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Clay Aiken is reflecting on the 20-year-old feud with Kelly Ripa that he says sparked the “most catastrophic” week of his life.
During a recent appearance on the “Hollywood Raw” podcast, the former “American Idol” star looked back on the 2006 incident that unfolded while he was co-hosting “Live with Regis and Kelly.” The controversy began after Aiken playfully placed his hand over Ripa’s mouth during a live segment.
Aiken revealed that he has not spoken to Ripa since the incident, despite crossing paths with her at several events over the past 20 years.
Clay Aiken covered Kelly Ripa’s mouth on-air 20 years ago. (Getty Images)
“Maybe I should feel bad that I have not gone up and said something myself, but she hasn’t either. We’re talking about something that happened … 20 years ago this year, which became this huge blowup,” he said.
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“That was the most catastrophic week of my life, to be honest with you … No one would remember but me because I was the one with the scars,” Aiken added.
The musician went on to describe his experience co-hosting alongside Ripa, explaining that he had hoped the appearance would showcase his ability to host on his own.
“I’m on the show because I wanted to show them I could handle this myself. I could host something, and I wasn’t getting to talk,” he said.
Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa previously hosted “Live! with Regis and Kelly.” (Rob Kim/Getty Images)
Aiken claimed that although there were cue cards with his name on them, he wasn’t able to say his lines, and that’s when he decided to put his hand over Ripa’s mouth.
“I tried to be funny, and I did what I did, which was incredibly innocent. And then it got a little cold in the room,” he recalled.
He said he immediately realized the joke had not landed after feeling the audience’s reaction.
“Is that a no-no?” Aiken remembered asking Ripa.
Tori Spelling and singer Clay Aiken made a joke about the Kelly Ripa feud at the 2006 American Music Awards. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“Oh, that’s a no, no, no. Don’t know where that hand’s been, honey,” Ripa replied at the time.
Aiken said he doesn’t remember exactly when he and Ripa parted ways but recalled that it happened after Regis Philbin returned to the daytime talk show.
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Following the incident, Ripa described Aiken as “hostile.”
Clay Aiken was a star on “American Idol.” (Heidi Gutman/ABC)
“There was a lack of respect, and when you’re a certain person, you’re in the public eye, you have to be respectful of other people,” she said at the time, according to Page Six.
“And I don’t think that he was respectful in any way,” she continued. “If that upsets his fans, I’m sorry to hear that, but you don’t put your hands over somebody’s face and mouth when they’re conducting an interview, even if it’s for a laugh. And that’s all I’m gonna say.”
The controversy intensified after Rosie O’Donnell criticized Ripa on “The View,” calling her response “homophobic.” At the time, Aiken had not publicly come out as gay. Ripa phoned into the show to defend herself, and the discussion shifted to Aiken’s sexuality.
Rosie O’Donnell took the Kelly Ripa and Clay Aiken feud to “The View.” (Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)
“I have three kids. He’s shaking hands with everybody in the audience. I mean, it’s cold and flu season. That’s what I meant. To imply that it’s anything homophobic is outrageous, Rosie, and you know better. You should be more responsible,” Ripa said.
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Looking back, Aiken said only a small circle of people knew he was gay at the time.
“I was not out at the time. I was to Rosie … I was out to people who I knew, but I wasn’t publicly out about it,” he said.
Clay Aiken spoke at length about the public reaction after his moment with Kelly Ripa. (Bruce Glikas/WireImage)
Aiken explained that he had not even come out to members of his own family, including his grandparents.
“Not only does Rosie call it a homophobic remark — which I think she accidentally said, and then she tried to walk it back a little bit — but then Kelly calls in live to ‘The View’ that day, and they get in an argument over it.”
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“Not only did she out me, but they had a big argument about whether I was gay and who talked about me being gay,” he added.
In response to the backlash, Aiken said his publicist and several interns compiled clips showing instances in which Ripa had similarly placed her hand over his mouth.
Clay Aiken said he sent flowers to Kelly Ripa to apologize. (Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Disney)
“The tides sort of turned,” he said.
Aiken also revealed that he sent Ripa flowers to apologize. According to Aiken, Ripa later invited him to return to the show. While he said he has “tried” to make another appearance, he claimed those efforts have been unsuccessful.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ripa for comment.
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