Ryan Seacrest & Paula Abdul Feud?

By: Shannon Gossage

Seacrest recently described the relationship between he and AI judge Abdul as "awkward." Said Seacrest, "I don’t know what the deal is. It’s very awkward." He went on to say, "Simon and I go back and forth with each other, but it’s in a different way." When asked flat out whether he was speaking to Abdul or not, he said, "No." Seacrest said he has not spoken to Abdul about the rift. He said, "You know, I walked past her dressing room the other day and there was a group of people gathered in front of her door, so I can’t even talk to her."

Abdul has slammed the rumors saying, "Reports of a feud are ridiculous. We are one funny dysfunctional family. There’s nothing but love." A source close to Seacrest has downplayed the feud, saying he was joking about it, but there has been reports from the AI set that things have become "icy" between the two. It could be their recent appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Seacrest appeared on the March 30th episode and when Leno remarked that Abdul has seemed "a little loopy" on a recent AI episode, Seacrest quipped, "Well, have you listened to her album?"

Leno then asked whether or not Abdul has been drinking. Seacrest said, "Hey look, I don’t look in their cups to see what’s sitting before them on that table. But at times I feel like we have reeled her in." Abdul appeared on the show 10-days later and slammed rumors that Seacrest was dating Teri Hatcher of Desperate Housewives after the two were photographed kissing. Said Abdul, "He only kisses the mirror. And honestly, do you think Teri Hatcher is that desperate of a housewife?" Sine their respective appearances on the show, it has been reported that during commercial breaks, Seacrest will talk only with Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson. Oh the drama!