Clay Aiken Recounts Simon Cowell's Harsh 'American Idol' Comment
May 16, 2026·about 1 hour ago·via AOL.com

Clay Aiken is opening up about one of the tougher moments from his American Idol audition. He says Simon Cowell told him he did not look like a pop star and even called him ugly. Aiken is looking back on the comment with fresh perspective, and it is a reminder of how brutal those early reality-TV critiques could be. The story adds new context to his rise from audition room underdog to pop star. Read more about this...
