Corey Clark
Corey Delaney Clark (born July 13, 1980) is an American singer recognized primarily for his disqualification from the second season of American Idol in 2003 due to failure to disclose a prior arrest for domestic disturbance, followed by his unsubstantiated allegations of a romantic relationship with judge Paula Abdul, which an independent investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing.[1][2]Clark began performing professionally as a child, providing backup vocals for Barry Manilow at age 12 during a Las Vegas residency and later forming an R&B group in his teens.[3] His American Idol tenure ended abruptly after producers discovered his 2002 arrest in Kansas for a family disturbance, which he claimed to have disclosed but which led to his removal amid questions of contestant vetting.[4] Post-Idol, Clark released a self-titled album in 2005 and performed as an opener for season 2 winner Ruben Studdard, though his music career yielded limited commercial success.[5] He pursued defamation lawsuits against Fox and others over coverage of the Abdul claims and his disqualification, but these were unsuccessful, with courts finding insufficient evidence of malice or falsehood in reporting his non-disclosure and the cleared allegations.[6] Clark's public profile has been marked by recurring legal troubles, including a 2007 arrest on drug charges and an outstanding warrant in Arizona, as well as a 2015 felony charge for aggravated harassment and domestic violence in Yuma, Arizona.[7][8] In recent years, he has shifted focus toward faith-based music and advocacy, contributing vocals to foster care initiatives and emphasizing personal redemption in Christian-themed narratives.[3][9]