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Paula Abdul chatted with OK! Magazine about her sometimes strange behavior in public and how it’s resulted in numerous rumors about her sobriety. She calls these rumors “defamation of character,” because her odd conduct is simply a result of her struggle with reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

“If I appear exhausted on television, it’s because I am!” she says. “I have a lot of sleepless nights because I’m in so much pain. I was taking far more medication on earlier seasons (of `American Idol’), and nobody said anything. I try to say something and I stumble, and that’s what people have picked up on. I’m not polished.”

Hmm…if “polished” is a strange euphemism for “sober” then I agree. I kid, Paula! I kid because I care. Actually, I kid because it’s my job.

She also said that being on the show is the highlight of her career, which is surprising, since I would have assumed that it would have been getting to dance with a cartoon cat.

“Being a judge on `American Idol’ overshadows being a Grammy Award winner and selling millions of records,” she says.

Oh Paula. You’re forever my girl.

(WENN)