Dead Fan Found At Paula Abdul's House

LOS ANGELES — A fan of Paula Abdul whose failed audition for "American Idol" aired in season five was found dead in a car near the home of the pop star and judge she admired, authorities said Wednesday.

Police indicated that Paula Goodspeed, whose rendition of "Proud Mary" was roundly criticized by Simon Cowell and rejected by Abdul and Randy Jackson, had possibly committed suicide, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner. An official cause of death had not been determined.

Authorities found Goodspeed's body Tuesday evening in a car that photos show bearing the vanity license plate "ABL LV" in a Los Angeles Lakers frame. Her parents had reported her missing hours earlier and expressed concern that she might hurt herself.

Los Angeles police spokeswoman Julianne Sohn says officers responded to a call about 6 p.m. Tuesday and arrived in the Sherman Oaks area to find the body.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened at what transpired yesterday," Abdul said in a statement released by her publicist, Jeff Ballard. "My heart and prayers go out to her family."

Goodspeed's audition was aired during the season that began in January 2006. She told the show's host, Ryan Seacrest, how she was a huge fan of Abdul and created life-size paintings of the singer and former Laker Girl; she also called Abdul "beautiful" after Cowell said he noticed a resemblance between Goodspeed and Abdul.

But Cowell also made light of Goodspeed's braces and bloggers trashed her appearance, which she noted in a MySpace posting months after the show aired.

"American Idol" producer Fremantle Media North America declined comment.

Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Ross Bonfiglio said relatives hadn't seen the woman since about 11 p.m. on Monday and were concerned she might try to hurt herself. In June, the department checked on the woman at her home in Thousand Oaks after deputies received a tip from Los Angeles police that the woman might be at risk of self-harm, Bonfiglio said.

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Associated Press writers Lynn Elber and Solvej Schou contributed to this story.

Comments

[charon]

oh god, dead fans are so embarrassing, turning up at the most inconvenient times and places. what's a star to do?

[mikeowens]

nit wit

[Magella]

BARACK OBAMA TOP TEN:

Fugees - 'Ready Or Not'
Marvin Gaye - 'What's Going On'
Mystique GP -"Vanity"
The Rolling Stones - 'Gimme Shelter'
Nina Simone - 'Sinnerman'
Kanye West - 'Touch The Sky'
Frank Sinatra - 'You'd Be So Easy To Love'
Aretha Franklin - 'Think'
U2 - 'City of Blinding Lights'
will.i.am - 'Yes We Can'

[KayCo]

I don't understand the appeal of American Idol. I have family members that watch and discuss and DVR it and I just blow it off. Maybe I am just not intersested because I can't carry a tune in a ten gallon bucket. I'm a news nerd and the past presdidential election was the best "reality" show I'd seen in a long time.

Personally, I'm hoping that this tragedy causes American idol to fade away...I didn't even have to watch it to see characters like Sanjaya with the Woodstock mohawk and to know who the contestants were because they were always the topic of watercooler discussion at my workplace an within my own family. From the clips I did see, I thought Simon was a callous jerk and that the show was a waste of my time. If Simon didn't like the contestants, I thought he should go back across the pond and leave us alone.

Some of my favorite artists would never have made it on American idol. I don't think Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen or even Roger Daltrey would have gotten past Simon. I think some of our best music has come from artists that never went through American Idol. Don't get me wrong, I like our homestate champion, Carrie Underwood. She's very talented, but I'm old school as far as music goes.

[Riani]

I hate the meanness of the show. Unfortunately, that's showbiz. Think the critics are ging to be nice and sensitive if they don't like your performace? The producer is going to give you another chance if you don't measure up to his/her standards? If series 1 caught people unawares, fair enough. But by now, I trust that if you are going to stand in line with a brazillion other people to audition, you've actually bothered to watch a few previous episodes. Listened to your own voice on tape. Done a bit of homework. If you have, you should then ask yourself if you can deal with what might come your way, good and bad. If you haven't, you don't deserve any of the good. I also think friends and families who know loved ones are going to audition, should give some honest advice. In South Africa we have an expression that says, roughly translated, "If you're going to pass yourself off as taffee, you must be prepared to get chewed."

I love singing, but I know I suck at it. Therefor, I'm not going to audition and make a complete idiot of myself on global television. If I did, no matter what the judges said, I'd have to take responsibility for setting myself up for large scale public humiliation, not them. Because I'd have known what I was letting myself in for. If you are sensitive and fragile, STAY AWAY FROM AI!

[AlligatorShuz]

Talking about no talent now that is Paula Abdul. If it wasn't for her sleeping with Jackie Jackson she wouldn't be where she is today. Her relationship with Janet Jackson brother got her in the door to work with Janet Jackson. It was proved years ago Paula Abdul couldn't sing. Listening to some of the top producers in the music industry they say Paula Abdul can't sing with out studio help...

[gd7277467]

Paula Abdul = Sarah Palins sister !!!

[rr66]

After all it is a FOX network show,American False Idol is not really a talent show as much as it is a bad metaphor for life . The biggest ratings are for the people with no talent at all including the judges if this program was serious about real performers with ability to become great singers it would have been cancelled a long time ago.

[Mybunchofgrapes]

The death of this woman is an example of what will happen when insensitive people are given too much power. This is a saddness and the show and the people on it should we think how they chose to treat others. Like more respect and kindness would help!

[TheOldSchool]

I was surprised to learn she had living fans.

[OhCanada]

Hahahaha. Did.

[prabbit]

Misleading headline.

[Jilli]

Just goes to show...don­'t go into showbiz if you don't have extremely thick skin, especially if you already have issues. Not Abdul's or Idol's fault in any way.

[sepiasiren]

I don't think Paula should be blamed, but I don't watch AI for this very reason. I am singer who has performed in show bands, traveled and performed back up on stage and in the studio and had the opportunity to meet with individuals who auditioned for Idol.

One of them with a voice as good as a Kelly Clarkston and a look sort of like a blonder Anna Paquin told me that the singers have to go through three panels of judges before they even reach Paula or Simon.

This means that the shows producers are purposefully sending the bad singers through--probably telling them they did great.

That is worse than simply saying "No thanks--next!"

But in Paula's defense (and AI's) There have been many entertainers (Lauren Hill and Luther Vandross to be exact) who were booed off of stages like SHOW TIME AT THE APOLLO, who went off, got voice lessons and became singing sensations--if that was her dream, she should have perfected her craft."

One personal audition experience I had was where a guy told me "Wow, you have a great voice and are pretty, but you are not blonde enough for me and I am looking for a pretty white girl to fill the seats."

I am black so I was offended--however, I moved on and now I have a fulfilling music career sans the spotlight.­..

[BlueZoo]

This isn't Abdul's fault, not is it the fault of Idol. It has now come out that this woman had serious mental problems. She was 30 yrs. old and couldn't cope with the world or her life. While that is very sad for her and her family, blaming Abdul or Idol for this woman's act is ridiculous.

[keepemhonest]

American Idol is such a nasty show. The judges should be ashamed of themselves.

[progressivepam]

The judges are not doing anything the producers don't endorse. They, and the production company, bear the responsibility for the show. There's a lot of money to be made off of being mean-spirited and generally cruel.

[sent2null]

Considering how vicious the judges can be on the contestants, many of whom seem already on the edge of sanity, I am quite astounded that this may be only the first suicide related to that show. True, Randy and Paula mostly play "good cop" to Simon's "bad cop" but giggling and laughing at some one who is performing for the nation can damage them just as much as hearing the "truth" from Simon does. I am not playing angel here, I've tuned into the show precisely to laugh but I am doing it in private and those kids never see me doing it The public aspect of the ridicule they receive magnifies the hurt to new levels. They have to go back home and be "the horrible/c­razy/weird looking...­etc. performer from AI" sort of like grade school abuse times 1,000. Again, I am amazed this is only the first suicide. (anyone correct me if I am wrong on that)

[RAYINNJ]

I think you're kinda wrong. They ARE mean at times, but as anyone in the 'business' know, music is a cut-throat business! You first of all MUST be prepared for criticisms and rejections on numerous occasions. It is NOT a job for the faint of heart! I think the judges actually do most people a favor by making them "listen" to their voices rather than taking their families and friends word on how "good" it is. Most of the bad singers really MUST know they can't sing or they are completely tone deaf! The harshness would make most "sane" aspirants perfect their voices if they seriously want a shot at stardom!

[AlwaysaLiberal]

Thank you. Don't blame this on Simon Cowell! He's preparing these people!

[progressivepam]

And, you laughing at them at home is the response they're looking for. That's why it gets airplay.