I'm rereading that after observing that I had some significant traffic today to that post on a search for the name Paula Goodspeed. I plug the name into a news search and see this in the L.A. Times:
Tonight on "Inside Edition," you can visit the scene outside Paula Abdul’s home in Sherman Oaks, Calif., where a young fan may have committed suicide.Here's the old video:
Paula Goodspeed was a self-described fan of the “American Idol” judge. There is no known reason why she would have committed suicide outside Abdul’s home, other than to be close at the end of her life to her apparent idol. Or to have her name forever linked with Abdul's.
Goodspeed’s body was found inside her car, which was decorated with a photo of Abdul hanging from the rear-view mirror. Her personalized license plate reads “ABL LV,” which has been said to stand for Abdul Love.
"Ms. Goodspeed's mother had gone to [the sheriff's department] to report her daughter missing and advised them that she might be suicidal," Los Angeles Police Capt. James Miller tells People. Officials "determined that Ms. Goodspeed may be up in the vicinity by Paula Abdul's house. Our officers discovered her vehicle parked on the street and found her inside. She was unresponsive to officers."
Authorities say her death may have been due to drug overdose, but tests still have to be performed.
Turns out Goodspeed auditioned for “American Idol” in 2005 and admitted a lifelong fascination with Abdul.
“I really like Paula Abdul a lot. She’s really cool. ... I’m like a really big fan and I make life-size drawings of Paula. I’ve been drawing ever since I was a little kid, and my first drawing was of Paula Abdul.”
It was fun back then to laugh at those drawings (and the delusional singing), but it's sobering now. I have to think that "American Idol" screens out numerous would-be contestants who are even more obviously disturbed. Perhaps some of them get the help they need. But Paula Goodspeed made the cut and entertained us for a few minutes back then. And now, we see how serious the ridiculous really was.
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15 comments:
PG, RIP. Even your tormented soul needs rest from the ghoulish behavior of some people!
Really, right now I'm feeling that it's amazing that sanity, balance, and emotional well-being exist at all.
Not *just* because of this post, but this post is adding to that.
I am kinda focusing on reading political blogs these days, trying to keep up with what the liberal illuminati are up to but i had to watch that! Maybe Obama can have that girl sing at his inauguration ceremony or something, she was awesome!
This is a true story.
I was home early from high school one day (late 1970s) and the phone rang. It was a survey call of some kind. The woman asked if anyone in the house watched Battlestar Gallactica.
A typical wise ass teenager at the time, I said no, the show stinks and it should be cancelled. Truly I hadn't watched the show, partly to distance myself from being an adolescent Trek fan, but mostly because I once saw Lorne Greene in a preview stomping around wearing a cape and thought that was totally lame. Anyway, the woman thanked me for my opinion.
Weeks or months later, I saw an article on the TV page of the paper that said, "Battlestar Gallactica Cancelled" after its short run.
I remember thinking to myself, wow, somebody's listening.
Weeks or months later, I saw another newspaper headline, "Teen Jumps to Death After Favorite Show Cancelled." My eyes moved to the first paragraph where I saw the capitalized words Battlestar Galactica. My heart sunk. I think I still have that clipping somewhere. This is best I could find on the web.
The parents told the story of their 15 year-old son whose life revolved around the TV show. He had the same first name as me.
Later, I was assured that cancellation decisions are based on Nielson set top box ratings, not phone surveys.
The moral of the story: As if to prove you should never give up, the show was revived 24 years later to critical acclaim for much better storylines and production values!
I wonder why the anger was aimed at Simon? What could have been going on in her head all this time regarding Abdul?
How do you think Paula Abdul is dealing with this?
How fine the line between madness and "reality".
Sticks and stones and all that.
It's too facile to blame her for being crazy; that permits a conscience to be too easily assuaged. I feel bad for her mom; how awful this must have been, this decline and pointless death of her baby.
She was fragile, too fragile. That I know, and know nothing else. I have met many young women still ruminating about words they heard in sixth grade.
You cannot expect that no one would ever be wounded by your words, but mockery, belittling, and bullying have lasting impact. Even the strong wither beneath too many blows.
I seriously pray that Sarah Palin is as solid as she appears. I noticed the same enjoyment of cruelty in the MSM in their anti-Palin crusade as Simon has when he eviscerates a noncontender.
People often revel in their mercilessness. It's an ugly part of being human that we oft pretend does not matter. It matters.
One American Idol contestant dead another one President elect of the USA.
I heard about this last night on the TV and got the feeling she had been stalking Abdul for some time. Abdul had released a statement of regret, etc. But I couldn't help but think that Abdul, like other stars who have been stalked and had their stalkers meet an untimely end (David Letterman for one), was actually relieved. Yes, being mocked and belittled must be a torment that's hard to live with, but so must going through every day worrying about stalkers.
Susan, you're right about that. It proves once again that celebrity is a disease; stalking is its metastasis.
Ten bucks says Paula Goodspeed's computer's browser's history includes addresses of mind-control websites.
I know the feeling of guilt when someone we laugh at comes to harm. It is an awful shame, and I feel dirty inside because of it. Maybe it is difficult for us to hold the tragedy that some people face because of a brain that does not work right, so we respond to the humor instead of the heartbreak and dysfunction.
Trey
She was one of many who were mocked in earlier years on American Idol. Last year they seemed to be much gentler and even had some of the real freaks back at the end of season. You have to be really damaged to be on one of these shows, who would want to put their craziness on display like that for all the world to see. It is much easier letting it out in dribs and drabs by posting comments on the internet.
But this sad human tragedy is food for thought.
Could you go outside and check on Simon in the car parked in front of your house.
I just want to be sure he is ok.
this is really sad
Sad, very sad. They should never have let her audition; let her stick with her delusions without having them exposed on national TV, much less having her dissed by her idol.
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