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Lo Hudson Journal News takes a look at Clay's achievements thus far, as #7 on their top 20 American Idol contestants list -

The most successful “American Idol” runner-up of all time, Season 2’s Clay Aiken, eclipses all but two of its contestants (Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) in total album sales.

Aiken’s subsequent make-over might have been the series’ most dramatic in history. Physicality aside, his voice impressed so many fans that he spawned the series’ first militant contestant fan-base, the Claymates. And for as much unintentional comedy as there was when singer Neil Sedaka described him “ear-delicious,” it was downright touching to see the pro tear up when Aiken soared on Sedaka’s “Solitaire.”

And let’s just face it: No offense to Ruben Studdard, but Aiken was robbed in the Season 2 finale.

Aiken’s ambiguous sexuality has made him a favorite target of tabloids, probing reporters and comedian Kathy Griffin, but Aiken continues to thrive despite the adversity. The proof is in the numbers: Aiken has gone on to sell no fewer than 4 million records. To top it all off, he starts his run on Broadway as brave, brave Sir Robin in “Spamalot” this Friday.

• Clay ready to open in "Spamalot"
• Dallas Morning News -

  Says he
  
  "I thought Monty Python was a person until three months ago." Clay Aiken (American Idol), who joins the cast of Monty Python's Spamalot on Friday, in Newsweek

• Press release from Clay's dentist, Dr. Bobbi Stanley -

  Clay Aiken Premiers His New Smile On Broadway
  Charlotte - When Clay Aiken makes his Broadway debut in Monty Python's Spamalot he will be wearing a new smile created by Dr. Bobbi Stanley, a nationally acclaimed cosmetic dentist practicing in Cary, a suburb of Clay's hometown of Raleigh, NC.

• CBS News Showbuzz -

  Clay Aiken, who joins the cast of "Monty Python's Spamalot" this week, says its humor was initially lost on him.
  
  "The first time I saw it I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life," the "American Idol" runner-up told Newsweek. "My tour drummer is the 'Spamalot' drummer, and (he) said you've got to see it again."
  

• New York Magazine -

  "The first time I saw it I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life." —Clay Aiken, who joins the cast of Spamalot this week, on not getting the humor of Monty Python

• Baltimore Sun -

  Get ready! American Idol superstar Clay Aiken joins the Tony award-winning musical Monty Python's Spamalot, causing a line at the doors of the Shubert Theatre on West 44th Street beginning Friday. And he'll stick with this hilarious show through May 4.

• Seattle Times -

  Knighthood for Aiken
  
  Clay Aiken, who joins the cast of "Monty Python's Spamalot" in New York this week, says its humor was initially lost on him. "The first time I saw it I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life," the "American Idol" runner-up told Newsweek. Aiken plays one of the leads, Sir Robin, in the Tony Award-winning musical in a stint from Friday through May 4. The show is based on the film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," which came out in 1975, a little before the 29-year-old singer's time.

• Star Pulse -

  'Spamalot' Rehearsal Wreaks Havoc On Clay Aiken
  
  American Idol star Clay Aiken is suffering for his art as he wraps up rehearsals for his Broadway debut in Monty Python's "Spamalot" - he can't get off the toilet. The singer admits his body is failing him as he learns complex tap dancing moves for the musical, in which he'll play comedy knight Sir Robin.
  
  He tells Newsweek, "I'm sore. I couldn't even get off the toilet the other day. It hurts so bad. I don't know if it's I'm not co-ordinated or using muscles I never had to use before. My legs (are suffering). Having to remember 'three, four, five,' I can't move and think at the same time!"
  

• American Idol returns tomorrow night ... some Clay mentions:
• Lansing State Journal - "The personal efforts have drawn criticism. Some contestants — Malakar, Clay Aiken, Kellie Pickler — drew constant attention, building audience appeal; others were ignored."
• Radar -

  That said, you have to acknowledge the instant credibility with which AI invests its contestants. Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, and, to some degree, Clay Aiken have all gone on to top the charts, receive respectable reviews, and triumph on Broadway while garnering major industry awards.

• Indian Television -

  Since its debut in 2002, American Idol has produced winners like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood who have become Grammy-winning pop sensations. The show also launched the careers of award-winning artists such as Clay Aiken, Chris Daughtry and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.

• Mom Logic - winning isn't the best thing for an American Idol -

  But the "losers" like Clay Aiken, Oscar Winner Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry and "actress" Katherine McPhee have no reason to cry over their careers. Meanwhile, "winners" Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks and the newly dropped-from-his-label Taylor Hicks, are more likely to show up at an opening of a Safeway than pack a full house at a concert.

• Media Life Magazine - "Several “Idol” singers have released platinum albums, including winners Clarkson and Carrie Underwood and season two runner-up Clay Aiken."
• Charlotte Observer -

  A dud year for talent
  
  Last season's crop of finalists -- typified by the weak-throated but well-Mohawked Sanjaya Malakar -- were widely considered to be deficient in appeal, compared with the breakout personalities of other years like Taylor Hicks, Kellie Pickler, Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken.

• The Morning Call -

  Other notable stories are from Season 4 ''American Idol'' winner Carrie Underwood, who wrote about how she was affected by meeting a 4-year-old boy who had learned he was HIV positive while she was in Africa for ''Idol Gives Back''; and Clay Aiken, Season 2 runner-up, who was so influenced by a fan's comment about weight that he started using real people rather than models in his videos to send a message about acceptance.

• KPTM FOX 42 - has AI "jumped the shark"?

  "It's more about the pretty people I think," says Idol viewer Diana Moquin. "When we had Clay Aiken that was kind of a big surprise because he was kind of geeky, but now it's just more about the pretty people."

• Press Enterprise - American Idol stars on soap operas - "Plus, Clay Aiken did a guest spot on 'Days of Our Lives.'"
• Fresno Bee - AI in need of "talent infusion" -

  Only two of its six winners -- Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood -- can claim significant sales success. In fact, two finalists -- Chris Daughtry and Clay Aiken -- have outsold some of the winners.

• Sun Journal - American Idol facts & figures -

  Season two: Ruben Studdard/Clay Aiken
  
  Season two: There are claims that millions of votes were dropped because the phone system was overloaded for the final between winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken. Studdard's margin of victory is 130,000 votes.

• Tulsa World - American Idol's "best of the best" -

  Clay Aiken
  
  Most everyone has probably forgotten that Aiken was the runner-up on season two, because he’s the success story of that season for sure, with monster album, tour and book sales.
  
  Aiken hasn’t been in the spotlight much lately (aside from a reported tiff with a cranky traveler aboard a Tulsa bound flight in 2007), but we’d never leave him off this list —because frankly, we fear the wrath of the Claymates, his legion of devoted fans.
  
  He’s headed to Broadway this month to join the cast of “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”
  

• Newsweek interview still generating buzz:
• New York Magazine -

  Clay Aiken vs. ‘Newsweek’ Reporter: A Catfight?
  
  And finally, there's the "I thought you were better than this!" routine, which celebrities always think will work, but never does, because, hello, we're reporters and you can't appeal to our sense of shame because we don’t have one. This last mode was the one taken by Clay Aiken when Newsweek sent cute boy reporter Ramin Setoodeh to interview him about debuting in Spamalot this week, and to ask him about the whole incident with Kelly Ripa last year. (You remember, when she snapped at Aiken for putting his hand over her mouth, by saying, "I don't know where that hand has been," and then Rosie went bananas about it on The View and called Ripa a homophobe?) The minute Setoodeh brought it up, things went very downhill very fast:

• FOX 6 -

  Singer Clay Aiken cut short an interview with a Newsweek magazine reporter after refusing to answer a series of personal questions.
  
  Journalist Ramin Setoodeh was quizzing the American Idol star on his upcoming Broadway debut in Monty Python's Spamalot when the reporter chose to ask Aiken about a series of recent controversies.
  

• Cape Breton Post -
  

  In July 2006, Wainwright released a self-titled EP, produced by Charlton Pettus, who has penned songs for Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan and has produced albums for Tears for Fears and songs for Clay Aiken and Josh Kelley.

• Nothing here today