Singer and former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken recently opened up about a tumultuous period in his career, recalling the 2006 incident where he was inadvertently outed by Rosie O’Donnell on The View. Speaking on Page Six Radio on September 17, Aiken characterized the experience as one of the most difficult weeks of his life.
The controversy began after an appearance by Aiken on Live With Regis and Kelly, where he playfully placed his hand over Kelly Ripa’s mouth. Ripa responded with the quip, “I don’t know where that hand’s been, honey.” Following the broadcast, Rosie O’Donnell discussed the incident on The View, characterizing Ripa’s comment as “homophobic” while attempting to defend Aiken. However, Aiken noted that O’Donnell’s defense resulted in him being outed to the public before he was ready to address his sexuality.
Aiken recalled being awakened by his close friend Jaymes Foster, who informed him of the segment. “‘You need to wake up because Rosie just outed you on The View,’” he remembered her saying, adding that he felt “freaked out” and “died inside” during the ensuing media frenzy. Despite the stress, Aiken stated he holds no resentment toward O’Donnell, noting that she likely acted in the heat of the moment without malicious intent. He officially came out publicly two years later in 2008.