Clay Aiken: It’s Promising To Hear Obama Support Gay Marriage

Clay Aiken, seen here in a suit, talked about President Obama offering his support of gay marriage in an interview with CNN host Piers Morgan

Clay Aiken talked to CNN’s Piers Morgan about President Barack Obama’s support for same-sex marriage on May 9th. “You know, it is a little bittersweet,” the ‘American Idol’ season two runner-up said about the historic support offered by a sitting president. “I’m in North Carolina and as a North Carolinian was really disappointed with the way the amendment initiative vote went yesterday here in North Carolina. But it’s very promising to hear President Obama finally come up and speak out on something that’s so important. And I think that the groundswell, the energy that was behind a lot of the activists and the people who were important in the vote here yesterday in North Carolina. That energy made its way to Washington and President Obama realized that this was the time to speak up and to speak out on the freedom for everyone to marry.”

Watch the interview via YouTube below.

June 12, 2012 Jeff C Multimedia No Comments

Clay Aiken: Rihanna Has Some Pitch Problems

Clay Aiken sitting on stairs

During an appearance on Bravo’s ‘Watch What Happens Live’, Clay Aiken was asked which current pop singers wouldn’t make it past the first round on ‘American Idol’. “Oh God, there is too many. Too many … Current pop singer? I’ve stopped listening to them because they can’t sing,” the season two ‘Idol’ runner-up said. After thinking about the scenario, Aiken got specific, “Rihanna has some pitch problems for sure. She does … Now, am I gonna get in trouble?” Watch the ‘Plead The Fifth’ segment, where Clay also reveals that he had some fat sucked out of his chin during TMJ surgery, below.

April 8, 2012 Jeff C Multimedia No Comments

Clay Aiken New Album ‘Steadfast’ Out March 27th

Clay Aiken 'Steadfast'

‘American Idol’ season two runner-up Clay Aiken is set to release his semi-new album ‘Steadfast’ on March 27th via Decca Records, which coincides with the pop singer’s stint on the NBC reality show ‘Celebrity Apprentice’. ‘Steadfast’ features mostly songs from his 2010 ‘Tried and True’ album, along with the new single ‘Bring Back My Love’ and a version of ‘Who’s Sorry Now’.

Clay Aiken ‘Steadfast’ Track Listing:
1. There’s A Kind Of Hush
2. Bring Back My Love
3. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
4. Crying
5. It’s Only Make Believe
6. Misty
7. Unchained Melody
8. It’s Impossible
9. Who’s Sorry Now
10. Moon River

March 4, 2012 Jeff C News No Comments

Clay Aiken Not Happy With CNN For Florida A&M Hazing Victim Reporting

Clay Aiken checked in with his Twitter followers (@clayaiken) earlier today while watching CNN, unhappy with the network playing up the revelation by the parents of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion that he was gay. Champion died after being beaten severely during a hazing attack in Orlando last semester. The ‘American Idol’ season two runner-up posted a pair of Tweets directed at Brooke Baldwin, who teased the revelation that Aiken viewed as tabloid journalism. The family attorney Christopher Chestnut said during a news conference that an investigation showed “This was hazing, not a hate crime.” Aiken writes:

@BrookeBCNN The parents of FAMU student R clearly trying 2 not let his legacy 2B defined by sexuality. Stop making that the story! :-(

@BrookeBCNN Big fan. Fellow Tarheel. Watch everyday.. But that teaser about them “making a major revelation” was tabloid and unfair. :-(

For the record… @BrookeBCNN is one of my fave CNN anchors, for sure. (along with @FWhitfield, who I LOVE) Just disappointed today.

January 10, 2012 Jeff C News 2 Comments

Clay Aiken ‘Bring Back My Love’

Clay Aiken 'Bring Back My Love' single cover

Clay Aiken released his new single ‘Bring Back My Love’ on iTunes (Decca) on Decmeber 20th. The song is the first single released by the ‘American Idol’ season two runner-up since 2008’s ‘On My Way Here’, with his first album on Decca ‘Tried and True’ having no singles or radio play.

December 27, 2011 Jeff C Multimedia 58 Comments

Clay Aiken On Scotty McCreery’s ‘Idol’ Journey

Clay Aiken spoke with WRAL about how ‘American Idol’ contestant and fellow Raleigh, North Carolina area native Scotty McCreery is in the same position he was eight years ago. “He’s very different than me, isn’t he?” Aiken joked. “If he makes it to finale, even if I don’t watch, I’ll call in.” The singer added that local support through the competition’s final week was “a large part of why I made it as far as I did.” Watch the interview at WRAL.com.

Ryan Seacrest Dons A Casey Abrams Beard

April 25, 2011 - After Casey Abrams performed on ‘American Idol’ Songs of the 21st Century night, host Ryan Seacrest surprised everyone by wearing Casey’s beard. Watch behind the scenes footage showing how it went down to Ryan’s surprise below.

Weighty ‘American Idol’ Audience Member Controversy

April 16, 2011 - ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ joked about the ‘American Idol’ audience member controversy, with an overweight 19-year-old woman claiming she was moved from the front row because she was too fat. “Which is a great idea for a show by the way, ‘Biggest Loser American Idol’,” Kimmel joked before playing a video of Randy Jackson receiving similar treatment. Watch the comedy clip via YouTube below.

‘American Idol’ Summer Tour Expanding

March 31, 2011 - ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ joked about how ‘American Idol’ is expanding the size of their ‘Idols Live’ tour after the show’s tenth season concludes. “Normally they only take the top 10 contestants on their summer tour, but this year they’ve made an exception, they’re taking the top 11,” Kimmel explained. “So they’re really stepping on the gas this season.” Jimmy then played a faux ‘Idol’ commercial promoting an ‘American Idol’ B Team Tour featuring the bottom 246 contestants. The comedy clip at YouTube has since been removed.

May 17, 2011 Jeff C Multimedia No Comments

If Clay Aiken Knew Then What He Knows Now

Clay Aiken spoke with Hollywood Outbreak about how he can now relate to the saying “If I knew then what I know now” in his career post ‘American Idol’. “I always thought that’s the stupidest thing I ever heard. I don’t think they know what they’re talking about. Now I feel like that, I really do. I think to myself if even seven years difference. If I knew coming off of ‘Idol’ or if I knew putting my first album out what I know today, oh things would be quite different.” Listen to the comments at hollywoodoutbreak.com.

July 11, 2010 Jeff C Multimedia, Photos 26 Comments

Clay Aiken Was Prepared To Be Booed After Coming Out

AOL Music’s PopEater spent a day with Clay Aiken in New York City as he was promoting his latest album ‘Tried and True’. The ‘American Idol’ alum talked about the decision to reveal he was gay two years ago and being nervous about the reaction he’d get from the public. “When anybody comes out, there are going to be people who are supportive and people who are not,” Aiken explained. “Obviously, I was doing ‘Spamalot’ at the time and I was kind of nervous. I specifically remember that night, thinking, ‘OK, I’m going to walk out prepared to be booed,’ and nobody did. And people were very supportive. People have been very supportive throughout the whole process and it didn’t really change.” Video footage has since been removed.

July 3, 2010 Jeff C News 42 Comments

Clay Aiken: I Haven’t Watched ‘American Idol’ In Years

Clay Aiken 'Tried And True'

Reuters spoke with Clay Aiken in a Q&A, asking the ‘American Idol’ season two runner-up if he still watches the hit FOX singing competition. “No, I haven’t watched it in years,” Aiken confessed. “I stopped watching it in the third season because it stressed me out too much. They were getting kicked off the show and my palms would start sweating. I cut the show out of my life to relieve some of the stress and found I was doing fine without it.” Check out the entire interview here.

Clay Aiken Always Wanted To Work With Ruben Studdard

June 6, 2010 - Clay spoke with CBS News’ Shira Lazar on how he chose the songs for his latest album ‘Tried and True’, collaborations on the CD, and what to expect from his upcoming tour with fellow ‘American Idol’ season two alum Ruben Studdard. “He’s one of my favorite people in the world and I’ve always wanted to work with him,” Clay said of Ruben. “I love watching him perform, he’s one of the best performers I know, and we have a great time together.” Watch the interview via cnet.com below.

Clay Aiken Discusses ‘Tried And True’, Tour With Ruben Studdard

June 5, 2010 - In a interview with Washington DC’s FOX 5, Clay promoted his new CD ‘Tried and True’ and upcoming ‘Timeless’ tour which kicks off this summer. The ‘American Idol’ alum talked about teaming up with Ruben Studdard on the tour, which Clay said was “something we always wanted to do”, adding that it will be more of a collaborative show a la Sonny and Cher. Clay added that the new album tackling the hits from the fifties and sixties was “really sort of where I wanted to be from the beginning. These are songs that I’m far more connected to.” Watch the interview via myfoxdc.com below.

June 7, 2010 Jeff C Transcript 17 Comments

Clay Aiken “Probably Didn’t Know” He Was Gay During ‘Idol’

Clay Aiken 'Tried And True'

Clay Aiken appeared on ‘The View’ on Wednesday (June 2), where the singer said that he didn’t reveal he was gay when rising to fame in 2003 on the second season of ‘American Idol’ because he wasn’t sure of his sexual preference. “I probably didn’t quite realize then, at the time, what was going on,” Aiken said. “There’s a lot of stuff in the industry, in the media industry, there’s pressure from different sides. I think you have to learn to love yourself first and then when you do that you’re ready.” Clay revealed he was gay in September 2008 for a People magazine cover story.

Watch his ‘Unchained Melody’ performance on the ABC program via YouTube below the cut (an exit interview with Clay and Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go’s has since been removed). (more…)

June 5, 2010 Jeff C Multimedia 19 Comments
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