Clay Aiken: I Wasn’t Intersectional Enough For 2022 & Surviving Abusive Stepfather

Adam Carolla (0:00)

All right, in this episode, Clay Aiken. Yeah, our old buddy Clay Aiken joins us. Also, News with Rudy, and we'll do all that right after this. BetOnline, hey, this is Adam Carolla from the Adam Carolla Show.

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Dawson (1:46)

From Carolla One Studios in Glendale, California, this is The Adam Carolla Show. Adam's guest today, Clay Aiken.

Plus the news with Rudy Pavich and now, Adam Carolla.

SPEAKER_3 (1:59)

Yeah, get it on.

Adam Carolla (2:00)

Got to get it on. No choice but to get on the mandates. You get it on.

Our guest, Clay Aiken. Always good to speak to Clay. Clay is new album, Rewind. It is out as we speak. Very, I don't know, pop 80s kind of vibe. Happy was listening to Rewind, which is the title track, and it was taking me back. So good to see you, Clay.

Clay Aiken (2:25)

Good to see you. That's what I thought. That was the hope. 80s take back.

Adam Carolla (2:29)

Clay, obviously American Idol, you know him from, but also I met him on Celebrity Apprentice. And I've said it once, but I'll say it again, wildly impressed by Clay, his abilities, work ethic, and everything else, and got robbed.

When Donald Trump made a DEI hire instead of Clay. And Clay, you know, I don't know, but the last challenge was how much money can you raise for charity? And it was Arsenio Hall versus Clay Aiken. And Arsenio raised about $163,000 and Clay raised 303 or something. I mean, he nearly doubled the amount and that was the challenge. And they gave the nod to Arsenio. And I thought that was an attack, Clay. But I was glad to know you.

I was glad to make your acquaintance on that show.

Clay Aiken (3:30)

Well, likewise. It was an interesting, it was a good fun experience. It was an interesting experience, though. Yeah.

Adam Carolla (3:36)

I, you know, look, I'm glad you used the word experience because I tell people experience all the time. Like, you know, I did Dancing with the Stars, not because I think I'm a good dancer. I just knew it would be a crazy experience that I would go, I know what that's like.

People don't really get that part of life where you can go, yes, that is an experience. People want to have fun and they want to have a good time or they want to have, you know, relaxation or, but what you're missing is the experience part.

Clay Aiken (4:10)

Did you have fun dancing with the stars?

Adam Carolla (4:13)

It was, no, not fun. Well, I mean, Clay, you tell me, but if you'd say to me, what do you most enjoy doing? Like if you just said, if I said to, I'll go first, if you said to me, what's your idea of a great day or great evening or something? I would say, I go to a great steak house with a buddy and we have steaks and some martinis and we just talk and maybe the game's on in the background. Or I get the boys together for football on Sunday and beers and pizza and bust and chops. That's my idea of the most relaxing best day I can think of, but that's not an experience.

Clay Aiken (5:05)

Because you can do it often.

Adam Carolla (5:07)

You can do it, anyone can do it. Doesn't really matter and it's a fun experience, but it's not dancing with the stars, which is intense, but a much greater experience.