Idol's Almost Famous

From Clay Aiken's doppelgänger to the crying cowboy, catch up with some of last season's most memorable rejects

THE CLAY AIKEN LOOKALIKE

Michael Sandecki
The Clay Aiken doppelgänger sang on last season's May 24 finale and got the surprise of his life when Aiken joined him onstage. But since his big moment, the Phoenix-based Sandecki (who got rejected at his first Idol audition) has changed his look so as not to be mistaken for Aiken. Still, the aspiring singer – who does clerical work for an online school – isn't giving up his dream. "I eat, live and breathe music, and I'm going to make it somehow," says Sandecki. "But now I just want to be Mike."