Paula Abdul was an American Idol (season 8) judge.
American Idol (season 8) . Judges Simon Cowell , Paula Abdul , and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show 's contestants , along with Ryan Seacrest as host . Paula Abdul . She saw renewed fame and success as an original judge on American Idol in the 2000s , which she left after the eighth season . She went on to star on CBS 's short-lived television series Live to Dance , which lasted one season in 2011 , and was subsequently a judge on the first season of the American version of The X Factor along with her former American Idol co-judge Simon Cowell , the creator and producer of the show .