Paula Goodspeed, the "American Idol" contestant who was an obsessive fan of Paula Abdul, was found dead in her car near the TV judge's home in an apparent suicide by overdose (via ABC News). Goodspeed, 30, was parked near Abdul's home in Los Angeles in November 2008. According to the Daily Mail, prescription drugs were found in her car after the incident. Abdul was reported to have been filming an "American Idol" special when Goodspeed's body was found. Days before her death, Goodspeed had reportedly sent Abdul flowers to her home with a note that read, "Hope you're doing great. Here's my new cell number," and was signed, "Love, J.T." (via People), presumably an attempt to impersonate Abdul's boyfriend at the time, J.T. Torregiani, and get the singer to call her.
Goodspeed left judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Abdul speechless with her disastrous audition performing Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" during Season 5. At her audition, she stepped out in an all-pink outfit and mouth full of braces. Cowell said he didn't know how someone could sing with "that much metal" in her mouth. She did not make it to Hollywood.
In an interview with Access Hollywood in December 2008, Abdul opened up about how deeply affected she was by Goodspeed's suicide. "I went through a very rough time of feeling like she wanted my attention so much ... I shed a lot of tears. It was tumultuous, for me," Abdul said.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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