Abdul Sets Off Media Mayhem After Embarrassing Idol Comment

AMERICAN IDOL judge PAULA ABDUL was left red-faced after giving an embarrassing feedback on the hit reality TV show.

The singer was bewildered after the series' producers changed the judging format from the usual pattern of appraising each contest after they had sung to waiting until all five had performed.

When asked to appraise first performer Jason Castro, Abdul gave her opinions on two performances - even though each singer had only sung once.

She told contestant Jason Castro, "Oh gosh, we've never had to write these things down ... fast enough. Jason, first song, I loved hearing your lower register, which we never really hear, um ... . The second song, I felt like your usual charm wasn't - it was missing for me. It kind of left me a little empty. The two songs made me feel like you're not fighting hard enough to get into the top four."

The audience launched into nervous laughter, before fellow judge Randy Jackson reminded Abdul each performer had only sung once, telling her, "That was just on the first song. Just on the first one."

She responded, "Oh my god, I thought you - I thought you sang twice!" before explaining she had got mixed up with her notes for the next performer, David Cook.

“In seven years we’ve never had to do that,” she told Seacrest of the format change, adding, “We were only following directions.”

Abdul later blamed American Idol producers for her mix up, telling TV show Entertainment Tonight she has been "in the dark" over the change in format.

Fellow judge Simon Cowell also admitted the switch had been difficult, saying, "This was officially the strangest show we've ever done but I like that. It's kind of a bit chaotic tonight."

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