Paula Abdul Dumped Idol on Principle

Former American Idol judge Paula Abdul finally spoke about her decision to leave the popular show, telling TV Guide magazine that her departure was fueled by "principle," not money, as many speculated.

Abdul announced in early August that she would leave American Idol after failing to reach a contract agreement with the show's producers. Her latest remarks, however, suggested that her decision was as much a result of feeling disrespected as it was financial.

"It's never...I stand on principle where many people stand on money," Abdul told reporter William Keck. "I'm a hard-working artist. I've lasted in this business for 23 years. And you can't do that unless you are good at what you do. I believe in myself and you have to have your own self-respect. And sometimes decisions are very difficult to make, but I've always believed that at the core I'm a survivor. There's not one thing I've done that I've really set my mind to that I've failed at."

The 47-year-old star also spoke about the possibility of hosting her own talk show in the near future. "I'd be Paula," she said. "It would be a lot of fun variety with a ton of unexpected stuff and tributes to everyday people getting their big chance."