Paula’s tweet took ‘Idol’ staffers by surprise

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

Paula Abdul’s departure seems to have taken many high-level “American Idol” staffers by surprise.

Many of them learned of the news through Abdul’s Twitter feed, and now it seems like there’s no clear message about whether they’ll replace the judge.

Asked whether Abdul’s spot will be filled or whether the show will forge ahead with three judges, reps for the show and for production companies 19 Entertainment and Fremantle Media had no comment.

“I have no idea,” said one well-placed executive.

And another, also uncertain, hedged toward the idea that remaining judges Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell would be steering the ship. “I would assume they would move forward with three judges as the judging audition rounds start this weekend,” the source said.

‘Grey’s’ George gives his all
Actor T.R. Knight doesn’t return for the Sept. 24 “Grey’s Anatomy” season premiere, but his character, Dr. George O’Malley, will.

“Transplant doctors descend on Seattle Grace because it's revealed that George was a registered organ donor," according to a source who was on the “Grey’s” set and spoke to Life & Style. “But his colleagues are still reeling from George's death and are fighting with the transplant doctors to stop them from taking his lungs, liver, corneas and bone marrow. It's only when everyone hears what lives will be saved that George's friends start to get some perspective on his death.”

According to the source, all of the scenes with George were shot using special effects and makeup.

"It's one of the goriest scenes they've ever done because you literally see each of these organs get pulled out of his body," says the insider.

Rihanna and Chris Brown — talking?
After Chris Brown’s anti-climactic sentencing hearing (a decision from the judge was delayed until 2 p.m. on Aug. 27) Rihanna’s attorney Donald Etra spoke very briefly about his client, who was not present in the court room.

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“She’s doing great, and she is hard at work,” said Etra.

Prior to the hearing it was rumored that Etra would ask that the stay-away order stipulating that Brown remain 50 yards from Rihanna unless they are both at the same work-related event, in which case the distance is 10 yards, be reduced. Since there was no ruling today, the stay-away order remains in effect.

Etra said that there has been “no violation” of the stay-away order so far.

Interestingly, when I asked Etra directly if Rihanna had been speaking to Brown his only answer was, “There is a stay-away in effect.”

Keeping tabs: Gosselin grabs the most attention

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It’s a rare week in the celebrity magazine world: every publication features a different subject on the cover.

The best two of the lot: People magazine and their Farrah Fawcett cover, “The Farrah you never knew,” and In Touch Weekly's Jon Gosselin cover, “I’m tired of being blamed.”

Even though the image of Gosselin on the In Touch cover looks like it was lifted from his high-school yearbook, the angle is timely and Gosselin gives the magazine a considerable amount of info in the course of his interview.

People’s story about Fawcett includes information from her best friend, Alana Stewart. Since many feel her death was overshadowed by Michael Jackson’s on the same day, expect this issue to do well.

Courtney Hazlett delivers the Scoop Monday through Friday on msnbc.com. Follow Scoop on Twitter: @courtneyatmsnbc.

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