Well, will the rumor that has gone around before every season for the past couple years finally become a reality? I hope not. What I’m talking about are comments by ABC Entertainment President, Steven McPherson, at the pre-season Press Tour. EW blogged live from the event:

2:12 pm: McPherson admits he was “a little stunned” by Paula Abdul’s exit from American Idol, adding that he would ”absolutely” be interested in recruiting her for Dancing with the Stars “whether as a contestant or a judge… She’s a huge talent… there’s a sensitivity and an emotion [there] that balanced out Idol and we’d love to get a piece of that.”

I confess I saw this as a possibility the moment I heard she couldn’t reach an agreement with American Idol/19E. But this is the President of Entertainment, not the producers. Can the producers be forced into something? Would they even object? Paula would undoubtedly bring ratings and she would probably be funny.

I wouldn’t mind so much if she were a contestant, if she weren’t short enough that she might end up Derek’s partner. Selfish? Yes.

Speaking of Derek, he and Shannon Elizabeth ended their relationship of over a year last night. They had been living together for a while, but the break up appears amicable.