Clay Aiken's Incredibly Awkward Newsweek Interview

Newsweek has a "web exclusive" interview with "American Idol" runner idol runner up Clay Aiken to promote his appearance in the Broadway production of "Spamalot". But some of the questions proved stunningly awkward. An excerpt:

How did you get into a fight with that lady on a plane?
I'm not going to talk about it.

I was just curious because you've never talked about it.
I did talk about it.

What about the Kelly Ripa thing?
I'm not going to discuss it.

Did you think it was homophobic?
I'm not going to discuss it.

What do you want to talk about?
I think we're done.

Can we talk about something fun?
No, we're done. I thought NEWSWEEK would be more reputable. I'm surprised.

But I think people are curious about it.
It was a year ago. This is NEWSWEEK. It's not the National Enquirer. I'd hate to have a job where I had to be rude to people.

We're just having a conversation.
Change the subject! I'd never take a job where I had to do something that I didn't want to do.

What about all those Ford commercials on "American Idol"?
That wasn't a job.

It was part of your job.
It wasn't a Ford commercial. It was a music video. It was a completely different thing.

I'll change the subject. What do you do for fun?
I watch the news. I read news magazines, but I'm reconsidering that now.

Read the whole interview here.

Comments

[Over40]

Actually, reading this post gives me a whole new appreciation for Aiken.

[malrubius]

Why is this on the Huffington Post? I could find out about this on E or MSNBC "News". Please stop featuring this crap.

[DaveOz]

Steamboater said:
"What a touchy queen! The reporter just should have asked, "Clay, Are you gay?" and gotten it over with once and for all. "

It looks like the reporter did ask him and the article reports that "Clay says he is straight". He has been asked many times and he consistently answered that he is not gay.

I'm not surprised that he gets angry being asked over and over, as if his answer isn't what they want to hear. It is on record that he self identifies as straight. Why is there continued speculation when it isn't a mystery?

The level of hate speech directed at this guy is way over the line. He's a decent man with exceptional talent and a strong backbone. I notice that the worst offenders for the hate are gay men. Why is that if you all claim you don't want him?

To equate him with Craig, Michael Jackson or Britney is obsurd. By the way, there is no way to tell how many hateful people have impersonated him in chatrooms or myspace or manhunt. Without any proof of any kind that any of the gossip is true, I'd say that he's been framed by a powerful group of gay militants that are willing to destroy his career to out him, even though he is straight. All of his attackers are gay men. Think about that.

[1rewd1]

Is it just me or does Clay Aiken seem, well, not that there's anything WRONG with it, but he seems to be one of "those" kind of guys ... a homosexual, ok ... but I could be wrong.

[richw23]

Wow, I'm going to see if I can figure out a reason to be a Clay Aiken fan just because of all the assholes ranking on and psycho-analyzing him in this forum. Who gives a shit if he's gay and who gives a shit if he's in denial? I agree it's moronic to compare him to Britney and probably driven by homophobia because there's such a passionate desire for him to meltdown somehow.

Bill Hicks would have had so much fun with this crew.

[richw23]

I really don't like Clay Aiken or Idol or that whole gestalt, so to speak, but what's the big deal. I thought he was kind of funny, especially the comebacks when it got bitchy.

Everyone should chillax.

[MikeDu]

The news value of this thing isn't in Mr. Aiken per se but in the seeing increased refusal of interviewees to 'play nice' in these remorseless hack interviews. Remember Bill Clinton recently stomping on his unctuous FOX news interviewer with both feet? Fred Thompson doing the same to the same guy. I'm reminded of the old Paddy Chafesky film 'Network', Peter Finch screaming into the camera "I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Personally, I've stopped watching morning TV just to avoid those absolutely awful Matt Lauer interviews.

[jpopphan]

Sorry, but he is a no talent hack who should be thankful that ANYONE let alone Newsweek wants to talk to him.

Just crawl back under a rock Clay. We don't need your self-hating homophobia.

[Fletch17C]

I must say that I liked Clay Aiken's responses. The questions were really stupid. Aiken has spent time overseas working for UNICEF and is now about to debut on Broadway, yet this reporter wanted to talk about some woman who pushed his feet off an armrest on an airplane. Pathetic. Whether or not you like Aiken as a singer, you've got to give the guy props on this one.

[degjack]

I say good for Clay! 'Bout time we brought journalists in line. They are priviledged to get to dig into people's lives....m­ake them behave!

[Promise]

Good for Clay! I like him now more than ever.
The Newsweek reporter was rude and he was smart and gutsy enough to respond appropriately. I remember when John Lennon used to give similar interviews and people were applauding. Let's do the same for Clay...ano­ther smart, sensitive artist. And yes, he has done so much charity work, too...let'­s give the guy the credit he deserves. I think that Huffpost is doing him a disservice by headlining the article this way. If you read the article from the beginning it makes a lot more sense, but just by picking it up from the part where he refuses to answer is to distort the event. Shame on you, Arianna, for letting this happen on your site!

[hollywoody5000]

WHY DOESN'T THIS GUY JUST LIGHTEN UP, RELAX, BE HIMSELF, ADMIT HE'S HUMAN, WHATEVER HIS SEXUALITY IS, IT'S O.K. HE IS TALENTED BUT NOT STUNNING TO LOOK AT, HAS A MEDIOCRE OR LESS SPEAKING VOICE AND SEEMS TO BE OF AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE. SO HE'S A REGULAR HUMAN BEING. GET ON WITH IT!

[musical]

To those posters here who characterize Clay’s talent as ‘mediocre’ I beg to differ and it seems that I am in good company. Clay’s vocal prowess has been affirmed by Julliard trained Neil Sedaka and multi-Grammy winner, songwriter and producer David Foster; his humanitarian outreach commended by former President Jimmy Carter and his comic instincts, master at characterization acknowledged by Oscar, Grammy and Tony winner, Mike Nichols. Mike Nichols: “ Clay is amazing, beyond that glorious voice. Turns out he is an excellent comic actor and a master of character. People are going to be surprised by his wide-ranging talent…”
Further, Clay’s private life is simply irrelevant, he has a wide range of interests and goals, which went unexamined by a journalist who won the Daniel Pearl Memorial Journalism Internship to The Wall Street Journal. This journalist minored in political science at Stanford University; Clay has worked actively abroad as a Unicef Ambassador. Wouldn’t one think something more substantial could have been discussed out of this intersection of interests? Does an entertainer forego the rest of his identity once he has been anointed as a celebrity – the scope of inquiry limited to salacious gossip? From many of the comments here, it seems we do have a long way to go in achieving civility.
Family and friends have long recommended that I read this blog. Now that I have, I am a bit dismayed at the sensationalistic spin applied to this recap of the Newsweek interview. For a site that includes contributions from respected political pundits, I expected reporting of greater stature.

[jadez]

Newsweek is a rag. keep watching junk like idol and you will get more no talents like this self absorbed miss thing.

[dattexas]

This closet case is just so gross! He fights with women, then gets upset when asked about it.