The intolerant little queen best known as Clay Aiken has issued an “apology” to this season’s American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert. Aiken — a Idol Season 2 runner-up — has retracted some of his off-color criticism of fan favorite Lambert, who lost the title to crooner Kris Allen on last week’s finale.

In a blog posted on Thursday, Clay suggested that Adam’s performance of Johnny Cash’ Ring of Fire from earlier in the Idol season was “contrived, awful, and slightly frightening” and nearly made his “ears bleed.”

“Since my previous blog got dissected like a biology lab frog, I suppose I should clarify and even retract some of what I wrote,” Clay wrote on his Official Web Site on Friday.

“I hope no one actually believed that blood truly poured forth from my ears when I heard him. I obviously meant it as a colorful statement to imply that I did not enjoy what I heard,” he added.

“He could not have gotten on ‘Idol’ (nor made it as far as he did) without an immense amount of talent. He surely doesn’t need my approval to know he has a gift,” Clay wrote of Adam. “I imagine he’ll be around for years to come.”

“God knows, I am SURE there are PLENTY of people who can’t stand to hear me sing either. I wouldn’t dream of assuming that, and I am sure that far worse things have been said about my performances than I would even venture to type here,” he wrote. “To me, that’s fine. I don’t expect unanimous, nor even majority support for my music. My guess is Adam doesn’t either.”

Finally, Clay offered an apology to Adam.

“So, I do apologize to Adam for my colorful (and negative) choice of words. I hope he can forgive me,” he wrote. “I imagine he doesn’t give a damn! :-) God knows he shouldn’t.”