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"A 'fashion genius' ... does ghastly drawings of Paula Abdul and turns out to be named Paula: Paula Goodspeed."

I wrote that back in February 2006. Noting that she had "teeth so huge a massive set of braces cannot begin to tame them," I said, "She sings terribly, but it's not enough just to tell her that. Simon has to say: 'I don't think any artist on earth could sing with that much metal in your mouth anyway. You have so much metal in your mouth.'"

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.

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.?

Here's the old video:

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.

Full post as published by Althouse on November 12, 2008 (boomark / email).