EXCLUSIVE: Paula Abdul Demands $20 Million From American Idol
Jul. 20 2009, Published 2:36 p.m. ET
Paula Abdul has 20 million reasons to be angry at American Idol - one for every dollar that she wants (and hasn't received) to return to the hit show.
RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively that Paula is asking for a $20 million deal to come back to the hit Fox show - a demand that has been turned down so far.
Her manager David Sonenberg is playing tough, and probably made a few network execs squirm this weekend when he told the Los Angeles Times, "Very sadly, it does not appear she's going to be back on Idol."
The story behind Sonenberg's comments, RadarOnline.com has learned from sources close to the situation, is that the former Laker Girl and hit recording star is demanding $20 million and the other side has floated the idea of $10 million. And while Paula has regularly renegotiated her contract with dire threats of not returning, Sonenberg is talking tough and hasn't given anyone on the network side reason to believe he's bluffing.
Paula was reportedly miffed that Ryan Seacrest got a staggering new deal ($45 million over 3 years!) before she did. The inimitable Simon Cowell is engaged in larger negotiations that could keep him on the hit show for years and tie him exclusively to Fox with a new TV production company he's forming.
See Simon snapped with a mystery woman in France!
And let's not forget Kara DioGuardi, aka "the fourth judge." Sources tell RadarOnline.com she's extremely miffed at the show and the production company because they axed one of her songs from the set list of the American Idols summer tour.