Abdul pokes fun
at sex scandal
on ‘SNL’

updated 2:48 p.m. ET May 11, 2005

NEW YORK - Despite the controversy surrounding her, Paula Abdul is showing she can have a sense of humor about it.

The “American Idol” judge being investigated for an alleged affair with a former contestant made a cameo appearance introducing the opening sketch on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”

Corey Clark, a former contestant of the Fox show, claimed this week that Abdul had an affair with him while he was competing in 2003 and coached him on how to do better in the competition.

ABC’s “Primetime Live” aired an expose of the scandal, which the SNL cast lampooned on Saturday night.

The sketch made comical allusions to the controversy with a mock interview and stage performances, and featured Amy Poehler as Abdul and Finesse Mitchell as Clark. But at the end of the sequence, Abdul returned to the set making her own “Idol”-style critiques of her imitator.

To Poehler she said: “You need to perfect the clap a little more and be a lot more sexier so contestants will be willing to sleep with you.”

Abdul has called the allegations “lies” and issued a statement Friday expressing “my deepest appreciation” for fans who have expressed their support for her.

“I do trust my fans who can see through attempts at character assassination, and I do trust the essential fairness of the American public,” she said.

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