American Idol has produced a number of famous contestants, such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, and many, many more. Clay Aiken has also kept a steady music career since becoming the runner-up in the second season. He received some tough criticism during his Idol days, though, which he didn’t mind, and even though Simon Cowell called him ugly, he still thinks he’s a TV genius.
Clarkson may have forgotten who won the season after hers, but many people remember that Aiken came in second place, just behind Ruben Studdard. It’s known that judges during Idol’s early days, particularly Cowell, were pretty rude, making the competition as stiff as ever. The feedback these days is more constructive criticism where Underwood is concerned, but way back when, the critique wasn’t just about the singing. Aiken recalled to TV Insider how Cowell commented on his looks, and he didn’t even remember until just recently:
