Heavy/Getty "American Idol' logo and Beverly Hills sign
Nevermind that original “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul is not a housewife in real life; the famous singer and choreographer says she’s been invited “many, many” times to join one of Bravo’s “Real Housewives” casts and says she’s “humbled” by the offers.
In recent interviews — including on the red carpet for an animal rescue fundraiser on May 19, 2023, with Bravo reality star Lisa Vanderpump’s nonprofit — Abdul confirmed that producers have repeatedly asked her to join the “Housewives” series and explained why she keeps saying no to the gig.
Paula Abdul Says Her Time on Reality Shows Has Been ‘Joyful’
GettyPaula Abdul and Lisa Vanderpump attend the 5th Annual Vanderpump Dog Foundation Gala on May 18, 2023
Abdul is friends with multiple members of the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast and has appeared at recent events to support the charities they work with. In April, she attended a fundraiser for the charity Homeless Not Toothless, for which “RHOBH” cast member Doit Kemsley serves on the board.
On the red carpet at that event, Abdul told Page Six that she’d been asked “many, many” times to join the Beverly Hills cast as well as some other Bravo franchises.
But Abdul said she’d always declined, explaining, “As much as I am absolutely the biggest fan and I love watching, it’s a lot of drama.”
The topic came up again at the fifth annual Vanderpump Dog Foundation gala in Beverly Hills, California, on May 19, 2023, when Entertainment Tonight asked whether she’d given any more consideration to joining the cast that her friend Vanderpump had long been part of.
Abdul replied, “I’ve been humbled. I got a kick out of it that I was ever even asked. However, I like to be the one on the couch with the popcorn, watching with my dogs.”
That doesn’t mean she hasn’t enjoyed being part of reality TV over the years, beginning with “Idol” in 2002.
“I feel like I’ve been on reality television for a long, long time,” she told ET. “Being part of history, making shows, and being able to be a mentor, it’s been joyful.”
Abdul is no stranger to Bravo either; the entertainer had her own seven-episode reality series on the network in 2007 called “Hey Paula.” According to TheThings, she’s also been part of many reality competitions since her days on “Idol,” including serving as a judge on the first season of “The X Factor,” seasons 12 and 13 of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and appeared on “The Masked Dancer.” Abdul has also made guest appearances on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Dancing With the Stars,” and “Lip Sync Battle.”
So What’s Paula Abdul Doing Now?
At age 60, Abdul is still going strong. She’s extremely active on social media, often posting photos and videos of everything from red carpet events to flash mobs she’s helped choreograph. Her latest TV role has her appearing in “The Muppets Mayhem,” which premiered May 10 on Disney+.
Abdul frequently posts videos on TikTok, where she has 1.4 million followers, sharing funny thoughts or choreographing moves with fellow dancers. She told ET that she wishes the platform had been around when she was younger.
“TikTok was built for me,” she said. “I should have been doing this a long time ago! I’m having a great time, especially working with younger talent, being able to pass on a lot of wisdom … I love being able to let them know what they’re up against, what they should be doing to nail their auditions and things like that.”
The key to her vitality, she told ET, is staying curious about life and always dancing.
Abdul explained, “The best thing for me is to always stay curious. If I stay curious, I’m always on my toes. I love being able to just go on set, and being excited to go to work, and learning, and meeting tons of people, and experiencing how they experience their passion and what they love to do. I’ll be working until I can’t work anymore. And I’ll be dancing till I can’t dance.”