Former marine John Paulus has accused American Idol runner up Clay Aiken of a gay sexual tryst and is telling anybody that will listen graphic details of the encounter.

Story refuses to die

His story now may cause a delay in Aiken album number two, and cut into the singer's bottom line.

Paulus has reportedly has taken a lie detector test to prove his allegations and his XXX rated description of the alleged hook up with Clay on the Howard Stern Radio Show on February 9 shows that Paulus really wants publicity and is willing to get it with details.

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Jossip gave this account on Friday from "a not-exactly-on-the-insider tipster"

I'm walking out of Staples last night with the swarming well dressed throngs and get to talking to a friend from RCA. We're casually discussing how great Kelly was and I say something about looking toward next year for Clay. Well, you shoulda seen the look on this guy's face change the second I mentioned Aiken to dead serious. He starts acting all paranoid and giving me the third degree on Clay. Why did I say that? What have I heard? on and on. I replied that I only meant that Clay's album is scheduled to come out later this year and I was looking forward to it. His final curt reply to me before he turned and quickly move away was "Ok, yeah, well we'll see".

The exchange actually left me with a real uneasy feeling and after the tabloids gave me the impression that all is not right in Clayland.

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Page Six notes on Mondaythat Aiken's second album may be in trouble, with RCA putting it "on hold" until the sex allegations of former Green Beret John Paulus blow over.

And there are whispers that some aggrieved Claymates - Aiken's rabid fans, mostly Liberace-loving middle-aged housewives - could file a class-action lawsuit against the singer.

"He represented himself as a heterosexual choirboy," a spy said. "They might want their money back."

That sounds like a bit of a stretch.

A rep for Aiken tells the NY Post, "The album will come out some time in May."

The Howard Stern interview is here at from last Thursday at 8:35am.

Update:Audio is at The Malcontent here.

--Jim Roberts