So You Think You Can Dance executive producer Nigel Lythgoe is not about to pass up a great opportunity! Nabbing Paula Abdul as judge and choreographer would be a real coup for the popular dance competition show.
Weeks ago Lythgoe opined that Fox would no doubt reach an agreement with Abdul because they would be crazy to let her go -- but that is exactly what Fox did.
Within hours of the announcement that Paula was exiting American Idol, Lythgoe and Paula arranged to meet to discuss the possibility of her joining SYTYCD.
"She's on the East Coast at this moment in time," Lythgoe revealed to LA Times. "Hopefully we're going to meet this weekend in Vegas. We go out to do our Vegas Week this week, and Paula's gonna come out there and we'll sit down and talk about what opportunities are available -- if I can afford her."
Lythgoe hailed Abdul's talent and qualifications as a dancer, choreographer and reality show judge. "I don't know anyone more qualified than Paula Abdul," he enthused.
Lythgoe said that he and Abdul did not discuss her contract negotiations with Idol executives. "All we discussd is that, yes, this is the situation at the moment -- and she may well be free to come and join us on SYTYCD," he told LATimes.
Lythgoe has also been vocal that Fox's contract negotiations with host Ryan Seacrest and judge Simon Cowell should have remained private. "That would have aggrieved anybody else and you'd want more money, I would think, when you see those numbers," he told LA Times. "Negotiatons should be held behind closed doors ... no embarrassment on either party."
American Idol fans let it be known that they saw no need for four judges after Kara DioGuardi was added to the panel last season. Shows became rushed in order to squeeze in comments from four judges -- and still critiques on the latest appearing contestants were rushed and show on occasion interfered with other programming.
"I'm not a fan of four judges," Lythgoe he told the Times. "I don't mind it as guest judges, but when it is every week you run out of time as you well know. My Tivo didn't like the fact there were four judges. I also didn't like the fact that on some weeks Simon didn't get to critique some of the singers. And, to be frank, I wanted to hear what he's got to say about everybody. So it made no sense to me to put a fourth judge in there.
"Plus, without question, for me, it lost some of its chemistry," Lythgoe told Times. He said that Randy Jackson, Paula and Simon "are the true ingredients of great judging. They're historic now. Whenever judges are discussed on reality shows, they are the ones you want to emulate. They're the ones whose names will be written in history books of televison."
And Lythgoe opined that the chemistry between Abdul and Cowell cannot be duplicated. If Kara begins to act as Paula did, he doesn't think that fans will accept it as real.
Among messages posted on Twitter with respect to Abdul joining SYTYCD:
"Paula would be a wonderful addition to SYTYCD!! But don't replace @HOTtamaleTRAIN cuz the show would bite without her."
"If you're watchinng SYTYCD now, admit it! Wouldn't Paula Abdul be a great judge instead of the revolving choreos?"
"U r so loved Paula! If not on Idol u should totally be on SYTYCD!"
"Agree they need some Paula Abdul on the show."
And, "I hope Paula Abdul agrees to Nigel's proposition." Sphere: Related Content
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