Television August 14, 2009
Former 'Idols' Sing Paula's Praises
"Extra" caught up with former "American Idol" contestants Constantine Maroulis and Michael Johns -- and they're sad to see Paula leaving the judging table.
Maroulis, now a Tony-nominated Broadway star, will miss Paula, but he'd like to set the record straight about reports he got into a bar brawl over Abdul's departure. "It was just a drunk dude at a concert who jumped on my back," Constantine says of the incident.
Not that the former "Idol" wouldn't rush to Paula's defense! "I love Paula. I would hit the streets for her, but that's not what happened." He adds that the "show won't be the same without" Paula.
Season seven contestant Michael Johns told "Extra," "I was a bit flabbergasted. She's the reason people tune in -- whether you love her or whether you just want to see if she's going to be a train wreck, you know."
Johns adds, "She had a lot of words of wisdom... I think something special from the show will be missing."
