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Okay, this is long, but pretty funny:

Clay Aiken Trashes American Idol, Adam Lambert

Last night millions of American Idol fans tuned in to watch the show's season finale. But you know who didn't?--Clay Aiken, who basically trashed everything about Idol today on the subscription-only message board of his website, going so far as to say Adam Lambert made his ears bleed!

Aiken, America's favorite gay father who was also the runner-up to Ruben Studdard in Idol's second season, charges his fans $29.95 annually for the "Ultimate Membership" at ClayOnline.com, which is the only way to view his blog posts and cruise around in his chat room or on his message board, but a tipster with access to the site passed this along. Here's how Aiken responded today to a generic "what do you think?" question posed by a fan on the site:

Now that it's all over, and for the record.... I couldn't be happier about the way AI ended this year. I only turn the show on once a season, and only to see what the set looks like each year. This year, I happened to turn it during the minute that Adam Lambert was singing "Ring of Fire" and, at that moment, thought my ears would bleed. Contrived, awful, and slightly frightening! I wasn't really a fan and found myself surprised whenever folks told me that they liked him. Granted, I never saw another performance (and many folks who I trust said that he was great) but I can't imagine I would have enjoyed it. Just not my cup of tea at all. To each his own. I never saw Kris sing on the show, but whether he was good or not is really relative. It's usually a matter of taste, right? But Idol is not always a matter of musical taste only. It's about the person you like. From what little I saw, Kris seemed likable. (That's not to say that Adam isn't just as likable as anyone.. maybe more so... I don't know) When Ruben and I were standing next to each other every night (many years ago) you had two equally talented, equally unlikely, equally unpolished contestants.... so it really was a matter of taste as to who was voted for. While some may argue that one of us was hyped more than the other, I don't feel that was the case. However, this year, there was an obvious bias. Not even having watched the show, I can tell you that I was WELL aware of the bias from the judges as to who should win. In my opinion, that is awfully unattractive. I don't think I am alone

In my opinion, it all often comes down to that last night of voting. Until the finale, folks are voting for the contestant that they want to see continue. But, I believe that on that last night, the dynamic changes. No longer forced to choose one person that they want to see win, the audience can effectively vote AGAINST the person that they don't want to see win. In the case of season two this might have happened. There may have been some folks who voted for myself or Ruben because they didn't like the other of us. I was the nerdy little girly boy who some didn't want to see win, so they may have voted for Ruben. I don't know. .. But again, I feel that Ruben and I were fairly matched. We both had our detractors and negatives, but I feel we were both very worthy of being on that stage in that moment, and either of us would have been worthy of winning. 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.

Aiken also elaborated on why he thought Kris Allen won this year's competition:

In a battle between David and Goliath, my money is on David!

I think many voters got sick of being "told who to vote for". I think many were turned off by the blatant favoritism shown towards one contestant. Therefore, on that last night, they used their votes against a contestant that they were tired of hearing about and for the contestant who had been written off. And, at the same time, I think they voted AGAINST an American Idol that has, for four years now, been more about the slick productions and polished contestants than it has been about finding the raw talent that it did in its first three seasons.

Those votes for Kris were also votes to return the show to its roots of finding "real" contestants with undiscovered talent and giving them the chance to grow and shine. They were votes that said "we're tired of seeing contestants who already seem to know it all".

Will American Idol choose to listen to the resounding and clarion call that those voters gave them?.... "Enough with the pretention. More Rubens, more Clays, more Fantasias and Tamyras and Kellys please." My faith has always been in the voters. I think they have gotten it right every year (mine included). It's now up to American Idol to decide if it will finally REALLY listen to the folks that keep it on the air.

Wow. That's some hardcore bitchiness right there! However, we can't help but wonder if it's derived from the fact that Idol producers recently did everything they could to crush Aiken's dream of doing a duet with Lambert. Hmmm, you think?

That last link leads to this blurb from the Chicago Sun-Times, dated May 12, 2009:

'Idol' doesn't want Clay anywhere near Lambert

Though it looks likely Adam Lambert will be the next ''American Idol'' winner [], ex-''Idol'' runner-up Clay Aiken already is reaching out to Lambert -- looking to team up with the edgy singer for a possible duets album and concert tour [].

That was just one reason for the backstage tension on the ''Idol'' set in Hollywood last week, when Aiken showed up unannounced but expecting the VIP treatment. ''I don't know why Clay felt that way,'' said a show staffer who has been on board since the reality talent show was launched. ''Everyone knows -- and certainly Clay knows -- he's persona non grata around here.''

The reason for the ''Idol'' folks' lack of affection for Aiken is related to his being the first show contestant to dump 19 Entertainment, the management company that handles all the recording deals, merchandising, tours, sponsorship, film deal and virtually all aspects of all things ''American Idol''-related.

''And not only did he drop 19 Entertainment, but everyone knows he also talked Kelly Clarkson into dropping us, too,'' said the staff member.

''To say the least, it was tense around here when Clay showed up -- and boy, did they hustle him off the premises as fast as possible. If he didn't get the hint after that -- he never will.''