Culture, Politics: Clay Aiken gets the gloves out in “American Idol” criticism
- The show was different then, and folks made it in seasons 1-3 because they were ‘real’ people who happened to sing/entertain well. But, somewhere along the way, AI stopped being about real people.
- “American Idol” Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken • On the slow decline, in his opinion, of the show. Aiken suggests that Kris Allen’s surprise victory wasn’t all that surprising, because Adam Lambert (who he called “contrived”) seemed to already know it all and fans are looking for “real” people to win. More damning for the show: Aiken, one of the shows earliest breakout stars, only watches once a season now, and then just to see how the sets have changed. • source