Shakira’s ‘Idol’ Controversy

Back in March, Shakira gave ?American Idol? a shot of energy and the show promptly returned the favor, as her album (?Oral Fixation: Vol. 2?) jumped from #98 to #6 on the charts.

A win-win situation, right? Not so fast.

In our Verizon Wireless Access V CAST Music Moment, we lay out the she said-they said.

The controversy began in March when Shakira and Wyclef Jean performed on ?Idol.? Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe then went on Ryan Seacrest?s L.A. radio show and claimed that Shakira refused to meet the ?Idol? contestants.

?She kept them waiting half an hour and wouldn?t bother getting off her ass and walking out the stairs,? Lythgoe said.

So Access went straight to the source.

?Where did the story come about with ?American Idol? that you didn?t meet with the contestants? Is this true?? Access Hollywood?s Tim Vincent asked Shakira.

?This is absolutely false because I always put my fans first,? Shakira told us. ?I would never in my life say to a photo or an autograph or meeting someone who wants to meet me.?

Shakira wrote a letter to producers explaining what really happened. According to the singer, she and Wyclef were in a meeting when she was told that some ?kids? wanted to meet her.

?And by kids I understood that some fans wanted to meet me and I was going to come out in a second when I finished with Wyclef. But nobody told me they were ?American Idol? kids who were waiting to meet me and that they had to go,? she explained.

The hip-swiveling, belly-baring bombshell certainly was responsive to fans when she appeared on the ?Today? show, blowing them kisses and waving and giving them a taste of her upcoming Verizon Wireless ?Oral Fixation? Tour.

?We are going to do 28 dates in American for now,? Shakira revealed. ?It could be more? if my stamina holds out.?

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