American Idol Clay Aiken Learns Newsweek Is Not OK!
CLAY Aiken, singer, is in conversation with Newsweek magazine. Dim the lights, soften the focus and coat with syrup:
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.
Says OK!: “So it must be hard being so talented..?”
Posted: 13th, January 2008 | In: Celebrities, Twitterings Comments (20) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- yampster on X Factor: Jedward, John & Edward Grimes, Are Voted Out At Last
- Magalie on X Factor: Jedward, John & Edward Grimes, Are Voted Out At Last
- Natalie on X Factor: Jedward, John & Edward Grimes, Are Voted Out At Last
- Anisa on X Factor: Jedward, John & Edward Grimes, Are Voted Out At Last
- JEAN PAGE on I’m A Celebrity: Katie Price To Marry ‘Dumped’ Alex Reid In Jungle
January 15th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Now really. I have seen headlines labeling Clay “Crankypants” and “nuts” but- say what? Asking him about issues that were over and done 12 months ago when he just finished a tour,traveled with his brother and mother to Mexico to represent Unicef, is about to star in his first Broadway play by the end of this week,and has a new album being released. And “News” Week decides to rouse us with the startling news of Clay’s unfortunate assault aboard a commercial flight on the way to a concert-fully covered - ad nauseum -last year. Obviously this reporter is not only rude,he is illiterate.
January 15th, 2008 at 4:16 am
Good for Clay!! Shame on Newsweek!! This man has done nothing but good things for children through his Foundation. He works for Unicef helping children. He is a great singer and has a wonderful comedic personality. I agree with what some have said. He can’t seem to get a break with the press. All they want to do is tear him down. He is not running about town like Britney or drinking or doing drugs. Why pick on him? He is a good Christian who tries to do the very best he can. There are people out there trashing everything he does. I for one, am so sick of all this tabloid trash. I could do without
TMZ, Perez Hilton, (especially Perez Hilton). The tabloids have the same old stuff no matter what name it has on it. The local news and newspaper are trying to get in on it too. Enough is enough! We don’t need this stuff. Newsweek should give us something newsworthy, not trash.
January 15th, 2008 at 12:18 am
It sounds to me, that this reporter was doing his best to turn NEWSWEEK into the NATIONAL ENQUIRER.
January 14th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I don’t even need to say anything,,, everyone else has said everything I wanted to say and I totally agree with everything said here… Shame on you NewsWeek… Our grandparnets would turn over in their graves if they knew what kind of TRASH rag you’ve become,,,
January 14th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
No wonder I never buy Newsweek anymore.
This is just another example of the once reputable “news” magazine falling into the same pit as the majority of publications out there. Juicy stories is not what Newsweek is suppose to be about.
WHY didn’t the interviewer ask Clay about his recent trip to Mexico for Unicef or his Bubel-Aiken Foundation ????? Now THAT is NEWS, not asking about some stupid incident on a plane or Ms. Two-Faced, Double Standard Kelly Ripa who can’t take a joke !
Newsweek —- you are just another rag mag as far as I am concerned.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I am a Clay Aiken fan and have been since he was first discovered. I have followed his career since day one and there are so many, many newsworthy things to discuss in an interview with this very talented, highly educated and very charitable, sophisticated man. Many will see his extreme talent when they see him on Broadway in Spamalot. He is witty, charming, fun, charismatic and can sing like nobody in this world. He is the whole package.
It is so disrespectful for these interviewers to focus on trying to invent garbarge that this young man does not mire in. There is NO dirt on Clay Aiken so why do people insist on manufacturing it? Having followed his career and worked on many, many of his charitable fundraisers, and after having gotten to know much about him, I think that NewsWeek owes him a public apology and this reporter/interviewer should be fired for poor journalism tactics and rude behavior for trying to continue this obvious line of questioning instead of sticking to what was agreed upon.
Some fans have implied here that Clay was also asked personal, private questions which I don’t agree to that or at least it wasn’t printed anyway. This interviewer did, however, try to direct his questioning to old tabloid junk that had been sensationalized and true to tabloid notiriety of not exactly being the truth, but it was also in the news a year ago and did not pertain to his broaway debut or his current events in his career. I am totally disappointed in NewsWeek for stooping so low in their news coverage as to try to produce startling and/or thrilling impressions that are only designed to excite and please vulgar taste instead of reporting REAL news. This same interviewer did the same thing when he tried to interview Kevin Spacey. My conclusion is that NewsWeek is no longer a reputable news outlet and has lost my respect.
January 14th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Greetings,
I was so surprised and disappointed in the interview with Clay Aiken that was posted on the net on I believe 01/11/08. I hate to see Newsweek stoop to the same level as the National Enquirer and all the other ‘rag papers’. I thought it had more integrity than that, but it seems, NOT. For me it seemed that the reporter was the Diva and pissy one. I would like to see them get a well deserved ‘pink slip’, and I’m not talking about under garments. Clay has an extremely loyal fan base, to which he reciprocates with equal attention. The fans have an expression, “We came for the voice, and stayed for the man”. It seems people either love Clay almost to a fault, or dislike his style of music and Southern gentleman-like/artistic ways. To those who shun away from Clay and his music, it is your loss – but, to each his own. As for me, I am thankful that we live in a country where a person has a right to express themselves freely and get up on a soap box and put in their two cents. This is mine. But I feel Clay was cheated by the reporter by the outdated and over played questions rather than up-to-date news that was worthy of asking and reporting — it is still NewsWEEK, right? That a boy, Clay, stand your ground, maybe some other celebrities will learn from you and have enough backbone to stand up to these sleezy slimy simpletons.
Regards, Sharie
January 14th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Clay is a great guy. He really is very caring, and very funny - but he gets disgusted when journalists dredge up old garbage, He rarely speaks to defend himself. He just clams up and refuses to answer stupid, inappropriate questions. Good for him!
January 14th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I totally agree with the other comments that the Newsweek reviewer asked too many personal questions that were old news anyway. And, I also agree Clay should have been asked about his trips for UNICEF, his wonderful winnings from Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader for his Bubel/Aiken Foundation as well as the Golf for Inclusion and of course the reviewer should have mentioned his making a new CD. All the previous blogs mentioned this and of course I agree. Clay answered absolutely appropriately that he would not discuss those old news stories. Way to Go Clay!!! as always. Clay is a true gentleman in every sense of the word and will do an awesome job in Spamalot.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:27 am
We used to take NEWSWEEK and my husband said he wanted to stop the subscription last year. Now I understand why. I don’t understand why a reporter would be so rude to a performer, Clay Aiken. We definitely will “never” read the magazine again.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Good for Clay! He conducted himself as a gentleman, and the interviewer at Newsweek was rude. I agree with an earlier post - why not ask about his recent trip to Mexico over the holidays, his work with UNICEF and the Bubel/Aiken Foundation. Clay is a great entertainer, a humanitarian and a gentleman. Shame on Newsweek!
January 13th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Your representation of the interview was totally misleading. The reporter actually described Clay as witty and chatty till he started asking personal questions. He failed to mention that they were lame old boring tabloid issues Clay is too classy to answer. I admire Clay more and more. Although he is normally a great interview, as someone recently said so aptly, Clay doesn’t suffer fools easily. How true. Clay isn’t going to participate in sophmoric discussions, and he definitely expected more from a Newsweek reporter–as we all should! Clay rocks!
January 13th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Good grief! I’m not even a Clay Aiken fan but can see the shoddy reporting by first Newsweek and then you.
That poor guy can’t seem to catch a break with the press. What’s the deal?
January 13th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Clay Aiken did the right thing in refusing to answer these questions. Why answer old news knowing it has the possibility of bringing up old problems? He talked about these at the time and is now through with answering anything about them. This newsweek reporter could have asked him about some current news, such as his recent trip to Mexico with UNICEF to help the children there who were affected by flooding or they could have talked about his very successful Golfing For Inclusion Tournament that raised money for camps for children with disabilities, or about his new CD he’s working on with all new songs. Seems the reporter failed in his job to ask pertinent questions. Good for Clay for answering these questions with an appropriate “I’m not going to discuss it”.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
What a huge non issue!
Why don’t you report about the UNICEF trips to Mexico, Afghanistan, Uganda and Banda Aceh, Mr. Aiken’s charitable foundation, his membership on a Presidential committee for the mentally handicapped, his new cd, or his debut in Spamalot on Broadway???
Who actually cares about the gossipy junk?
January 13th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
I guess Newsweek can now be added to the trashy tabloids. There are so many interesting things to ask him. Why dredge up this stuff that wasn’t even newsworthy a long time ago? And I agree about the rest of the interview. Why did you not include all of it?
January 13th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
If you’re going to copy an interview into your blog, why would you not print the good parts of the interview too???
January 13th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Aiken is a Southerner, where it is considered bad manners to ask questions that are too personal. He conducted himself as a gentleman in refusing to answer questions about Kelly Ripa and the airplane incident (in which he was assaulted while sleeping, as I understand it). I agree, these questions have no validity in a NEWSWEEK article.
January 13th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Who cares?
January 13th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Since when is it not OK to say “No comment”?
The topics are VERY old news. Why in the world would a serious journal like Newsweek be asking about this stuff at all, much let alone really OLD gossip.
Plus there was a very good interview attached to this that you completely deleted. Sheesh.