Kelly Clarkson Reveals American Idol Denied Her Promised Car

Kelly Clarkson, the inaugural winner of American Idol, disclosed on a recent episode of her daytime talk show that the competition failed to deliver a promised car as part of her 2002 prize package, despite her urgent need for one at the time. The 43-year-old singer shared the anecdote during Tuesday's broadcast of The Kelly Clarkson Show, while conversing with guest Rob Rausch, the winner of Peacock's The Traitors Season 4, who revealed he has yet to receive his $220,800 payout.

The discussion arose when Rausch, 27, mentioned the delay in his winnings, prompting Clarkson to relate her own experience from two decades earlier. "You know what, I relate to this! I relate to this so hardcore," she said. "You probably weren't alive when I was on American Idol, but I was literally on the show." Clarkson explained that producers had promoted the top prize as a $1 million check, but what she actually received was a recording contract valued at that amount, essentially an investment in her career. "They were like, 'Oh, you win a million dollars, or whatever,'" she recounted. "No, you didn't. They lied. It was like a million dollars worth of investment in you."