Paula Abdul let her ego get the best of her when she rejected the salary increase from American Idol.

Despite reports that Nigel Lythgoe wanted Paula on So You Think You Can Dance?, it has become very clear that Mary Murphy does not want Paula on the show at all. It appears most agree with Mary, so Paula will have to look elsewhere for employment.

Paula bragged about all the incredible offers she was getting, including one to appear on Ugly Betty, but an ABC spokesman for Ugly Betty said:

"Paula will not be on our show."

It seems that all the offer Paula has been bragging about have turned out to be nothing more than wishful thinking, which is exactly the kind of thinking that cost her a cushy job spouting incoherent comments on American Idol.

We’re waiting for you to show us all how wrong we are about you Paula.

Kara DioGuardi phoned into the Ryan Seacrest show today to say some kind words about the judge she replaced, Paula Abdul:

"The way I’m understanding it is that it was her choice to leave," DioGuardi said of Abdul. "I never was here to replace her. It would be impossible to replace Paula Abdul. She’s an incredible talent. She is somebody who helped make the show as big as it is. How could you ever replace that?"

When asked if the two have talked since Paula left the show, Kara said:

"I’ve left her a lot of messages. I talked to her last week. I haven’t spoken to her this week."

Kara hasn’t garnered much interest from fans of the show, so she needs to kiss up to Paula … and Randy, and Ryan, and especially Simon.

As we suspected, Paula Abdul quit because Idol producers wanted to give her a tiny raise. A source said:

"Paula had demanded a raise from $8 million to $12 million to stay on as a judge on Idol. And her management took a tough line with the show’s bosses and refused to negotiate."

"Paula’s managers issued a statement in July saying Paula hadn’t been offered a deal at all, which only inflamed the situation. After that, the relations between both sides deteriorated to the point where Paula’s management was slamming the phone down on Idol staff."

"Poor Paula has been having daily meltdowns over the negotiations and has been left feeling hurt and abandoned by her Idol colleagues."

Simon and Ryan got huge raises. We don’t know what Randy got, but at least he still has a job. It is clear now Paula’s contribution to the show was negligible, although in her delusion of grandeur she made the show a hit single handedly. If that’s the case Paula should have no problem getting another show together that will make her ten times as much money, although we doubt it.

Paula was offered a 30% pay increase and turned it down. Paula was demanding $20 million.

Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice was asked Thursday what the network would do if Abdul sought to reopen negotiations. Rice replied:

"I have no expectation that Paula’s going to do that. And in terms of the negotiations themselves, the negotiations have concluded."

"My understanding is that her only issue is money."

Paula was asked about her future prospects, to which she replied:

"At this point, there are so many wonderful things that are being offered to me, and I got to take a deep breath, sleep a little … and go through everything."

Uh huh, riiiight. Good luck Paula, you’re going to need it. Paula might take a job as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, but she’ll probably have to take less than $8 million, which means a pay cut. You should have stayed with American Idol Paula.

Paula Abdul confirmed Tuesday she will no longer be at the judge’s table on American Idol. Paula Abdul has quit American Idol. Abdul said in a statement on Twitter:

"With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to Idol. I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day one become an international phenomenon."

"What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me. I do, without any doubt, have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all."

Fox Television released the following statement in response:

"Paula Abdul has been an important part of the American Idol family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she’s a tremendous talent and we wish her the best."

In other words, Paula was asking for too much money in her contract negotiations. Ryan Seacrest got a $45 million contract.

Good luck finding another project that will pay you what you think you are worth Paula.

If the LA Times are to be believed, then Paula Abdul may not agree to a new American Idol contract, thus ending her appearance as a judge who always "acts" like she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol *no one knows for sure because Paula is a mystery*. The LA Times says:

"Very sadly, it does not appear that she’s going to be back on ’Idol,’ " David Sonenberg, Abdul’s manager, told The Times when contacted about the judge’s contract negotiations.

With auditions for the ninth season due to start Aug. 6, Sonenberg says he doesn’t even have a proposal for a new contract from FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment, the production companies behind the show. The new season is scheduled to premiere in January.

"I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful," he said of the contract holdup. "I find it kind of unconscionable and certainly rude and disrespectful that they haven’t stepped up and said what they want to do."

[Updated at 11:59 p.m.: Sonenberg began managing Abdul at the end of June, he said. According to him, he has "reached out to the head of business affairs at 19" and told Fox that "Paula would love to be on the show." He said Fox told him he would hear from them, but "I have not received any proposal whatsoever."]

Sonenberg has said his client has not been well-compensated in the past.

She’s already looking toward an "Idol"-less future, he says, though Abdul’s foray into non-"Idol" programming, the 2007 Bravo show "Hey Paula," was not a success.

"She’s not a happy camper as a result of what’s going on. She’s hurt. She’s angry," Sonenberg said. "I think at this point we’re going to be considering everything, including some kind of a competition show. She has tremendous ideas for a whole variety of shows."

Simon Cowell has said he wants Paula to stay on the show, but we would rather see a new judge. Simon is the real star, and it’s rumored he is negotiating a contract worth $144 million, whereas Paula’s contract was worth around $3 million. We think Paula should pursue a non-idol project where she can be paid what she thinks she is really worth.