During a recent episode of her award-winning talk show, Kelly Clarkson opened up about a surprising reality: 24 years after winning Season 1 of American Idol, she never actually received her promised prizes.
Clarkson was interviewing Rob Rausch, who revealed he hadn’t received his $220,000 winnings from The Traitors. Clarkson immediately related, recalling her own experience as the first-ever Idol winner in 2002, when she was promised a brand-new Ford Mustang and a $1 million check.
“I literally was on the show, and they were like, ‘Oh, you win a million dollars.’ No, you didn’t. They lied. It was more like a million-dollar investment in me,” Clarkson said. She also revealed she never received the car, even though her own vehicle was in poor condition at the time. To make matters worse, runner-up Clay Aiken not only received a car, but his mom did too.
Clarkson humorously recalled her reaction: “I was like, ‘What the f–k? I’m gonna actually kick your ass right now.’” While she no longer needs the money or the car, she noted it’s still the principle that counts.
Adding a playful twist to the conversation, fellow Taylor Hicks, Season 5 champion, jokingly offered to help Clarkson find a new Mustang, teasing her in a flirty manner during a Page Six feature. Hicks had previously appeared on her talk show in 2023 to perform his song “Porch Swing,” making the playful offer all the more memorable.