Paula Abdul Begs Lawmakers to Crack Down on Unclean Nail Salons  6/28/05

Pop star-turned-American Idol judge Paula Abdul is begging California legislators to clean up the state's nail salons after an unsanitary manicure left her with a year-long infection.

The Straight Up singer took her cause to the state capital yesterday (27JUN05), hoping to convince lawmakers on the California Senate Business and Professions Committee in Sacramento to crack down on salon bosses who don't take cleanliness seriously.

Abdul told the legislators she was "publicly humiliated" when a manicure she had at a Studio City, Los Angeles salon in April 2004 left her with an infection that led to a year-long health crisis.

She said, "I'm no stranger to pain, but this time the pain was so excruciating that even my hair touching my thumb caused me to scream."

A bill Abdul was supporting is expected to pass in committee and then become a hot issue before the full Senate next month (JUL05).