Style BlogClay Aiken, was your bid for Congress just an excuse for a new reality TV show?By Ben Terris April 8 at 5:00 AMLast year Clay Aiken, the former “American Idol” runner-up, ran for Congress. He never had much of a chance of winning, running as a Democrat in a heavily Republican district against incumbent Rep. Renee Ellmers — especially since voters still couldn’t help but see a 24-year old spiky-haired reality-show singer when they looked at the now 36-year old politician.Those who got to see Aiken in action may have been surprised by just how candid, foul-mouthed and well-versed on the issues he had become. But those who didn’t get to see him in action then will get to see him now: On Tuesday, the Esquire network aired the first of four installments of “Runner Up,” its documentary on Aiken’s congressional run. When Esquire first announced the series (made by Simon Chinn, the Oscar-winning producer of “Man on Wire” and “Searching for Sugar Man”) it was met with derision: Of course Aiken had a reality series in development; perhaps this was what this whole congressional run was all about?Below, Aiken responds to that charge and other questions (edited and condensed for clarity):When Esquire announced the filming of the show right after the election, the reaction wasn’t great. Were you surprised people felt hustled, like you were after another reality show the whole time?I would have thought the same f—ing thing. I thought Esquire and the network did a horrible job of announcing this. I fought with them and was angry with them. Until that point we had had nine moths of a good relationship. I was more p—ed off than other people were.So how did this project come to be in the first place?The filmmakers came to me. They were the third or fourth group that tried. I had said no to all of them, I had even said no to them. But they came back and were pretty persuasive and persistentt. . . I knew my chance of winning was a small one, but there was a large percentage of a chance that I could bring attention to issues like how much time is spent raising money in politics. . . It’s f—ing b——-.Was everyone on your team aware that this movie was being made?I said I’ll be okay with the movie only once [the filmmakers] personally get everyone else on the campaign to agree. They had to specifically get their buy-in.There were reports that people at fundraisers felt like they had the rug pulled out from under them when they heard about the film. How do you respond to them?I don’t know what to say about that specifically. I was very separated from whatever the producers and what they were doing. I don’t know. . . . But I will say that for nine months of working with these folks, I never saw them do something that upset or offended anyone. I know what they told every group that they went in front of. The person who complained was well aware that they would be there and what they were doing. He spent a lot of energy trying to get himself attention so I would take his concerns with a huge grain of salt.Are you worried that having a movie like this reinforces the idea that you are nothing more than a reality star?No. I think the only reason I was willing to let me do this was because I felt comfortable that it wasn’t going to be reality TV-ish. And I’ve only seen 20 minutes, but what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard is that it’s clearly not a reality show.Do you think, and do you hope, that people will watch this and learn to no longer see you as just a singer?That was always our biggest challenge and our biggest problem; to get people to see me as not just a singer. . . Admittedly I hope that people who see it recognize that I was serious and not just a 24 year old from “Idol.” If I told you that I wasn’t nervous about how it came across I’d be lying.Will this be part of a process that helps you run again?Will I run again? For that seat, not likely. In its current gerrymandered state we know what to expect of it. But that doesn’t mean I wont run for something if I see a need. It won’t be 2016, and it won’t be 2018. Probably. ?Ben Terris is a writer in the Washington Post's Style section with a focus on national politics.
Clay Aiken Doesn't Mind If He's The 'Universal Punchline For Everything Gay' "American Idol" veteran and former North Carolina Democratic House candidate Clay Aiken joked that he's become the "universal punchline for everything gay" in an interview with HuffPost Live this week. Pointing to the number of tongue-in-cheek jokes that "Family Guy" and friend Kathy Griffin have had at his expense, Aiken said he let most of the humor roll off his back. Nonetheless, he said he was concerned about its impact on young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults who are coming to terms with their sexuality. "It doesn't hurt me, it's not me that is affected by it," Aiken, 36, said. "I don't worry about the person who just got picked on, I worry about [LGBT] kids." He went on to note, "What does that make that 15-year-old in Indiana feel like?"Aiken is currently promoting "The Runner-Up," a four-part documentary series about his congressional campaign, which airs on The Esquire Network.
Clay Aiken's OK Being "Universal Punchline for Everything Gay" But what message does that send to LGBT youth?Clay Aiken knows you make fun of him—and you should probably feel a little shitty about it.Making the rounds to promote The Runner-Up, Esquire Network's documentary series about his North Carolina congressional campaign, the American Idol alum recently opened up about being the butt of gay jokes in an interview with HuffPost Live."You watch a stand-up show or Family Guy or something, and I can tell when the gay joke’s coming," Aiken says. "And I just think, Oh, God, don’t say my name… and then they’ll say 'Clay Aiken,' and I’ll think, Oh, shit! Somehow I became the universal punchline for everything gay."He's surprisingly cool about it—he's friends with Kathy Griffin, after all—but he is concerned about the message that those gags may send to LGBT youth. "It doesn't hurt me, it's not me that is affected by it," he says. "What does that make that 15-year-old in Indiana feel like?"Watch the full interview below.
Clay Aiken ?@clayaiken 21s21 seconds agoGood for #Apple - Out today with a brand new inclusive set of emojis! #emojiequalityforall
Clay Aiken @clayaikenWhen pressure fades results do too! It's time to allow our vets to seek healthcare wherever they choose! huff.to/1Ndof8S
Robert Lloyd ?@LATimesTVLloyd 18m18 minutes agoL.A. Times TV critic. Sometime sideman.Picks! @VeepHBO! @clayaiken doc #TheRunnerUp on @ESQTV! Russell T Davies @cucumber & Banana on @LogoTV! http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/sh...411-column.html …Second-season "American Idol" and something-season "Celebrity Apprentice" silver medalist Clay Aiken's 2014 quixotic campaign for a North Carolina congressional seat is the subject of "The Runner-Up," a locally colorful, four-part documentary from the Esquire Channel. (Spoiler alert from actual history and the title: After winning the primary against a better-heeled and experienced opponent, Aiken lost to Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers.) Like Selina Meyer, Aiken has a dedicated team, which is presented as characters, or rather the suggestion of characters, most memorably young communications director Tucker Middleton, who watched Aiken's "Idol" as a 13-year-old. ("Tucker, you're grinnin' like a possum eating bumblebee," someone tells her -- I think I heard that right.) But the focus is mostly on the candidate, an appealing if sometimes fretful sort -- his handlers call him "a challenge" -- who supports special-needs education, marriage rights and, like any sane person, a depolarized, depoliticized Washington, a local celebrity-hero and man of the little people "who will advocate for us and not for big business and special interests." (Policy remains vague; it's the process and personalities that matters here.) Still, the sharp elbows of politics leave Aiken conflicted: "I don't know whether I would rather win or rather lose," he says, getting ready to lose. "I've come in second before, I can do it again if I have to."
