|
Born in New York, New York
June 19, 1962
Abdul was born June 19, 1962 in the San Fernando Valley, to Harry Abdul, a former livestock trader and owner of a sand and gravel business, and Lorraine Rykiss, a concert pianist who once worked as film director Billy Wilder's assistant. Her father is a Syrian Jew who was born in Syria, raised in Brazil, and subsequently emigrated to the U.S
Junior High School
January 1, 1978
In 1978 appeared in a low-budget Independent musical film, Junior High School.
California State University, Northridge
August 1, 1980
Abdul studied broadcasting at California State University, Northridge. During her first year, she was selected from a pool of 700 candidates for the cheerleading squad of the Los Angeles Lakers — the famed Laker Girls. Within three months, she became head choreographer. Six months later, she left school to focus on her choreography career.
Choreographed Tom Hanks
June 3, 1988
In film, Abdul choreographed sequences for the giant keyboard scene involving Tom Hanks’s character in Big. Further credits include Coming to America, Jerry McGuire, The Running Man, American Beauty (1999 film), and Oliver Stone's, The Doors.[6] Television credits include, The Tracey Ullman Show, American Music Awards, the Academy Awards, and several commercials, such as The King's touchdown celebration, as seen in a string of popular Burger King television commercials that aired during the 2005-2006 NFL season
Forever Your Girl
June 29, 1988
In 1988, Abdul released her pop debut album, Forever Your Girl. The album took 62 weeks to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart — the longest an album has been on the market before hitting #1 — and spent 10 weeks there. The album eventually became multi-platinum in the spring and summer of 1989, and it spawned five American Top Three singles, four of them #1s (three in 1989 and one in 1990): "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me", and "Opposites Attract".
Diet Coke commercial
January 1, 1991
In 1991, Abdul embraced advertising and starred in a popular Diet Coke commercial in which she danced with a digital image of her idol, a young Gene Kelly.
Under My Spell Tour
October 1, 1991 - July 1, 1992
Abdul promoted the album through the "Under My Spell Tour." This tour was nearly cancelled due to an accident during rehearsals. The tour began on schedule and ran from October 1991 to the summer of 1992, playing to low attendance at many of the venues.
Married Emilio Estevez
April 29, 1992 - May 1, 1994
Abdul was married to Emilio Estevez from April 29, 1992 to May 1994
Spellbound
June 29, 1992
Abdul's follow-up album, 1991's Spellbound, contained another string of hits, and sold 13 million copies worldwide. The first single from Spellbound was the ballad, "Rush, Rush", which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five consecutive weeks, and was noted for its music video and Rebel Without a Cause motif featuring Keanu Reeves in the James Dean role.
Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance!
January 1, 1995
In 1995, Abdul released a dance workout video entitled Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance! (re-released on DVD in 2003), a fast-paced, hip-hop style workout.
Head Over Heels
October 3, 1995
By 1995 Paula Abdul had overcome her personal issues and prepared to return to the spotlight with her new album Head Over Heels. The album received mixed reviews, and its singles became modest radio hits. The first single off the album, "My Love Is for Real" featured a fusion of R&B and traditional Middle Eastern instruments, and was sung together with Yemeni-Israeli singer Ofra Haza.
Married Brad Beckerman
October 25, 1996 - January 1, 1998
She later married sportswear designer Brad Beckerman in 1996. They divorced in 1998.
Cardio Dance
January 1, 1998
In 1998 she released a second video called Cardio Dance (re-release on DVD in 2000).
Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits
September 26, 2000
After the low sales of Head Over Heels and conquering her personal problems, Abdul took a hiatus from the music industry. In 2000, Abdul’s Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits CD was released by Virgin Records (with whom Abdul was already no longer affiliated). It featured all of her hit singles as well as other noteworthy tracks
Spinning Around
October 1, 2000
In 2000, Abdul co-wrote "Spinning Around", a dance-pop track intended to be the lead single off her new album. زبalbum never materialized and "Spinning Around" was given to Kylie Minogue as a single. The song became highly successful and re-launched Minogue's career, as it was intended to do for Abdul, and reached #1 in numerous countries.
American Idol
June 11, 2002
In 2002, Abdul appeared as one of three judges for the reality television music competition show American Idol. Abdul, along with fellow judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, were to evaluate the talent of a large group of young amateur singers, eliminate most of them in various audition rounds, and then judge the finalists as American television viewers voted on which finalists would continue to each successive round, until all but the winner were eliminated.
Hit and Run
December 20, 2004
On December 20, 2004, Abdul was driving her Mercedes on an L.A.-area freeway when she changed lanes and hit another vehicle. The driver and passenger snapped a photograph with a cell phone camera and wrote down the license plate number of the car, which was traced to Abdul. On March 24, 2005, Abdul was fined USD $900 and given 24 months of informal probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor hit-and-run driving in Los Angeles. In addition to the fines she was ordered to pay USD $775 for damage to the other car.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
April 1, 2005
In April 2005, she revealed that she suffers from a rare neurological disorder called complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) that causes chronic pain
Primetime Live
May 1, 2005
In May 2005, ABC's news magazine Primetime Live reported claims by Season 2 Idol contestant Corey Clark that he and Abdul had an affair during that season, and that she had coached him on how to succeed in the competition.
Profiles In Living Award
October 1, 2005
Having recovered from her eating disorder after treatment in 1994, she later became a spokeswoman for NEDA, and was presented with the Profiles In Living Award in late 2005. She then continued her work by recording Public Service Announcements in 2006.
Cardio Cheer
December 1, 2005
In December 2005, Abdul launched a cheerleading/fitness/dance DVD series called Cardio Cheer, which is marketed to children and teenage girls involved with cheerleading and dance.
Family Guy
December 18, 2005
Paula was referenced in an episode of the hit animated series Family Guy, titled The Father, The Son, and the Holy Fonz. During a routine 'cutaway gag', a clip from Paula's video for her earlier hit Opposites Attract is shown, with Peter Griffin replacing MC Skat Cat in both image and voice.
Dr. Phil Show
Feburary 14, 2006
Valentine's Day 2006, Abdul appeared on Dr. Phil as part of a prime time special on love and relationships. She was set up on two dates and Phil McGraw gave her advice.
Three more years of American Idol
March 28, 2006
On March 28, 2006 FOX announced that Abdul had signed to stay on American Idol as a judge for at least three more years. Later that year, fellow American Idol judge Simon Cowell invited her to be a guest judge at some of the early auditions for the third series of his similar UK talent show The X Factor. Abdul was present at the initial audition of the eventual winner, Leona Lewis.
Victim of battery
April 4, 2006
April 4, 2006, Abdul filed a report at a Hollywood police station claiming she had been a victim of battery at a private party at about 1 a.m. April 2, according to L.A.P.D. spokesman police Lt. Paul Vernon. "According to Abdul, the man at the party argued with her, grabbed her by the arm and threw her against a wall", Vernon said. "She said she had sustained a concussion and spinal injuries."
Greatest Hits: Straight Up!
May 8, 2007
A second greatest-hits CD, entitled Greatest Hits: Straight Up!, was released by Virgin on May 8, 2007. This album was put together by Virgin Records who no longer employs Abdul. At this time, they also released the music videos to all her six #1 singles to iTunes.
Hey Paula
June 28, 2007
Bravo announced a reality television series following Abdul through her day-to-day life, called Hey Paula. The series is produced by Scott Sternberg Productions and debuted on June 28, 2007. Paula's behavior as depicted on the show has been described as 'erratic' by comedian Rosie O'Donnell.
Dated J.T. Torregiani
July 23, 2007 - January 1, 2008
In mid July, 2007, Abdul announced that she had begun dating J.T. Torregiani, a restaurant owner 12 years her junior. She told Access Hollywood: "He is a good guy. Things are looking upwards. It's looking good right now. I wasn't even looking for someone and that's what usually happens." Paula and JT broke up recently.
