Former Ranger claims he served as Aiken's Claymate

[JazmenFlowers]

New York Daily News, January 27, 2006

An ex-Army Ranger told the National Enquirer about his alleged motel romp with Clay Aiken (pictured).

Former Army Ranger John Paulus swore he wasn't going to sell out singer Clay Aiken when we contacted him last week about rumors that he'd had sex with the supposedly straight "American Idol" star.
"They couldn't pay me enough to have my pics on the supermarket stand," he told us at the time. "I am not the type of guy that would make life difficult for anyone."

But that was then.

Turn to page 10 of the new National Enquirer, and there's shirtless John Paulus, talking about his alleged hotel "romp" with the 27-year-old Aiken.

"On Dec. 16, using the screen name of 'valleyprettyboy,' Clay sent me his first instant message," Paulus claims.

He contends that, after a month's correspondence, Clay admitted he wanted a "discreet bf."

After arranging a meeting at a Quality Inn in Garner, N.C., Paulus says, "Clay told me his ex-lover was selfish and mean. And within five minutes he started to feel my arms and put his hands on my leg.

"We started to mess around and Clay said he wanted to have sex with me. Before I knew it, we were having unprotected sex.

"He kept telling me, 'We're going to do this many more times.'"

Enquirer editors say Paulus has passed a lie-detector test. He's also said to have saved his instant-message exchanges with Aiken, as well as a DNA-encrusted washrag. Not that he was planning to sell his tale, or anything.

Aiken has repeatedly denied he is gay. His rep declined comment.

Meanwhile, "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, who has talked about Simon Cowell's "man boobs," is continuing his teasing.

"This season we had to stop auditions because one of his fake teeth came out, and he had to call in a dentist with drills to the back of the hotel, and they had to put in a new tooth," Seacrest tells Entertainment Weekly. "He'll actually be p-- that I told you this, but you've got to print it."