Former "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi has been sued over a 2010 car accident that allegedly left one man with a terrible neck injury ... but the crazy part, Kara wasn't even driving the car!!!



The man doing the suing is Joel Postorino -- who claims he suffered a serious disc injury in his neck after a woman driving a 2005 BMW smashed into the back of his Porsche at an L.A. intersection last May.

In his lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Postorino claims the only person in the BMW during the crash was a woman named Christina Kline ... but Kara happens to be a registered co-owner of the BMW, so the man feels the former "Idol" star should have to pay up too.

DioGuardi's rep tells TMZ ... Kline used to work for Kara  ... and she only co-signed on the car to help her employee out several years ago.

The rep explains, "When Ms. Kline left Kara’s company in November 2009, she was asked to remove Kara’s name from the registration,  but never did. She was in a car accident in May 2010 that Kara did not know about until yesterday when she was served papers."

Meanwhile, Postorino's lawyer, Ira Fierberg, tells TMZ his client is asking for roughly $250k in damages. The case goes in front of a judge in July.

Former "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi has dropped two major bombshells -- revealing she was molested as an 11-year-old ... and by the time she was 30, she had been date raped by a "fairly known" music producer.



Kara makes the statements in her new book, "A Helluva High Note" -- in which she claims the person responsible for the alleged childhood molestation was the teenaged son of a family friend.

Kara writes, "He took me into the back shed of his house and put his hands all over my breasts and vagina. I remember freezing and not knowing what to do."

As for the alleged date rape back in 2000, Kara claims a music producer did the deed -- and explains how it all started with an innocent dinner ... but "within a few hours, he was on top of me, pumping, sweating, and speaking to me in Spanish, not a word of which I could understand."

In the book, Kara does not reveal the name of the music producer.

FOX is finally telling people what TMZ told you five weeks ago -- Kara DioGuardi  has been fired from "American Idol" ... actually, FOX isn't using the word "fired," but that's exactly what happened.


In a statement released by FOX, DioGuardi said, "I felt like I won the lottery when I joined 'American Idol' two years ago, but I feel like now is the best time to leave 'Idol.'"

As we first reported, FOX decided long ago to 86 DioGuardi but kept her in the dark until recently.

As we reported yesterday, the last touches are being put on the Jennifer Lopez deal  ... it should be finalized next week.

We took your questions on everything -- including Oksana Grigorieva's scathing message to Mel Gibson, Kara DioGuardi getting booted from "American Idol", Heidi Montag filing for divorce from Spencer Pratt.



Plus: Snooki arrested in New Jersey!

Sources connected with the "American Idol" negotiations tell TMZ Kara DioGuardi has judged her last contestant on "American Idol" -- because she's been fired. 


We're told the show will be going back to a three-judge format and assuming all deals are finalized, the judge's panel will consist of Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.

We're told the only way Kara could get a reprieve is if the J-Lo deal falls apart -- but we're told that deal is done.

Ellen DeGeneres announced earlier Thursday that she was leaving the show after just one season.

Hours after a judging spot opened up on "American Idol" last night -- Steven Tyler was already in Hollywood taking on questions about Ellen's replacement.
 

As we previously reported, Tyler is expected to fill the spot -- along with Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez -- once the deals are finalized.

Neither Tyler nor "Idol" have confirmed -- but Tyler is in town and FOX does have their big TCA event on Monday ... so you do the math.

TMZ obtained a copy of the contract every "American Idol" contestant must sign before going on the show -- and one thing is perfectly clear .... Ryan, Randy, Ellen, Kara, Simon, Theodore and Alvin are not available for their pleasure.


According to the legal doc -- a copy of which was filed in court because a contestant was a minor -- the contestants promise the following:  "Neither I nor any members of my family or my friends will enter into any personal, social, business, and or financial relationships with any of the judges, host(s), guest stars ..."  The prohibition runs for the duration of the show and 6 months thereafter.

But the way we see it ... there's no way the contract can bind family or friends.  Nonetheless, it's a good threat, because according to the doc, a contestant will be disqualified for violating the rule and forfeit any prize money.

And in the money department ... here's the way it breaks down.

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Andrew Fenlon -- the "smartass" Kara DioGuardi ripped into and threatened to spank on "American Idol" -- now says his d-bag demeanor was just for kicks.

The bespectacled brat called into The Morning MIX with Scott McKenzie at MIX 105.1 in Orlando yesterday where he said he acted like an ass so he would stand out more ... and get some prime TV time.

Fenlon also claims he would have made it to Hollywood if he would have played it straight for the judges -- so check out his audition, which is replayed during the interview, and tell us ...

Reality show host/judge Cat Deeley and Kara DioGuardi competed for face time at the same event in Beverly Hills the other night.



Question is ...

Paul Abdul is hurt, angry and threatening to quit "American Idol" ... like "60 Minutes" wants to snatch her up.

It's absurd, but Abdul's manager told the L.A. Times, "Very sadly, it does not appear that she's going to be back on 'Idol," adding "Idol" producers have been "rude and disrespectful" by not offering her a new deal.

Ok, let's now get real. Our "A.I." spies say Abdul is raking in about 2 1/2 million bucks a year -- a nice check, but compared to the $15 mil a year that Ryan Seacrest just sealed ...

In Hollywood, stars have to talk the walk in order to rob the bank. Paula's manager says since "Idol" hasn't offered her a new deal she's now considering starting a competitive show. Here's the deal ... Paula tried starting her own series a few years back with Paramount .... NIGHTMARE! The idea crashed and burned.

So it's yet another ploy for more moolah, and more power to her. Whatever the deal it's a long way from Paula's first season paycheck -- our "A.I." spies say she was pulling in $5,000 a week.

That "angel pink mesh" thong on Kris Allen's wedding registry -- consider it a surprise from his wifey, because he had no idea it was even on there.

The "American Idol" winner talked about the saucy unmentionables on 104.3 MYfm today -- but the best part... his politically correct, but completely insincere answer about Kara DioGuardi's heinous finale song.

Just listen "between the lines."