Paula Abdul says the darnedest things.

The 46-year-old late-'80s-pop-star-turned-American-Idol-judge was recently asked to offer some advice to Shawn Johnson, the 17-year-old gymnastic-Olympic-gold-medalist-turned-Dancing-With-The-Stars-contestant whose stalker was charged last week.

Abdul's own stalker, who she said followed her 17 years, overdosed on prescription drugs in front of the singer's home in November 2008.

Her filmed response was released by TMZ:

"She should, um, have people look it up, or -- the police and security and family. She's with her family, so that's good. I was with my chihuahuas."

Perhaps Abdul should also offer some advice to avoid pet-related fall injuries. Though she wasn't among the nearly 90,000 Americans annually sent to the ER with such injuries, she sustained a broken nose, broken toe and bruised torso while trying not to step on her "little chubby Tulip" in May 2007.

The chihuahua wasn't hurt.

-- Sandra M. Klepach, SKlepach@News-Herald.com