Former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe is firing back against criticism from Paula Abdul for allowing Paula Goodspeed, a former Abdul stalker, to audition during the show’s fifth season, People Magazine reports. Lythgoe mentioned that Goodspeed, who committed suicide outside Abdul’s home last month, auditioned in front of producers and executive producers and was a “lovely girl,” according to the magazine. Meanwhile, Abdul soon will be busy with her own MTV reality show, “RAH! Paula Abdul’s Cheerleading Bowl,” in which several college squads will compete for a cover of American Cheerleading magazine and a trip to MTV Spring Break 2009, the Hartford Courant reports.