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Clay Aiken Talks About American Idol Allegations at WRAL
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Clay Aiken stopped by WRAL to answer questions about his view of the recent American Idol scandal accusations. |
Raleigh native and American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken stopped by the WRAL-TV studios on Thursday, May 05, 2005, in the wake of a brewing scandal about the show that made him a star. Aiken discussed the allegations with WRAL-TV Anchors Bill Leslie and Valonda Calloway on WRAL’s Morning News. He also interviewed with Rene Syler for the CBS Early Show via satellite, through WRAL’s sister CBC division Micropace, from the station.
Aiken’s appearance on WRAL came the morning after a Primetime Live exposé on ABC, an interview with former American Idol contestant Corey Clark. Clark made the final twelve in the second season, the same season in which Aiken won 2nd place, but was then kicked off the show for failing to reveal an arrest. Clark is alleging that he received special help and had a sexual relationship with celebrity judge Paula Abdul.
When asked what he thought of the interview, Aiken said it was “somewhat depressing more than anything.” He told WRAL that “people’s motivations are different in LA.”
Aiken told WRAL he does not believe the affair happened. “Each of us who were on the show know Paula very well, and know her to be a very caring and nurturing type of person and we also know other people who were involved in the story… How much I trust of what happened last night is probably a lot less than what most people would be inclined to believe.”
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On a Lighter Note
Clay Aiken also talked about his own plans while at WRAL. He came to Raleigh for a short break while getting his summer tour together. He says his family-oriented show will include hits from the 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s. Aiken will appear at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Friday, August 5th.
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Aiken watched the program “with a grain of salt” and found a lot of the evidence very circumstantial. He himself stayed in the hotel and house with Clark and said contestants had to sign in and out and were under very tight security.
“I would find it impossible to believe that someone could get in and get out without being noticed, especially as many times as were alleged,” Aiken said.
Aiken found it “really depressing almost to think that somebody would do something … to not just someone we care so much about but to an organization and a program and producers that we care about so much.”
Leslie asked Aiken about Clark’s motivation for going public with the allegations. “I don’t want to trash anybody too much…” replied Aiken. “I think a lot of people in LA, when you get out there and you don’t have the opportunity… people get out there and try to be as successful as they can be then when it doesn’t work, they’ll take any means necessary.”
Aiken cited that Clark is currently shopping a book deal and has a CD coming out soon, saying, “LA is a very desperate city.”
“It is really difficult for me to come to terms with the fact that somebody might make such accusations,” he said.
