He often said to me ' All I ever wanted to do was make people laugh'.

BBC: Comedian Norman Collier dies aged 87

Clarkson's All I Ever Wanted, released in March, is currently at No. 17 on the Billboard 200.

FORBES: The Year's Top-Earning 'Idols'

And that's all I ever wanted in the first place.

WSJ: Ashley Monroe | Like a Rose | Pistol Annies | Vince Gill | The Unflinching Ashley Monroe | By Barry Mazor

Her characters spend more time talking to the audience than they do to each other, and everything they say is obvious ("All I ever wanted was to be a reporter in New York City").

WSJ: The Who-Cares Test | 'Lucky Guy' | Mike McAlary |Nora Ephron | Tom Hanks | George C. Wolfe | 'Kinky Boots' | Harvey Fierstein | Cindy Lauper | By Terry Teachout

By then, "Idol's" favorite ex-waitress will have grown from America's sweetheart (see: 2004's "Breakaway") to a slightly goth brooder (2007's "My December") to pop's resident angry grrrl (2009's "All I Ever Wanted") right before the proud eyes of Mom and Dad -- or as we call them, Paula and Simon.

CNN: Review: Kelly Clarkson's 'Stronger'

Like all of you, I have spent more hours on this case that I ever wanted to and have felt the tremendous weight of this decision.

CNN: Sen. Murray's closed-door impeachment statement