American Idol: Is PAULA ABDUL leaving the show?

PAULA ABDUL will be ousted from AMERICAN IDOL to make way for new judge KARA DIOGUARDI. Paula Abdul's contract with the hit Fox reality show and the loopy host has so far played it coy when faced with questions of whether she'll sign on for more time.

"I love the show, I do. I love what I do on the show and I’m loving it more this season than ever. It’s taken me a while to get comfortable in my own skin with the show," she says in an interview set to air on Nightline Thursday night on ABC.

She refutes rumors that new judge Kara DioGuardi was brought in to slowly replace her, but she skirts specific questions as to whether she will stick with it, according to a report from Access 

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"I don’t think anyone [can replace me]. First of all, Kara says ‘I could never replace you.’ And I said whenever there is change it’s not about replacing anybody; it’s about possibly moving on," she says.

She said the harsh critism of Simon Cowell nearly pushed her to quit the first season.

"The first day I went to work on season 1, I quit seven times. I couldn’t believe that that someone was actually getting away with crushing fragile kids," she says.

There have also been rumors that Cowell has plans to quit the show that made him a household name in the U.S., but the caustic judge, who also appears on the show "Britain's Got Talent" has kept mum on any specifics.

is it possible american idol without paula!!??