Clay Aiken says Rosie O'Donnell outed him on live television in 2006 during a dispute tied to Kelly Ripa. Aiken, now 47, said the moment hit hard because he was not out publicly until 2008, and he later learned about the remark in a way that left no room to soften it.
Page Six Radio and The View
Speaking with Page Six Radio on Thursday, September 17, Aiken drew a sharp line between how he saw the moment and how others framed it: “You say defended, I say outed.” He added, “I died inside a lot that week. I don't have any ill feelings against Rosie, she did mean well.”
Aiken said he was woken up by his son's mother, who told him, “You need to wake up, Rosie just outed you on The View.” He also said, “I was freaked out.” The recollection is a reminder that the damage in these live-TV disputes often lands before anyone has time to clarify what was meant.
Live with Regis and Kelly
In 2006, Aiken filled in for Regis Philbin on an episode of Live with Regis and Kelly and covered Kelly Ripa's mouth with his hand. Ripa called the move a big “no no” and said, “I don't know where that hand's been, honey.” When Philbin returned the following week, he criticized Aiken for what he saw as a “lack of respect.”
Ripa then called into The View after O'Donnell described her response as homophobic. Ripa said she was speaking as a mother-of-three worried about health, not sexuality: “He's shaking hands with everybody in the audience. I mean, it's cold and flu season. That's what I meant.” She added, “To imply that it's anything homophobic is outrageous, Rosie, and you know better. You should be more responsible.”
American Music Awards
Aiken said the fight did not stay frozen in one studio exchange. He said his publicist cut together footage of Ripa covering Philbin's mouth and sent it to entertainment news programs, and that “the tide sort of turned” in his favor after that. Later that week, he and Tori Spelling made light of the whole thing at the American Music Awards, which Aiken called “very gracious.”
Aiken also said he sent Ripa flowers and that she later apologized to him over the phone. He said she invited him back on her show, but “I do know we tried and were not allowed.” What he still leaves hanging is the off-camera judgment behind O'Donnell's wording; Aiken says she “was caught off guard,” which is the closest he gets to an explanation for why the live remark landed the way it did.
