Arts & Entertainment
Clay Aiken slams ‘American Idol’ contestants Catie Turner, Ada Vox
The season two runner-up had harsh critiques for the current season

Clay Aiken (Screenshot via YouTube)
Clay Aiken isn’t impressed with this season of “American Idol. ”
The season two runner-up shaded Catie Turner for forgetting the lyrics during her performance of “Manic Monday” by The Bangles. Instead of criticizing Turner for the flub, the judges praised her for pulling through the song.
“So when i was on @AmericanIdol I slightly flubbed some lyrics. Nowhere near this noticable.. https://youtu.be/tt1_QVQ8KMQ and even Paula gave me hell. This girl gets a therapy session?! Really? Seriously??! What happened to the show we loved? #MakeIdolGreatAgain,” Aiken tweeted.
So when i was on @AmericanIdol I slightly flubbed some lyrics. Nowhere near this noticable.. https://t.co/IS1QcuyCI8 and even Paula gave me hell. This girl gets a therapy session?! ? Really? Seriously??! What happened to the show we loved? #MakeIdolGreatAgain
— Clay Aiken (@clayaiken) May 7, 2018
In another tweet, Aiken slammed the show for not being the cutthroat reality series it once was.
“Remember back 2002 – 2003 when @AmericanIdol was a high stakes singing competition & we were all waiting and nervously anticipating what @SimonCowell had to say? Why’s it now totally without critique and essentially just a Vacation Bible School talent show? #MakeIdolGreatAgain,” Aiken tweeted.
Remember back 2002 – 2003 when @AmericanIdol was a high stakes singing competition & we were all waiting and nervously anticipating what @SimonCowell had to say? Why’s it now totally without critique and essentially just a Vacation Bible School talent show? ? #MakeIdolGreatAgain
— Clay Aiken (@clayaiken) May 7, 2018
Turner fired back at Aiken tweeting, “im sorry clay you are still upset about something that happened to you 16 years ago it shows bitterness doesnt age well!”
im sorry clay you are still upset about something that happened to you 16 years ago it shows bitterness doesnt age well! pic.twitter.com/bAJ44qLt6X
— catie turner (@hashtagcatie) May 7, 2018
Although Turner had the support of the judges, Turner was eliminated by America later that night.
Ada Vox, who was eliminated earlier in the season, also chimed in to support Turner tweeting, “You’re really starting to look desperate @clayaiken … you had your time. There’s no point in attacking an 18 year old girl because you’re bitter about your fuck up. Stop trying to stay relevant by riding the coat tails of a show that you couldn’t win, either. #TakeASeat”
You’re really starting to look desperate @clayaiken … you had your time. There’s no point in attacking an 18 year old girl because you’re bitter about your fuck up. Stop trying to stay relevant by riding the coat tails of a show that you couldn’t win, either. #TakeASeat https://t.co/ghJNodP29t
— Ada Vox (@AdaVox) May 7, 2018
Aiken had previously slammed Vox in an op-ed for the Huffington Post saying the drag performer wasn’t the best singer in the competition.
Vox also responded to that jab saying, “Thank you for the words, @clayaiken !!
From this, I will take your words and use them to build myself up to become even better. I know that there are great things to come for me in the near future, and I’m glad that you believe in my career! Im honestly honored. Thank you!”
Thank you for the words, @clayaiken !!
From this, I will take your words and use them to build myself up to become even better. I know that there are great things to come for me in the near future, and I’m glad that you believe in my career! Im honestly honored. Thank you! https://t.co/0VP0a3VMtn— Ada Vox (@AdaVox) May 2, 2018
“American Idol” airs on Sundays at 8 p.m. on FOX.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)














Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
