Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus took to his Twitter recently to defend his remarks about American Idol. In a recent interview with Country Forever, Jay said, “There’s a criticism I have of this sort of microwave, instant stardom that some of these kids are experiencing nowadays with American Idol and things like that. You don’t get to put the time in learning to be an entertainer. Because when you have to starve for your craft, it’s more beloved to you when you have success.”

Those comments sparked a backlash, prompting Jay to tweet a clarification of his words. “To those who have read my comments about American Idol, I was not ‘speaking out against’ it! I’m a fan of the show. In some cases, instant stardom may not be the best thing. This certainly does not apply across the board. I do believe the more time you have to hone your craft in smaller venues, the better off you are . . . Period. I have a lot of friends that were a part of Idol, and I continue to be a huge fan of the show. Sometimes words in print, sound twisted out of context . . . Whew!! Now I need a drink!!”