Washington Woman Charged With Stalking Clay Aiken
A Washington state woman has been charged with stalking American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken.
Barbara Jean Saylor of Kirkland, Washington, was charged with trespassing and misdemeanor stalking.
Deputies responded to a call from Aiken’s North Carolina home on April 3, when the 57-year-old scaled a security fence and entered his property, where she was seen looking through the windows. Authorities said Saylor was ordered to leave, which she did after being told that law enforcement had been notified.
Aiken decided to press charges against Saylor, saying that she has done similar things in the past. Aiken said Saylor once threw her phone over the security fence and reported that the singer had invited her inside. Even though he was shaken up by the incident, Aiken was grateful to law enforcement for showing up so quickly after he called.
Saylor was released on $5,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro, North Carolina, on April 24.
The 34-year-old first rose to fame in 2003, when he was a runner-up on the second season of American Idol. He made it round 32 before being cut, but was invited back for the “Wild Card” round. He performed “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John and went through to the final 12 as the viewer’s choice. In the end, he came in second to Ruben Studdard.
Clay Aiken has released seven albums — including two Christmas albums — since his turn on American Idol. But his career hasn’t been limited to singing. Aiken has made several TV appearances in the last decade, including The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!,Scrubs, and Drop Dead Diva. He also made his Broadway debut in January 2008 when he joined Monty Python’s Spamalot as Sir Robin for a four-month run. He resumed his role in September and ran until January 2009.
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