TV chiefs hire investigator to probe American Idol 'affair'
The producers of American Idol and Fox TV have hired an independent counsel to determine whether judge Paula Abdul had an affair with a contestant on the talent show.
“Any allegations against this show we take quite seriously,” Fox Entertainment president Peter Liguori said, calling the competition’s credibility “extraordinarily important to us”.
Liguori refused to say if Fox and producers Fremantle Media and 19 Television would fire Abdul if the claims by Corey Clark, an unsuccessful contestant on season two, were found to be true.
The probe’s results would be made public, Liguori said in an appearance before the Television Critics Association.
Abdul, Clark and “corroborating witnesses” had been questioned, he said.
The series, the most-watched on television and a key part of Fox’s ratings success, was hit by a tabloid story and then an ABC report detailing Clark’s allegations against Abdul.
He claimed she advised him on his singing and appearance during their alleged relationship. In the past, Abdul has denied the allegations.
Although auditions for the fifth season are looming in August, Liguori said the investigation would not be rushed despite uncertainty over Abdul’s continued participation in the show.
The series’ rules about fraternisation focus on whether a judge or producer affects the show’s outcome, Liguori said. Ultimately, he said: "It’s America that decides who moves forward", a reference to viewer voting.
He declined to identify the independent counsel, a term familiar from Washington investigations including Whitewater during the Clinton administration.
The American Idol investigator was experienced in “this type of inquiry” and unconnected to any entity involved with the show, he said.
Clark was dumped from American Idol in 2003 because he failed to reveal a prior arrest.
