American Idol: Paula Abdul & Kara Properly Hate Each Other Forget the endless soggy Stevie Wonder cover versions - American Idol is always going to be about one thing. How much the judges hate each other. Balancing their egos has always been a tricky job - especially when one of those egos is as shrieky and scattergun and genuinely incomprehensible as Paula Abdul - and now it's all come to a head. Paula Abdul has told a magazine that she doesn't really like American Idol now that new judge Kara DioGuardi is on board, and Kara has responded by saying how 'hurt' she is. Boy, this is going to be one funny-looking catfight.