Clay Aiken had some insightful things to say about “American Idol” to Billboard magazine.

The second-season contestant said that circumstances have changed with the franchise.

“When I was on, Ruben [Studdard] and myself and Kimberley Locke were the stars of the show. Now, ‘Idol’ is about the judges. I don’t even know if they remember there are contestants anymore.”

He makes a good point because more people can probably name the vice president of the United States than the past three winners of “Idol.”

And that’s saying something.