Sept. 20, 2006 — He was the North Carolina boy who made it big on "American Idol."
But for Clay Aiken, fame came with a price.
"Clay, don't take this the wrong way, but I prefer you when I shut my eyes," said "Idol" judge Simon Cowell to Aiken after one performance.
It was one thing to smile through the brutal poison darts fired off by Cowell, but yet another to be Aiken this past year.
The tabloids took aim at everything from his sexual orientation to his mental equilibrium.
The late-night comedians launched a nonstop assault, making jokes that were initially funny to Aiken but eventually took their toll.
So this year, Aiken moved back home to Raleigh.
"I need to get out of Hollywood," he told Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America."
Familiar With Hard Times
Aiken, the geeky, skinny kid, who was bullied by his classmates, is no stranger to tough times.
I thank he is not GAY!
2006-09-25
05:54:21
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