Clay Aiken: Criticism of Adam Lambert Taken The Wrong Way, Never Actually Said American Idol Runnerup Was "Too Gay"
(SYOP News 5/23/09) Clay Aiken may wish he never opened his mouth or his blog. Aiken, who finished second to Ruben Studdard in 2003, blasted this season's runner-up on his blog deriding Lambert's version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" as "contrived," "awful," "slightly frightening," and added "Omigod, who dressed that boy?"
Aiken now writes that his comments were just meant to be colorful.
"Yes, I wrote that I thought my ears would bleed when I heard it," admitted Aiken. "But I never meant that they actually bled because Adam's atrocious performance. I just happen to be shaving when I heard him and cut my ear. The bleeding was just as much my fault as Adam's."
"As far as allowing himself to be photographed kissing boys, that's a different read the READ THE REST OF THE STARTLING CAT FIGHT HERE.
Award-winning TV writer, Steve Young, is author of "Great Failures of the Extremely Successful" and blogs at the appropriately-named SteveYoungonPolitics.com
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Steve, I thought you were a true journalist. In the headline you say that Clay never said that Adam was "too gay". Congratulations. You did incorrectly quote Clay twice in your article. At no time, did Clay say "omigod, who dressed that boy". Anybody knows that Clay has had delightful, 'unusual' outfits over the years, and an array of gorgeous, imported, very expensive attire when the occasion called for it.
As if that 'misquote' wasn't enough, you added these two paragraphs again, in quotes. Then you have the gall to say that Clay claimed his words were taken out of context. Nothing in those paragraphs was ever uttered by Clay Aiken:
"Yes, I wrote that I thought my ears would bleed when I heard it,” admitted Aiken. “But I never meant that they actually bled because Adam’s atrocious performance. I just happen to be shaving when I heard him and cut my ear. The bleeding was just as much my fault as Adam’s.”
“As far as allowing himself to be photographed kissing boys, that’s a different story. There’s such a thing as coming out of the closet too early. I waited until my third album before I came out, and I certainly didn’t do it during a song. When Adam sang “Ring of Fire” I didn’t no whether the Ring or Lambert was flaming more." The quotes around these paragraphs are to honor the writer, Steve Young.
Check out the video ad for "The Kris Allen Tolerance & Rehabilitation Center," dedicated to helping Adam Lambert fans cope with his recent loss, LoL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2nKsnEB6C8
Post it up and/or share it with your friends!
Clay acts as if his comments should be no big deal, but personally I thinks he just jeolous because of the publicity and voice Adam has that Clay wants. So by making those comments he feels as at least he can share a headline or 2 with Adam.
If Clay was in the competition this year he won't of made the top 5.
Join the Adam Fan club: http://www.online-tv-shows.net/vote-adam-lambert.php
I think Adam Lambert is an extremely talented singer & showman, & I was disappointed that he didn't win the title of American Idol. No, he won't suffer because of it, and I don't have anything against Kris Allen, but I was hoping to see my favorite singer win the competition.
Having said that, I didn't care for Adam's version of "Ring of Fire." I think he said he was working with the Jeff Buckley version. It just wasn't my thing. He floored me with "Tracks of My Tears" and "Mad World." So...he gave one performance that didn't work for me. No big deal. I love the Beatles, but I don't necessarily love every single one of their songs.
As for Clay Aiken, I think people are making too much of his remarks. He isn't the first guy to post something goofy on his blog and he won't be the last. He probably just wrote what he was thinking at the moment. Don't have a cow over it. At the same time, Aiken should know by now that because he is in the public eye, the reporting of everything he says or does will "go to 11." He needs to remind himself of that before he types.
Mr. Aiken went wrong by ignoring "professional courtesy". Anytime a performer or artist criticizes another's work, they open themselves up to the same criticism. It's better to say nothing, or to praise lightly if you can't avoid commenting (say if E News shows up and sticks a live camera in your face).
I enjoyed the original, as well as the many covers: Social Distortion and String Cheese Incident are two of my favorites. Mr. Lambert's interpretation was quite striking, and I enjoyed the more mellow vibe created with the bass line.
BTW, I am not an "American Idol" fan, and have never watched more than a clip's worth of it. However, I am a huge fan of musical performance and listen to a wide variety of genres.
Your opener says it all, Steve, he should have never opened his yap. It really looks as if he's whining because the another gay singer the show's found is raved about much more than he, and it seems to eat him up. Clay now finds himself in the unenviable posititon of having just alienated half the customer base for a product he's tying to sell, - 'himself'.
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