Paula Abdul Steps Down from American Idol

Still, all good things must come to an end.

In an announcement on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, Paula said she would step down from the television show she helped become an extraordinary success. This leaves Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi as judges for next season. Abdul, who was one of the 'nicest' judges, certainly will be missed by fans as well as aspiring Idols.

Born in 1962, Paula, a former LA Lakers cheerleader, began her music career as a choreographer before segueing into her line of business as a recording artist. Known for her spectacular dance moves and incredible videos, she brought pop music to the top of the charts. Later, after several years out of the spotlight, Paula resurfaced as a judge on American Idol. As one of three, she brought a likeability to the show in her soft evaluation approach to Idol hopefuls.

In her last season on the show, Paula gave these words of praise to winner Kris Allen after his rendition of 'What's Going On', "You tore that song up and made Marvin Gaye proud." To runner up, Adam Lambert, she said, "I thought you did a brilliant job," after he had sung 'Mad World.'

In addition to her own stellar entertaining career, Paula will be remembered by AI fans for her genuine smile and positive feedback. To AI contestants, she'll be remembered not only for that, but for the good luck jewelry she designed for them which sports meaningful, positive phrases. For instance, one of her bracelets reads, 'The circle of love begins and ends with you.'

In a post on Twitter, Paula writes, 'I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day one become an international phenomenon...it truly has been breathtaking.'

Wherever Paula goes from here, I wouldn't be surprised if it is an equally phenomenal adventure. Still, it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Let's hope Paula Abdul does just that, straight up.