American Idol alum Justin Guarini still remembers what was going through his mind during the show’s season one finale, when he lost the singing competition to Kelly Clarkson.
The season one runner-up admitted that losing to the now-superstar in 2002 is something he’s always felt was the right thing.
Guarini also praised Clarkson for her incredible success over the last two decades. He said he’s not surprised at all by how far she’s come since American Idol, and shared how fun it was to join Clarkson on her talk show in recent years.
Earlier this month, Guarini, 43, returned to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to take part in The Great Idol Reunion episode, where he reunited with OG judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, as well as host Ryan Seacrest and a number of stars from past seasons.
It was just like we had never left, Guarini, now a father of three, said.
The Broadway star chalked up his time on American Idol as one of the wildest experiences of my life. The show’s season 20 finale airs this Sunday.
