Hey Paula: Episode 1

June 28, 2007

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When I first read in the paper that Paula Abdul had signed on to do a reality show with Bravo, I thought that Christmas had come early and then I thought it had to be a misprint. There’s no way the loopy, and often incomprehensible, Paula that I enjoyed each week on “American Idol” would consent to having cameras around all the time. She can barely keep it together for the two hours a week that she has to be on TV. Round the clock coverage seemed like the career equivalent of a death wish.

But as it turns out, Paula loves a challenge. She’s a warrior, as she tells us early on in episode 1 of “Hey Paula.” A warrior. That’s classic. Some of the reviews I’ve read so far of “Hey Paula” have used the term train wreck, as in “It’s train wreck-tastic.” For my money, “Hey Paula” isn’t a full-on train wreck. It’s more like a “Little Engine That Could wreck,” because the show is only a half-hour and Paula, above all else, is determined. She’s the queen of “I think I can … I think I can …”

After watching this first episode, I already hope the show runs for years because, in addition to being very entertaining, I think “Hey Paula” is a vivid and compelling cautionary tale. You parents out there: if your brilliant son or daughter ever comes home from their freshman year at college talking about how they want to blow of med school and be famous instead, just fire up the Tivo and let ‘em live Paula’s life for an hour or two. That’ll set ‘em straight soon enough.

If most reality shows are to be believed, famous people only hang out with people who are on the payroll. Paula’s best friends include her hair and makeup guy Daniel, her publicist Jeff, her stylist Kylie, and her four dogs (okay, so her dogs aren’t on the payroll but she does smother them with kisses, which is its own kind of currency).

Wait! Stop the presses: I’ve just seen on “Fox and Friends” that Paula and Daniel have been friends since her Laker Girl days so I’m going to cut her some slack on that one.

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