Rush, Rush/Straight Up/Opposites Attract/Forever Your Girl and other Hits-the Life & Music of PAULA ABDUL!
Jun 04 '07 (Updated Jun 16 '07)
The Bottom Line "Paula Abdul" is on the verge of the 3rd phase of her amazing career. I wish her the Best in the future and I hope she got that heel fixed?
Paula was born "Paula Julie Abdul" on 19 June 1962 in Los Angeles, California. A few sources erroneously report that she was born in San Francisco, California and others indicate San Fernando, California. She is of French-Canadian & Syrian-Brazilian ancestry and her parents were Harry & Loraine Abdul. Most people these days know Paula as the beautiful, sexy, vivacious judge on the huge TV hit series "American Idol" but how many know her background, her life history, her music? If you are interested to learn more about this multitalented actress, choreographer, host, jewelry designer, judge, producer, singer and songwriter then by all means please read on?
In 1969 at the young age of just 7 years old she began performing in local community theater groups. She spent her summers touring the U.S. in theatrical productions. At the age of 8 she began studying jazz and tap dancing. She attended Van Nuys High School in the Van Nuys area of Los Angeles where she was a cheerleader. At the age of 15 in 1977 she won a scholarship to the Lewitzky Theater Company dance camp in Palm Springs and studied under "Joe Traime". She next attended California State University, Northridge also known as Cal State Northridge in the San Fernando Valley where she studied TV and Radio broadcasting.
During her freshman year at College she tried out for the Los Angeles Lakers cheerleading squad and was selected as one of the famed LA Laker Girls out of a pool of 700 applicants. She earned $50.00 per game and after just 3 months became the squads head choreographer. She next drops out of College to be a choreographer full-time. In 1978 she played the part of "Lori Sherry" in the 37 minute long Movie short titled "Junior High School". She next lands the job as assistant dance director for the "Jackson 5" now calling themselves the "Jacksons" on their Victory tour. She next does the choreography for the music videos "Control" for "Janet Jackson" and "Tourture" for "Michael Jackson" and "Mick Jagger".
In 1983 she becomes the choreographer for the Romantic Comedy film "Private School". She next choreographs the holiday TV special "A Smoky Mountain Christmas" in 1986. In 1987 she appears as a dancer and is the head choreographer in the Romantic Comedy film "Can't Buy Me Love". She also does choreography for a few episodes of the weekly comedy, variety series "The Tracey Ullman Show" on FOX TV. She also did the choreography for the Action film "The Running Man" starring "Arnold Schwarznegger" this year. In September of this year she receives an award for Best Choreographer for the "Janet Jackson" music video "Nasty" at the 4th annual MTV awards. Also this year she uses her savings to purchase time at a recording studio to cut a demo record.
She next begins choreographing music videos for "Debbie Gibson", "Dolly Parton", "Duran Duran", "George Michael", "Heart", "INXS", "Kool & The Gang", "Luther Vandross, "The Pointer Sisters", "Steve Windwood", "Toto", "Warren Zevon" & "Z Z Top". In 1988 she is the choreographer for 3 movies which are "Action Jackson", "Big" and "Coming To America". Paula signs a contract with "Virgin" records and goes to the recording studio and on 18 June 1988 he debut single titled "Knocked Out" makes its' national chart debut. It would be on 4 different Billboard magazine music charts later peaking at #41 on the Pop chart, #14 on the Hot Club Play chart, #11 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi singles sales chart and at #8 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Her 2nd single "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me" debuts on 12 November also making all 4 charts and peaking the highest at #10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
Her final single release of the year is "Straight Up" on 3 December and it goes "Straight UP" (pun intended) to #1 on the pop chart where it stays for 3 weeks and is certified a platinum seller. This is followed by her Debut album titled "Forever Your Girl" that would peak at #10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop album chart and go to #1 on the Billboard Pop/Rock Top 200 album chart. It stayed at #1 on the chart for 10 consecutive weeks and became Virgin records biggest seller up to that time. 1989 would be another very busy year for her. She choreographed 3 more movies in "Dance To Win", "The Karate Kid, Part III" and "She's Out Of Control". She released 4 singles this year, 3 of which peaked at #1 on the Pop chart all selling over a million copies each and her 3rd release of the year "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me" is re-released and this time peaks at #3.
She won an Emmy Award this year for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for her work on "The Tracey Ullman Show" and in 1990 she wins the same award again this time at the 14th annual American Music Awards. In March she is voted in "Rolling Stone" magazine as Best Female singer of the year, Best New Female singer of the year, Best Dressed Female Pop/Rock artist and the Sexiest Female Pop/Rock artist. She also signs advertising deals this year with Diet Coke, L.A. Gear and Reebok. On 9 December she is driving her Jaguar on Laurel Canyon road in Los Angeles and rear ends another vehicle and has to be taken to the North Hollywood Medical Center for treatment. Her only record released this year is "Shut Up & Dance: Dance Mixes" that peaks at #65 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart and at #7 on the Billboard Pop/Rock Top 200 album chart.
In 1991 she does the choreography for the Movie "The Doors" starring "Val Kilmer". She also performs at the Coca-Cola Pop Music Backstage Pass to Summer TV special. She releases 3 singles this year with the first 2 going to #1 and the third peaking at #3 on the Pop chart. Her first release this year is "Rush, Rush" on 11 May and it goes to #1 on both the Adult Contemporary chart and the Pop chart where it stays for 5 weeks and sells over 1 million copies. Her 3rd album "Spellbound" is released this year and it peaks at #31 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart and goes to #1 on the Billboard Pop/Rock Top 200 album chart. On 5 September she performs at the 8th Annual MTV awards show. On 4 December she receives a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.
She is the choreographer for "ZZ Tops Greatest Hits" on video in 1992. She releases 2 singles this year in "Vibeology" on 18 January that peaked at #16 followed by "Will You Marry Me?" on 4 April that peaked at #19 on the pop chart. "Stevie Wonder" plays harmonica on her second single release of the year. Also this year "Alex" records released a compilation box set album on 25 February titled "Singles" in Japan only, this album is said to be very hard to find. On 14 April she is named Humanitarian of the Year at a Starlight Foundation dinner in Los Angeles for her work and support for HIV and Aids. On 29 April she marries actor "Emilio Esteves" the son of actor "Martin Sheen" in a judge's chambers in Santa Monica Superior Court with Emilio's mother Janet as their witness. On 14 June she is admitted to St. Luke's Hospital in Houston, Texas with intestinal flu and dehydration and is released 2 days later.
1993 becomes her slowest year to date as no records are released this year. She appears in 2 videos this year titled "For Our Children" and "Paula Abdul: Under My Spell Live". On 14 May she is one of many guest stars to appear on the TV special "Bob Hope: The First 90 Years" to celebrate his 90th Birthday. She is the Host of the ABC TV's "In A New Light '93" an aids awareness special on 4 September. 1994 is another slow year for Paul with no records being released and 1 video appearance in "Get Up and Dance!". On 10 May she releases an official statement that her and Emilio are separating. On 20 August a press report indicates she is being treated for an eating disorder at a Tulsa, Oklahoma medical clinic but the report is never confirmed.
She releases 2 singles in 1995 in "My Love Is For Real" on 17 June that peaks at #28 and "Crazy Cool" on 9 September that only makes it to #58 on the Pop chart. She also releases "Head over Heels" that peaked at #18 on the Billboard Pop/Rock Top 200 album chart. On 22 September she made her very first appearance on "The Tonight Show" hosted by "Jay Leno". From this date up until 15 January 2007 she appeared on the show on 9 different occasions. Lastly on 19 November she sang "Luck Be A Lady" at a tribute to "Frank Sinatra" on his 80th birthday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
She was the choreographer for the film "Jerry Maguire" starring "Tom Cruise" in 1996. Also this year she made guest appearances on "Cybill", "Muppets Tonight" and "The Single Guy" TV shows. She was a dancer and singer in the video "Janet Jackson: Design of a Decade 1986/1996". On 25 October she married CEO of Groove Track Productions "Brad Beckerman" at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel with "Brandy", "Boyz II Men" and "Rod Stewart" all in attendance.
She played the part of "Ellen Collier" in the TV Movie "Touched By Evil" in 1997. She next signs a new recording deal with "Mercury" records and on 4 October she begins a 40 city promotional tour to promote Boost Nutritional Energy drink. In 1998 she played "Amy Fuentes" in the romantic, drama "The Waiting Game" that was made in Canada. She appeared in a episode of "The Howie Mandel Show" and in an episode of "Spin City" this year. She also has her own video released this year titled "Paula Abdul: Cardio Dance". On 9 March she filed for divorce from her 2nd husband in Los Angeles Superior Court. On 9 May she co-hosted NBC TV's "Saturday Night Live".
She appeared on episodes of "All That", "Donny & Marie", "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" and "The Wayans Bros." in 1999. She also played "Denise Walton" in the made for TV Movie "Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story" this year. Paula also was the choreographer for the Romantic drama "American Beauty" starring "Kevin Spacey" this year as well. On 19 July she won the lead role in a new version of the Broadway Musical "Sweet Charity" which opened at the Weidner Auditorium in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "EMI" records released the album titled "Greatest" on 28 December with 14 of her best hits on it.
She was the Host of the TV mini-series "100 Greatest Dance Songs of Rock & Roll" in 2000 and she appeared in the made for TV Movie "Playing The Field: Sports and Sex in America". On 26 September "Virgin" records released a compilation album titled "Greatest Hits" with 16 of her greatest hits on it but it never made the album charts. In 2001 Paula was the choreographer for the Comedy film "Black Knight" starring "Martin Lawrence". This year she appeared in episodes of "The Office" and on the talk show "The View". 2002 would begin a new chapter in Paula's life as 1 of the 3 judges on the most popular series on TV, on "American Idol" which saw it's sixth concesutive season in 2007.
This year she was a choreographer for the Comedy Movie "The Master of Disguise" starring "Dana Carvey". She appeared 5 different times on the daily talk show "Good Day Live" and she co-hosted the show once this season. She also appeared once on "The Today Show", on "Mad TV", on "The Wayne Brady Show", "The Caroline Rhea Show", 2 times on the "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" and 1 full week on "The Hollywood Squares". She also appeared on the TV special "Bubblegum Babylon" on VH1's special "100 Sexiest Artists" and attended a few award shows as a guest or a presenter or both.
From 2003 through 2007 Paula appeared on many, many talk shows, game shows and guest appearances in many TV series' as well. Also in 2007 she had her first charting record in 12 years when "Virgin/EMI" records released the compilation album titled "Greatest Hits: Straight UP!" with 18 of her greatest hits on it that peaked at #86 on the R&B/Hip-Hop album chart. Also released in May were music videos of all six of her #1 Billboard pop hits on itunes.com. She also voiced her own judge character on the Video Game titled "Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol". She is also scheduled to appear in the Live action Comedy Movie "Bratz: The Movie" based on the popular line of dolls.
Paula has designed a large line of jewelry, which includes bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings. In 2007 she debuted her line on the QVC shopping network with the line "Fashion jewelry designed with heart and soul". She has since had 15 sellouts of her jewelry on these shows for a total of over 34,000 pieces sold. Also coming in summer of 2007 the Bravo TV network has announced a new docu-series scheduled to air about Paula's life tentatively titled "Hey Paula!". Something I like to do whenever I review the music and history of any artist is to rate one of my favorite albums/CD's by them as well. Today I will be rating her "Greatest Hits: Straight UP!" album that was released on 8 May 2007.
1. Forever Your Girl (4:14) - 5
2. Straight Up (3:51) - 5
3. Cold Hearted (3:36) - 5
4. (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me (4:01) - 5
5. Knocked Out (3:32) - 5
6. One or the Other (4:12) - 3
7. Opposites Attract (3:48) - 5
8. Rush, Rush (4:21) - 5
9. The Promise of a New Day (4:15) - 5
10. Blowing Kisses in the Wind (4:16) - 4
11. Vibeology (3:20) - 5
12. Bend Time Back 'Round (3:56) - 4
13. Will You Marry Me? (4:25) - 5
14. My Love Is for Real (4:24) - 4
15. Crazy Cool (4:02) - 4
16. If I Were Your Girl (3:53) - 4
17. Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up (3:30) - 4
18. It's All About Feelin' Good (3:46) - 4
TOTAL POINTS: 81 POINTS DIVIDED BY 18 SONGS = 4.50 or 4 1/2 STARS
Rating Key:
5 - Great
4 - Very Good
3 - Good
2 - Fair
1 - Poor
0 - This song does not belong on this record
JAGUARDOG'S FINAL THOUGHTS
Even though Paula is approaching her 45th Birthday on 19 June she is still one very sexy, vivacious, foxy lady. I never get tired of listening to her Music or watching her on TV. I also hope the rumors I have heard lately about her negotiating a new recording contract with several different companies is true because I'm ready for some new Music from this very multitalented Woman. Well that's all I have for now and if this is the first time for anyone reading anything written by me on the Internet I hope you all really enjoyed it? I am very open for suggestions on who to write about in the future as long as they are someone I know something about and I haven't already published a review on them previously at epinons.com? Thanks very much for dropping by and taking the time to read my posting, have a wonderful day and God Bless, Ron.
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Member: Ron Drain
Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Reviews written: 235
Trusted by: 494 members
About Me:
I LOVE Music/TV/Movies & sports like Football - NFL/College, Baseball, Olympics - Summer/Winter and Wrestling.
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