Fox chief briefs TV critics on realities

Peter Liguori, the television executive formerly known as Mr. FX, faced television critics for the first time as Fox’s president of entertainment on Thursday, and the topics could have ranged from the relative lack of reality programming on the fall schedule to the pressures of heading the No. 1 network among younger viewers, to whether he could transfer his sophisticated programming sensibility from cable to broadcast.

But, alas, that would be really boring. Instead, television critics confronted their last network president of the 17-day Beverly Hilton press tour with something bigger -- an issue so intoxicating that, at one point, Liguori half-joked he wanted to trade his bottled water for vodka -- namely: Is Fox going to fire Paula Abdul from her cheerleading duties on “American Idol”?

Abdul is still mired in a sex/judging scandal, started when former “Idol” contestant Corey Clark claimed he had an affair with Abdul during the 2003 season. Clark, now 25, kept the alleged relationship secret until he told his story on ABC’s “Primetime Live: Fallen Idol” on a May sweeps episode this year. The “Idol” stint of Clark, one of 12 finalists, was cut short when producers discovered he had lied about his criminal record.

Fox and the producers of “American Idol” (19 Entertainment and Fremantle Media) have hired an independent counsel, whose identity Liguori would not reveal, to conduct an inquiry. Liguori would say only that the counsel has experience in such matters and is charging high-profile legal fees. The person also appears to be male since Liguori repeatedly referred to the counsel as “he.” But, Liguori noted, “it’s not Ken Starr and, no, it’s not someone of major notoriety.”

“It is all addressing the credibility of the competition,” Liguori said repeatedly when asked if Abdul would be fired if it turned out that she had had an affair with Clark. “The line is whether it affects the outcome of the competition, that is the filter in which we’ll make our decisions. It is the sanctity of the competition first and foremost.”

“Idol” auditions, set to begin in San Francisco on Aug. 18, will get underway as planned, Liguori said. If the investigation is not complete, guest judges might fill in for Abdul during the auditions. But Liguori stood by her Thursday when a critic brought up viewer backlash against Abdul’s giddy behavior this season, not to mention the way she cried and hugged the mother of Constantine Maroulis when he was voted off.

“Paula’s a compassionate person and we’re out making a TV show,” Liguori said. “Paula actually comforting the mother is good entertainment and it’s being a good human being. I think it’s really difficult to ask the judges to be automatons.... The audience loves Paula. She continues to light up our online site, our message boards. Her specific style seems to be working quite well.”

And what about those other two Fox gals -- Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, who, according to the tabloids, have broken up, so to speak? The show (“A Simple Life”) will go on, Liguori said. Both women will return to their jobs as soon as producers come up with a concept for the new season, Liguori said.

But have they reconciled?

“Not to my knowledge,” Liguori said. “I’m not that into it. I haven’t read Us magazine this week. We’ll figure it out when we sit down, come up with a concept and talk with them. I’m not good friends or intimate with how their relationship stands at this point.”