Local Idol Defends Paula Abdul
Leah LaBelle was just 17-years-old when she made it to the final 12 contestants in American Idol's third season. Corey Clark was a finalist the year before her.
In an hour-long "Primetime Live" special report aired Wednesday night on ABC, Clark made explosive accusations against "Idol" judge Paula Abdul. He says she initiated an off-camera relationship, helped him decide what to wear and what to sing on the show, and that a platonic relationship eventually became sexual.
"Honestly, the first time I heard these accusations and the first time I heard the story on TV I remember looking at my mom and being like are you serious? Like is he serious?," said LaBelle when asked for her response to the program. "And I said I really think he's just trying to get publicity for his book."
Clark, having waited the contractually required three years after the competition to write a book, is doing just that. The television interview coincides with the release of a book and album.
The first problem LaBelle has with Clark's accusations is time. She says that with ever-present security guards and chaperones, and the pressure of insanely tight schedules, there would be little -- if any -- time for an affair.
"With all the stuff we do in "American Idol" we are very sheltered and we barely -- rarely -- get time to stray away and be on our own," said LaBelle.
As for Clark's claims about Abdul helping him choose songs and clothes LaBelle, who has never met the other contestant, says fashion designers and stylists were already giving them priceless advice and expensive clothing..... for free.
Clark, who is making the allegations against Abdul, was abruptly removed from "American Idol" in the show's second season during the finals when the show discovered he'd failed to inform them that he had a previous arrest for a domestic dispute with his sister and an ensuing scuffle with police. He pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge of "obstructing legal process."
"He didn't win," LaBelle reminded us. "So it's not like he cheated his way to the top."
LaBelle, meanwhile, maintains a level of admiration and respect for Abdul. One of the treasured photos on LaBelle's bedroom wall is a picture of herself and Abdul together.
After LaBelle was voted off the show in season three, she says Abdul spent more than an hour consoling and advising her in private and telling her to stick to her music dreams.
"Paula Abdul is a wonderful lady. I love her. She's just a wonderful person and what she does she does from her heart. And if she wanted to help him (Clark) she saw something in him she wanted to help and you know there's nothing wrong with that."
And asked if, like Clark, she would ever write a book about the TV show LaBelle said yes, but that hers would be much, much different.
"You know I was thinking about writing a book someday, about the whole experience ... but a positive experience."
Meanwhile her positive experience continues picking up steam.
LaBelle recently finished recording a demo CD in New York with Grammy award winning producer "Fanatic." He's the same producer behind Beyonce's "Dangerously In Love" CD that won the Grammy for album of the year. He's also worked for record industry heavyweights Will Smith, Li'l Kim and rap legend Notorious B.I.G.
LaBelle, who will graduate from Seattle's Garfield High School this year, hopes to begin shopping the CD to major record labels in the next few months.