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Paula Abdul Profile |
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Birth Date: June 19, 1962
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Birth Place: San Fernando, California, USA
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Birth Name: Paula Julie Abdul
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Height: 5'2"
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Biography |
Paula Abdul was born June 19th, 1963, in San Fernando,
California. The daughter of Harry and Lorraine Abdul knew
early on that she wanted to dip her feet into dance.
The youngest of two daughters, Paula's love for dance
originated from the film, Singing In The Rain, whose star,
Gene Kelly, was her idol.
A student at Van Nuys high school, Paula applied her
choreography skills (thanks to dance lessons from age 9) as
head of the cheerleading squad. She graduated in 1980, and
shimmied her way to Cal State-Northridge, as a TV and radio
student. But as her heart was truly in dance, Paula took her
LA Lakers Cheerleading gig as a full-time job, after
dropping out of college.
While a Laker Girl, Paula was promoted to choreographer
after having shaken her pompoms for some time, which is
where the Jackson Five spotted her. Her dancing skills not
only revolutionized the style of cheerleading as an
industry, but it also impressed the Jacksons, who hired her
to choreograph their "Torture" video.
Paula worked with the Jackson family yet again, as she also
choreographed Janet's video for "Nasty" (and danced in it as
well). Other '80s pop stars such as ZZ Top, Debbie Gibson,
INXS, and George Michael also enlisted the help of the
dynamic dancer.
But her choreography didn't end with music. With an acting
credit to her name (she appeared in the 1981 film Junior
High School), Paula's skills were also used to choreograph
scenes in movies such as Coming to America, Dragnet, Can't
Buy Me Love, Big, Bull Durham, The Doors, and subsequently
Jerry Maguire and American Beauty, as well as television
shows such as The Tracey Ullman Show.
Paula wasn't destined to simply be a behind-the-scenes force
in music and film. She networked her way to making a demo
tape, and convinced Virgin America to cut her a record deal.
Her debut single, "Knocked Out" was released in 1988, and
she followed it up with the release of her debut album,
Forever Your Girl. Both saw lukewarm results, until the
single "Straight Up" was released in 1989.
"Straight Up" went directly to number one, triggering the
coming of a new pop diva for the early '90s. The title track
to Forever Your Girl was released and saw the same success,
and by time "Cold Hearted" was released, Paula had three
number one hits up her sleeve.
When "Opposites Attract" was released in 1990 (accompanied
by an animated cool cat, MC Skat Kat, in her video), Paula
became a female artist with four number one hits off her
debut album, a feat few female artists have matched.
Hot off the trails of a multi-platinum album, Shut Up and
Dance (remixes of Forever Your Girl tracks) was released in
1990, followed by 1991's Spellbound. The latter didn't have
quite the same effect on fans, although it did spawn the
mega hit, "Rush Rush".
After Spellbound proved to be a so-so hit, Paula went on a
little bit of a hiatus -- at least in the music business.
She was still in the news though, as she had married and
divorced Emilio Estevez, revealed that she suffered from
bulimia, and was sued by a backup vocalist (and won).
The former Grammy-winning artist tried to bounce back into
music with the release of Head Over Heels in 1995, but even
with singles such as "Crazy Cool" and "My Love Is For Real",
the album was a failed comeback.
That doesn't mean that Paula wasn't busy. She headed back to
the altar, this time to marry Brad Beckerman (whom she
already divorced), and returned to acting with cameo
appearances in Cybill, The Single Guy, Spin City, All That,
The Wayans Bros., and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. She also
starred in made-for-TV movies such as Touched by Evil and
The Waiting Game, and appeared in Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The
Allan Freed Story.
Moving from the realm of television to video, Paula starred
in her own exercise videos, Get Up And Dance! and its
follow-up, Paula Abdul: Cardio Dance. She is also currently
keeping busy with her own dance education company, Co Dance,
and as the sweetheart in the trio of American Idol judges. |
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Other
Information |
Choreographed videos for several artists such as George
Michael, Deborah Gibson, Dolly Parton, Janet Jackson, and ZZ
Top.
Former L.A. Lakers cheerleader.
Grammy award winning singer.
Dancer, Choreographer.
She appeared in and choreographed 'Janet Jackson' 's "Nasty"
and "What Have You Done For Me Lately" music videos.
She said a few lines on Chunky A's (Arsenio Hall) song
"Dope, The Big Lie." The song appears on the Chunky A album
"Large And In Charge."
Paula spent her honeymoon with Emilio Estevez in Winnipeg,
Manitoba, Canada.
Her first album, "Forever Your Girl", took over 2 years to
reach the top of Billboard's album charts in 1990 and
spawned four #1 singles.
Her father is of Syrian Jewish descent and her mother is a
Canadian Jew. Her parents divorced when she was a child.
Had 6 number 1 hits from 1989-1991. They include "Straight
Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", "Opposites
Attract", "Rush Rush", and her last number 1 on September
1991 "The Promise Of A New Day".
Measurements: 34B-23-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Her 1989 #1 hit "Straight Up" was ranked #81 on VH1's 100
Greatest Dance Songs.
In a guest appearance on _"The Late Late Show with Craig
Kilborn" (1999)_ on 18 May 2004, she remarked that she is no
longer a vegetarian.
When she was growing up, Michael Bolton was her babysitter.
Has a star on Hollywood Bld.
24 March 2005 - An LA court sentenced her to two years
probation and ordered her to pay $1100 after she pleaded no
contest to an involvement in a hit-and-run incident in
December.
Has an older sister named Wendy
Her favorite love song is "The First Time I Ever Saw Your
Face" by Roberta Flack |
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I love her songs..... LOve You PAULA ABDUL