# Clay Aiken against Ruben Studdard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016 "2003-12-31T21:56:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lillyflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@lillyflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lillyflower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/1 "2003-12-31T21:56:58Z")
Why is it that Clay Aiken is getting so much more aclaim then Ruben, when Ruben is the one who won the tittle. I personally think that Clay is awsome, and that Ruben is talented as well, but it seems to me that Ruben is not doing nearly as well?? What do you guys think? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/2 "2003-12-31T22:01:08Z")
Oh, I thought this was going to be one of those “vs.” threads. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/3 "2003-12-31T22:38:25Z")
Well, the fangirl inside me is screaming, “Because they finally realize that Clay is soooooo much better than Ruben and really deserved the title!!!” My rational side is still angry with me for even watching the show. So I’m going to have to say that some fans are perhaps upset that there was a voting glitch (whether there was or not; I’m not the person who would have any clue) and are taking their vote to the market and supporting the actor they prefer. ---
**Author:** ![lillyflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@lillyflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lillyflower)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/4 "2003-12-31T22:43:58Z")
HAHAHAHA, I see you are a Clay fan buckleberryferry. I also agree that Clay had more talent, although as I said in the OP, I think both have their plus sides. I am not sure about the glitch either, but it sure seems it is possible with how much better clay is doing then Ruben right now. ---
**Author:** ![xayoz306](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xayoz306](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xayoz306)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/5 "2004-01-01T10:46:51Z")
Clay didn’t hve to go through the finlly prepared “perfect” debut that Ruben did. Clay was able to sit down and record his own album on his own terms. Ruben didn’t get that opportunity. Now, Clay’s names is everywhere, and I haven’t heard from Ruben in months ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/6 "2004-01-01T16:21:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lillyflower \* > \*\*Why is it that Clay Aiken is getting so much more aclaim then Ruben, when Ruben is the one who won the tittle. I personally think that Clay is awsome, and that Ruben is talented as well, but it seems to me that Ruben is not doing nearly as well?? What do you guys think? \*\* Primarily because Aiken was out hustling and making public appearances after the show ended, far more so than Studdard, who disappeared into the studio for awhile. There is also reason to believe Studdard damaged his voice in the process of winning the show. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/7 "2004-01-01T18:38:56Z")
Third round knock out. Aiken will hit the canvas. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/8 "2004-01-02T01:31:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xayoz306 \* > \*\*Now, Clay’s names is everywhere, and I haven’t heard from Ruben in months \*\* Ruben’s album just came out. I think Clay’s going to win out, ultimately… Boy’s good, and what I’ve heard of Ruben’s album… Eh. Not bad, but not good, either. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/9 "2004-01-02T03:02:09Z")
I always felt that Clay was more versatile and could have a wider appeal than Ruben, so I’m happy that he’s got all the attention now. But what is this about a voting glitch? ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/10 "2004-01-02T03:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tengu \* > **Ruben’s album just came out.** True. According to last week’s Billboard ratings, Ruben’s album was at #9 in his third week of release. Clay’s album is at #15 in his eleventh week of release. That’s not too shabby. I wouldn’t go predicting a third round knockout just yet. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/11 "2004-01-02T03:46:27Z")
I think a lot of it is the hustling by Clay after the award. He kept his name in the limelight. However, I did not like his album at all… he picked some really bad songs, IMO. I haven’t heard Ruben’s yet though. ---
**Author:** ![lillyflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@lillyflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lillyflower)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/12 "2004-01-05T02:12:19Z")
I actually really liked clays CD, I thought it was very much true to himself and the songs were very nice for his voice. The voting glitch is that many people that were trying to vote for clay could not get through on the voting line and and this was not true for ruben’s voting line There is also a theory that some of the votes called in for clay inenvertinently went to ruben. However no one knows for sure, and in all honestly it does not matter what the votes were …clay is now ahead of ruben at this moment, whatever the reason, and I am sure making as much money, and is actually in a better situation because he has more control over his own CD. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/13 "2004-01-05T05:55:58Z")
Stupid me… I was hoping this was a _Celebrity Deathmatch_ thread. God I miss that show… -Rav ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/14 "2004-01-05T11:19:04Z")
Clay’s first single came out before Ruben’s. Clay’s CD dropped before Ruben’s. Clay has acquitted himself nicely; many (myself included) felt that he didn’t have a pop voice, but more of a stage/standards voice. With the magic of studio sweetening and some wholly bland, nonoffensive pop tunes of the Rick Nelson/Debbie Gibson variety he’s managed a solid pop album. Ruben on the other hand, had his pseudo-pop-with-R&B-leanings put together thanks to a rather nasty brand of micromanagement, second-guessing and outright trashing from Simon Fuller who has an ironclad contract which allows him to do whatever he wants to both Ruben and Kelly for the next decade or so. He was almost set up to fail. Clay, on the other hand, had no boundaries except his own imagination which was, thankfully, greater than his offerings on the program ever demonstrated. He was bound to either soar or fall flat on his face. He’s soaring thus far. Good for him. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clay-aiken-against-ruben-studdard/222016/15 "2004-01-05T21:03:42Z")
Tt was virtually a tie in the results. Just because more people voted for Ruben doesn’t mean the other half of the audience who liked Clay suddenly changed their mind when he wasn’t “the winner”.