Former "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken apparently has less of a social life than one might think, given his time in the spotlight and his large teenie-bopper fan base.
In a recent interview with New York magazine, Aiken said that he has never had a romantic relationship and has no interest in finding one, either.
"I have got too much on my plate," Aiken told the magazine. "I'd father focus on one thing and do that when I can devote time to it, and right now, I just don't have any desire."
And when asked whether he ever has sexual "urges" or "needs," Aiken responded, "I mean, not really. I've just kind of shut it off, maybe. Is that bad?"
Whether Aiken was hinting that he is asexual, or if he's just too busy or too exhausted to engage in a sexual relationship, is an important distinction when considering asexuality, sex experts told ABCNEWS.com.
"Asexuality is defined as a lack of sexual attraction as a whole," said New York-based sexologist Logan Levkoff. "Things get tricky sometimes to define because lack of desire is a different issue."
"[Aiken] said that he had too much on his plate to focus, and that's a little different," explained Levkoff. "You can choose not to get caught up in a sexual relationship or experience, but that's not technically being asexual."
Is Asexuality Just an Excuse to Avoid Sex?
"Being too busy isn't a sexual orientation," said Levkoff. "Society puts so much pressure on people like Aiken that we have to hope his statement isn't a public excuse to get people to lay off him."
There are also many other reasons someone could be feeling asexual, or experiencing a sort of dormant sex drive, said Levkoff. Depression, lack of exercise and exhaustion can all have a tremendous impact on a person's sex life.
Using asexuality as an excuse, according to Ian Kerner, sex therapist and author of "Sex Detox," is also common for people who have had negative sexual experiences earlier in life or are trying to hide their true sexuality.
"There are many people who are confused about their sexuality or their sexuality is in stark contrast to their social and cultural values," said Kerner. "So they think it's easier to be asexual than to acknowledge their unique sexuality and identity."
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Ooops, She did it again!
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears was taken from her home by ambulance early Thursday and escorted to the hospital by more than a dozen police officers in cars, on motorcycles and in helicopters.
The 26-year-old pop star was being taken to "get help," said a Los Angeles police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter. The Los Angeles Times cited unidentified authorities who said Spears was being placed on a "mental evaluation hold."
Spears was taken to UCLA Medical Center, where her mother, Lynne, was seen leaving its psychiatric hospital at about 5:30 a.m. When asked by a throng of paparazzi and reporters whether Britney was doing all right, Lynne Spears replied, "Yeah," before leaving in a Range Rover.
Hours earlier, shortly after 1 a.m., a motorcade nearly the length of a football field pulled away from Spears' residence. Along with the ambulance, it included police on nearly a dozen motorcycles, in two cruisers, and two helicopters following overhead.
The scene was more controlled than the one earlier this month when Spears also was taken away from her home in an ambulance. On Jan. 3, police were called to her home when she refused to return her two young sons, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, to ex-husband Kevin Federline, who has custody.
Officers had paramedics haul Spears to a hospital for undisclosed reasons. She was released after a day and a half in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Subsequently, the Superior Court commissioner handling the custody case held a closed hearing that included exhibits including a "photocopy of Application for 72-hour Detention for Evaluation and Treatment." All exhibits were sealed.
Police also went to Spears' hilltop residence off Mulholland Drive on Monday night after someone reported a swarm of paparazzi trespassing in the singer's gated community. When officers arrived, they didn't see anyone trespassing, police said, but citations were issued for several illegally parked cars.
Spears has been in a highly public downward spiral since filing for divorce from Federline in November 2006. Her bizarre antics include shaving her head bald, attacking a car with an umbrella and bringing along a paparazzo pal on trips to a courthouse in her child custody case.
Spears' child custody case has become a public spectacle, with her skipping depositions and twice this month arriving at the courthouse but not attending the hearing.
The most recent incident was last week, when Spears showed up at the downtown civil courts building for a chance to persuade a Superior Court commissioner to change his order and allow her to see her sons.
Dressed as if arriving for a cocktail party — wearing bright pink lipstick, sunglasses, shiny gold platform shoes and a very short black dress with a ruffled hem — Spears was driven into an underground garage and then entered the courthouse.
A court spokesman said she got through a security metal detector, then announced, "I want to leave," and returned to her car.
The 26-year-old pop star was being taken to "get help," said a Los Angeles police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter. The Los Angeles Times cited unidentified authorities who said Spears was being placed on a "mental evaluation hold."
Spears was taken to UCLA Medical Center, where her mother, Lynne, was seen leaving its psychiatric hospital at about 5:30 a.m. When asked by a throng of paparazzi and reporters whether Britney was doing all right, Lynne Spears replied, "Yeah," before leaving in a Range Rover.
Hours earlier, shortly after 1 a.m., a motorcade nearly the length of a football field pulled away from Spears' residence. Along with the ambulance, it included police on nearly a dozen motorcycles, in two cruisers, and two helicopters following overhead.
The scene was more controlled than the one earlier this month when Spears also was taken away from her home in an ambulance. On Jan. 3, police were called to her home when she refused to return her two young sons, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, to ex-husband Kevin Federline, who has custody.
Officers had paramedics haul Spears to a hospital for undisclosed reasons. She was released after a day and a half in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Subsequently, the Superior Court commissioner handling the custody case held a closed hearing that included exhibits including a "photocopy of Application for 72-hour Detention for Evaluation and Treatment." All exhibits were sealed.
Police also went to Spears' hilltop residence off Mulholland Drive on Monday night after someone reported a swarm of paparazzi trespassing in the singer's gated community. When officers arrived, they didn't see anyone trespassing, police said, but citations were issued for several illegally parked cars.
Spears has been in a highly public downward spiral since filing for divorce from Federline in November 2006. Her bizarre antics include shaving her head bald, attacking a car with an umbrella and bringing along a paparazzo pal on trips to a courthouse in her child custody case.
Spears' child custody case has become a public spectacle, with her skipping depositions and twice this month arriving at the courthouse but not attending the hearing.
The most recent incident was last week, when Spears showed up at the downtown civil courts building for a chance to persuade a Superior Court commissioner to change his order and allow her to see her sons.
Dressed as if arriving for a cocktail party — wearing bright pink lipstick, sunglasses, shiny gold platform shoes and a very short black dress with a ruffled hem — Spears was driven into an underground garage and then entered the courthouse.
A court spokesman said she got through a security metal detector, then announced, "I want to leave," and returned to her car.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)