American Idol won’t be the same

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Right up until the bitter end I believed Paula Abdul and the producers would be able to work it out.

After all, there is no one else like Paula. Her special mix of kindness and kooky has left such an indelible mark on contemporary pop culture that whenever a new talent show appears, featuring a panel of judges, the inevitable question is asked: “Which one is the Simon and which one is the Paula?”

Paul’s dizzy sweetness was the perfect foil for Simon Cowell’s sometimes caustic criticism.

Sure, their juvenile antics could test fans’ nerves on even a good day (the poking, the silly zingers and the time Simon drew on her face), but beneath the japes appeared to be a mutual respect for one another’s career and their shared good fortune to have landed on television’s most popular show.