John Paulus

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John Paulus

John Steven Paulus III (born 1967 in Connecticut) is a former real estate agent from North Carolina who in early 2006 alleged a sexual encounter with pop star Clay Aiken. The accusation launched a brief career as a gay porn star. A year later, after hosting a series of internet blogs demeaning Aiken and his fans in the interim, Paulus retracted his allegation.^[1]

1 Biography
2 Clay Aiken allegations
3 Clay Aiken allegations retracted
4 Porn career
5 References

[edit] Biography

Paulus joined the Army in 1985 at age 18, eventually serving as an Airborne Ranger and Green Beret.

In March 1997 Paulus was scheduled to be deployed to Korea. In a February 2006 interview with Next Magazine, Paulus stated that because of his involvement in a romantic relationship he was unwilling to go to Korea, so he informed his commanding officer of his sexual orientation. According to an article in the The Fayetteville Observer, Paulus talked to the press three days before informing his commander. "If plans go according to schedule, he could be discharged as early as Monday -- a week after telling his commander he's gay. He thinks the Army is moving quickly and has backed off on questioning him to avoid bad publicity." ^[2]

Paulus moved to Florida and lived there for some years before his eventual return to North Carolina where he became a real estate agent. ^[3]

[edit] Clay Aiken allegations

In January 2006 Paulus alleged that he had a sexual encounter with pop-star Clay Aiken.

The National Enquirer, Star Magazine, and The Globe tabloid newspapers published interviews with Paulus, and other publications such as The New York Post ^[4] and The New York Daily News ^[5] reported on the story in their gossip columns. In its own investigation of the claims, the National Enquirer reported that they had Paulus sit for a polygraph examination which he allegedly passed.

On February 9, 2006 Paulus was an in-studio guest on The Howard Stern Show, where he was interviewed live regarding his sensational claims and provided graphic details of the alleged encounter that had not previously been printed. These included the claim that he and Aiken engaged in unsafe sex, and a description of generic characteristics of Aiken's genitalia. ^[6].

On February 10, 2006, Paulus' sister, Tina, attempted to corroborate certain elements of his claims in an interview with the Bob and the Showgram show broadcast on radio station WDCG-FM in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. During that interview, she stated that she had become estranged from her brother after she had inadvertently shared information with the National Enquirer not previously revealed to the tabloid by him. She further admitted that her first-hand knowledge was limited to other corroborating information, and not to the sexual acts alleged. ^[7]

After his story became public, Paulus claims that he started getting threatening emails, calls to him at his workplace and death threats. ^[8] The NY Daily News in July 2006 reported Paulus' appeal for help to the FBI was denied. " "It was turned down by the U.S. attorney, and the FBI determined there are no federal statutes that have been violated," an FBI spokesman tells us. "It is a little strange." " ^[9]

In May 2006 the Post Chronicle website published an article questioning the truthfulness of Paulus' allegations. The article references allegations that the IMs are faked, that the webcam pics have been photoshopped, and that Aiken was out of state on the date of the alleged meeting. ^[10]

Aiken has consistently denied he is gay. To date, Aiken and his representatives have neither acknowledged nor denied the claims in Paulus' story, and instead have relied on "no comment". Star Magazine's article did include the following response from Aiken's representative: "Clay's on a flying saucer with his alien parents, busy kidnapping monkeys. We cannot comment till he gets home to Pluto." ^[11]

In June 2006 MSNBC's Gossip column The Scoop reported, "John Paulus, the former Green Beret who took his tale to the National Enquirer, isn’t retracting the story — but he now says he “regrets” going public with it". He issued an apology to Aiken, through his blog, in part saying “I regret hurting him, his family and his fans; I regret that I started a blog that ridiculed him. ... I apologize to Clay for that and I hope he will accept.” Despite his apology, Paulus still runs the blog. The Scoop contacted David Perel of the National Enquirer regarding Paulus' claim that he tried to get the story killed and had sent a cease-and-desist letter. “Our reporter couldn’t get him off the phone,” National Enquirer editor David Perel told The Scoop. Perel says he doesn’t remember Paulus having a legal letter sent, but says even if there was one, Paulus is “completely distorting” the story. “It’s not a situation where he told the story one time,” Perel said. “He engaged in multiple conversations with our reporter. He couldn’t stop talking, and then he talked to reporters after it was out.”^[12]

In a statement issued August 7, 2006 through his record company, RCA, Aiken said "As a so-called 'celebrity,' I have become used to scurrilous allegations and untruths being made about me and my work. I have always taken the path of not reacting to these matters and have accepted them as, somehow, coming with the 'job.'^[13]

[edit] Clay Aiken allegations retracted

In March 2007, Paulus admitted in a statement in his public blog that the Clay Aiken allegations were not true, and that he was paid to do it ^[14] ^[15] , saying "I have admitted that this was all a lie and that Clay and I never had sex. What's the problem. Time to move on. Clay has been a victim of a really evil scheme and I know that he is grateful for having such devoted fans who always believed in him. It's over Perc. the Claymates and Clay have both won. I hope they will forgive me for playing along with this ruse as Clay has." ^[16]

[edit] Porn career

In February 2006 Paulus signed a contract with gay porn studio Lucas Entertainment in New York City. His first and only appearance was in Auditions 8: Scandalous. In the movie Paulus was first interviewed by Michael Lucas and described his version of the Clay Aiken allegations, then engaged in sexual activity with another actor.

There was some unsubstantiated speculation at the time that the events surrounding Paulus' claims were part of a publicity campaign initiated by Paulus and Coti Collins, an illusionist who includes an Aiken impersonation as part of his act. It was alleged that they hoped to make a porn movie spoofing American Idol. ^[17] Collins has denied knowing Paulus. ^[18]