”

“Someone had to be,” Abdul said, referring to Cowell. It wasn’t going to be the guy to my left,” referring to Cowell.

Hudson concurred, saying Cowell ‘wasn’t too pleasant,’ to which Abdul replied, “Welcome to my world for a decade.”

According To Paula Abdul, American Idol Had To Delete A Scene In Which Simon Cowell Horribly Fat-Shamed A Competitor

According to singer Paula Abdul, American Idol producers once had to delete a sequence from the show when Simon Cowell fat-shamed one of the hopeful participants.

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