Clay Aiken was in the “blender.” It was September 22, 2006, the fourth day of his frantic spin through the talk-show circuit to promote his new album, A Thousand Different Ways
Clay was greeted warmly by the entire panel of ladies on The View. They all commented about his new hairstyle.
Rosie O’Donnell took the lead role in the discussion with Clay. She related that she had her roots in Star Search and could relate to his experience on American Idol and how overwhelming the whirlwind was after the show.
Rosie said that Clay is just a kid who was pushed into the top of the celebrity world. She commented that it is hard to stay grounded, but that he was a good person and deserves the very best. Clay commented that he had no idea how big the AI show was while he was on it. He realized it when he went to Fantasia’s show and saw the press. He was told that night that in his year, it was much bigger.
There was some talk about panic attacks and how common they are in the world. In describing his panic attacks, Clay explained that he would feel like everything was whirling around him, that the walls were closing in and then it would hit! Clay also said that the panic attacks are not over, not 100% under control yet.
The ladies were very supportive and wanted to make sure they conveyed the fact that the panic attacks were nothing to be ashamed of. They all agreed that getting help was the right thing to do. Rosie said to the fans that Clay knows you love him, but love him from a distance…that is what a true fan would do.
The audience was excited to see Clay and hear him sing. Clay performed Without You. It was a strong performance and there was lots of applause and cheers for the performance. Rosie’s parting comment was “I admire you.”
Two videos are available for this appearance and the first one includes the positive interview. The second video is Clay’s performance of Without You.
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