CLAY AIKEN, American singer, born; Rolling Stone magazine featured Aiken on the cover of their July 2003 issue. In the cover article Aiken said, “One thing I’ve found of people in the public eye, either you’re a womanizer or you’ve got to be Gay. Since I’m neither one of those, people are completely concerned about me.”
In subsequent interviews he has expressed frustration over continued questions about his sexual orientation, telling People magazine in 2006, “It doesn’t matter what I say. People are going to believe what they want.” Right. Whatever. Musical.
After several years of public speculation, Aiken confirmed that he is Gay in a September 2008 interview with People magazine. Quelle surprise. In April 2009, Aiken was honored by the Family Equality Council advocacy group at their annual benefit dinner in New York City. For what we’re not exactly clear. One suspects it wasn’t for bravery or courage.
Aiken created the National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation) in 2003, and he accepted a UNICEF ambassadorship in 2004, a position he held for 9 1/2 years until 2013 when he gave it up in order to run for Congress. He was the “UNICEF Ambassador of Education for All Children Worldwide”; he traveled extensively on their behalf in this role. In 2006, he was appointed for a two-year term to the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
Aiken made his Broadway debut playing the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python’s Spamalot in January 2008. His run ended in May, but he rejoined the cast as Sir Robin in September and remained through January 2009.
In 2014, Aiken announced his intentions to run for Congress in North Carolina’s 2nd District. He won the Democratic primary held on May 6, 2014, but lost to Republican incumbent Renee Elmers in the general election on November 4, 2014.