Clay Aiken To Give Speech in N.C. In His Hometown
More than a year after disclosing he is gay, Clay Aiken is speaking before a gay-rights event in his hometown.GorgeousBoy Account?
Recently Featured Boys
All American Guys
Gorgeous American Boys!
Tag: Clay Aiken
0
More than a year after disclosing he is gay, Clay Aiken is speaking before a gay-rights event in his hometown.
Aiken will deliver a speech about gay rights this weekend at the Human Rights Campaign Carolinas gala in Raleigh, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Wednesday. Actress Meredith Baxter, who recently said she is a lesbian, also will deliver a speech.
The 31-year-old Raleigh native, pop singer and 2003 American Idol runner-up said he wrote his own speech after remarks provided for him proved too political, including a slam aimed at former President George W. Bush.
"I don't feel like this is the place to be horribly politically charged and bash people and talk about the wrongs that have been done," he said. "My goal is to be hopeful, that it's time for everyone to have equal rights."
Aiken says his goal is to urge Americans to support equal rights for all. He says that means allowing homosexuals to marry and enjoy rights that heterosexual couples take for granted like inheritance and hospital visitation. Aiken said that goal may take decades.
"It's more important to me, as a parent, that my son have all the rights — if he's gay — than it is for me. I don't want to do anything today that's going to inhibit, or be a detriment to, his rights," he said.
Aiken's son, Parker, was conceived via in vitro fertilization and born in August 2008. Parker's mother is music producer Jaymes Foster. Foster, who lives in California and Aiken, who lives in the Raleigh area, share custody.
Aiken said he would probably attend Saturday's event with his bodyguard and without family members or friends. Some family members have handled news of Aiken's homosexuality better than others, he said.
"Some Southern families like to sweep things under the rug," he said. "We just don't talk about it."
More than a year after disclosing he is gay, Clay Aiken is speaking before a gay-rights event in his hometown.
0%2
Clay Aiken turns 31 years old today (Monday, Nov. 30) and he's set a precedent for Adam Lambert.
Not only is Aiken gay, but finishing as an "American Idol" runner-up did little to hurt his career success.
Aiken has had a busy six years since "Idol" ended. He went multi-platinum with "Measure of a Man," came out of the closet, became a dad, appeared as a guest star on "Scrubs" and even had a Broadway run as Sir Robin in "Monty Python's Spamalot."
So what's Aiken been up to lately?
Well, not much in the entertainment world, unless you count an appearance on "America's Next Top Model."
He's been working in London and Germany on his latest album, which should be released sometime in 2010, possibly along with a PBS special. Oh joy!
On a more personal level, Aiken raised $10,000 for his National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel-Aiken Foundation) through the Christie Cookie Charity Contest.
"Thanks to everyone that voted in the Christie Cookie Charity Giveaway," he posted on his official site. "Your votes were enough to put us back in the top spot!! A $10,000 check was presented to the National Inclusion Project last weekend at their annual gala. This would not have been possible without you all."
Happy Birthday, Clay!
'American Idol's' Clay Aiken: Happy birthday!
Clay Aiken turns 31 years old today (Monday, Nov. 30) and he's set a precedent for Adam Lambert.
Not only is Aiken gay, but finishing as an "American Idol" runner-up did little to hurt his career success.
Aiken has had a busy six years since "Idol" ended. He went multi-platinum with "Measure of a Man," came out of the closet, became a dad, appeared as a guest star on "Scrubs" and even had a Broadway run as Sir Robin in "Monty Python's Spamalot."
So what's Aiken been up to lately?
Well, not much in the entertainment world, unless you count an appearance on "America's Next Top Model."
He's been working in London and Germany on his latest album, which should be released sometime in 2010, possibly along with a PBS special. Oh joy!
On a more personal level, Aiken raised $10,000 for his National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel-Aiken Foundation) through the Christie Cookie Charity Contest.
"Thanks to everyone that voted in the Christie Cookie Charity Giveaway," he posted on his official site. "Your votes were enough to put us back in the top spot!! A $10,000 check was presented to the National Inclusion Project last weekend at their annual gala. This would not have been possible without you all."
Happy Birthday, Clay!4
Adam Lambert wears eyeliner and diamond stud earrings, sings like a dream and has won a rare standing ovation from tough-minded judge Simon Cowell. With three weeks to go before the "American Idol" final, Lambert, 27, is favored to win the No. 1 U.S. television talent show and become, possibly, the first gay or bisexual singer to be handed the "Idol" title by millions of Americans.
Lambert, praised by "Idol" judges for taking risks with songs like Cher's "Believe", has never publicly confirmed his sexual preference, nor has he denied speculation about being gay -- a striking contrast to 2003 runner-up Clay Aiken. When photos showing him kissing other men and dressed in drag circulated on the Internet last month, Lambert said simply: "I have nothing to hide. I am who I am."
Lambert ended in the bottom two for the first time Wednesday night, but viewers have so far shown little sign of caring about his ambiguous sexual orientation. An army of "Glambert" fans cheer him on, vote for him weekly and have made him the favorite to win.
Gender-bender stars are nothing new in the music business -- Elton John, Prince and the androgynous Boy George. Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell are openly lesbian, and while TV stars like Neil Patrick Harris have come out as homosexual, Hollywood awaits its first huge gay male star.
"American Idol" may just give it to U.S. music fans. The show has become a cultural phenomenon in the United States in the last eight years and is as much a popularity contest as a talent show. The audience that averages 26.3 million viewers weekly has shown an openness to embrace everyone from 8 to 80 years old -- and it's the viewers who vote to decide who wins.
Aiken, the 2003 runner-up, dodged questions about his homosexuality for five years before publicly acknowledging in 2008 that he was gay.
Lambert, who donned a white silk suit and diamond ear studs for the show this week, is more flamboyant in his dress, vocal style and performances than most -- if not all -- contestants.
First Gay American Idol?
Adam Lambert wears eyeliner and diamond stud earrings, sings like a dream and has won a rare standing ovation from tough-minded judge Simon Cowell. With three weeks to go before the "American Idol" final, Lambert, 27, is favored to win the No. 1 U.S. television talent show and become, possibly, the first gay or bisexual singer to be handed the "Idol" title by millions of Americans.
Lambert, praised by "Idol" judges for taking risks with songs like Cher's "Believe", has never publicly confirmed his sexual preference, nor has he denied speculation about being gay -- a striking contrast to 2003 runner-up Clay Aiken. When photos showing him kissing other men and dressed in drag circulated on the Internet last month, Lambert said simply: "I have nothing to hide. I am who I am."
Lambert ended in the bottom two for the first time Wednesday night, but viewers have so far shown little sign of caring about his ambiguous sexual orientation. An army of "Glambert" fans cheer him on, vote for him weekly and have made him the favorite to win.
Gender-bender stars are nothing new in the music business -- Elton John, Prince and the androgynous Boy George. Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell are openly lesbian, and while TV stars like Neil Patrick Harris have come out as homosexual, Hollywood awaits its first huge gay male star.
"American Idol" may just give it to U.S. music fans. The show has become a cultural phenomenon in the United States in the last eight years and is as much a popularity contest as a talent show. The audience that averages 26.3 million viewers weekly has shown an openness to embrace everyone from 8 to 80 years old -- and it's the viewers who vote to decide who wins.
Aiken, the 2003 runner-up, dodged questions about his homosexuality for five years before publicly acknowledging in 2008 that he was gay.
Lambert, who donned a white silk suit and diamond ear studs for the show this week, is more flamboyant in his dress, vocal style and performances than most -- if not all -- contestants.
0
Former model-turned-talk show host Tyra Banks and TV financial expert Suze Orman are to be honored at the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards. Banks is to receive the Excellence in Media Award, while Orman will be honored with the Vito Russo Award for their efforts in gay issue awareness. This year's Media Awards will be held in New York on March 28th. Additional GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will take place in Los Angeles on April 18th and San Francisco on May 9th. Recently outed pop star Clay Aiken and Grey's Anatomy actor T.R. Knight will be among the presenters.
Tyra 2B Honored At GLADD
Former model-turned-talk show host Tyra Banks and TV financial expert Suze Orman are to be honored at the 20th annual GLAAD Media Awards. Banks is to receive the Excellence in Media Award, while Orman will be honored with the Vito Russo Award for their efforts in gay issue awareness. This year's Media Awards will be held in New York on March 28th. Additional GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will take place in Los Angeles on April 18th and San Francisco on May 9th. Recently outed pop star Clay Aiken and Grey's Anatomy actor T.R. Knight will be among the presenters.
2
Clay is Gay
Clay Aiken is finally confirming what many people already knew: He's gay. The cover of the latest People magazine shows Aiken holding his infant son, Parker Foster Aiken, with the headline: "Yes, I'm Gay." The cover also has the quote: "I cannot raise a child to lie or hide things."
The magazine has an interview with Aiken and confirmed that he was on the cover but refused to release the article to The Associated Press until Wednesday. The baby's mother is Aiken's friend and record producer Jaymes Foster. Aiken, who gained fame as the runner-up on "American Idol" in 2003, rarely addressed the frequent rumors about his sexuality. In an interview with The Associated Press two years ago, he said: "I don't really feel like I have anybody to answer to but myself and God and the people I love." The multiplatinum singer recently released the CD "On My Way Here" and made his Broadway debut this spring in "Monty Python's Spamalot." [kaltura-widget wid="tlj50ooaig" width="410" height="364" /]
