Kelly Clarkson reveals ‘lying’ ‘American Idol’ stiffed her on $1 million prize, new car
By Adam Silverstein
Published on March 12, 2026.
Kelly Clarkson has accused "American Idol" of lying about her $1 million check, which she claims was supposed to receive after becoming the show's first winner. The revelation came during a talk show appearance with "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe and reality star Rob Rausch. Clarkson claimed that she never received another major prize and that Clay Aiken, who was runner-up on the show’s second season, did end up getting a car. The comments came shortly after Clarkson announced she would be stepping away from her NBC daytime talk show to spend more time with her children.
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