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       *Conspiracy theorists would love to know how “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul and the former contestant who accused her of having an affair both ended up making national news in Sacramento just days apart. 

       While Clark picked up a misdemeanor battery charge Saturday morning for engaging in a food fight at a hotel in the state Capitol, Abdul was fighting for the right to get your nails did in California without having to worry about catching a funky bacterial infection.

       The former urged California legislators Monday to pass a new bill that would force nail salons to maintain a certain degree of cleanliness. Abdul took up the cause after an April 2004 trip to a Studio City salon led to a severely infected thumb and numerous trips to the hospital.

       "Being a professional dancer, 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," Abdul told the California Senate Business and Professions Committee.

       The bill, sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman Leland Yee, would establish safety standards for manicure and pedicure equipment and rewrite state regulations mandating that nail shops follow sanitary practices.

       Abdul’s germ-riddled manicure – done with tools that were not properly sanitized between customers – left her with a nasty bacterial infection and at the mercy of late night comedians, who clowned her for the big-ass bandage worn around her thumb during live “American Idol” telecasts.

       "I was publicly humiliated," Abdul said in her closing statement. "That is why with an open heart and a selfless agenda, I implore you to pass this bill."

       The bill was expected to pass in committee, reports AP. If that occurs, it would likely come before the full Senate sometime in the next two weeks.