Aiken Describes Coming Out to Family

Clay Aiken first came out to his mother four years ago, the American Idol runner-up tells People magazine in the interview in which he announces he's gay. The singer, a born-again Christian, and his mom, Faye, had just dropped off his younger brother Brett, who was being deployed to Iraq, at Camp Lejeune. "I started crying in the car," says Aiken, who returned last week to Monty Python's Spamalot on Broadway. "It was dark. I was sitting there, thinking to myself. I don't know why I started thinking about it... I just started bawling. She made me pull over the car and it just came out." His mom started crying as well. "She was obviously somewhat stunned. But she was very supportive and very comforting," Aiken says. "She still struggles with things quite a bit, but she's come a long way." Aiken decided to come out following the Aug. 8 birth of his son, Parker, who was conceived via in vitro fertilization with his best friend, music producer Jaymes Foster. Aiken got some well-wishes, meanwhile, from Idol judge Simon Cowell. "Good for him," Cowell told Extra. "If he said it, it's the right thing for him." He added: "I don't think anyone cares... Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?" Do you care? Or is Simon right, as usual? - Tim Molloy Related: " Former Idol Clay Aiken: "Yes, I'm Gay" " Check out our Online Video Guide to watch Aiken do what he does best.