A clue to the American Idol Tension…

Has anyone else noticed a strange tension between the judges and Ryan Seacrest? I’ve been on the hunt to track down the root of the problem and I think I may have found it. Contact Music reports:

AMERICAN IDOL judge PAULA ABDUL claims the talent show’s host RYAN SEACREST is furious he wasn’t asked to pose alongside the judges on the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Abdul, RANDY JACKSON and SIMON COWELL pose on a bed for the most recent edition of the rock magazine – with Seacrest’s tiny image appearing on the front and back cover of a book held by Jackson. Appearing on Monday’s (10APR06) THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, host Leno pointed out Seacrest’s diminutive placing on the publication, much to the delight of Abdul. She said, “He’s down there. I guess that didn’t go over very well. “I heard he’s plenty mad.” In response, Seacrest’s spokeswoman tells the New York Post, “There is no validity to what Paula said about Ryan on The Tonight Show. Ryan hasn’t spoken to Paula about Rolling Stone.” Abdul also took the opportunity to poke fun at recent photos of Seacrest kissing DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES star TERI HATCHER, saying, “He only kisses the mirror.”

Poor Ryan!