name | Jennifer Lynn Lopez. | Paula Julie Abdul. |
hometown | New York, New York. | Los Angeles, California. |
birthdate | July 24, 1969. | June 19, 1962. |
roots | Puerto Rican. | Syrian and Canadian. |
early start | Danced as a “Fly Girl” on the TV show In Living Color. | Danced as a “Laker Girl” for the Los Angeles Lakers. |
pop star credentials | Has released six albums, including the platinum-selling On The 6, J. Lo, This Is Me… Then and Rebirth. | Has released three albums, including the platinum-selling Forever Your Girl and Spellbound. |
breakthrough single | If You Had My Love. | Straight Up. |
pre-idol reputation | Cold-hearted diva. | Has-been pop star. |
years as American Idol judge | One. | Eight. |
judging style | Tries to keep criticism positive. Will be constructive when contestants make singing mistakes. | Tried to keep criticism positive. Often complimented the appearance of contestants when they made singing mistakes. |
memorable breakdown | Broke down in tears after the elimination of 26-year-old Chris Medina, whose wife was left brain damaged after a car accident. | Broke down in tears after the audition of 64-year-old Sherman Pore, whose wife died of cancer two days before his audition. |
when she cries | People think she’s human. | People think she’s unstable. |
usually clashes with | Randy Jackson. | Simon Cowell. |
the critics | Entertainment Weekly: “Thanks to her judging stint on ‘American Idol,’ Lopez has reinvented herself as a media and audience darling after proving to be kind, attentive, and, yes, extremely shiny (The sequins! The eyeshadow!) on the Fox reality TV show.” | Entertainment Weekly: “Say what you will about Paula, but on a gut level, she was like the crazy aunt who shows up every Thanksgiving and leaves you clenching your jaw wondering what off-the-wall, inappropriate thing she’s going to say next.” |
controversy surrounding Idol | Accused of ripping off a Kat DeLuna song in her hit single On The Floor. | Rumored to be battling substance abuse problems. |
in their own words | “This is all new to me. I am used to having a script in a movie, or a big performance with a cane and a microphone and I have all kinds of stuff going on with my costumes… This is the first experience, on ‘Idol,’ where people are really getting to know who I am as a person.” – Jennifer Lopez. | “I’m a fan of the show, and I always will be as long as they’re going out and finding that raw talent. Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler — they’re seasoned veterans. They know what it takes to make it, so they’re gonna have a very refined eye. And I’m really happy Randy is at the helm because you need that familiarity. – Paula Abdul. |
fans ask themselves | What will she wear next? | What will she say next? |
– Mun2.com