On this week's American Idol elimination episode, good-cop judge Paula Abdul premiered her first music video in more than a decade, for "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow," the song she sang (or, more specifically, lip-synched) earlier this month at the Super Bowl pregame show.
Now, this zippy little disco ditty is slowly but surely growing on me--kind of like a fungus, albeit a benign one. To quote her buddy judge/video co-star Randy Jackson (on whose upcoming album the song appears), it's a'ight, dawg. But as fungally infectious as "Dance" may be, I must say: This woman really has no business doling out singing advice.
Don't get me wrong, I love me some Paula--but even she has to know deep down that any aspiring Idol with her half-octave range would have NEVER made it through to Hollywood, let alone the top 24.
Seriously, look up the saying "Pot Calling Kettle Black" in any slang dictionary, and you'll likely see a photo of Paula telling Kady Malloy or whoever, "You had some pitch problems..."
On on the plus side, "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" showcases Paula's real talent--um, dancing, as the song title implies--and kudos to her that she can still shake what Mama Abdul gave her after all these years. For better or worse, Paula's early-'90s success probably paved the way for vocally challenged future superstars like Britney (also a decent dancer, but a not-so-decent singer), but chances are Britney's career won't be going as strong as Paula's when she's in her forties. If she even makes it to her forties, that is...
Anyway, check out Paula's comeback video below and see if she's got what it takes to get back in the singing game...or if she should just heed the old adage, "Those who can't sing, judge."