Paula’s fired employee speaks out

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

Though there are no new victims of Paula Abdul’s unpredictability quite yet, one person who was recently fired has come forward to shed some light on what it’s like to work for Abdul.

Apparently, Abdul doesn’t like it when she’s not the one doing the firing. “She’s known to turn on almost everybody in her life at some point or other,” said a recently fired employee. “But then she will break down if they walk out on her. She’s wept shamelessly when her assistants have resigned in the past.”

Abdul clearly needs her assistants, though, if for no other reason than to do her dirty work. “She has a history of doing this: Sitting or standing by the phone, sobbing and quietly pushing them to tell the person on the other end of the line how ‘unacceptable’ it was for he/she to have treated Paula ‘like that,’” said the former employee.

Jessica: Don’t mess with Texas
Dallas Cowboys fans haven’t hidden their dislike for Jessica Simpson’s relationship with their golden boy Tony Romo, but apparently the angst has gotten so intense, Simpson is planning on steering clear of the Lone Star state, and she’s beefing up security.

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“She definitely isn’t heading back to Texas for a while,” a source told OK! Magazine. The mag also reports that although Simpson lives in a gated community, her father, Joe Simpson, has requested that she have a security guard stay with her overnight.

Insiders tell OK! that they expect the relationship to fumble quickly, though. “She needs so much attention that it’s impossible to date her,” the source said.

Scoop preps for the Oscars
If you are feeling like today’s column is a little thin, I have a great excuse. Jan. 15 was spent with Glamour.com fashion blogger Suze Yalof Schwartz, and we scoured Manhattan for the best clothes, jewels, hair and makeup for an Oscars fashion package you’ll be able to check out at msnbc.com once nominations are announced.

I can’t reveal too much, but I will say this: I’ve never written my column with my hair styled by Oscar Blandi and dressed in a ball gown, but I think it’s something I could get used to. Check back soon for more details.

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