Simon Cowell has slammed American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken for confessing he has been prescribed anti-anxiety medication Paxil after struggling to come to terms with his fame. Acid-tongued Cowell believes Aiken should not have complained about the pressures of stardom when he has achieved what millions of wannabes dream of.

Last month, Clay insisted he has no problems stepping up on stage and performing in front of thousands, but he suffers panic attacks in more intimate settings.

But Cowell says, "Oh, give me a break. Let me have a choice - I'm going to work in a coal mine for 14 hours a day or I'm going to be runner-up on American Idol. Give me a break, idiot. He's not working for a living - he's being famous. No one put a gun to his head. Clay, whatever he may have said, would not swap what he's got now for what he had three years ago."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)