Aiken's Tantrum Over Magazine's Personal Questions....
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.These included a fight Aiken allegedly had with a woman on a plane and ongoing speculation about his sexuality, which culminated in a spat between U.S. TV hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Kelly Ripa.Gay O'Donnell rushed to defend Aiken after Ripa appeared to attack the singer's rumoured homosexuality when he was a co-host on her morning show.But Aiken took offence to Setoodeh's questions, repeating, "I'm not going to talk about it," or, "I'm not going to discuss it."He then turned on the reporter when he asked Aiken what he wanted to talk about, hissing, "We're done. I thought Newsweek would be more reputable. I'm surprised. This is Newsweek. It's not the National Enquirer."He added, "I'd hate to have a job where I had to be rude to people."When Setoodeh attempted to save the interview by asking Aiken what he did for fun, the angry singer replied, "I watch the news. I read news magazines, but I'm reconsidering that now."
Meanwhile in other news 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!" Aiken, who makes will take to the stage for the first time this week (18Jan08), admits he's new to musical theatre and never even made the grade at school.
He adds, "I was cut from my high-school musical Guys and Dolls."
And he admits he never thought he'd ever take perform in Spamalot - because he once thought the show was ridiculous.
He explains, "The first time I saw it I thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life. My tour drummer is the Spamalot drummer, and (he) said, 'You've got to see it again'.
"I thought Monty Python was a (real) person until three months ago.".