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Death Of A Superfan

Can American Idol survive the suicide of Paula Abdul's admirer?

By Ramin Setoodeh | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Nov 14, 2008

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  • Posted By: Seve08 @ 12/12/2008 10:24:23 AM

    If its that big of an issue for those who think this show is horrible by the way it treats its contestants, then turn the darn channel. TV is no way even close to how it used to be when I was a kid in the 70's and growing up in the 80's. I do agree with that and there are plenty of times I get irritated with the crap they put on TV. But I have the right/choice to change it and watch something else. AI is simple entertainment, thats all. Its a different flavor of entertainment - sure - but either you laugh or you don't. And I remember Goodspeed and her audition. The girl - just like most of the kids these days that grew up in the 90's- needed attention from mommy and daddy... Thats EXACTLY what lacks in these kids these days... It starts at the most simplistic place - HOME...
    I think the show will lose good reviews because they will be cutting back on the auditions... Thats the best part of the show. These people looking for sympathy because Simon beats em' down... PLEASE!!! Give it up!! These people no before they walk in that door that they cant sing... They just want the spotlight... I love these idiots to go in there and make fools of themselves.... They deserve everything they get. ITS ENTERTAINMENT!!

    • Posted By: Zig Zag @ 01/07/2009 3:01:56 AM

      I agree with you. it is just like those idiots who go on the Jerry Springer show and are suddenly surprised to find out their girlfriend cheated on them with their best friend. You know what the show is about before you go on it.

  • Posted By: Commando @ 12/11/2008 10:56:12 PM

    I watched the show once the first year it started. I felt a great deal of empathy for the losers because of how they were treated...as though they were just there to feed the arrogant egos of the judges. This is bullyism at it's worst, under the guise of 'being helpful'. Obviously I was in the minority, as this despicable show rolls along. I watched the British show once too. Seeing the condecending looks between Simon and Morgan when Paul Potts stated he was going to sing Opera was painful. I was happy to see Paul 'show them up', but I knew this was not a show that I would ever watch again. Taking advantage of some poor bloke who's looking for a break, is not my idea of entertainment.

  • Posted By: North American @ 12/10/2008 8:02:18 AM

    How sad. Romans used to cheer when monotheists were devoured by lions. We really have not changed much,
    A more interesting show would be one based on the analysis of the Producers of "Idol". They nost likely suffer from a form of social pathology. Seekers of fame mostly suffer from self esteem issues, Defeat for them is further confirmation of how deficient they feel about themselves. Fans of thte show should take a hard look at themselves. If hey did they might realize that it hurts too much to watch anyone lose. Empathy now exists only in dictionaries.

  • Posted By: North American @ 12/10/2008 7:50:17 AM

    How sad. We have not changed much from the times Romans took delight in applauding when monotheists were devoured by lions.
    A far more interesting show would deal with a psychological analysis of the Producers of the show. They probably suffer from a form of social pathology not unlike their Roman predecessors. History keeps repeating itself. If the fans of the show were all equipped with a deep insight into how it feels to lose on this show...it would hurt them too much to continue to watch it. Empathy is an emotion that now only exists in dictionaries.
    Jack

  • Posted By: jessix01 @ 12/10/2008 3:49:52 AM

    To give importance to a stalker is a big mistake. This woman was not connected to the American Idol show so why should her actions affect the show in any way? Unless the producers are trying to manufacture ratings from this unfortuante incident, let it rest in peace and get on with the performances!

  • Posted By: kadry15 @ 11/26/2008 2:55:41 PM

    her death was an apparent suicide but there was that person who liked her
    American Idol should not disqualify someone because of topless Internet photos--the Internet is too big to control.

  • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/14/2008 4:24:56 PM

    I like Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson (a bit), and other than that I could very happily watch American Idol fade into the sunset. It's too scrubbed and sanitized to represent the real depth of American music. They don't allow you on the show if you've had so much as one marijuana ticket. Those who follow the music industry know roughly the percentage of working musicians that may exclude. Plus, though I was actually a fan of Paula's during her music career, she does look like she's hopped up on painkillers most of the time. And Simon is just a jerk.

    I have never watched a full episode and won't miss it if it goes. Now, if they broadcasted recordings of Glastonbury, Bonaroo or Coachella, that would be quite another story.

    • Posted By: lookin4space @ 11/15/2008 3:39:43 PM

      I heard Goodspeed called a suicide hotline. They connected her to their Pakistani call center.. When she said she was suicidal, they got all excited and asked if she could drive a truck!

      • Posted By: casablanca50 @ 11/15/2008 7:22:50 PM

        That is so sick, and you are a very thoughtless individual. It isn't funny ,a life was lost, suicidal or otherwise.

        • Posted By: lookin4space @ 11/21/2008 7:09:10 AM

          Oh, boo-f**ckin' wah!

  • Posted By: Charlie Self @ 11/15/2008 7:32:36 AM

    I watched half of one program years ago. I could find no way to satisfy my urge to kick the beans out of Simon, the talent wasn't, so I never watched again.

    Still, I don't see why the apparent suicide of one mentally ill person is likely to affect the program, regardless of where the death took place..

    • Posted By: TheVigil @ 11/16/2008 5:05:24 PM

      "I could find no way to satisfy my urge to kick the beans out of Simon, the talent wasn't, so I never watched again."

      ^----- !!!!! LOL!

  • Posted By: STEVE LANG @ 11/16/2008 10:25:04 AM

    WOW! NOW WE REALLY DO HAVE ROLLERBALL ON TV! HOW DID THIS NUT GET HER ADDRESS? PAULA NEEDS MADONNA'S BODY GUARDS WHO SHOT AND KILLED A MAN FOR JUMPING HER FENCE WHEN SHE WASN'T EVEN HOME. THIS 5150 COULD OF TAKEN OLD JUDY GARLAND AND LITTLE DOGS OUT!

  • Posted By: STEVE LANG @ 11/16/2008 10:21:11 AM

    THEY ALWAYS SAID WE WOULD HAVE A FORM OF ROLLERBALL ON TV! HOW DID SHE GET HER ADDRESS AND PAULA NEEDS MADONNA'S BODYGUARD WHO SHOT AND KILLED A MAN FOR JUMPING HER FENCE WHEN SHE WASN'T EVEN HOME. THIS NUT COULD OF TOOK OLD JUDY GARLAND OUT!

  • Posted By: Grown Up @ 11/16/2008 4:07:46 AM

    Does anyone really give a d*** about one more mental case? That is one less idiot breathing good air, taking up good space, and giving people with nothing better to do fodder for more drama. Does Ameican Idiot, um, Idol REALLY matter to anyone with a LIFE? I don't know one person that watches that crap that doesn't need a serious mental evaluation. Jesus, get off the couch, get a job, get a life, and quit whinning about a bunch of nuts that this world is better off without anyway. Can ANY of those losers name and FIND half of the sates of the union? Probably not, Can any one of them tell you ANYTHING about crap that is not on the television during prime time? Bet they can tell you ALL about that awful Spears girl. Yeah, now THAT is real news, huh?

  • Posted By: taylormax @ 11/16/2008 2:22:33 AM

    American Idol is awesome! The show has always had great ratings and will continue. The death of Sandra "Paula" Gooding is just a reminder that mental illness is alive and well in our society. People who present as being a danger to self or others or who are mentally unable to care for themselves should be evaluated immediately. We all have a personal responsiblity to encourage people to get help if needed.

  • Posted By: Joseph Smith Jr. @ 11/16/2008 2:00:02 AM

    The suicide of a fan, is actually VENGEANCE directed at the judges. Should the judges change their ways, I say no. This nutty woman was not a stable person to begin with. If she had been, she'd have walked away and shrugged her shoulders. Instead she took out her screwed up life by committing suicide to hurt the show and judges. This is mental illness making headlines, that's all. Oh, I can't stand the show or the judges who I think are all nuts, and old egotistical, "has beens." .

  • Posted By: tumordoctor @ 11/16/2008 1:40:31 AM

    This was an awful article. Trample her after her tragic end? What pathetic journalism.

  • Posted By: monaviemiller1 @ 11/16/2008 1:37:36 AM

    Horrible situation. Paula and or American Idile is in no way responsible for someones very careless and wrong actions. The show should not be effected at all as it would just show other sick people that they can make an impact on something that is close to them by making a violent wrong decision. Put God first in your life and people will see there is more to life than singing or having someone accept you. The one you should have been trying to accept you was right there in that car when you made that horrible decision. May God be with you!

  • Posted By: monaviemiller1 @ 11/16/2008 1:36:10 AM

    Horrible situation. Paula and or American Idile is in no way responsible for someones very careless and wrong actions. The show should not be effected at all as it would just show other sick people that they can make an impact on something that is close to them by making a violent wrong decision. Put God first in your life and people will see there is more to life than singing or having someone accept you. The one you should have been trying to accept you was right there in that car when you made that horrible decision. May God be with you!

  • Posted By: ladyG42 @ 11/15/2008 6:06:01 PM

    My heart goes out the girls family, but you cannot blame American Idol for what happened. Everyone always try to lay blame elsewhere. Clearly this girl was not in her right mind & she was a stalker to Paula A. Someone in her family should have sense this & got her help. Anyone with pure common sense know if you cannot sing, carry a tune or no talent awful and you go on this show, you know you are going to be ridicul. The only ones that get ridicul are the ones who profess that I am great, awesome, I can sing. They make negative remarks toward the panel, when they advise, "No I'm sorry it's a no for me." Majority of the non-talented people that audition for this show is only looking for a 10 minute television spot. By the time you reach a certain age you know what you can or cannot do. You know what your talent is. So do not blame american idol for someone's down fall or death. I guess if Jerry Springers guest killed himself after being on Jerry we would blame him. But let's not forget - you watch the show, you know what happens, so why the h e double hockey sticks do you go on the show to humiliate yourself. It is that person's own fault, not the show. I hope American Idol keep going, because it has open doors for a lot of talented people who did not become the American Idol. Keep it up AI...let the haters look at something else.

    • Posted By: mlowden @ 11/16/2008 12:01:44 AM

      Please do not blame her family, I am sure that they did all that they could do, Our system does not allow us to aide our family members that are mentally ill, Once a person reaches the age of 18 our hands are basically tied, Yes you can swear out a MIW(Mental Inquest Warrant) but that only holds the patient for 72 hours and if the Pychiatriest deams that person not a danger they are released, the mentally ill are very good manipulators and they have ways of fooling even the closest persons in thier lives, this is not uncommon unfortunately. Our laws need to be changed so that people who are desperately mentally ill can get the help that they need,even if they don't realize that they need it. So just be carefull of whom you lay the blame on and who you point the finger at.

  • Posted By: akim @ 11/15/2008 11:58:38 PM

    hadlad: Just because someone who happened to appear on Idol committed suicide does not mean that it is anyway Idol's fault. I do believe those commenting on this subject do in some way empathize for Ms. Goodspeed, but it does not change the fact that she did have issues at home that should have been dealt with. If her being mocked on the show had anything to do with her recent suicide, I believe that she would have committed suicide right after her audition aired in 2006. This is a sad and unfortunate situation, but I do not think that Idol is to blame for it.

  • Posted By: jhawke @ 11/15/2008 5:49:56 PM

    This "woman" (and I use that term loosely because she was more like a child in mind) had a mental illness. This was not the first time she was near Paula's home. Further, even her own family was worried she might "hurt" herself. Where was the family support for her? For anyone to even think this self-inflicted death was the fault of American Idol is preposterous. We are a nation of pansies afraid to insult another. Backbone up!

    • Posted By: mlowden @ 11/15/2008 11:52:01 PM

      First off, If any of you have ever dealt with someone who is mentally ill you would understand that you can only do so much especially if the person is over 18 years of age, Our government does not allow you to say that someone is in need of help mentally, Yes you can swear out a MIW (Mental Inquest Warrant) but that only holds the person for 72 hours legally, so please don't ask where was her family because I would almost guarantee that they tried everything that they could within the law but unfortuneatley I'm sure their hands were tied.

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