Think back
with us: The year was 2002. The Winter Olympics took over Salt Lake City,
Lord of the Rings and Spider Man (the Tobey Maguire/Kirsten
Dunst version, kids); professionally awesome real-life couple Andrew Garfield
and Emma Stone wouldn’t take on the superhero franchise for another decade) led the box office,
Alicia Keys snagged the Best New Artist Grammy Award,
and the debut season of soon-to-be-juggernaut American Idol introduced us to early-aught teeny-boppers, Kelly
Clarkson and Justin Guarini. Who it turns out, were totally dating.
On Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, Clarkson tells host Andy Cohen “We did
date a little bit. I think any two people who are thrown together that much would (date).
Guy, girl, just saying — “Timeless,” put that song on from “Justin to Kelly” —
you can’t fight it!"
The singer, who is now married
to talent manager Brandon Blackstock, also calls Katy Perry and
Nicki Minaj “lovely girl[s],” and refused to tell the persistent Cohen whom she
was referring to in her infamous 2013 tweet about the VMA’s. “The fact that I tweeted pitchy
stripper and people thought MIley Cyrus is not my problem!”
Also: Pour
one out for Seacrest’s original Idol co-host,
Brian Dunkleman.