Jitters force Abdul to pretape Super Bowl gig

Stage jitters, nerves and bad memories of past shows are keeping Paula Abdul from performing live during Super Bowl XLII — not technical difficulties, as the production would like you to think, reports OK! magazine.

The resurrected singer and “American Idol” judge will unveil her new single, “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow,” in a video segment that was taped before a studio audience Jan. 27. Fellow “Idol” judge Randy Jackson will also appear in the production, set to air Feb. 3 during pregame coverage from Glendale, Ariz.

According to David Hill, executive producer of FOX Sports, there wasn’t enough time to set up a live performance for Abdul. However, OK! reports Abdul is too nervous to take on such a high-pressure performance. “She is fragile emotionally and too much of a perfectionist to handle a live show,” a friend of Paula told OK!

Another source who has worked with Abdul in the past raises another point: “Right now, the only people who really see Paula raw are the ‘Idol’ people. I think she knows that if the “real” Paula reared its head at the Super Bowl, there's potential to have to do a lot of damage control.”

Kathy Griffin banned from ‘The View’
Kathy Griffin has been, in her words, “re-banned” from appearing on “The View,” but the reason she cites for the banning might not be right. Griffin told Page Six that at the last minute, “View” producer Bill Geddie called and cancelled. Griffin said his excuse was “You were too mean to Barbara (Walters) on your last special, so you can't come on.”

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A source close to the show said the reason has less to do with Walters and more to do with Geddie’s dislike for Griffin’s relationship with former host Rosie O’Donnell.

“It wasn’t always this bad because don’t forget, she was once considered as a co-host. But she’s really good friends with Rosie, and that isn’t going to work with Bill. It’s getting nasty,” said the source. “Barbara stays totally out of the bookings,” the source added. “So while it sounds plausible to blame her, it’s just not the case.”

If you’re curious about the first ban of Griffin, she told Larry King in August 2006 that she thought it was because of then-co-host Star Jones. “I just like to tick her off,” she told King. “And, by the way, it takes about two seconds and it’s fun. It passes the time.”

Pam Anderson take PETA cause to the Super Bowl
Phoenix-based PetSmart is about to get punted by Pam Anderson at a Super Bowl party. The blonde bombshell, who is in Arizona Jan. 30 to host the Hearts & Helmets Super Bowl charity event with NBA All Star Shawn Marion of the Phoenix Suns, was horrified to see PETA's exposé of a top PetSmart supplier on TODAY last week.

When she realized PetSmart was based in Phoenix, where she's hosting the Super Bowl bash, she decided to donate proceeds from the shindig to PETA’s campaign to pressure PetSmart to clean up its act. Said Anderson, whose relationship with PETA has a better track record than many of her personal relationships: “PetSmart needs to stop pimping live animals and just sell supplies.”

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