In honor of its final season kicking off, American Idol brought back a few fan favorites on its Wednesday night premiere.
Clay Aiken was not one of them. And we have a feeling he won’t be making an appearance on the show that made him famous any time soon, either.
The Season 2 finalist live-Tweeted his American Idol viewing experience this week, telling followers it was the first time he tuned in for the show in about 10 years.
And it’s safe to say he was not impressed.
“Well… now I know why the ratings are down,” Aiken wrote early on, adding:
“Oh good Lord… those boring ass responses from the judges!? Where is Simon when you need him!? That guy need a hook to pull him off stage.”
There are many reasons why American Idol has lost popularity over the years, from other singing shows such as The Voice rising up to simple viewer fatigue.
But Aiken isn’t wrong. Losing Simon Cowell was a major blow to the franchise.
It’s been a struggle to replace someone with his expertise, honesty and humor.
In Aiken’s view, he was the only reason to tune in on a weekly basis:
“It’s VERY clear now that @SimonCowell was the reason @AmericanIdol was a hit. I’ve watched root canals more entertaining than these judges.”
Aiken finished second on Season 2 to Ruben Studdard.
He has gone on to star on Broadway and even run for political office in North Carolina.
He is unafraid to speak his mind.
“Leave it to the contestants from #Raleigh NC to totally make tonight’s show worth watching!!” he also Tweeted, remaining loyal to his home state.
Upon receiving backlash for his rebuke of American Idol, Aiken replied that he only spoke this way out of love… and frustration:
“When your favorite team that you’ve cheered for for years happens to play a shitty game, you’re absolutely allowed to be upset about it.
“We’re all more critical of the things we care about most.”