Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul was born in San Fernando Valley, California. When she was eight years older, she began her dancing lessons. She went to Van Nuys High School, where she was the class head cheerleader and president. Her high school graduation was in the year 1980. Following graduation she enrolled in college at Cal State Northridge. There, she majored in radio and TV. After joining the L.A. Lakers cheerleaders, she became head cheerleader/choreographer after only a few months, eventually dropping out of college to dance and choreograph full-time. The Jacksons hired her to choreograph their 1984 video "Torture" which was the first of a long line of movies and videos she choreographed. She began singing in her first album, "Forever Your Girl", which had lackluster sales until her single "Straight Up" exploded onto the charts in December of 1988. she has been a renowned singer/dancer ever since, enhanced by her stint as judge on the cult show American Idol (2002). Her father, Harry Abdul, is Sephardic Jewish from Syria. Her mother, who is also Jewish, was born in Canada. Her parents have lived in Syria, Brazil, and Canada - and this varied background has led to numerous stories being reported in the media about her nationality and/or religion. Born in Hollywood, California to Harry Abdul (another livestock trader from Brazil) and Lorainne Abdul (former assistant to film director Billy Wilder), she began her life. She's been dancing and singing since she was seven years old, while on the road in America. She also learned tap dancing and was awarded an award to attend a tap dancing school. She attended Cal State-Northridge College, where she studied Broadcast radio. She was a candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers NBA cheerleading team. The result was making $50 per game in her freshman year.