Clay Aiken Trashes American Idol, Adam Lambert
Last night millions of American Idol fans tuned in to watch the show’s season finale. But you know who didn’t? Clay Aiken, who basically trashed everything about the show today on the subscription-only message board of his website, going so far as to say Adam Lambert made his ears bleed!
Aiken, America’s favourite gay father who was the runner-up to Ruben Studdard in Idol’s second season, charges his fans $US29.95 annually for the “Ultimate Membership” at ClayOnline.com, which is the only way to view his blog posts and cruise around in his chat room or on his message board, but a tipster with access to the site passed this along. Here’s how Aiken responded today to a generic “what do you think?” question posed by a fan on the site:
Now that it’s all over, and for the record…. I couldn’t be happier about the way AI ended this year. I only turn the show on once a season, and only to see what the set looks like each year. This year, I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing “Ring of Fire” and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening! I wasn’t really a fan and found myself surprised whenever folks told me that they liked him. Granted, I never saw another performance (and many folks who I trust said that he was great) but I can’t imagine I would have enjoyed it. Just not my cup of tea at all. To each his own. I never saw Kris sing on the show, but whether he was good or not is really relative. It’s usually a matter of taste, right? But Idol is not always a matter of musical taste only. It’s about the person you like. From what little I saw, Kris seemed likable. (That’s not to say that Adam isn’t just as likable as anyone.. maybe more so… I don’t know) When Ruben and I were standing next to each other every night (many years ago) you had two equally talented, equally unlikely, equally unpolished contestants…. so it really was a matter of taste as to who was voted for. While some may argue that one of us was hyped more than the other, I don’t feel that was the case. However, this year, there was an obvious bias. Not even having watched the show, I can tell you that I was WELL aware of the bias from the judges as to who should win. In my opinion, that is awfully unattractive. I don’t think I am alone
In my opinion, it all often comes down to that last night of voting. Until the finale, folks are voting for the contestant that they want to see continue. But, I believe that on that last night, the dynamic changes. No longer forced to choose one person that they want to see win, the audience can effectively vote AGAINST the person that they don’t want to see win. In the case of season two this might have happened. There may have been some folks who voted for myself or Ruben because they didn’t like the other of us. I was the nerdy little girly boy who some didn’t want to see win, so they may have voted for Ruben. I don’t know. .. But again, I feel that Ruben and I were fairly matched. We both had our detractors and negatives, but I feel we were both very worthy of being on that stage in that moment, and either of us would have been worthy of winning. The show was different then, and folks made it in seasons 1-3 because they were “real” people who happened to sing/entertain well. But, somewhere along the way, AI stopped being about real people.
Aiken also elaborated on why he thought Kris Allen won this year’s competition:
In a battle between David and Goliath, my money is on David!
I think many voters got sick of being “told who to vote for”. I think many were turned off by the blatant favoritism shown towards one contestant. Therefore, on that last night, they used their votes against a contestant that they were tired of hearing about and for the contestant who had been written off. And, at the same time, I think they voted AGAINST an American Idol that has, for four years now, been more about the slick productions and polished contestants than it has been about finding the raw talent that it did in its first three seasons.
Those votes for Kris were also votes to return the show to its roots of finding “real” contestants with undiscovered talent and giving them the chance to grow and shine. They were votes that said “we’re tired of seeing contestants who already seem to know it all”.
Will American Idol choose to listen to the resounding and clarion call that those voters gave them?…. “Enough with the pretention. More Rubens, more Clays, more Fantasias and Tamyras and Kellys please.” My faith has always been in the voters. I think they have gotten it right every year (mine included). It’s now up to American Idol to decide if it will finally REALLY listen to the folks that keep it on the air.
Wow. That’s some hardcore bitchiness right there! However, we can’t help but wonder if it’s derived from the fact that Idol producers did everything they could to crush Aiken’s dream of doing a duet with Lambert. Hmmm, you think?
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
He's right. Adam Lambert can't really sing for shit. His voice is thin and his vibrato gets annoying at those high ranges; it doesn't sound natural. His vocal range isn't that great, either and he has little control over his runs. I'm glad he didn't win because people were rooting for the hair, guyliner, and the gayness - not his ability to sing.
diesel828
@Dauberfan: About the duet: Kris doesn't do very well with high notes
vainandbitter
From someone with "bitter" in their screenname:
It's not an attractive quality
vainandbitter
@SandhayaZoso: Funny how we all have this belief in the "voters." How can we ever be sure the results aren't rigged? It certainly wouldn't surprise me - even the final results, whereby they producers of AI get one "Idol" trapped into a contract, and a surefire "star" runner-up whom they can exploit mercilessly before casting his empty husk aside?
MindGrapes
@Dauberfan: I agree - I don't think his post was particularly bitchy at all. He said he didn't care for Adam but hadn't really heard much of him. Not exactly claws-out bitchery.
MindGrapes
@missmargo: Clearly, some people do, or they wouldn't pay $30/month to get it.
MindGrapes
Have to say I pretty much agree with everything he said. I did like the show way back when. Right around the Carrie Underwood year I started becoming disillussioned. Bo was clearly the better performer, singer, everything. But Idol wanted Carrie (who had a lovely voice but no stage presence) who they knew they could market to the hilt to the country crowd & they did everything in their power to make sure the voters put her on top. The early years were more fun & innocent - he's 100% right about that. And Adam did make my ears bleed. Agree there. I never believed that Enquirer story, anyway. Nothing about Clay Aiken would ever make anyone think he'd like Adam Lambert's style. It was nothing but a trumped up story trying to connect them because they're both gay.
SandhayaZoso
@missmargo: physician, heal thyself.
n@sulabhadc: nah, they both wear "just took my finger out of asshole brown"
Awww...Aiken's jealous of Lambert's nail polish.
sulabhadc
you subscribe to this shit, cajun?
please tell me you got the media rate of one male nip pick.
but really, who outside of the heartland gives a shit about american idol?
although i do love me some kelly clarkson.
@uncivily obedient: "I, urm, would be happy to, urm, schleep with eleusiswalks if it, urm, helpsh to prove hish point."
Who cares? American Idol has died it's eighth death and it's ninth life doesn't begin for a long time. Don't ya know it's all about SYTYCD now?
Sorry but I kind of agree with him. I was sickened by the show of favoritism the producers showed by having the duet at the end be Queen, when everyone knew Adam was being compared to Freddie Mercury all along and gave him the dramatic lines and Kris had to sing the mellow, beginning lines. Then, he sings with KISS - but they stick Kris with boring old Keith Urban, when Kris doesn't even sing country. It bit the judges and producers in the ass if you ask me.
Dauberfan
@eleusiswalks: Barney Frank read your comment and is waiting for you to call him.
uncivily obedient
Sorry Clay but stick a dick in it and shut up.No one really cares about your opinion.
missmargo
i like him about 1000x more now.
1000 x 0 is still 0 right?
no AI.
Sometimes I ask myself if there is a gay man I find less attractive than Adam Lambert.
And then I remember Clay Aiken. I'd sooner sleep with Barney Frank.
eleusiswalks
The real point of the story here is that Clay Aiken charges real money for witnessing his vapid though processes.
And that newspapers still don't charge for, you know, actual reporting.
I've never listened to a Clay Aiken album , but I can't imagine I would enjoy it.
..ooooooh !
tanuki66
@LaurenceNereus: So does Clay.
Why are unattractive people so bitter? Clay would be even more of a nobody if it weren't for Idol, he didn't even win for god sakes!
He's just a bitter, unattractive cunt.
Now that's a pretty gay thing to do right there.
Ken Elwell
The real American Idol will be the guy who finally pulls the plug on this gaudy hyping of so-what talent.
@The Cajun Boy: That wasn't so much of an accusation as it was a question directed in the general direction of Gawker (Jezebel?) commenters.
This really was a gem of a find. Hopefully, you will have prodded Mr McBitter to blog more on this matter.
@Senator Sully: OH DAMMIT...you busted me!!!
I just want to see Clay and Adam make-out.
LaurenceNereus
I'll take Desperate Bids for Relevance for $1000, Alex.
fess up. Who subscribes to the Gayken's site?
Survivor and Real World peeps from the earlier seasons say the same thing, and they're right. It's better when it's less controlled but do you really believe that a network isn't going to really push the most marketable finish/product? Don't act so disappointed.
clay just getting bitchy cos they wouldn't let him on set to meet Adam, get him to sign up for a gay duet together.
djgj
I can't think of a better group for the bigger-than-life Lambert. And it sounds like he sees the opportunity there, too.
That would be amazing… I would love that," Lambert told Mario Lopez of "Extra." "That'd be such an honor. I had so much fun.
@ellagood: Exactly. Also, them there's a lot of words to say "I have a crush on the cute one."
When Ruben and I were standing next to each other every night (many years ago)....
Yes, I remember I was in a malt shop when I heard that Ruben Studdard won.
@MindGrapes: Exactly. I thought he was surprisingly articulate and fair.
noonecaresowen
Gay jokes and ugly jokes. Keep it klassy, folks.
It’s unusual and arguably unprofessional to criticize another performer so artlessly, but the criticism seems fair. He may also have a point about people voting against a contestant in the final vote.
@missmargo: That's EXACTLY the thought I had when I saw Cheney on TV trying to justify his criminal behavior. Doesn't he realize yet that nobody, really nobody with two grey cells to rub together, wants to hear one more goddamn lie from his snarling lipless gash of a mouth.
Tattertotter
@jasonelias: In my day, we had to vote using rotary phones.
Wow, for a guy who only tunes in to see the set and who only saw a minute of one song by the two finalists, Clay sure does have a lot of very strong opinions about this show that he no longer cares about!
Stupid cracker closet-case can't stand to see somebody so unashamedly unique and unconcerned with what people think of him...
@allyzay:
Only because it's covered everywhere--even on Gawker. I have never watched an episode, yet know who the finalists are each year because they enter the culture. If Gawker, Huff Po, NYT et all want to quit running pieces on AI, I'll happily be uninformed about it!
remarkie
Stupid, stupid 'man'. No talent gay leprechaun. Jeez.
@remarkie: well, yes, you can, but neither of you seem capable of doing so, so there's yr problem.
@noonecaresowen: Agreed. Adam made my ears bleed. I just thought it was awful, over the top, crap. And I love me some gay men so there was no covert homophobia going on.
Since we are doing a little ranting (aren't we...?) I really found it insulting that we were to believe the "scene" where that one girl went rogue and started singing even though Seacrest was all "No I'm serious we need to go to commercial".
That was some edgy live television. I imagine those two bouncers on stage just couldn't seem to hold onto her for more than 3 seconds because she was so agile, or that she used some power to allow them to not MUTE THE MIC. The mic that they gave her.
Really Idol? Are we that dumb?
divideby7
I want to know what Guarini thinks.
@Mike Jahn:
So true. It's like a rash. Can't we just ignore it and hope it goes away?
remarkie
Haterz! Unfortunately I watch this show and I have to agree with lil heart breakin' Aiken about the winners being chosen in spite and the judges having total boners for A-Lam but whatevs you know? Cookies crumble. My problem with Aiken is (yes that he charges $30 dollars...for anything) is that he admits he doesn't even watch the show anymore. He's confusing desperate nostalgia with some actual shift in the essence of the show - if it looks like its changed since season 3, it's because the way he looks at the whole thing has changed. Hate to break it to you Clay, but the show was just as full of s**t in seasons 1-3 as it is now.
I have to disagree-- with you and Clay. The show is a competition. They are judges. They aren't there to diplomatically boost both contests self-esteem. They are there to voice their opinions about whom they feel is the better performer. The winner of AI is supposed to have the whole package-- the voice, the presence, the "it" factor. They favored Adam, because, let's face it-- the guy had it. He had charisma, he was able to rein in the theatrics when it was required (e.g. "Tears of a Clown"), and he held his own with veteran over-the-top acts, KISS and Queen. At the same time, I don't think the judges were trying to throw Kris under the bus. The song he did with Keith Urban (which was not country, but more of a crossover tune) was perfect for his vocal range, and in fact, gave him an opportunity to out-shine Keith (which he did). I think for the first time in a while it was an interesting, exciting competition.
@iplaudius: What is fair about (and I'm paraphrasing here) "Kris seems likable... Adam, I dunno"? It was a long-winded cheapshot as far the Adam-relevant parts go. And even the criticisms of AI (fair, mostly, in a general sort of way) included veiled shots at Adam -- calling for no more pretension, etc.
I'm not even much of an AI/Lambert fan, and I thought it was pretty uncalled for - especially given Clay's claim that his only knowledge of the show is 10 seconds of Ring of Fire. Huh?
@MindGrapes: But all the rambling about "real people" and "no more pretention" [sic] was pretty clearly a huge shot at Adam, no? And also, it seems fairly absurd to have such strong/lengthy opinions about a contestant that he's never seen. I thought it was a little much, myself.
"Kris seems like a nice guy... Adam... I dunno." Seriously?
@Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate: Survivor rocked this past season!
BenderingTimeV2
Wow our sweet hometown boy has really changed. Catty much Clay?
What BS with the line about hype and he/Ruben. It is sad if Clay really believes that he wasn't hyped more than Ruben.
Charlotte Rae's Web
@Dauberfan: Problem is, would Clay Aiken be able to charge $29.95 annually for his message boards if not for American Idol?
It's a bit hypocritical for him to criticize the show at all, isn't it? It's not like he was on the first season. He knew what he was getting into, and he's taken that fame and turned it into a pretty lucrative career for himself.
I also think his "in my day..." tone is completely ludicrous. The show has never been able "real people". It's been about the most marketable singers. Always. When he was on and now. He obviously thinks of himself as more substantive than today's Idols, but, well, he's not.
I think Aiken makes some excellent points, frankly, and is entitled to his opinion. Personally, I like Lambert and DO think Aiken's critique was a bit harsh - "awful" isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. Tell me why it's awful and then maybe we're getting somewhere.
But otherwise I think he more or less nails it - the show has gotten away from its original intention as its head has gotten more and more swelled with self-importance.
priestess
@seyswho: I know! SYTYCD was amazing last night! I'm so excited to get to watch it from the beginning for the first time.
I hate that Mary woman, and I thought it was pretty funny when she said "I couldn't stop smiling during your performance" seeing as how her mouth has got some weird perma-smile thing going on.
@diesel828: Funny, I have the exact opposite reaction to his singing: I think he's absolutely amazing, in technique, range, performance, and surprising ability to hold a long, high note (some might say a scream) exactly on pitch. I'd kill to have that kind of command over my own singing voice.
But then, art often comes down to a matter of taste, so I can't really fault anyone else's opinion. One man's fish is another man's poisson and all that.
@missmargo: So what made you click on "Clay Trashes Adam, Idol"?
@Dauberfan:
Really? You were "sickened" by the way the producers produced the show? Here's a thought. Turn off the TV. If it upsets you that much, you've got bigger issues.
cynyc
Wow. I used to like Clay Aiken. You know, back when he was the awkward guy with the nice voice that sang songs about Jesus in his shows and helped orphans in Uganda.
What the heck happened?
AshleyKeen
@Senator Sully:
My grandmother used to, but then she decided that it just wasn't her cup of tea at all.
tarawanna
@TheWhiteRabbit: psst: the answer almost always is Julia Allison..
Oh my God. "Contrived?" Anyone recall when the gayken returned to perform with his new makeover? Simon could barely contain his giggling.
@DennyCrane: In my day we had to turn TV's--with a dial.
Quite a bitter, shitty opinion from someone who apparently never watched the show this season. Methinks Clay should keep his trap shut about people he supposedly knows nothing about, except from others, and has never seen sing each week. Who the hell does he think he is, anyway...?
BarbraPorcupine
@MrInBetween: I know... you didn't watch it... yet you're talking matter-of-fact about the blatant favoritism shown towards one contestant...
he watches every minute of that damn show.
It's official, Clay Aiken is a vile bitter queen. I hate how he's talking all this crap about the show, like he knows shit when he admitted to not even watching it. And to say he was happy with the outcome (very happy) when he said he never heard Kris sing at all, is just lame.
Tomato
@Senator Sully: *slow clap*
@ObamaIsMyPresident: I was curious about what Claybee had to say about Adam since a few weeks ago Miss Aiken was dying to work with Adam.Of course now that Adam is a loser,he gets trashed by the other loser.
missmargo
@SandhayaZoso:
well Carrie did go on to impress with the best record so far......hello:
5 american music awards
2007 Favorite Album (Country)
2007 Female Artist
2008 Favorite Album (Country)
14 billboard music awards
4 grammy awards
2009 Best Female Country Vocal
2008 Best Female Country Vocal
2007 Best New Artist
2007 Best Female Country Vocal
NO one can say anything bad about that girl, she rocks th socks off of them all.
if the votes were rigged in her case...they were right on. lol
Kelly Vaughn