Dec 21 2008
Clay Aiken Looks Back on 2008
Be careful what you wish for, Clay. In a recent article on People.com, American Idol season two runner-up is reflecting back on what was a huge year for him, more so personally than professionally. He states he can’t wait for his new son to start walking and talking, but speaking from experience, if you think you’re busy now, wait until he’s mobile. Then wait until he’s 15 for him to start talking back to you.
We assumed that Clay announcing he would be a father after his close friend Jayme Foster gave birth would be his biggest news of the year. It caused all sorts of speculation, as we wondered if he had actually done the dirty deed with Foster or whether there was artificial insemination involved, both due to the fact that they’re friends, and because of the constant speculation on his sexuality. Either way, he seemed tickled to become a dad, and that’s not surprising considering his original career plans to become a special education teacher.
Yet it was Clay’s next announcement that perhaps made even bigger news, yet wasn’t all that surprising. He finally confirmed after the birth of his son, Parker, that yes, he was gay. We had always figured that, and frankly I don’t know why it mattered so much to so many people. I also find it somewhat sad that American Idol contestants don’t feel they can be honest about who they are while they’re on the show. The question is if this is something imposed on them by Fox, or whether they fear they won’t win or make it big if they’re honest.
Clay talks in the article about the widespread support he has received from fans after he officially came out. That’s a good thing. He also mentions it’s possible he has become an inspiration to other gay men thinking of coming out, and calls it “humbling.” Clay mentions “we” often in the article, and I’m not sure who the we is he’s referring to. Does he mean he and Jayme, he and Parker, or an unmentioned partner? Perhaps he’s speaking in the royal sense.
After Clay closes on Broadway with Spamalot in the beginning of 2009, he plans to make a return to singing after taking some time off, explaining “we’re not quitting or anything, we’re just going to take it slow for a month.” I’m convinced no matter who he plans on taking the time off with, Parker will feature in these plans prominently, and that 2009 will be a bigger year for Clay personally, not that he can relax and be himself.
Photo by Michael Levine and courtesy of people.com
Follow me on Twitter, and for more information on American Idol and Clay Aiken, see SirLinksalot: American Idol, SirLinksalot: Clay Aiken, and American Idol Headlines.
One Response to “Clay Aiken Looks Back on 2008”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Not A Member? Register for Free!
Nice article. I also figured he was gay, and can’t figure out why that was so important to people, either. Cute baby. And LOL about when Parker is 15. Clay Aiken always says “we” in every interview instead of “I.” He explained once that he is referring to his whole professional team–himself, manager, publicist, personal assistant, bodyguard, stylist, background singers, etc., as he views it as a team effort.