Paula Abdul Blames Rumors On Simon

Reality Star Says Fellow Judge's Joke Sparked Rumors She Drinks

(CBS)  Paula Abdul says that her fellow "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell inadvertedly started rumors she drinks, by teasing her during an epsiode of the show.

"Usually I sit between the two guys and when it's time for Randy [Jackson] to start his critique, Simon is in my ear." Abdul explained on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" Wednesday.

Abdul said that she tries to block him out, even plugging her ear on the side where he sits.

One night he whispered, "Try to say something interesting, Paula like 'the moth that finds the melon ball inside of a won ton will win.' So I say it and Ryan looked at me and said 'what was that?' and I said Simon said this."

Unfortunately for Abdul, Cowell made a face as if he never whispered in her ear.

"Then he said there was something other than Coca Cola in my cup," she said. Coca-Cola is one of the show's sponsors, and each of the three judges always has a cup bearing the company's logo in front of them during the show.

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Photos: "American Idol" Finale

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It took Cowell a year to apologize, Abdul said. "He ended up coming clean in front of 350 television critics. He said, 'It was a joke and I thought it was funny.' He's like the brother I never wanted."

Abdul was on "Late Show" to promote her new reality show "Hey Paula" on Bravo.

"I wanted to set the record straight on how people perceive me," she said. "Now that it's on I have to do another reality show to set the record straight on my reality show!"

The 44-year-old Abdul also joked about her younger boyfriend, restaurateur TJ Torregiani.

"I'm dating someone, he's a lot younger so that's different," she said. "If we were to get married I'm going to make him sign a prenup and if we get divorced I'll get half of his allowance."