Chris Pizzello/AP (left); AL Grillo/AP
We here at the Gaggle do politics, but we couldn't help take note of Paula Abdul's recent departure as a judge on American Idol after eight seasons. The staging of her leave looks oddly familiar, we thought to ourselves. After all, it was only a month ago that we witnessed an equally bizarre and sudden exit of another big player in her own field: Sarah Palin. It turns out both women and their resignations are far more similar than they are different. Let's pick apart the comparison:
Why it works: Abdul and Palin are both big names in dog-eat-dog fields, but almost exclusively because of their well-timed and fortuitous rises. Palin, of course, was far from a household name before John McCain tapped her last summer as his running mate. Abdul's rise back in the '80s was also more a product of nepotism stemming from her connections as a choreographer than cold, raw talent. Which is to say that compared with the real power hitters in their fields, neither reigns as an icon; rather, they are just familiar names who still have more to prove.
By now, both women have had their time in the spotlight, even though it hasn't been entirely comfortable. Abdul faced repeated criticism for being too schmoozy with contestants, one of whom even alleged an affair with the judge that marred part of the third season. Judging by her loopy behavior, people also questioned what exactly was in the cup that sat in front of her during the show. For Palin, attacks from the Democrats were to be expected, but a public episode involving her unmarried daughter being pregnant and the hacking of the governor's private e-mail account weren't part of what she signed up for.
Leaving their cushy and well-publicized gigs illuminates another overlap, primarily because both women seem to be in search of even cushier and even better-publicized opportunities. Holding public office restricted Palin from earning big bucks as an in-demand speaker─her former job paid $125,000 a year, but now she can make more than half that for one speech. Abdul was also greenly motivated. Leaked negotiations revealed that the singer was asking for a raise from her already high $2 million salary (she reportedly wanted $20 million, more in line with Simon Cowell's $36 million). The show's producers called her bluff that she wasn't really worth it, which was the alleged main factor in her departure, but she seems genuinely convinced that her next gig─the release of a new album next year─will rake in big bucks.
Why it doesn't: It's logical for Abdul to pursue other opportunities, but for Palin, it just looks suspicious. Abdul can reasonably make the case that after eight years on Idol, she's ready to move on─and if she's going to have any type of comeback, she's not getting younger. Palin can't, however. The pol has been in high public office for a mere two years and has gotten national attention only for the past one. She has no former career to return to (unless she wants her Wasilla city-council seat back, but even that might be an uphill battle). What also drives apart the two women is their career resilience. Abdul found a way (thanks to Idol producers) to redefine a career that was in the process of fizzling, which suggests she may be able to do it again. Will Palin be able to write for herself a second chapter that's even bigger than her first? We're still waiting to find out.
Other factors we're missing? Call them out below.
