Via Pollstar: In the upcoming June issue of Ladies Home Journal—huh?—singer/American Idol judge/frequent punchline Paula Abdul admits she checked into rehab last Thanksgiving for an addiction to painkillers. Regular viewers of American Idol won't be surprised by that admission, though they'll probably be incredulous when Abdul claims she never filmed an episode of the show while high. Really? What about this one?
In her defense, Abdul had legit reasons to take painkillers, according to the article: a cheerleading accident at 17, a broken leg on stage in 1991, a neck injury in a car crash in 1992, and a plane crash (!) in 1993 that left her partially paralyzed and required 15 spinal surgeries.
Since she finished treatment, Abdul says she's not a pill-popper for the first time in 12 years. And she may be not be a part of American Idol for the first time in seven years: Her contract is up at the end of this season, and she has not said if she will return.