Clay Aiken

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Clay Aiken Speaks 2016 Politicon

Clay Aiken
Birth name	Clayton Holmes Grissom
Born	Birth date -1st March 1966 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Pop, Contemporary Christian
Occupation(s)	Singer, television personality, actor, politician, activist
Years active	2003–present
Labels	RCA, Decca

Clay Aiken (born Clayton Holmes Grissom; November 30, 1978) is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. He first gained fame as the runner-up on the second season of American Idol in 2003. Since then, he has released several successful albums, appeared on numerous television shows, and has been involved in various philanthropic and political activities.

Early Life

Clay Aiken was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended Leesville Road High School and later enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he studied special education. Before his rise to fame, Aiken worked as a teacher for children with autism.

Career

Music

After his success on American Idol, Aiken signed a recording contract with RCA Records. His debut album, Measure of a Man, was released in October 2003 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album was certified multi-platinum and included hits like "This Is the Night" and "Invisible."

Aiken has released several other albums, including Merry Christmas with Love (2004), A Thousand Different Ways (2006), On My Way Here (2008), and Tried and True (2010). He has also performed in various concert tours and Broadway productions, such as Spamalot.

Television and Acting

In addition to his music career, Aiken has appeared on numerous television shows. He was a contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice in 2012, where he finished as the runner-up. He has also made guest appearances on shows like Scrubs, Drop Dead Diva, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Politics

Aiken ventured into politics in 2014 when he ran for the United States House of Representatives in North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. Although he won the Democratic primary, he was defeated in the general election by the incumbent Republican, Renee Ellmers.

Activism

Clay Aiken is known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in the field of education and disability rights. He co-founded the National Inclusion Project, which aims to promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in all aspects of life. He has also served as a UNICEF ambassador, focusing on education and children's issues.

Personal Life

Aiken came out as gay in a 2008 interview with People magazine. He is a father to a son, Parker Foster Aiken, born in 2008 through a surrogate mother.

Discography

• Measure of a Man (2003)
• Merry Christmas with Love (2004)
• A Thousand Different Ways (2006)
• On My Way Here (2008)
• Tried and True (2010)
• Steadfast (2012)

Filmography

• American Idol (2003)
• The Celebrity Apprentice (2012)
• Scrubs (2005)
• Drop Dead Diva (2011)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2006)

See Also

• American Idol
• National Inclusion Project
• UNICEF