American Idol Death: Paula Abdul Pays Tribute Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest have paid tribute to a former American Idol who died in a hit and run in New Jersey. Alexis Cohen auditioned for the show in 2007 and famously got in a row with Brit judge Simon Cowell, calling him "egotistical." Abhishek, Aishwarya leave shooting site Thrissur: The elephant that killed a mahout at