Clay Aiken Sued by Biographer  8/8/06

American Idol star Clay Aiken and his mother are being sued by the woman behind an unauthorized biography about the singer, claiming they defamed her.

Author Jeannie Holleman claims she's a lifelong friend of Aiken's mother, Faye Parker, and gave her shelter when she left her husband, the singer's estranged father.

But in a new lawsuit, filed in Wake County Superior Court, North Carolina late last week (ends04AUG06), Holleman claims Aiken and his mother conspired to defame her by insisting they did not know her and alleged her tribute book, Out of the Blue: Clay, was full of lies.

Aiken has instructed his lawyers to "vigorously dispute" the claims against him and his mother.

Holleman also alleges she was abused by a bodyguard at an Aiken show in Hawaii.

She is seeking upwards of $260,000 in damages and demands the court asks Aiken to endorse her book on his official website and add a positive introduction for the book.

In a statement released yesterday (07AUG06), Aiken said, "I have become used to scurrilous allegations and untruths being made about me and my work.

"However, I cannot, and will not, stand by when these attacks are made on my family."