Friday evening – a time picked, no doubt, to avoid headlines – Fox and the producers of American Idol sent out an e-mail detailing the findings of its investigation into Idol judge Paula Abdul’s relationship with former contestant Corey Clark.
Clark said last spring that he had had a sexual relationship with Abdul when he was still a contestant on the show. He also suggested she had given him inappropriate help preparing for the competition.
After nearly four months and dozens of interviews, the “independent” counsel hired by Fox and the producers have concluded that there’s not much to Clark’s charges.
Fox and the producers said, “We have determined, based on the findings of this thorough and detailed inquiry, that there is insufficient evidence that the communications between Mr. Clark and Ms. Abdul in any way aided his performance. Further, we are confident that none of these communications had any impact on the outcome of the competition. Paula Abdul, therefore, can continue as a judge on American Idol.”