After 22 years, Kelly Clarkson finally revealed a shocking truth about American Idol. She never received any prize for winning.
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On a recent episode of the Kelly Clarkson Show, the star host spoke candidly about the aftermath of winning season 4 of the American singing competition. Although winning American Idol got her a singing career, they never actually gave her any prizes.
Clarkson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rob Rausch were talking about Rausch’s recent The Traitors win. Rausch walked away victorious from season 4 of The Traitors with a $220,800 prize. However, he has yet to receive his ill-gotten gains.
“You know what, I relate to this!” Clarkson said. “I relate to this so hardcore. You probably weren’t alive when I was on ‘American Idol,’ but I was literally on the show.”
“They were like, ‘Oh, you win a million dollars,’ or whatever,” Clarkson continued. “No, you didn’t. They lied. It was like a million dollars’ worth of investment in you.”
Kelly Clarkson Never Won Anything From ‘American Idol’
The singer explained what happened after she won.
“They said you get a car,” she explained. “And I needed it because my car was bashed in, and I couldn’t afford the deductible. And then — no! I did not get a car.”
What’s crazy, is that Clay Aiken, who earned second place in season 2, did get a prize.
“Clay Aiken, who didn’t win the second season, got a car — and [so did] his mom!” she exclaimed.
“I was like, ‘What the f–k!’” Clarkson laughed. She knows this as the two of them spoke, where he told her about what he walked away with.
“He’s like, ‘Yeah, they gave my mom one.’ I was like, ‘I’m gonna actually kick your ass right now.’”
Going back to Rob Rausch, Clarkson said, “That’s why I’m saying, you might not see it.”
“But, you know, I hope you got enough TV time.”
Funnily enough, the so-called “TV time” is exactly what Kelly Clarkson got, and is why I’m sat here writing about her now.