Suicide Idol's Brother, Friends Rip Paula Abdul

The brother of the Paula Abdul-obsessed "American Idol" reject who OD'd outside the star's LA home is blaming Abdul for crushing his sister's dreams and sending her on a downward spiral.

Paula Goodspeed, 30, had withered away to just 78 pounds at the sad end of her life, brought on by eating disorders and a broken Hollywood heart, her brother, Charles McIntyre, told The Post yesterday.

Although the grieving sibling disputed tentative police reports that Goodspeed committed suicide in her car, McIntyre said his sister's "Idol" tryout in 2005 crushed her dreams of stardom.

Goodspeed auditioned for Season 5 of the hit Fox reality show, and her train-wreck performance of "Proud Mary" brought jeers and cutting comments from the three "Idol" judges.

"[Abdul] didn't speak up for her. She let everyone take her down," McIntyre told The Post from his home in Maine.

"She [Abdul] said she was 'speechless,' when she could have said something in her defense."

Earlier in that "Idol" episode, Goodspeed showed off life-size drawings she had made of Abdul and professed her admiration for the former Laker Girl.

KEEP READING NY POST INTERVIEW

PLUS FROM THE NY DAILY NEWS:

A good friend has rushed to the defense of 30-year-old Paula Goodspeed, telling the Daily News that the aspiring singer wasn't a suicidal, "looney freakazoid" still obsessing over the mocking she received at her September 2005 "American Idol" audition.

Story continues below

Instead, Goodspeed was upbeat and planning for the future when she last communicated with pal Brianna Schlanger less than 24 hours before cops recovered her body Tuesday.

"She sent me a text at 10:22 the night before about meeting for a latte and movie. She ended the message with a happy face," said Schlanger, a model from Reseda, Calif. "She seemed fine. Some

PLUS FROM PEOPLE, A DIFFERENT SIDE:

Last week, Paula Abdul got flowers with a note signed, "Love, J.T." and the message, "Hope you're doing great. Here's my new cell number."

Thinking they had come from her restaurateur boyfriend J.T. Torregiani, Abdul called him asking why he had changed his number, a source close to Abdul tells PEOPLE. When he said he hadn't, Abdul knew immediately who really sent them: ex-American Idol contestant Paula Goodspeed, according to the source....

Also, PEOPLE has learned, Goodspeed had changed her first name from Sandra to Paula.

Comments

[stevejbons]

If you haven't watch the Season 5 audition video of this young woman now posted all over the Internet -- DON'T! It will break your heart. This sweet, confused woman seemed like a wonderful person who was doing the best she could in life and what she needed was encouragment to focus on the gifts she did have, rather than the unrealistic pipe dream of being a singer. Each of us has no doubt felt like an ugly duckling at one time or another in our lives and most of us have the fortitude to brush it off and move on. Sadly, this girl didn't and her untimely death is a tragedy for each of us. No one will ever know for sure, but you have to wonder if a few kind words and some encouragment from a friend, a family member, a lover or the "judges" of American Idol would have made the difference between Ms. Goodspeed finding the happiness and self esteem she so desperately craved and her precious life ending so needlessly.

[shelsay]

i don't think american idol could have saved her from the reality of the this world...it's cruel.

But what they could stop doing is making a mockery of sincere people who underestimate what true talent is. I have several friends with awesome voices who have tried out for idol and didn't even get a second chance...but then they push through someone who they know is ridiculously unqualified (and possibly hype them up) only to make them the laughing stock of America. Some people are genuinely oblivious to their lack of vocal talent.

condolences to her family and friends, this is sad.

[formerprosecutor]

"the aspiring singer wasn't a suicidal, "looney freakazoid" still obsessing over the mocking she received at her September 2005 "

Yes, yes she was ! Abdul has no part in this other to "unlucky" enough to be the only female judge, who evidently is expected to defend all the bad acts. Poor mentally ill young woman. Her "friends" and family should have sought intervention much much sooner. My sympathies to her family. And my sympathies to Ms. Abdul.

[ldjfm]

I agree. Maybe if her family and friends had been honest with her, she wouldn't have humiliated herself on national television.

I cannot believe the number of people who are in such denial that they seek to blame others for their lot in life.

[FatallyHip]

I've never watched American Idol & don't plan to simply because of the mean-spiritedness that seems to be the show's main appeal to most folks. It's sad to me just how miserable and in pain we seem to be as a species.

That being said, I don't think there's any real justification in blaming Abdul for this tragic incident.

[kycatfan]

I agree--I do think that "contestants" are sometimes chosen because they are so hopeless--just to ratchet up the ratings. It was just a matter of time before something like this happened.
But, it's acceptble in our culture--look at how nasty kids are to one another on My Space.

[FZliveson]

FatallyHip; be sure not to go out in the rain either...You might melt or a car might splash you or lightning could strike...Gosh, anything could happen! Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!

[FatallyHip]

Huh? That didn't make any sense.

[spiderbucket]

Ban American Idol.

[FZliveson]

What a croc-o-poop!
The girl's voice was astoundingly irritating, was nowhere near on key
and the tempo of the so-called music was absent.
She took it on the chin about her braces and Simon Cowell was acting
the jerk then. But the weak willed Goodspeed was already a loser when
she did the audition and her brother proves he too is a loser. Paula
Abdul was as kind as Paula the try-out deserved under the circumstances.
May the poor shrunken girl rest in peace. And may her family allow that to
happen and not take too much MONEY from the tabloids and media for
telling the sob-stories

[Skeptiqone]

This was bound to happen. They put people on who are clearly unstable and it is cruel. I can't watch those first weeks. They obviously put people on, that they have no intention of taking to the next level, and the way people are humiliated is bad. Very sad.

[plzchuteme]

I don't watch American Idol. I've never seen an entire segment from start to finish, but I have seen just enough to realize that people are chosen to be on the show that should not be allowed to sing in the shower, purely for the "gladiator" style "entertainment" of the viewing public. It's the same mentality as mean high school kids use to humiliate others for their own entertainment. It's a particularly ugly side of our society. I blame the producers and the public for continued promotion and fostering of this dreadful societal personality.

It's sad that this young woman was caught up in a desire to be an instant idol and her naivety exploited. She obviously had other long standing problems. Choosing to change one's name to Paula should have been a tip-off. I don't care much for Paula Abdul as a talent or entertainer, but cannot blame her for contributing to this woman's demise. I blame the viewers and fans of this show. Bring out the Christians...the lions are waiting.

[ldjfm]

This was a person who auditioned for Season 5. They had already showed the audition process the previous four seasons. The blame should not be on the show, but her family and friends who all told her what a great singer she was and that she should try out.

Isn't honesty the best policy? I am so tired of people feeling like they have to tiptoe/beat around the bush because people can't take the criticism. When I was a teenager singing in the car my father told me that I would go broke if I chose singing for a career. Still to this day I appreciate his honesty!

[coolbrotha00]

If you want to blame someone, blame us. Those of us (meaning bored, mindless Americans) who watch this madness called "reality tv". American Idol doesn't get 35+ million viewers each week if we're all turning off the tv, do they? We provide the audience for the producers who push the limits of our sanity by confirming, with our religious viewship, that what they're doing is acceptable. C'mon, it's what we want! Then when something like this happens we all want to get our 15 minutes by channeling our inner Freud, and speculate what probably caused this. Anyone remember the Jenny Jones Show? I guess we just can't get enough.

I feel sorry for this young lady, she obviously had some issues that needed to be addressed. It's unfortunate that mental health in this country is still as taboo as sex, maybe even more so. May she rest in peace.

[falgiano]

yep. it's sad, but the problem is in believing that anyone connected with American Idol gives 2 sh*ts about any of the contestants, or making good music for that matter.

those who seek fame for the purpose simply of being famous will always be disappointed, either by not 'making it' or by 'making it' and discovering that 'it' is just a weird empty feeling in a disposable pop culture.

[PhantomAviator]

..

"....crushing his sister's dreams and sending her on a downward spiral..."

Whatever.

.

[southman]

I loathe Idol, but I thought Paula was pretty diplomatic in that audition. If I were presented with an obsessed stranger who had a collection of life-size drawings of me then I wouldn't just be speechless, I'd be reaching for a can of mace.

[txcowboy77]

It is a mean spirited show and does cater to our desire to see people humiliated. But, like Jerry Springer's circus, I have always assumed most of the contestants were in on the joke. Apparently, not al were.

[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...

[MelodieSays]

I do not watch this show anymore.

I think that this tragedy was inevitable.

The times that I have viewed the audition process, the
judges seemed remarkably cruel.

They seem to enjoy taking a special interest in the obviously
challenged, who believe that they are talented...
They seem to enjoy entertaining these poor folks who
are such easy targets... into believing that they have a chance...
only to knock them down (after the set up).

I find the whole process disgusting.

[Clare53]

You're right. I just don't understand why these people will doing anything to be humiliated on TV. What a sad culture.

[Gooberweevil]

I wouldn't blame Paula for this. I think Paula and the gang are pathetic, but not truly at fault. I would, however, like to say that some responsibility should fall on the networks. There should be a way to screen people prior to having them appear on these shows to check for mental stability.

I worked in reality television for just under a year and I can tell you it is disgusting how they manipulate people to get what they think the viewers want. I've seen them masterfully edit a decent human being into looking like a total ass, I've heard them say on many occasions "we're going to do this over and if you can't be a little more "Catty" then we'll find someone else" etc. etc.etc. To think reality tv is any form of reality delusional. The scripts may not be written, but the situations are.

One can argue that those who go on these shows get what they deserve for being naive, and I agree... just not when it comes to those with serious mental and emotional problems... although one could also argue that anyone willing to subject themselves to this nonsense must be mental.

[sepiasiren]

OMG--I had a friend named Chris Peirson who was on teh Show ROCKSTAR-- While he was on the show they made he look like an ego maniac--the man I knew was so humble and sweet--almost shy--it was surreal.

He didn't make it past the third show because of the uproar his remarked caused, I think it was something like "I am the best singer in the world..."

I kept telling people hat the statement was probably taken out of context..

I learned much later I was right--off camera they asked him how he gets psyched before a show to get past his shyness and he said that in his minds eye, he imagines that he is the best singer in the world...

These shows set people up and that is what makes it worse than a normal audition... And I think, Paula knowing that the girl was a fan, could have said, "I am sorry hunny, but I think you are beautiful and with practice,who knows..."

Something--give the girl a bone even if she had to be shot down...

[JohnPone]

Paula has her own kookoo problems... her saving someone other than herself is off the board. The brother needs to look in the mirror and ask the hard question... "is there anything anyone could have done to prevent this?" many times the answer is No.

[sepiasiren]

I agree-- the only person who can truly be blamed per se is the girl--however, I do think shows like AI can prompt something like this due to their nastiness--it plays role...and I also think it is telling AI hasn't released an official comment on this tragedy.