ClaySpots

Clay Aiken: 2011 The Year in Review

2011-12-31T22:11:00.020-05:00

Dear Clay,

Hey Clay! How ya been? It's been a year since we've talked, well OK, since we've talked and you listened (humor us here). In Clay Nation, things started off wack! We've had some wacky times with all kinds of wacky people. 2010 ended a bit wacky, too, didn't it? We can take a little wack, we're the Clay Nation.

Some fans don't like being lumped into a 'we' situation (and I so want to say, too bad, so sad...scroll, but I'll refrain) but in trolling the internetz, 'we' took the general pulse of the fandom, The Clay Nation, as is were, and amalgamated the thoughts, feeling, and prose of your very prolific fans. What were you up to this year? Turns out, all sorts of things......

January

We were gearing up for the Tried & True Tour and were very excited when the meet & greets started showing up on the ofc. Your PBS Special played in various markets across the USA and you got to sing the National Anthem at the NHL All-Star Game. You spoke with Bill & Linda about it on WRAL on the 28th. You said you were prepared to be boo'ed because hockey fans aren't there to see you. Silly hockey fans.

February

On February 7th, you performed on BROADWAY BACKWARDS 6 to benefit BCF/EFA and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York City. You sang 'Home' from 'The Wiz' and you sounded fantastic. And yes, there's Clack of that. You were on the Matt & Ramona Show and gave various interviews about the Tried and True Tour.

Opening night of the Tried and True Tour, or TnT, began on February 10th in Miami and rolled across the country. And may we say that you looked marvelous on the Tour? 'Cos you did. Even your hair looked good....for the most part *g* OK, some didn't like your hair, some did, some didn't care at all what your hair looked like, they were just happy to see you in person again. The sweater-shirt-tie combo really worked well on-stage, we mean, Really. Worked. Well. One of your fans described it as 'casual grace'. The band was great! The theme from 'Love Story' was a wonderful song to open the set with (somewhere in there, a grammatically incorrect head-thumping can be heard). Lush, dramatic, building to a fantastic finish. Good choice!

The various musical styles for 'Who's Sorry Now' were hysterical. Country, disco, rock 'n roll, Bollywood, Mummers. Wait. Mummers? You never heard of them? Heh. Boom-bah music by the fancy dress brigade :-) Philly, New Years' Day...check it out. The audience really enjoyed that part of the concert.

The auto-tune segment was a lot of fun between the banter and the song choices and, of course, you play off the audience like very few current, contemporary performers do any more. The medley of your songs in a 50's/big band style was....interesting. We loved the shirt tug during 'Invisible', This is the Night, The Way, Measure of a Man, On My Way here, A Thousand Days, some sounded OK as a big band/50's style song, others? Not so much.

The PBS Meet & Greets were really a cattle call but we thank you for doing individual pictures in most of the venues, even the ones where there were 100 people in line. And you did that on top of the fan club M&G, and who-know-what other M&G's you do each day. So....thanks, Clay!

As we were skimming through the recaps, a few songs stood out as the ones the fans mentioned affected them the most. 'Theme from Love Story', 'Mack the Knife', 'In My Life', 'Both Sides Now' and 'Solitaire', Unchained Melody, Crying, some mentioned that they think your hands sing, too, that they are so expressive during your songs, almost a part of the song. You got great hands, Clay.

You ended most of the shows with a bit of banter that turned serious as you thanked us for being there from the beginning, then you sang 'In My Life' written by the late, great John Lennon. The lyrics of that song especially got us in the gut...'some are dead and some are living' made us think of our Clay friends that have passed. The song was poignant, you sang it to perfection and left us feeling sad that the show was over.

The general consensus is that although Clack is wonderful, it doesn't convey your voice in all its glory. Seeing and hearing you sing live is an experience like no other. Your voice fills the venue back to the rafters and that's why, no matter how much Clack there is, we'll still try our best to get to a concert or two. Or seven. Or all of them *g*

March

As the tour wound down, VIP tickets went on sale for the 2011 Champions Gala being held in October.

April

General admission tickets went on sale for the 2011 Champions Gala.

May

You sang the National Anthem at the Durham Bulls game on May 9th.

June

Geez, Clay, give us something to work with here! April, May, and June were pretty boring on the Clay news front. We actually had time to clean our houses! Stop that!

July

Finally! Some Clay-doings! We got the news that you would appear on the Outfest 2011: The 29th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival panel. Outfest is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media.

On the 17th, you guest-starred on an episode of Drop Dead Diva as a scam artist in a mail order bride scheme. A lot of your fans think that you could play a 'bad' guy very believably. This wasn't so much a 'bad' guy but you were VERY good in your scenes.

On the 18th, you made an appearance on The Talk and discussed........retiring from performing? It seems like the message board discussions went from eeeeee! to WTF? in a matter of minutes. We think heads exploded all over the Clay cyber world. Speculation about why you said that you wanted to eventually stop performing to teach was from self-preservation (yours) to boredom (yours, again). Of course, you've said those words before so after a small melt-down, the fandom returned to normal.

August

Your very first video chat! We loved it! The chat portion flew fast and furious but you managed to do a good job threading through all the OMGS! and Hi Clays! to get to the questions. And thank God you did that because that one chat was all we had of you that month.

September

Nuttin' honey!

October and into November

Thank the heavens that you did another chat in October because we lived in a vast Clay desert in September. September was rough Clay!

You were also spotted in NYC on quite a few occasions in October. Why? We had about as much of a clue as a red stallion would. While in NYC, some people went to a cafe to eat sandwiches, others attended a beach party, but wonder of wonders....no one got lost because they bought these guide books that were for sale on a street corner from a bunch of good-looking guys.

Also in November, The National Inclusion Project was named as a finalist for $50K to increase awareness of the benefits of inclusion for ALL. Pepsi will confirm later in December. You had some awesome partners - SWOOP, St. Anthony's, & North Central Troy - and many other friends whose voting efforts kept you at #2 for the entire month!

December

Cyndi Lauper said: "When I first learned that up to 40 percent of all homeless youth in this country identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender I was shocked and saddened. For far too long homeless youth have not received the attention, resources and funding necessary to bring an end to this epidemic. My hope is that through this inspiring evening of music and comedy we can raise awareness and much needed funds to help these young people."

You made an appearance for Cyndi's True Colors Fund at a benefit in NYC on December 4th and sang 'My Grown-Up Christmas List', one of your best Christmas songs. The fans also really enjoyed Alan Cumming's performance mash-up of Lady Gaga and Adele. The entire show was so very entertaining from beginning to end. We hope you had fun, too.

December 8th: An independent Hot AC radio station based in LaSalle, Illinois, pits a NEW Clay song, "Bring Back My Love" against another song as part of their "Two Song Battle." It wins easily and does so for the next five days. December 9th saw the first listing for the song on Amazon.

December 9th was also the Adam Corolla video/podcast. We loved it, even though we knew most of what you talked about, there were some gems let loose that we didn't know. It's kind of hard to do that Clay. Good job! We loved Brett's response when you told him you were gay, "I'm straight enough for the both of us". Bwah! Good for Brett! Please pass him our thanks for a little glimpse into your relationship with your brother.

Friday the 9th saw the start of the National Inclusion Project's 2011 Champions Gala. From their website (some transposed):

Over 500 attendees enjoyed the many festivities planned by the staff, board, and numerous volunteers of the National Inclusion Project. From silent auctions, to a carnival, a luncheon, and a wonderful evening of recognition and entertainment, this year’s Gala event was a rousing success.

Friday evening's event was a dessert reception for sponsors hosted by Executive Director Jerry Aiken. Attendees previewed silent auction items, photos were taken with co-founders Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel. Clay and Diane hosted a question and answer session about the work and direction of the Project. The evening was capped off by an engaging performance by The Chris Burke Band who performed some favorites including the theme song from Chris’ television series, "Life Goes On." They had the whole audience upon their feet singing, signing, dancing, and clapping.

Saturday morning brought the "Through A Child’s Eyes" Carnival. Volunteers set up booths in the Marbles Children’s Museum and welcomed over 50 children and their parents to join in the fun. Face painting, games, crafts, fun with music, trains and a clown university kept the kids busy. Without a doubt the volunteers had as much fun as the families in attendance.

The Champions Awards ceremony took place Saturday night at Fletcher Auditorium. The evening was a success from beginning to end. Guests were led into the auditorium venue for an evening of recognition, music, and raising some money! Clay Aiken opened the evening with a triumphant rendition of "All Is Well." Linda Lovelace was the evening's emcee, Jerry Aiken re-capped all the accomplishments of the Project.

The Champion Award Winners:
Walgreens who received the honor for their commitment to providing the opportunity for people of ALL abilities to work together, side by side. Angela Mackey accepted the award on behalf of Walgreens.

The recipient of the first Lifetime Achievement Award was Chris Burke. Chris was born with Downs Syndrome. His parents...treated him just the same as his siblings and he went on to star in films and television, most notably as Corky in "Life Goes On." Chris now works for the National Down Syndrome Society as the Editor of their quarterly newsletter "Upbeat". Chris reminded everyone, "We all have disabilities, it’s what we do with our abilities that counts."

The third Champions honoree of the night was Kevin Connolly. Kevin told stories about growing up in rural Montana and how his family challenged him. He taught the crowd a little about living life to the fullest. Kevin was born without legs and his terrific humor, his outlook on life, and his adventurous spirit is something to aspire to. His recent memoir, "Double Take, A Memoir," challenges people to explore how they view themselves and what it is to truly see another person.

The Bubel/Aiken Founder’s Award for outstanding volunteer commitment was awarded to the late Margi Deluca. Her passion and enthusiasm for the work of the National Inclusion Project and the mission of inclusion was remembered by Clay and Diane. Her friend, Irene Williams, accepted the award on behalf of Margi’s family.

After intermission, Jonathan Bunzey, a former attendee at the AE Finley YMCA Let’s All Play camp program and 2009 Champions Honoree, took the stage not as a camper, but as a counselor at that very same camp. He told the audience of the impact the camp had on him and how his dream came true when he became a counselor.

The Awards and Recognition program was followed by a very lively Live Auction as competition got fierce and bids kept going up and up! Congratulations to all the winners! The Live Auction was followed by the exciting "Send A Kid to Camp" auction which has become a favorite of the evening’s activities. Once again supporters came through and a LOT of kids will be going to camp in 2012!

Way to go, National Inclusion Project, way to go!

Clay took the stage to thunderous applause for a much anticipated concert of Christmas favorites and some of his own fan favorite songs. Thanks to Clay, Quiana Parler, Ben Cohn, Sean McDaniel, and the entire band for a wonderful night of music and fun.

'Bring Back My Love' was debuted to wonderful reviews. Made us all want to be there but alas, not all of us could travel due to work or health issues, previous plans, families, whatever, we missed a good mini-concert and your new song. We can't wait to hear it on the radio *prays to the Baby Jesus*

Through the generous support of all of the attendees, the National Inclusion Project was able to raise over $500,000 to support the advancement of inclusion across the country. The 8th Champions Gala was an outstanding weekend filled with many special moments where everyone was reminded that Inclusion means ALL participate and ALL belong!

Read the entire account of the Gala at www.InclusionProject.org.

'Hallelujah'. Really Clay? Really? Really??? The one song that a vast majority of your fans wanted to hear you sing and there was no Clack. NO CLACK! ACK!

The 20th saw the release of 'Bring Back My Love'. Geezus, Clay, you done killed us once again. Most everyone loves the song and agrees that you sound spectacular singing it. The production is first-rate and arrangement is first-class.

Well, bet you're glad this long diatribe is almost over. For the New Year, we wish you the same thing we wish for you every year....joy, peace, and love. Take pride in your family and friends, Clay, for you have assembled a 'family' outside the norm that includes your bandmates, your friends, and yes, your fans. Love you!

Your Internet Fans

　
*All factual errors are solely the fault of the author

**Many thanks to the Clack House Calendar thread, to Finding Clay Aiken for the yearly timeline, and to all in Clay Nation for your unwavering enthusiasm, support, and for posting your thoughts and feelings so prolifically...and often *g*

Clay Aiken: Gives good interview

2011-02-10T23:08:00.003-05:00

Tonight is Clay Aiken's first stop on his Tried & True Tour. Recently he's been in the press a lot and the interviews are surprisingly good. Respectful, yet interesting. Here are a few snippets:

From Knoxville.com

Clay Aiken is the sort of artist who gets a gut reaction. Some fans love him. Others, especially those who hate "American Idol," seem to despise him. Talking with Aiken, though, it would be hard not to like the guy. He laughs easily and seems comfortable. He answers questions without hesitation. When Aiken competed in "American Idol," he was a 25-year-old finishing up his degree in special education. He says he wasn't prepared for the negative aspects of becoming an instant celebrity.

"At the very beginning I, literally, was scared to death of it - hated it," says Aiken. "Then it became a major annoyance. Then it became a chronic annoyance!" Aiken laughs. "Slowly it's just kind of become, 'That's just how things are.' People say, 'Oh, you knew what you were getting when you got into this.' No, I really didn't. I went on a reality show. I wanted to be in a competition and by the time this started happening it was kind of too late to drop out of 'Idol.' I didn't ask for it."

He says it took a little while to find his groove in the business.

"I imagine it's like any job," says Aiken. "The first few months of doing a job are a learning curve. ... You get past that anxiety of not knowing what you're doing, of not knowing how you're doing, of not knowing if you're going to get fired by their bosses if they screw something up. At some point you just get comfortable with it. It's been eight years since 'Idol' now, which makes me cry to think about how old I am! But I know the audience a little bit more, myself a little bit more, the business a little bit more."

And from thedailytimes.com

And therein lies Aiken’s genius — he’s a song aficionado. He plays to his strengths, and he has a keen ear for what songs will serve his sound the best. It’s a skill that made him runner-up on Season 2 of “American Idol” and gave him a career that’s eclipsed that of the man that beat him, his close friend Ruben Studdard.

He’s accepted the public fascination with his personal life. He doesn’t like it, but he’s stopped fighting it, he said.

“It frustrates me, but I’ve figured out that’s how it happens,” he said. “It’s something that, eight years ago I hated and wanted it to stop, and four years ago I hated it and wished it would stop, and now I hate it and realize I’m not going to be able to. Do I wish the focus was on the music? Yes. Do I understand this morbid fascination with what I do outside of music allows me to continue doing things in music? Yes.

“Now, looking back in this rearview mirror, while I don’t like this attention being on it, I do understand that the morbid fascination with what I do outside of work has allowed me to work, more so than I know of some people who have boring lives, or even the great musicians who don’t have the fascination of them as people. But it’s a Catch 22, because I’d love for it to go away.

“That’s one of the reasons I moved to North Carolina, because I couldn’t leave my house in LA without being followed or getting my picture taken,” he added. “I hate that when I go there to visit my son, it’s like that — but I also have to wonder: If it did go away, would my ability to continue to tour and sing and perform also go away?”

Is he an artist? Some say yes; Aiken himself shies away from making such a claim. He doesn’t, however, downplay his ability to take a song and turn it into something that sounds amazing. After all, he’s earned the right to be proud of what he can do, and some would say he’s entitled to that pride. But don’t mistake pride for arrogance — hearing Aiken talk, you get the idea that it has nothing to do with arrogance and everything to do with confidence.

2010: Clay Aiken, the Year in Review

2011-01-01T00:29:00.009-05:00

2010: Clay Aiken, the Year in Review

Hey Clay,

How ya been? It's us, your internet fans, looking back on 2010 and seeing what you were up to this past year. Now, some fans don't like being lumped into a 'we' situation but in trolling the internetz, we took the general pulse of the fandom, The Clay Nation, as is were, and amalgamated the thoughts, feeling, and prose of your very prolific fans. What were you up to this year? Turns out, all sorts of things......

January: You attended the National Inclusion Project's Golfing for Inclusion pre-party and sang a few songs for the patrons of Mirasol Country Club. *cries for Lost Clack* On January 28th we celebrated the 7th anniversary of 'Take', as we affectionately call it. We first saw you seven years ago, striding into the American Idol audition room and being asked, 'Why are you here'? You answered, rather cockily, 'I'm the next American Idol'. I guess on top of being one of the premiere vocalists of this generation, you're also clairvoyant! Because yes, you were the next America Idol, at least in our eyes. But I digress.

February: The Third Annual Golfing for Inclusion at Mirasol Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida happened on the 1st. You and the National Inclusion Project raised over $150,000 to provide children with disabilities the opportunity to play, learn and grow side-by-side with their typical peers. Allianz Life was this years sponsor and the American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. was a platinum sponsor. Good job, NIP, good job!

You also gave a very powerful, to-the-point speech at the Human Rights Campaign Carolinas Gala Dinner on the 27th. This year we watched as you became more active in the LGBT Community by fighting for rights that all Americans should be afforded but sadly aren't....and it's about damn time those rights were granted to each individual. Repealing DADT is a start, but only a start. There's still so much more to do.

March: You taped the PBS "Tried and True" Special in Raleigh NC on the 13th. A ton of your fans flew, drove, trained, bused, hitched, crawled, and rolled to get to the theater for that performance. From all reports, once again, you hit it out of the ballpark. Most of the discussion after the concert was about the 'jet plane' note in 'Unchained Melody'. Try as they might, the concert attendees couldn't do it justice; they said that you just had to be there. You were, most of us weren't, so we missed out and had to wait until the Special was shown on TV because there was no Clack of that taping. Yes, we behaved ourselves, as you requested, but man, it was hard, Clay, not seeing what the attendees were talking about. We got over it....eventually *g*

April: You released the cover art for the Tried and True CD. Amazon got flooded with pre-orders.

May: Taps foot, drums fingers

June: Whoa! You were a busy guy in June which makes US a busy fandom. "Tried and True" was released! Finally, a new recording from you. Appearances on various TV shows followed the release such as:

Good Morning America
The View
The Joy Behar Show
The Early Show
Chelsea handler
Canada AM
AOL Popeater

and various Satellite news media appearances and radio station interviews which were spread far and wide. We seriously loved "Feel the Spin with Larry Flick" on Sirius Radio. A lot of us feel that he really brought out things in a different way than previous interviewers and that you were more candid than ever before. We also love the fact that you are slowly opening up, just a bit, on subjects that you'd never talk about before coming out.

Also in June, the "Clay Aiken, Tried & True" PBS Concert Special first premiered on Chicago's WTTW. You appeared live in the WTTW studio with a cadre of volunteers taking the pledge calls. Recognize any of them? We did! Heh.

Geez, did you get any sleep in June? On the 21st, you appeared at the North Carolina Theater in 'Bringing Broadway Home'. That was a wonderful appearance, Clay. You know, the fandom usually finds one song in either your tours or appearances that is loved above all others. Most of the fans loved, loved, loved 'Those Magic Changes'. It was something different and something we could sort of rock out to. We also loved getting a clear, uncut version of 'This is the Moment'. We kind of got tired of listening to the spliced together one from back in the 90's, with the bad video and the two different versions in a different key. Thanks for the update.

July and August:

You gave a UNICEF speech in Memphis for their Keyclub and accepted generous Keyclub donation for $700,000 for UNICEF. You were a guest host on The View and managed to not cover anyone's mouth! Who knew?!? Seriously Clay, you did a good job on the show. We think Joy has a teeny soft spot for you.

We got very excited when the PBS Special started popping up on various PBS stations all across the country and some stations offered meet & greet tickets along with our pledges. How are you going to handle the over-sold M&Gs, like the one in the Philly market. Something tells us that a 72 person M&G ain't gonna happen. Heh.

What else happened in July, what else? Oh! We know! The start of the 'Timeless Tour' starring Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard! We waited in anticipation for this tour. Most of us hadn't seen you on a stage since Spamalot and we were jonesing for a glimpse of Concert!Clay! on stage doing what you do best...entertaining an audience. We always knew that you were funny, really funny, but who knew that Ruben was so funny as well? Of course, not all fans enjoyed the same thing about the tour, some loved the medleys, others wanted at least a few more complete songs. As we said above, there is usually a song or two that most fans clop (yes, clop's a word. Is too!) onto and this tour was not different. 'More Than a Feeling' and 'Footloose' were the two songs most talked about. We also remember some of the 'characters' in the audience. One of our favorites was 'Alan' from Hammond who "broke it the hell down" during 'Footloose' and of course, who could forget Arlene, the older lady who got to molest you right on stage (lucky lady)? Where was Jerome? Standing on the side, laughing his ass off, that's where he was. How was that staff meeting afterwards? Oh, wait, that was at the special Chicago concert in October. Forget we said anything.

We also got to hear you sing in the Phineas and Ferb episode with Chaka Khan.

The tour ran through mid-August and we didn't see you again until......

September: ...when you made some appearances for the PBS Special in various TV studios.

October:

Two big things happened in October. The intimate concert at the West Park Theater on the 14th and the National Inclusion Project's Annual Gala on the 15th. At the West Park concert, who could forget Arlene, the older lady who got to molest you right on stage (lucky lady)? Where was Jerome? Standing on the side, laughing his ass off, that's where he was. How was that staff meeting afterwards? Yes, we copied and cheated, so what, who cares (tm Joy Behar via SNL)

The Champions Gala raised quite a bit of money for the NIP with the most successful auction of sending 5 kids to camp, the 4, then 3 until it got down to one. The total raised was over $370,000. In these tough economic times, that's a goodly number, Clay. You and the supporters should be proud. This year, the honorees were:

PepsiCo EnAble
EnAble seeks to promote physical, technological, and cultural opportunities to “EnAble” their people to realize their fullest potential.

I Am Norm: Twenty young people, with and without disabilities, from various locations across the United States designed a campaign in hopes of bringing about change. Through this campaign, they hope to raise awareness about inclusion, provide opportunities for youth to share their ideas about inclusion, and promote inclusive practices in schools and communities. They want to encourage the acceptance, respect, and full inclusion of all youth, in schools and communities through an initiative designed by young people.

The documentary, 'Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life'
A group of friends took 15 year old Darius Weems across America to raise awareness of Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD), the disease Darius has, to test wheelchair accessibility across the country, and to convince MTV's popular show "Pimp My Ride" to customize Darius' wheelchair.

What a wonderful group of honorees, Clay. Again, good job, NIP, good job!
You also spoke out against bullying on the Joy Behar Show quite effectively.

November:

November was a bit sparse but you did get to address Members of Congress, along with Senators Bob Casey and Al Franken and Representatives Jared Polis and Linda Sanchez about the Safe Schools Improvement Act, sponsored by GLSEN, advocating for anti-bullying legislation in the wake of the recent teen suicides as a result of bullying. "I never had someone who told me that it was ok to be different...that it was okay to be me. What I did hear was that it would get better once I was out of high school...that things would get better. But from where I sat, I could not possibly believe that to be true. We need federal leadership from Congress to encourage all states and districts and each and every school to create safe learning environments where all students can learn and succeed." Excellent speech Clay and so close to home for many children and adults. Good job.

You also turned 32 on November 30th. Just think, we 'met' you at age 24 when you were still a youngin' and now you're an old man. Heh.

December, you were quiet, except for a few blogs that we loved. Keep it up, Clay. Your fans love it when you blog. Oh, and you could play with the devil once in a while and tweet something *g*

To wrap up this long-ass...ah, winded discourse, we hope you, your family and loved ones had a wonderful Christmas holiday and for the New Year, we wish you joy, peace, and love.

Love,
Your Internet Fans

*All factual errors are soley the fault of the author

**Many thanks to the Clack House message board Calendar thread, to 'Finding Clay Aiken' messageboard for the yearly timeline, and to all in Clay Nation for your unwavering enthusiasm, support, and for posting your thoughts and feelings.

Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard at the American Music Theater

2010-08-06T01:20:00.005-04:00

Sunday, August 8th will see Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard bring their 'Timeless' Tour to The American Music Theater in Lancaster PA. Performing together for the first time since American Idol, 2003, the two fabulous singers bring to the stage a Martin and Lewis-like show with a lot of singing and comedic bits. One doesn't get to see many shows like this anymore, but from what I've seen, they're not only talented, but funny as hell. If you see one of their concerts, be prepared to be entertained.

Here's an interview from the Intelligencer Journal Lancaster New Era by Jon Ferguson:

Seven years after squaring off against each other on the second season of "American Idol," Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard are again sharing the same stage.

The two singers will bring their "Timeless" tour to the American Music Theatre Sunday night.

It's the first time they've toured together and Aiken says they'll be performing songs from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He says they have an 85-song set list to choose from.

"If people name two or three big songs from any one of those decades, chances are we're doing at least one of them," Aiken says from his tour bus while it travels through Wisconsin.

Aiken, 31, says he and Studdard, who won the "American Idol" competition that year, share the stage about 85 percent of the time during the show and do a lot of singing together.

"Occasionally, we'll take a break and let the other person sing a solo song so the other person can rest or wipe the sweat off his face," Aiken says.

The North Carolina native says he hasn't watched "American Idol" for the past five years, though he and Studdard remain friends and have always stayed in touch.

"Ruben and I have talked for several years actually about wanting to do something together," he says. "We hadn't performed together or sung together since we were on 'Idol.' It was something that we talked about wanting to do and kept putting it off because of his obligations, my obligations or just pure laziness. Finally, we decided to stop talking about it and just do it."

Though Studdard topped Aiken on "American Idol," Aiken has enjoyed more commercial success during their post--"Idol" careers.

Buoyed by enthusiastic fans called Claymates, Aiken's debut album, "Measure of a Man" (2003), went on to sell almost three millions copies.

He released a Christmas album the following year that sold over a million copies.

However, he hasn't been able to sustain those numbers and his 2008 album, "On My Way Here," sold about 150,000 copies.

His latest album, "Tried and True," was released in June and features popular songs like "Crying," "Moon River," "Misty," "Unchained Melody" (which he sang on "Idol") and "Suspicious Minds."

"These are songs that are so wonderfully written -- great standards, almost -- that it was easy for me to settle in with them," he says. "I've heard them my whole life."

Except for "Suspicious Minds," Aiken says he won't be singing songs from the album during his tour with Studdard. He says they agreed not to use the tour as an opportunity to promote their solo albums. (Studdard's fourth album, "Love Is," produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, was released in May 2009.)

Aiken says he will tour behind the album in the winter.

During his career, Aiken had been dogged by questions about his sexuality. Rumors persisted that he was gay, though Aiken for years denied it.

In 2008, Aiken disclosed in an interview with People magazine that he is gay.

"I think it's probably been relatively neutral," Aiken says when asked how the disclosure has affected his career. "Obviously, there were some people who weren't thrilled with it. But, at the same time, it allows me to be more comfortable with myself and be more open. It makes it easier to perform and I think people see that and gravitate toward it."

Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard
Sun. 7 p.m. $55

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East
397-7700. www.amtshows.com

The Timeless Tour: Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard

2010-07-24T17:52:00.004-04:00

Competing on American Idol in 2003, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard are touring this summer, going out together for 16 dates across the USA. The tour debuted last night in Asheville, NC at the Biltmore Estates.

From Playbill.com:

In a previous statement Aiken said, "I couldn’t ask for a better tour mate. To be able to share the stage with him again is so exciting. He is such a talented artist. He inspires me daily and I think that respect and admiration will truly be reflected in our show."

Studdard added, "It is truly a blessing and an honor to be on the stage with my friend. The relationship that we have built over these past eight years will definitely translate into a great show for our fans. And I'm really looking forward to singing the timeless classics every night."

The duo will perform renditions of classic hits from the past five decades. Expect duets and special surprises.

Tour dates follow:

Jul-23 - Asheville, NC - Biltmore Estates
Jul-24 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theater
Jul-25 - Melbourne, FL - King Center For Arts
Jul-26 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
Jul-29 - Snoqualmie WA - Casino- Mountain View Plaza
Jul-31 - Reno, NV - Silver Legacy Casino
Aug-01 - Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia
Aug-03 - Milwaukee, WI - Potawatomi Casino
Aug-05 - Windsor, ON - Caesar’s
Aug-06 - Chautauqua, NY - Chautauqua Institution Amphitheatre
Aug-07 - Mashantucket, CT - MGM Grand Foxwoods
Aug-08 - Lancaster, PA - American Music Theater
Aug-10 - Hampton Beach, NH - HB Casino
Aug-11 - New York, NY - Hammerstein
Aug-12 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Casino
Aug-13 - Hammond, IN - Horseshoe
Aug-14 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage

For more information visit www.clayaiken.com or www.rubenstuddard.com.

Clay Aiken
Ruben Studdard
The Biltmore Estates
The Timeless Tour
American Idol
Playbill

Delicious Coleslaw

2010-06-13T19:08:00.004-04:00

I know, this isn't about Clay....this time, but I have to brag. I made coleslaw for the very first time and it turned out delicious. It was spur-of-the-moment. I was food shopping and saw a container of raw coleslaw/cabbage already chopped and shredded for $.99. It's cheaper to chop my own, but with my ant problem, I'm taking the easy way out.

I went to www.allrecipes.com, my favorite recipe site, well, that and www.lowcarb-recipes.net, which helped me to lose 25 pounds. Anywho, I did a search on allrecipes.com for coleslaw and a ton of recipes came up. I read about 10 of them, then decided to just go simple and make it with mayo (Helman's, of course), white wine vinegar, some basil-garlic seasoning, and some dill. OMG, delish!

When using that site, I like to read about 10 recipes, then just use what I think is good and in whatever quantity I think belongs.

What's for dinner tonight? Cheeseburger with no bun and coleslaw. Maybe a veggie, too.

Several Clay mentions today

2010-06-10T20:45:00.002-04:00

From Billboard Chart Beat Thursdays:

FEAT OF CLAY: With "Tried & True" becoming his fifth top 10 on the Billboard 200 with a debut at No. 9, Clay Aiken passes Kelly Clarkson for most top 10s on the tally by an "American Idol" graduate.

Carrie Underwood ranks third among the Fox TV series' former finalists with three top 10 albums, followed by Daughtry's Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Jordin Sparks and Ruben Studdard, each with two top 10s.

Aiken first appeared on the Billboard 200 with "Measure of a Man," which spent its first two weeks at No. 1 in November 2003. He revisited the top tier with "Merry Christmas With Love" (No. 4, 2004), "A Thousand Different Ways" (No. 2, 2006) and "On My Way Here" (No. 4, 2008).

From AssociatedContent.com on ranking American Idol Runners Up:

(1) Clay Aiken: (Season 2) Clay didn't need any bells and whistles or lighting effects to get to this spot in this list. With one of the most impeccable voices we've heard on the show, all he really had to do was sing. He still has the vocals that have really only been rivaled by David Cook in range and consistency. No one on this list can match the finesse and power of Clay Aiken's belting range, not even Adam and his constant falsetto. (Of course, we don't know if Clay can scream, but how much screaming do we really want to hear?)

Clay Aiken: Tried and True REview

2010-05-24T23:29:00.002-04:00

From The Examiner.com

Clay Aiken Tried & True (Decca)
This is Clay's fifth studio album, and it features classic songs from '50s and '60s. The American Idol Season 2 runner-up does have a great ear for good melodic songs. To wit, Tried & True cuts like "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You," "Moon River," "Crying," Herman's Hermits' much-under-appreciateed "There's a Kind of Hush," "Suspicious Minds" and "Misty." Aiken also includes two songs he made his signatures on Idol: "Unchained Melody" and "Mack the Knife," which are the perfect vehicles for his soaring vocals. Congrats, Claynation, your idol will be out on the road with Ruben Stoddard this summer.

IN OTHER WORDS: Love his style or not, Clay's a great vocalist, and these terrific selections are right up his alley.

I really like it when reviewer(s) write about the voice without any pre-conceived notions or agendas. Good job, guys.

Clay Aiken: Tried and True

2010-05-06T20:46:00.004-04:00

The first snippets of Clay's PBS Special are up on YouTube. Enjoy the voice.

In Memoriam: All who may die from Alzheimer's disease

2009-10-11T17:35:00.003-04:00

This past week, Clay lost someone very close to him from Alzheimer's disease. I lost my father to the disease. Many, many families in this country have also lost a loved one to the disease, or they are living with a family member who either has the disease or who will get the disease.

Alzheimer's is not a pleasant disease. It robs the person of the essence of who they are. Here are some facts on Alzheimers from www.alz.org:

Alzheimer's facts:
• As many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s.

• Alzheimer's and dementia triple healthcare costs for Americans age 65 and older.

• Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s.

• Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death.

• The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.

10 Signs of Alzheimer's:

*Memory loss that disrupts daily life
*Challenges in planning or solving problems
*Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
*Confusion with time or place
*Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
*New problems with words in speaking or writing
*Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
*Decreased or poor judgment
*Withdrawal from work or social activities
*Changes in mood and personality

Alzheimer's myths

Myth 1: Memory loss is a natural part of aging.

Reality: In the past people believed memory loss was a normal part of aging, often regarding even Alzheimer’s as natural age-related decline. Experts now recognize severe memory loss as a symptom of serious illness.

Myth 2: Alzheimer’s disease is not fatal.

Reality: Alzheimer's disease has no survivors. It destroys brain cells and causes memory changes, erratic behaviors and loss of body functions. It slowly and painfully takes away a person's identity, ability to connect with others, think, eat, talk, walk and find his or her way home

Myth 3: Only older people can get Alzheimer's

Reality: Alzheimer's can strike people in their 30s, 40s and even 50s. This is called younger-onset Alzheimer's. In 2009, it is estimated that there are as many as 5.3 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. This includes 5.1 million people age 65 and over and 200,000 people under age 65 with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Reality: During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.

Myth 5: Aspartame causes memory loss.

Reality: This artificial sweetener, marketed under such brand names as Nutrasweet and Equal, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in all foods and beverages in 1996. Since approval, concerns about aspartame's health effects have been raised.

Myth 6: Flu shots increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Reality: A theory linking flu shots to a greatly increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease has been proposed by a U.S. doctor whose license was suspended by the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners. Several mainstream studies link flu shots and other vaccinations to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and overall better health

Myth 7: Silver dental fillings increase risk of Alzheimer's disease

Reality: According to the best available scientific evidence, there is no relationship between silver dental fillings and Alzheimer's. The concern that there could be a link arose because "silver" fillings are made of an amalgam (mixture) that typically contains about 50 percent mercury, 35 percent silver and 15 percent tin. Mercury is a heavy metal that, in certain forms, is know to be toxic to the brain and other organs.

Myth 8: There are treatments available to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease

Reality: At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them.

Stages of Alzheimer's

Stage 1:
No impairment (normal function)

Unimpaired individuals experience no memory problems and none are evident to a health care professional during a medical interview.

Stage 2:
Very mild cognitive decline (may be normal age-related changes or earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease)

Individuals may feel as if they have memory loss and lapses, especially in forgetting familiar words or names or the location of keys, eyeglasses or other everyday objects. But these problems are not evident during a medical examination or apparent to friends, family or co-workers.

Stage 3:
Mild cognitive declineEarly-stage Alzheimer's can be diagnosed in some, but not all, individuals with these symptoms

Friends, family or co-workers begin to notice deficiencies. Problems with memory or concentration may be measurable in clinical testing or discernible during a detailed medical interview. Common difficulties include:

*Word- or name-finding problems noticeable to family or close associates
*Decreased ability to remember names when introduced to new people
*Performance issues in social or work settings noticeable to family, friends or deficiencies.

*Reading a passage and retaining little material
*Losing or misplacing a valuable object
*Decline in ability to plan or organize

Stage 4:
Moderate cognitive decline(Mild or early-stage Alzheimer's disease)

At this stage, a careful medical interview detects clear-cut deficiencies in the following areas:
*Decreased knowledge of recent occasions or current events
*Impaired ability to perform challenging mental arithmetic-for example, to count backward from 75 by 7s
*Decreased capacity to perform complex tasks, such as planning dinner for guests, paying bills and managing finances
*Reduced memory of personal history
*The affected individual may seem subdued and withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations

Stage 5:
Moderately severe cognitive decline(Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease)

Major gaps in memory and deficits in cognitive function emerge. Some assistance with day-to-day activities becomes essential. At this stage, individuals may:
*Be unable during a medical interview to recall such important details as their current address, their telephone number or the name of the college or high school from which they graduated
*Become confused about where they are or about the date, day of the week or season
*Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic; for example, counting backward from 40 by 4s or from 20 by 2s
*Need help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion
*Usually retain substantial knowledge about themselves and know their own name and the names of their spouse or children
*Usually require no assistance with eating or using the toilet

Stage 6:
Severe cognitive decline(Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease)

Memory difficulties continue to worsen, significant personality changes may emerge and affected individuals need extensive help with customary daily activities. At this stage, individuals may:
*Lose most awareness of recent experiences and events as well as of their surroundings
*Recollect their personal history imperfectly, although they generally recall their own name
*Occasionally forget the name of their spouse or primary caregiver but generally can distinguish familiar from unfamiliar faces
*Need help getting dressed properly; without supervision, may make such errors as putting pajamas over daytime clothes or shoes on wrong feet
*Experience disruption of their normal sleep/waking cycle
*Need help with handling details of toileting (flushing toilet, wiping and disposing of tissue properly)
*Have increasing episodes of urinary or fecal incontinence
*Experience significant personality changes and behavioral symptoms, including suspiciousness and delusions (for example, believing that their caregiver is an impostor); hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there); or compulsive, repetitive behaviors such as hand-wringing or tissue shredding
*Tend to wander and become lost

Stage 7:
Very severe cognitive decline(Severe or late-stage Alzheimer's disease)

This is the final stage of the disease when individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, the ability to speak and, ultimately, the ability to control movement.
*Frequently individuals lose their capacity for recognizable speech, although words or phrases may occasionally be uttered
*Individuals need help with eating and toileting and there is general incontinence of urine
*Individuals lose the ability to walk without assistance, then the ability to sit without support, the ability to smile, and the ability to hold their head up. *Reflexes become abnormal and muscles grow rigid. Swallowing is impaired.

Consult a doctor when you have concerns about memory loss, thinking skills and behavior changes in yourself or a loved one. For people with dementia and their families, an early diagnosis has many advantages:
*time to make choices that maximize quality of life
*lessened anxieties about unknown problems
*a better chance of benefiting from treatment
*more time to plan for the future

It is also important for a physician to determine the cause of memory loss or other symptoms. Some dementia-like symptoms can be reversed if they are caused by treatable conditions, such as depression, drug interaction, thyroid problems, excess use of alcohol or certain vitamin deficiencies.

In Memoriam to all who suffer from, or have a loved one suffering from, Alzheimer's disease.

Clay Aiken: Happy first Father's Day to you!

2009-06-20T21:52:00.002-04:00

I don't have anything profound to say, Clay, just that I hope you have a fabulous first Father's Day. I hope having a child is everything you thought it would be and more. There will be ups and downs, happiness and disappointment, laughter and sorrow, but mostly the days will be mundane, the fabric of everyday life.

The years will pass so fast that you'll wonder where they went. One day your child is an infant, the next, he'll be graduating from high school, then college. You'll look in the mirror and you'll wonder, 'where did the time go'? The time went into influencing your baby's personality, into being a role model with your actions and your words. Things you do and say will one day be echoed by Parker. Some of those will make you laugh, some will make you wince, yet others will make you wonder, 'where did that come from'? You'll see yourself in your child, and you'll see your mother, your brother, your biological father, your grandparents, aunts, uncles. All of your family has a genetic stake in Parker, as does Jaymes' family.

And one day, your grown child will bring home their chosen partner for life, a woman or a man, hopefully, in 25 or so years, it won't matter like it does today. And you'll realize that life repeats itself as Parker creates his own nuclear family, has a child, and sees in his child......you.

Happy Father's Day, Clay.

Michelle Obama

2009-02-27T20:01:00.001-05:00

I just saw this picture of Michelle Obama. It's her first official White House portrait. It blew me away.

Spamalot: A Tribute and a Farewell

2009-01-11T15:00:00.005-05:00

I said my farewell to Spamalot last Sunday during Clay Aiken's last show. I've seen the show about 14 times. I probably wouldn't have seen it at all if not for the fact that Clay was appearing in it. I went to see Clay and I came away with an appreciation of, and love for, so many things Spamalot.

The show itself is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. The script is fabulous, the music fits so well within the parameters of the comedy, and I fell in love with the actors, all of them, from the leads to the chorus to the dancers. I want this blog to be a tribute to the marvelous show that is Spamalot.

Created by Eric Idle and John du Prez, Monty Python's Spamalot was 'lovingly' ripped from the motion picture, 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'. Directed by the award-winning Mike Nichols, the show won the Tony award for best musical in 2005 and has been going strong ever since. The actors come and go, but the play remains as funny as ever.

I didn't get to see the original show with the original actors, including David Hyde Pierce and Tim Curry, but I was privileged to see the last installment with the current actors. This is a tribute to them:

King Arthur: Played by Jonathan Hadary and Michael Siberry. Both had a different take on the King with Jonathan playing him more seriously, more of the anchor to the show, and Michael giving Arthur a more comedic personality. I confess I fell in love with Jonathan's portrayal, but grew to appreciate Michael's take on the character.

Patsy: Luckily I didn't have to choose between actors because the brilliant David Hibbard played Patsy for the entire run that I attended. David brought a heartfelt poignancy to the role that was the soul of the show. One can't help falling in love with Patsy. And David's brilliant rendition of 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' puts a smile on my face every time I think of it, but my favorite thing that David did? The head cheerleader for the Lady of the Lake and her Laker girls. It was about a 30 second bit that quickly became something I looked forward to every show.

The Lady of the Lake: Again, played by two actresses Hannah Waddingham and Merle Dandridge. Both ladies are wonderful. Hannah brought a more 'over the top' rendition to the role, while Merle was a bit more understated. I liked them both equally well and I got to meet Merle during a fund-raiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (BC/EFA) when I got my picture taken with her and Clay. There was way too much pretty up on the stage and I don't mean me.

Sir Dennis Galahad: Played by both Christopher Sibert and Bradley Dean, Christopher went on to another show early in Clay's run. I loved Christopher's and Clay's characters interaction but grew to appreciate and respect Bradley as he grew into the role. In the end Bradley made more of an impression because he was in the role longer than Chris, but I loved them both.

Sir Lancelot: What can I say about Rick Holmes? Brilliant. Magnificent. Funny as hell. Perfect for the role. I loved him. His French Taunter was one the funniest things I've ever seen and his big 'Carmen Miranda' dance was hilarious. What a talented man Rick is. I hope to be able to see him do other roles. Soon.

Sir Robin: Originally played by David Hyde Pierce, I only saw Clay in the role. I've been a fan of Clay's since American Idol and I know how freaking talented he is but Broadway? Acting? Dancing? Well, I go to see Clay as much as I can so I went to his opening night. I knew he'd be good but what I didn't know is that he'd nail it so well. Not only acting, but dancing, too! And funny! If you've ever been to the 'Clay Aiken Traveling Singing and Stand-Up Comedy Show' you'd know he was funny, but he was freaking funny in the show. Shitting his pants, dancin' an' fightin', Brother Maynard, the Castle Guard, he brought an innocence to each role that was refreshing.

Prince Herbert: Tom Deckman. What can I say about the multi-talented Tom Deckman? Thank heaven I discovered him in Spamalot because I will be following his career forever. He reminds me of the great comedic talents like a Dick VanDyke. Tom has a face that can, with just one look, convey an entire character's feelings. And he has a voice as pure as snow. I lurves him muchly.

Sir Bedevere: Wally Dunn plays Sir Bedevere and Sir Galahad's mother. The part isn't very big, but Wally puts is own spin on each character and you can't help but fall in love with him.

I'd like to pay my respects to the show's ensemble:

Piper Lindsay Arpan, Thomas Cannizzaro, Callie Carter, Kevin Crewell, Matthew Crowle, Nikki Della Penta, Mika Duncan, Andrew Fitch, Stephanie Gibson, Jenny Hill, Emily Hsu, Kristy Kerwin, Gavin Lodge, Brian Marcum, Michael O'Donnell, Pamela Remler, Vanessa Sonon, Rick Spanns, and Billy Sprague, Jr. I hope I got everyone. I took the info from the Playbill.

This tribute would not be complete without mentioning the illustrious Musical Director, Todd Ellison. Todd and his orchestra set the mood from the opening number to the final note. He had to coordinate his orchestra with the action on the stage, not an easy thing to do. Thank you, Todd, we loved you, too.

Finally, to the backstage crew, who worked so tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this show to life, to the Shubert organization, who treated the inflow of Clay's fans with grace and courtesy, to the Shubert security who 'secured' with patience and, sometimes, smiles, to the ushers and usherettes, who were gracious, my hat's off to you all. You can look back on this special time on Broadway with pride for you all did a really, really good job.

Thank you.

Oh. And I fart in your general direction.

Clay Aiken
Monty Python's Spamalot

Clay Aiken: 2008, the Year in Review

2009-01-01T00:58:00.003-05:00

Hey Clay, how’s it going? Yes, it’s us, your internet fans once again discussing your life as we always do. You know, not everyone likes to be lumped into ‘internet fans’. They say, ‘you don’t speak for me’. Well they’re right, we don’t speak for everyone, but we read all the message boards and take the general gist of what the fans are feeling about the events in your life, year by year, so no, we can’t speak for all, but hopefully our little year end essays cover the most prevalent mood of all the boards. We also give the opposing view whenever we can. Now we’re switching to the singular for this essay. Actually, we’ll probably switch back and forth but who cares? We ain’t the grammar police. Heh.

So……………

What’s new with you for 2008? HA!HA! I crack myself up! You actually had a really good 2008, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’ll begin at the beginning of the year.

January: We left you last year in Mexico on a UNICEF trip where, once again, we oooh’ed and ahhh’ed over Humanitarian!Clay! and we pitched in our pennies and raised over $100,000 for UNICEF’s ‘Help Clay raise $100,000 by December 31st’ fund-raising campaign. I think that goal was hit around 4:00 pm (I could be wrong) New Year’s Eve. You done good, we done good, UNICEF and children the world over benefit. It’s a win-win situation.

On January 7th, you held your first ‘Golfing for Inclusion’ at the Mirasol Country Club in Florida. Along with Wayne Player, you were on the course, interacting with the golfers, having a grand old time. Clay, some of your fans loved the blond hair, some didn’t, but you looked mah-valous that day, simply mah-velous! The signed Masters flags were a nice touch for the winning groups (no, not signed by you, signed by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player, three of the most beloved golfers in history), you and Diane gave a speech about inclusion, and you bestowed a grant to Vicki Pugh and Janice Labat for the Boca Raton YMCA to expand their inclusion program. Good job, Clay, good job. You had some really terrific prizes to auction off and you raised over $60,000 for the ‘Let’s ALL Play’ programs. And kudos for expanding your corporate sponsor list because that’s so important in the life of a Foundation. BTW, Clay, there are people out there that are dedicated to philanthropy AND vote for American Idol AND attend your concerts. Just sayin’…

Soon after the Golfing event, the numbers were released for the 2007 BAF Wrapping for Inclusion. The goal was $100,000, the actual amount raised was over $102,000! Good job to each and every person who participated and made Wrapping for Inclusion an annual fund-raising vehicle. What a nice way to spread the word about inclusion and the BAF.

We didn’t have to wonder when we’d next see you again, like we usually do at the end of a concert tour, because those of us who could had already scarfed up tickets for your Broadway debut. Let me say that again. Clay Aiken’s Broadway debut. God, that sounds good. Now, as you may very well know, while most of us loved the fact that you would be on Broadway, some of us didn’t like the idea. Some wanted Rock!Star!Clay! or at least Touring!Clay! but instead, we got something different! We got your Broadway debut in a vehicle that was far removed from what we thought you’d do, Clay Aiken starring in ‘Spamalot’. Monty Python! Irreverent humor, bawdy scenes, dancing numbers. STOP THE PRESSES! Did we say ‘dancing’? About the guy who has always said he doesn’t know how to dance? Shut up! Yeah, yeah, we know you said choreography is not the same as dancing, but it really is, especially after you’ve internalized the moves so that it comes naturally for you.

Anywho….., January 18th, 2008. The theater was filled with your fans and as we patiently waited for the curtain to rise, the atmosphere was almost as festive as one of your concerts. Old friends calling across the theater to each other, new friends meeting for the first time, that sense of anticipation that hangs heavy in the air at every Clay event, especially opening night. There was an air of underlying excitement, as there always is, when your fans know that they will see you again. We saw your mom, Faye, your grandmother and your brother, Brett standing at the theater door before the show started. That was cool. Little by little, we made our way to our seats and waited breathlessly for the show to begin.

Schlip, Schlap! Schlip-a-schlap a-vay

The show began and as good as the opening number was, we were waiting to see you.

‘Oo goes there?’

The roar of the crowd, the smell of the greasepaint. *ahem* Sorry, I couldn’t resist. The roar of the crowd, your fans, welcoming you to Broadway! You stuck your head out of that tower, with shit all over you *g* and you freaking NAILED your part. The accent, your demeanor, your facial expressions. Pure perfection and it was only opening night!

‘Are you saying coconuts migrate?’

OMG, it was so funny! You were so funny! You played perfectly off King Arthur. We’re not going to recap each and every scene, well, maybe we will, so let’s resume!

“Bring out yer dead”

Clay, I don’t think we can encapsulate the feeling in the theater that night. The wonder, the joy, the giddiness, all leading up to the Bottle Dance, where we collectively held our breaths and waited for the conga line. You saw the piano, sat, played chopsticks, did the turn, the shoulder roll, stood up, large and in charge with the stomping, then came the line. Down on your knees, leg out, pull, other leg out, pull, leg out, pull. OMG, it was fabulous, just fabulous! You were fabulous, the cast was fabulous, the show was fabulous, and the night was magical.

There are so many scenes in Spamalot that deserve recognition. ‘Not Dead Fred’ was funny as anything, the entire ‘All for One’ leading into the Camelot scene and ‘Knights of the Round Table’ was brilliant in it’s combination of the comedic and the ridiculous. The absolutely sublime Rick Holmes as the French Taunter was sheer comic genius.

The way Brave Sir Robin get to experience all sorts of ‘death’ via everything Idle and Cleese could throw in, the Lady of the Lake and her Laker girls, The Knights who say Ni and various and assorted other things. The foolhardy bravery of the Black Knight, the show-stopping ‘You Won’t Succeed on Broadway’, Sir Lancelot and Prince Herbert, and, of course, Herbert’s father and the guard scene. King Arthur realizing that Patsy is family, the Killer Rabbit, or Ra-beet, as the French Taunters would say, Brother Maynard and the Holy Hand Grenade, finding the Grail, anointing the peasant, and the fabulous finale. What can we say about such an excellent production, from the script to the characters, to the actors who brought it to life, to the backstage support team, to the amazing audiences each performance? It was an experience that we will never forget, and it was a privilege to see you in your first Broadway production. It was a privilege to get to ‘know’ the cast members and see their talent hard at work. Clay, we not only loved you, but we loved the cast, too. Oh! And the Shubert Organization, from the ushers to the security, to the ticket people, they were all extremely gracious to your ‘Nation.

After the show, Shubert Alley was filled with fans and NJU from stem to stern, top to bottom, side to side. Most of us didn’t see you, the crowd was so thick but the camaraderie was hanging heavy in the air, old and new friends met up, we swarmed the local eateries, Juniors, John’s Pizza, Carmines, Sardi’s, we had little and not-so-little after-parties, we celebrated your Broadway debut and it was grand. Some of us saw all five shows that weekend, some saw only one, and others had to hear the intermission reports over a cellcert, but we were all there with you that night, celebrating. We hope we didn’t embarrass you too much. The cast was so generous of their praise for us, saying that when the audience is ‘on’, so are they. Good thing *wink*

Of course, during January there were also newscasts of your trip to Mexico on many and various stations and a few short interviews of your Broadway turn.

February: American Idol Rewind, which started in October of 2007, continued with the Top Ten episodes. How fun it was to relive the memories, to see you as a pup because you looked so young back then. How fun it was to watch the evolution of your look and to see your confidence grow each and every week, to see Brett looking so young, Faye looking so proud, Nick and Kristy grinning from ear to ear. Good times.

March: Thank heavens for the nightly stage door reports and the stage door clack because without that, we’d have died from lack of Clack. Heh. There were small Spamalot mentions on TV, short interviews, and Broadwayworld.com ran some nice articles about you.

April was a pretty busy month for you and for us. You participated in leaving your handprints in cement at Planet Hollywood, AOL First Listen debuted the first single…we were all over that like white on rice, and itunes had the CD up for pre-order. Thank you, God, for the QVC mini-concert on the 28th.. Thirty minutes, talking and singing five songs was a gift this year because you didn’t tour. Too bad only about 110 people got in the studio but those 110 people were the luckiest people in the world. Sorry, Spamalot keeps creeping into this conversation. Amazon released your digital single and April 29th saw the 22nd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition where you and Hannah sang The Prayer.

May was one of those bittersweet months. While we had the release of ‘On My Way Here’ on May 6th, we also saw the last night of your Spamalot run. Your fans filled the theater en masse and the show was probably one of the best of your run. The cast was on fire, you were on fire, the audience was on fire and when you did the drunken guard scene and started braiding the ribbons and Tom Deckman sat down, then David Hibbard sat down, then Brad Dean sat down and let you run with it, well, I don’t think we laughed so hard at anything before or since.

Shubert Alley that night was, once again, magical. The Alley was overflowing with people, all waiting for you to make your appearance and wow, did you ever! On the third floor ledge (or was it the second floor?), waving, blowing kisses, holding up six fingers. You looked fabulous, Clay, simple fabulous, and your ‘Nation was there, paying homage to your magnificent Broadway debut.

We can’t leave Spamalot v.1 without mentioning the cast, that marvelous cast that was the heart and soul of the show.

Jonathan Hadary, King Arthur, the heart of the show; David Hibbard, Patsy, the soul of the show; Hannah Waddingham, The Lady of the Lake, the multi-talented ‘love interest’; Tom Deckman, the comic relief (and that’s saying something in this ensemble); and your Knights of the Round Table: Rick Holmes, Sir Lancelot, man of many talents and a fabulous French taunter; Christopher Seibert, Sir Galahad and friend to Robin, who played off you to perfection; Bradley Dean, who took over when Chris Seibert left, and grew into the role magnificiently; Brad Oscar, Sir Bedevere, the gas-challenged and mother to Galahad.

The supporting cast and ensemble: Kevin Covert, Matthew Crowley, Thomas Cannizzaro, Greg Reuter, Emily Hsu, Brian Marcum, Andrew Fitch, Jenny Hill, Abbey O’Brien, Ariel Reid, Vanessa Sonon, Brandi Wooten, Callie Carter, Beth Johnson, Pamela Remler (dance captain), Rick Spaans *waves* (OK, I confess, this author thinks Rick is mighty hot) Lee Wilkins, and Todd Ellison and his fabulous orchestra. I know we’ve left out so many who contributed to Spamalot. Just know that we appreciate each and every one of the people behind the scenes for their contribution to a wonderful musical.

*Ahem*

What else happened in May, 2008? Oh, yeah, the release of your first CD since ‘Measure of a Man’ to feature all original songs, ‘On My Way Here’, or OMWH, as we abbreviate it. Clay, we could do a run-down on the state of the music industry today, the state of RCA promotion, digital downloads vs physical CD’s, pushing a single to radio, but no matter what the number sold, for the most part, your fans love the CD. To be honest, some don’t, they think there are too many strings, or the production is too much the same, some wanted more rock songs, but mostly we love it. We love the songs and we love your voice. It’s a win-win situation, for us. We just want you to tour behind it. Remember that word? Tour? Ok, we’re spoiled, we expect you to tour each year, we want you to tour each ear, we need to see you on that stage, singing, every year. But you do what you have to do, Clay, we’ll be right here waiting.

We held the CD release parties on Monday night, May 5th, the CD was released on Tuesday, May 6th, you signed CD’s in Virgin Megastore, appeared on GMA on Wednesday, May 7th. We were there, both inside and outside the studio, supporting you as we always do. You did The View, The Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda,; you did the Mo Rocca interview that we loved. What was that with the pea? You were on ABC’s Nightline with your playlist songs, you did a fabulous AOL Sessions. In fact, you were on the AOL top ten videos for a few months, Clay. Good job! You sprinkled some UNICEF interviews around here and there, Jimmy Kimmel and Rachael Ray on May 16th. You were a busy guy in May. Just the fact that you did eight shows a week with Spamalot AND recorded an album, all at the same time, spoke volumes of your dedication and work ethic, and, unbeknownst to us, you, or rather Jaymes, were cooking something in the oven. Hmmmm…..

June: You participated in the Ford’s Theater Gala at the National Theater in Washington DC. Tribute to the musical, The Civil War and you sang ‘Sarah’. We consider that lost Clack. See what you can do about that, OK?

Also in June, you made a trip to Somalia and Kenya on behalf of UNICEF. While a lot of your fans already know what’s going on in these countries, we’re still being educated by your trips and your blogs about conditions in the third world countries. About the education, or lack thereof, about the health conditions and lack of medical personnel in the field, about how the children of these countries are hungry for an education. Again, good job, Clay. The teacher in you in never far from the surface, is it?

We first heard rumors of baby news on May 29th from that bastion of journalistic integrity, TMZ *cough*. I think our eyes fell out of our head. Baby? Clay? And with Jaymes? Yowza. That news hit us right between the eyes. Was it true? Was it journalistic crap? We turned it into one of our acronyms, IIT, for ‘if it’s true’ every time we wrote about it. Of course, not a word was heard from TeamClay. But the tabloids? Unnamed sources? Eric Roberts. Sisters-in-law, publicists, first it was there, then it was retracted, WTF was going on? Then appeared a photo of Jaymes with a little belly. Now that woman never had a belly in her life, tiny thing that she is. We had no clue if it was true, but as the weeks went on, I think most of us came to accept it as a fact but we also remember what you said: Don’t believe it unless it’s on the ofc. Heh. OK.

July: On the 6th of July, CNN presented a special, ‘The Survival Project: One Child at a Time’ on which you appeared as a UNICEF spokesman. Ya know, you didn’t do much over the summer except wait for Parker to emerge. Doesn’t leave us much to write about, but never fear, we’ll persevere. Lead on, MacBeth!

August: 08/08/08 at 8:08 am. The birth of your first child, Parker Foster Aiken, first name, middle name, last name, no hyphen. Happy birthday, Parker. We saw the pictures of you and Jaymes leaving the hospital, you didn’t look too thrilled with the paparazzi that day, Clay. We don’t blame you but we were glad to see the pictures. We hope that you had an uneventful first month with Parker; then we found out about his gastric problem. That must have scared a few years off you and Jaymes, but it’s good to know that everything turned out all right.

September: Well. What can we say about September? Specifically September 24th, the day that People hit the newsstands. Wow. This is going to be hard to write about because the fans’ emotions were all over the place and we don’t want to slight anyone’s feelings. First, off, the majority of your fans really didn’t care that you were gay. There was a saying on some of the message boards: ‘When he starts singing with his dick, then I’ll care’. Yeah, that line will probably not be in the version on the ofc, but it will be in my blog. Some fans suspected you were gay, some had no clue, most were in the middle, taking you at your word and letting you self-identify. After all, you’re right, it’s nobody’s business except the person you’re sleeping with and you were never going to sleep with us. OK, me, but I digress.

Emotions were flying high for a few weeks. You lost some fans. For that, I’m sad. I’m sad that they let something that should have been personal to you get in the way of all that you are and all the fun that you brought to this fandom. Some left for religious reasons, some left because they thought you weren’t the man you professed to be over the past five years. Most of us didn’t feel that way. Most of your fans realized that being straight or gay is just a small part of a person, a very small part; that your heart remains as big as your voice, that the funny is still there, the intelligence is still there, the caring is still there, and demmit, the performer is still the same as before September 24th, 2008.

Some fans thought you lied to them. Not about being gay, but that you lied about lying about being gay. Was that sentence grammatically correct? Again, the majority of your fans understand why you misdirected, starting with the Rolling Stone interview and through a few other interviews. Yes, you were vague in your answers, but again, those were answers to questions that no one should have to answer.

It was nice that you let the ofc have an open forum for two weeks for people to come to grips with whatever issues they had, whether with you, with your sexuality, or with their perceptions of who you were. It was sometimes a nasty thread as posters picked on each other, but you also had posters who learned from others, who shared their feelings and realized that they may have been wrong about how they felt, or others whose opinions remained the same. Some posters didn’t have the patience to help others through their feelings, yet other posters remained on-line for as long as someone needed to vent. We think that you leaving that thread up for as long as you did was a very brave thing to do. It had to have hurt to read some of the things being said, but we hope you took comfort in most of the reactions from the fandom. We just hope you’re OK with some gentle ribbing about your sexuality once in a while, ‘cos some of us just can’t keep our mouths shut.

Well, I said it would be hard to write about the fandom reactions. We probably didn’t get every single emotion down on paper and for that, I apologize to any who felt left out, however, the blog you wrote on October 10th brought a lot of us to our knees, figuratively speaking. What a heartfelt blog that was, Clay. Some read it with a cynical eye, some read it and cried for what you’ve been through the past 10 years, some read and asked, ‘OK, when’s he touring’, yet others read it and it wasn’t enough for them. You have to do what feels right for you, Clay. Some fans understand that, others don’t, but you can only live your life to be true to who you are, as we all must do. Hold your head high and know that you are loved. The fact that you laid yourself bare for the world to see took a courage that a lot of people don’t have and we admire you for that. Stay strong, Clay.

OK, enough about that. What else happened in September, 2008? On the 19th, you returned to the scene of the crime, Spamalot v. 2. For the next four months, we’d know where you were for most nights. That felt good. We also looked forward to the stage door experience. You seemed more friendly (or should that be friendlier?), or maybe it was just a relief for you, that you could be yourself and not have to parse everything you said. You signed for the fans, you took pictures with them. You made the stage door a truly unique experience for those so lucky to experience them.

Anyway….Spam v2 was a different experience because the audience consisted of not just the fans, but a lot of NJU. You do know what that means, don’t you? After all, per you, ‘yeah, I know your words’. NJU = Not Just Us, meaning not just your core fans, the die-hards, but just regular people who loved Monty Python, or just people who wanted to see a funny show, or people who saw you on American Idol but haven’t been following you ever since, like some we could mention. It was fun watching their reactions and listening to them after the show. One guy said, just recently, ‘Clay Aiken was the best thing in the show’. Don’t get a swelled head, m’k? Other NJU’s said things like ‘he really held his own’, or ‘I didn’t know he could act’. It warmed our hearts that more people are seeing what we’ve seen all along, the mad-talented Mr. Aiken. And of course, that fabulous cast. There were some cast changes, some of us preferred the old and others liked the new members, but all in all, Spamalot was a wonderful experience for the fandom, Clay.

Let’s see, People hit the newsstands on Sept. 24th and on the 25th and 26th, you gave our old friend, Diane Sawyer, another interview. How to say this? Coming on the heels of People, hearing you talk about being a homosexual so nonchalantly was a bit jarring, but we have to remember while we had only days to process it, you had ten years. ‘Paula’s Party’ aired on the 27th and you cooked with her. How freaking cute was that?

October saw that heartfelt blog from you and the open board that we discussed ^^ up there. October 18th brought us the BAF Champions for Change Gala in Raleigh which was even more successful than the first one in 2007. From the morning’s round table discussion of inclusion to the special screening of ‘Including Samuel’, those attending left with a greater appreciation of the work the BAF was doing and how their volunteer efforts affected the community at large. That evening’s celebration, beginning with the VIP reception and ending with a mini-concert defies explanation but that hasn’t stopped us yet, has it? Linda Loveland, Diane Bubel and you all spoke about the opportunities the Let’s ALL Play camps provided for children with special needs. After the dinner, you and Diane bestowed honors on the 2008 champions of Change:

Dan Habib and his wife Betsy McNamara
Rick Donovan
CVS Caremark Representative Randy Martinez

The auction at the end of the evening was once again a freaking hoot. Clay, you are funny! The auction items were really good, very creative and gave some fans a chance to interact with you outside a concert venue, well, except for the Celine package, which is inside a concert venue, just not yours. The clothes raised a lot of money and in the end, not only did you raise over $500,000 for the BAF, the closing song, ‘Right Here Waiting’ brought tears to the eyes of not just the attendees, but from most who watched the clack of the song. Oh, and Clay? About Emma Bubel babysitting? Some fans hoped that you’d wait for her to grow up, but guess that’s not going to happen now. See what we mean about gentle ribbing? She’s cute as a button.

October also brought you to the Friars Club to participate in that raunchy roasting. We only wish you got up to do some zingers because you’re probably funnier than most of those who spoke, although Meredith was pretty funny.

November was busy for you with the Rosie’s Gala, ‘Building Dreams for Kids’, and participating in ‘Rosie Live’, while continuing to do Spamalot. You talked to the anchors of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and on 11/29 you held a fund-raiser for BE/EFA at the Shubert called ‘Conversation with Clay’. Thank heavens we have some fans with good memories because the recaps were wonderful. You continue to be an enigma at times, don’t you? And on November 30th, you FINALLY reached 30, a milestone birthday. Happy birthday, Clay.

December saw you featured in an hour-long ’E! True Hollywood Story!’ which, for E!, wasn’t bad at all with the exception of a few interviewee’s that could have been left on the cutting room floor. On the 23rd of December, you had bestowed upon you one of Broadway’s highest honors, your caricature on the wall of Sardi’s. Although opinions about the caricature were all over the place, the opinions that you looked especially good were pretty unanimous. Except some didn’t like the shirt, and some didn’t like the sweater, and some didn’t like the hair. HA!HA! We crack ourselves up. But what would this fandom be without dissenting opinions? On the 27th, you were featured on a special with Geraldo Rivera. That was a really good appearance Clay. You came across as educated on the subject and as a caring man. That’s a good way to end the year.

And as we end this long-as…, uh, long-winded recap, we want to mention two things. First was a statement you made to People.com in an interview on 12/21/2008:
"At the end of the day, Parker is the most important thing of the year, and of my life, without question," Aiken, 30, tells PEOPLE. "Having a son and that type of responsibility is obviously going to be something that I remember forever."

At the end of OUR day, your fans, in how we feel about you, Clay, while you’re not the most important thing in our lives, as fans, I think each and every one of us wish you nothing but the best. Knowing that you now have the child that you’ve been saying you wanted since 2003, well, it makes our hearts swell with love.

As we look forward to 2009, with the historic swearing-in of the first black President of the United States, our thoughts, once again, turn to wondering when we’re going to see you next. Take your couple of months off to spend time with your son (note the use of the word ‘your’. Because your sense of time and our sense of time are vastly different), visit some countries that need awareness brought to them with UNICEF, do some work for the BAF, but please, keep us informed periodically. You do have use of this new-fangled thing called a blog, you know. Your blogs don’t all have to be prophetic, they can be about the mundane, too. We’re not picky. But whatever you do, don’t forget us, Clay, because we’ll be right here waiting. Always and forever.

With thanks to Ms Marmalade at the Clack House and www.FindingClayAiken.com website for keeping such detailed records of everything Clay, and to Berkeley for documenting the BAF activities.

Any and all mistakes in content and/or timeline are solely the fault of the author.

Clay Aiken
UNICEF
The Bubel Aiken Foundation
Monty Python's Spamalot
American Idol
QVC
On My Way Here
Sardi's

Clay Aiken: Merry Christmas, with Love, v. 2008

2008-12-25T21:13:00.005-05:00

It's just another Christmas day. Every year, I eat dinner at my brother's house with my nephew, bro's roommates and a few friends, this year is no different except my nephew crashed his car last night and couldn't make it. He's fine but the car is not.

Dinner was wonderful; we had a filet and a spiral ham with baked potatoes and The Salad. Note the capitals for 'The Salad' because it's the best freaking salad in the entire world, bar none. We don't make it too often, it's very expensive to make with about $10.00 worth of pine nuts, but worth every penny.

Every holiday we visit my dad in the nursing home, but he passed away this past September and he's in a better place now.

I don't have a big family. One brother here, one brother in Houston, two cousins close by. The holidays aren't a big deal to me, in fact, I can truthfully say that they really don't mean anything to me, just another day to get by, eat a good dinner, and get together with the few relatives in my life.

I look back at Christmases past and think of the good times we had as children. I remember the year my dad was putting toys together at 3:00 am and didn't have a tool so he threw on an old ratty coat, got in his car and drove to his store to get what he needed. The cops saw him jiggling the lock, trying to get the key in the door and almost arrested him for breaking and entering. And the year the angel hair over the fireplace caught fire. My mom yelled out 'the house is on fire' and ran out, leaving all of us to deal with it. Or the year when she persuaded my father to put up all green and blue lights around the roof of the house and once he had them up, she didn't like them so he took them all down and put up the multicolored ones.

I remember the year I had my tonsils out and the next morning waking up with a nose bleed, a serious nose bleed where the blood was pouring out of my nose. My older brother took me into the bathroom and woke my parents. I ruined the brand new carpet that year and it had to be replaced.

I remember the year I got my piano. I was 9-1/2 and my dad's delivery men brought it over on Christmas Eve in a snow storm. My eyes were bigger than the moon that year. I remember the year that I got my first pair of skis. My first record player, my first TV. Funny, though, I never got that pony that I wanted so badly. I remember that every year we got our dad a pair of munsingwear pajamas and a tie. He had so many freaking ties!

This year, as I have the past five Christmases, I think about how my life has changed because of Clay Aiken. I remember going to my first concert in 20 years to see him, then of, course, I had to go again. And again. And again. 52 appearances later, I'm still planning on going to more. I've made so many friends and acquaintances because of Clay Aiken and this incredible fandom that has sprung up out of nowhere. I've discovered message boards and have met so many wonderful people at the concerts and pre and post-concert parties. I've seen some of my friends go to college, graduate, and get married! Others have passed away in the prime of their lives. Some live charmed lives yet others have problems that have made them stronger.

This year was a special treat for those of us who live close to NYC because Clay is starring on Broadway in 'Monty Python's Spamalot' as Sir Robin. He started on January 18th, took a break over the summer when his baby was born, then resumed the role in September. He'll play Sir Robin through January 4th, 2009. I've seen the show about 10 times. Yes, each show is a bit different because the actors get to do some ad-libbing in spots and I've grown fond of the ensemble. The show is closing for good on January 11th, 2009 and they will be sorely missed.

Oh, yeah, something is a bit different in Clay Nation. In August, Clay had a baby boy named Parker with his 'dear friend', Jaymes Foster, sister of David Foster, and Clay came out of the closet and is living openly as a proud gay man. So while some perspective has shifted, for the most part, nothing has really changed except we have to share Clay with his baby. I, for one, am thrilled that he has the child he's always wanted and I'm very proud of him for coming out so publicly. It's hard enough to tell your religious family, especially the older generations, but to have to worry whether or not he'd still have a career left....well, that's courage.

The cookies have been eaten, the leftovers are in the refrigerator, my dog is asleep at my feet. All I have left to do tonight are some dishes in the sink.

I assume that Clay has spent this Christmas holiday with his family, either blood relatives or his theater family and blogging about the need for education for UNICEF. He's a good man with a good heart.

Clay, I'd offer you one of my chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, raspberry chocolate chip, macadamia nut cookies, but that would kill you, so *smack* hands out of the cookie jar!

Merry Christmas to my fellow Clay fans. I'll leave you with this message from Clay:

She leaned with her head on the window
Watching evergreen bend in the snow
Remembering Christmas the way it had been
So many seasons ago.

When children would reach for their stockings
And open the presents they found
The lights on the tree would shine bright in their eyes
Reflecting the love all around.

This year there's no one to open the gifts
No reason for trimming the tree
And just as a tear made it's way to the floor
She heard voices outside start to sing.

Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here
Merry Christmas if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you
Merry Christmas with love.

Carolers sang as she opened the door
Faces of friends in the crowd
And all of the shadows of lonely reminders
Driven away by the sound.

Now the heart that for years had been silent
Was suddenly filled with a song
As she clung to their hands like a child in the night
She found her self singing along.

Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here
Merry Christmas if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you
Merry Christmas with love

Clay Aiken
UNICEF
Monty Python's Spamalot
Clay Nation

Michelle Obama, our next First Lady?

2008-10-10T16:30:00.004-04:00

Well, my header does say that sometimes I'm going to talk a little about politics. The election is less than one month away so now's a good time.

I'm a Democrat. Always was, always will be. Why? The values of the Democratic party speak to me in ways that the Republicans have never been able to.

I'm a Hillary supporter. Always was, always will be. I think that woman is brilliant and she would have been a fabulous President at this time in our history. But it was not to be so I threw my support behind Barack Obama. The more I learned about him, the better I liked him. He's a smart, intelligent, caring man who I believe wants to be President because he wants to truly improve the lives of everyday Americans. I'm not blind, it is the most powerful position in the world and he's ambitious. Good for him.

However, I was never a Michelle Obama fan. I didn't dislike her, but I never 'took' to her. All that changed on Wednesday evening, when Michelle appeared on an episode of 'Larry King Live'on CNN. As I watched Michelle being interviewed, my eyes started tearing up. I had no idea why until I realized how priviledged we as a country would be if we had the honor of Michelle Obama serving as the First Lady of the United States.

First, a quick Bio:

Michelle Obama was raised in a blue-collar neighborhood in Chicago's South Side. Her father worked for the City and her mother was a secretary. Michelle attended Princeton and Harvard, earning her law degree in 1988. She was an associate in a law firm when she met Barack, in fact, she was his summer advisor. According to Answers.com, Michelle worked for the Chicago city government as an assistant to the Mayor and assistant Commissioner of Planning and Developement, later becoming the Executive Director of a non-profit encouraging young people to work on social issues in nonprofit groups and government agencies.

In 1996, Michelle served as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago and since 2002, at the University of Chicago Hospitals in various executive roles.

Now the good stuff:

So, why did Michelle Obama affect me so much last Wednesday? Listening to her answer Larry Kings questions with grace and dignity uplifted my heart. Her intelligence shown through, as did her heart. Larry King asked Michelle how she felt about Sarah Palin. Here is Michelle's answer:

"What do you make of her running for a vice president and having many kids and being a good parent and bouncing all the balls?" King asked.

"I think she provides an excellent of example of all the different roles that women can and should play," Michelle Obama responded. "I'm a mother with kids and I've had a career and I've had to juggle. She's doing publicly what so many women are doing on their own privately. What we're fighting for is to make sure that all women have the choices that Sarah Palin and I have."

When the common ploy is to tear down an opponent, did Michelle go for the jugular? Absolutely not. Her graceful answer, in the face of what Palin hs been saying about Obama, was thoughtful and nuanced. I admire that.

When McCain referred to Obama as 'that one', did Michelle take umbrage? She said Americans "right now are scared" and "nervous about the economy."

"They don't care about the back and forth between the candidates. ... They want real answers about how we're going to fix this economy and get the health care benefits on track so, you know, this is part of politics," she added.

Watch the video

I look at the Obama family and I see love. I see a shining example of what a family should be. I see two caring parents who are raising their children as best they can to be proud, upstanding citizens and I see two adorable little girls who are a reflection on their parents values.

To borrow a phrase from Jack Nicholson, Michelle Obama makes me want to be a better person. She makes me want to live up to the example she sets, to appreciate the promise that I see in both her and Barack and I can't think of a better person to occupy the White House as our First lady.

Here's the full interview:

Michelle Obama
Hillary Clinton
Larry King Live
CNN
Sarah Palin
John McCain
Barack Obama
Answers.com

An Open Letter to Clay Aiken

2008-10-04T11:37:00.003-04:00

Clay blogged sometime in the early hours of the morning today. He has laid his soul bare to not only the general public, but to his fans, that huge entity of 'friends' that he's gathered together for the past 5 years. I've written an open letter to Clay and since he said that his blog could 'travel', I'm putting his blog below my letter to him

Dear Clay,

I wake up after a restless night's sleep and after reading your blog, the tears are streaming down my face.

I don't imagine anyone can know what the past five years were like in regards to the intrusiveness of the media into an area of your life that should have been private.

I think as far as the fans are concerned, it's the way we got to know you that makes it seem that we know you, if I'm explaining that right. As with most TV actors, we get to know them through the characters they play and if we're lucky, we learn a little about their real lives, but with you, you didn't have a character, you were Clay Aiken from the get-go. Because of that, I think the fandom, or some of us, felt that we knew you more than we think we did (and I'm not talking about sexuality). We felt we were part of your life all through American Idol, even though we weren't.

To this day, I look at you more as a 'friend' than I do an 'entertainer', right or wrong. I know you're not my friend, but I think I use that word 'friend' to convey that no matter where your career takes you, no matter how high you fly, you're still Clay Aiken, dorky kid from Raleigh with the great voice and a pee-in-your-pants humor that seems more real than fantasy. A lot of celebrities seem so far removed from every day life, but not you, Clay. You are a real person who just happens to be famous. Maybe that's not a good thing, in your eyes, in how it affects how we think of you, but I don't know if that will ever change.

I'm glad you didn't apologize for something that never should have been in the news to begin with. Shades of Bill Clinton and having to answer a question that was actually illegal to be asked of him in the first place. I can't imagine what it must have been like for you to have to tap-dance around intrusive questions while staying true to yourself and your family and still thinking of the fans.

I feel badly for the people who are having trouble assimilating this facet of you. You are correct, none of us are defined by our sexuality, we are defined by who we are and what we do. We are defined by how big our hearts are, how we treat our family and friends, how we interact with others, not by who we sleep with.

May you walk in peace for who you are, Clay, for all parts of who you are. There will be a small portion of the fandom who will leave, who may leave with bad feelings but you can't control that, you can only live your life to be true to who you are. As we all must do.

Hold your head high and know that you are loved.

This is Clay's blog from the early hours of 10/04/2008, with his permission (I've added some white space for easier reading (Clay, you really need to learn the joys of white space *g*):

10/03/08 Killing the elephants in the room.

What a week or so this has been. In fact, it's just been two weeks since I started back to the Spam. Jerome and I were just talking the other day, though, about how the past two weeks have felt like a month. So much routine to get back into and yet so much routine and consistency to break. No doubt, many of you have been going through quite a bit over the past week or so yourselves. What a bunch of headline news we have had in the past 10 days! Wall Street falling to it's knees. Congress propping it back up. Two debates. Hijackers in Somalia. New leaders in South Africa and Japan.

You'd think with all of the important events going on in the world, there would be plenty to fill up the pages of America's newspapers, websites and blogs without the need for information on the private lives of the country's singers and entertainers. But, alas, thats never the case. In fact for the last five years, I've found what seems to have been an inordinate amount of interest (not from the public, but from the media) in my own personal life. The questions never seemed to stop. Oh sure, they die down for a period, but they resurface. The wind blows another direction, and I do yet another interview worried that my personal life will become a topic of discussion.

No doubt the birth of Parker would bring the same scrutiny, just heightened. It's an interesting time we live in. Gone are the days when entertainers could go about their lives without the invasion of privacy that we now see everyday in the form of paparazzi and internet tabloid bloggers. So, in the hopes of being able to sing and act (and dance poorly) and do what I love to do for a living while raising my son in a hopefully more private and accepting environment, I chose to go ahead and confront things head on. Yes, I would have preferred to separate my personal life from my professional life. I would have been just as happy to go on without discussing my orientation. But, it seems like that was not an option.

Make no mistake, its not because I am ashamed. No, not for a minute. I haven't always been as comfortable as I am now, but I am without a doubt, proud of who I am and make no apologies for it. Instead, I would have been happy to have kept my personal life private for that very reason. Because it's personal life and I have always considered myself a private person. But, living as myself without discussing my sexuality publicly would have been as impossible. One chance to expose the truth would have been a payday for any greedy opportunist.

I went to American Idol, much like many of us did "back in the day". Naive. Unlike the contestants who join up today, we had no idea of the power and pull of Idol when we signed on. (I'm sure many of us season two folks like to think we are the reason the show got so big!!! ;-) ) There I was two months off of the biggest show in the country, sitting at a table with a reporter from Rolling Stone who was asking me every single question I would never think of. Twenty-four years old in the rest of America is a LOT younger and more naive than twenty four years old in the media business. So when this guy started asking me about things that I didn't really know how to answer for myself... things that I was not yet ready to admit to folks like my mother and my family.... things that I found intimidating and invasive, I responded in what I assumed was a benign way at the time. I attempted to "out spin" a professional. I wasn't as good as I thought I was. But, I have no regrets.

The truth is, I don't apologize for the responses I gave to that reporter or any reporter over the past five years. I did make every attempt I could after that one interview to never say "I am not gay" or "I am straight". And I never said either. (some interpreted my vague answers to mean that... but I never said either) Some will say thats misleading. In truth, it might be defined that way. But, a better definition and a more accurate way to describe it for me, is a redirection and an attempt to change the topic to something that matters more. For some of you it won't be enough, but I can't apologize for keeping my personal business to myself. If someone feels that they were mislead, I can totally understand that viewpoint and apologize for that feeling, but I can't apologize for how I handled questions that affected me and my right to privacy.

In my opinion, sexual orientation is ALWAYS a private thing. I think the OVERWHELMING majority of people agree with that. Why in the world should someone's sexual orientation be a news item? Why should anyone care? Yet, for all we espouse as a society about tolerance and open mindedness we forget to allow folks the opportunity to be who they are without judgement. Making a decision to come out to family is a difficult and heavy decision. But, for every young man or woman who is struggling with it, it should be a decision that is made on his or her own schedule ONLY. It's never acceptable for anyone to make such a decision for anyone else nor to coerce someone to take such a significant step before they are ready. Not a friend, not a stranger, not the media. So, I waited until the time was right for me. For that I can't apologize either.

There are plenty of you who have anticipated this blog in hopes that I would "set the record straight" or "admit to lying for five years and apologize for it". For that small group of people, I am afraid I will have to disappoint you. My decisions over the past five years have been made with lots of deliberation and at times even heartache. Always with concern for folks who might feel mislead. Don't doubt that. But they have also been made as an attempt, not to hide my true self, but instead to allow myself the same liberties and rights that every single gay man and woman in the world should have... the right to determine for myself when I was ready to discuss my personal life. In as much as that, at times, was interpreted as misrepresentation, I feel badly. But I reserved that right for myself and I can't say I regret it.

I have endeavored over the past several days to allow folks to vent and express themselves as freely as possible without restriction on these message boards. There is no way to change a person's mind when you tell them they are wrong. We all, when backed into a corner, have a human instinct to swing. Having different feelings and opinions and viewpoints are only natural. The only way to deal with that is to accept everyone's right to disagree, and allow them to discuss their feelings. I always have, and I always will.

That said, it hasn't been, nor do I imagine it will be, my intent to make the message boards or the OFC a clearinghouse or discussion zone for sexuality or such topics. I hope we can always continue to discuss the same things we have always found important. The need for inclusion for children with disabilities. The desire to make sure every child in the world has access to their basic needs for survival. And any other topics that will make our neighborhoods, our regions, our country and our world a better more acceptable place (where that relates to issues involving sexuality, I hope we are able to advocate, at those times for the acceptance of others)... and I hope we will all still use the message boards for the lively discussion of the need for better entertainment and music in the world!!!! ;-)

That said, as of this posting, I have asked the moderators to archive the thread regarding the People magazine article and close it from discussion. For those of you who are still struggling, I encourage you to continue to talk to your friends and neighbors and fellow OFC members in the thread devoted to such support. It is not going to be as easy as accepting something over night, but I believe that we are on the right track. The moderators will resume their regular duties of moderating the boards in the fashion that they did prior to last week, and I (and hopefully all of us) will resume our routines in the same fashion as well. Talking about music, talking about potential tours and other performances and appearances, talking about me forgetting my lines of tripping on stage in Spamalot, and discussing with our friends how many times we have seen the show and will see it! (And... looking forward to the announcement of out Playbill contest winner!!!)

Finally, I will say that, also representative of most every other gay man and woman in the world, that I am not defined by my sexuality. No more so than each of you are defined by your sexual orientation. No more than a man or woman is defined by race or ethnicity. It is, simply, a small facet of the same person I have always been. Most of you realize that nothing has changed. I hope to continue being able to entertain you in the same way I have for the past five years. And I hope you will allow me to continue to inform you of the causes that I find important and entertain you with the music and performances I love. For I love and cherish you all. Yesterday, now and forever.

c

Clay Aiken

What I learned from Clay Aiken

2008-09-25T22:37:00.005-04:00

There's quite a discussion going on on Clay's fan club about the revalations of the past few days. I just spent about 10 hellish hours at work, came home and another ofc member e-mailed me a brief synopsis of what's been said. I will never be able to catch up on 500 plus pages so I'm just going to say this:

Clay Aiken has given me more joy in this life than I ever thought possible. Because of Clay, I have met some of the most amazing people I've ever known. Because of Clay and the boards, I have learned that I had many undiscovered talents, one of which is how to write. Because of Clay, I threw a week-end party in my house a few years ago for 15 women I had never met before, board friends who flew in from California, Seattle, Ohio, Maryland, Rhode Island, Key West, and other points USA. We had never met, but we 'knew' each other because of the message boards. We ranged in age from 18 to 65. It was one of the most magical weekends ever.

Because of Clay, I learned how to really use a computer. Because of Clay, I learned how to download, upload, create a blog, create a MySpace, use e-bay, spend on e-bay (thanks, Clay), use PayPal, do things I never even knew about BC (before Clay). I still haven't learned how to photoshop or make a montage, but that will come.

Because of Clay, I learned that 50 is just a number, that he can make me feel 25 again, and sometimes, 12. Because of Clay (well, ok, and Star Trek), I learned that diversity makes life more interesting and good friends more valuable. That giving to charity benefits the giver as much as the receiver. Because of Clay and the boards, I learned that every poster's opinion is valid for them and even though I may differ tremendously from their point of view, we can still be friends.

Because of Clay, I learned that language matters when referring to children with different abilities, I learned that his heart is bigger than his voice and that the love he has for children is immense. I remember one early interview he gave about Michael Bubel and an incident in a store where Michael acted out. Clay said to the onlookers 'you need to move on, there's nothing to see here', or words to that affect. I thought of that incident when I took my father to the store when his Alzheimer's was very bad. My father pee'd on the floor at the checkout counter, he couldn't help himself. I used words similar to Clay's when people started to stare. Thank you, Clay, for helping me through that. I buried my dad two weeks ago. He loved your voice. BTW, so do the other patients in the nursing home, they have all your CDs *g*

Because of Clay, I am a happier person than I was 5 years ago. There is a spring in my step and a lightness in my heart that defies explanation (and sometimes gravity). When I see Clay on stage, I am free of worries, free of pain, and my heart can't contain the joy and happiness he gives me.

Do I care that Clay is gay? Read above and tell me how who he sleeps with changes anything. For me, it simply doesn't. He was never going to sleep with me, anyway.

I'm sad that some posters are upset for whatever reason, but posters have a right to their feelings. They don't have a right to be rude, nasty, or condescending towards Clay and his family at all, but human nature is a strange thing. I think 98% of fans are supportive. There will always be some who can't wrap their mind around the situation. So be it.

And Mr. Aiken, I'll see you on Saturday. Look for me in the audience, 'mk?

Clay Aiken
Spamalot
Broadway
Monty Python

Great moments in Clay history

2008-07-31T21:42:00.002-04:00

The fandom is rather quiet this summer. Clay's taking a well-deserved break from working non-stop since about October of 2007. Clay toured with his Christmas show, he went to Mexico with UNICEF, he starred on Broadway in Monty Python's Spamalot, and he recorded and released his third pop album, 'On My Way Here'. BTW, the album is fabulous. Check it out.

So....what's a fan to do in this vast wasteland of no Clay? Well, I'm going to take a look back in time and celebrate some great Clay moments.

The first moment I'm celebrating is the impromptu performance of the song 'Listen' from Dreamgirls. Usually sung by Clay's back-up vocalist, Angela Fisher, Clay and Quiana Parler, his other back-up vocalist, jammed with this when Angela was not feeling well. This is from Sterling Heights, MI and videotaped by dlh7777.

Enjoy.

Clay Aiken
UNICEF
Monty Python's Spamalot
On My Way Here
Listen

Clay Aiken: Maybe baby? Or tabloid invention?

2008-05-31T22:40:00.005-04:00

Once again, Clay Aiken is in the tabloid news. This time, rumor has it, that Clay is going to be the father of a baby with his executive record producer, Jaymes Foster, sister of David Foster.

TMZ, that bastion of journalistic integrity *cough*, broke the story on Wednesday, which left the Clay Nation reeling because, honestly, of all the things that the fans might expect of Aiken, this was not one of them. As usual, the message boards were humming and buzzing for the past 48 hours. Is it true? It is a lie? Consider the source. Did the Foster camp confirm? Did the Foster camp deny? What’s going on? It’s not our business. I wanna know. What’s going on? Huh? Wha..? It’s all over the entertainment news. What? What? What? We wanna know!

Going on the assumption that it’s true, Clay’s fans, as usual, have a vast assortment of opinions on the situation. For some fans, this is a WTF? moment, for other fans, they are deliriously happy for him, yet other fans just want to know the truth, and for a very small part of the fandom, they are disappointed that Clay chose this path instead of the traditional path to fatherhood. It is my opinion that the vast majority of fans are very happy for Clay. True, the circumstances, if true, are a bit….different, but the fans remain, as always, supportive of Clay and his choices.

Let me state here that, unequivocally, ‘we’ do not have the right to any personal information from either Clay or Jaymes. What they do in their personal life is their business. Hell, we don’t even know if the rumor is true, but if it is, I feel badly that some scummy tabloid broke the news the way they did, especially if the parties involved wanted to keep their personal life private. Having something like this splashed across the entertainment news and rancid tabloids is probably not the way that most people would want to announce a happy event.

So, what now? What do Clay’s hard core fans do? Well, we don’t have a choice, really, we just have to wait. Wait to see if either the Foster or the Aiken camps confirm or deny, wait to see if Clay or Jaymes will make a public statement, wait to see what happens, wait for a Tour announcement…..oh, wait *g* that’s not part of the baby story, it’s just my wish to see Clay again in concert, where he shines.

So, this is MY grown-up Christmas wish. I wish Jaymes an easy pregnancy (if she’s pregnant) and a healthy baby. I wish Clay, if he’s the father of the maybe baby, a life filled with joy in the sharing of parenting his child. And dang it, I wish for a concert Tour announcement. Oops! There I go again!

Clay Aiken
Jaymes Foster
Tabloids
Clay Aiken Message Boards
David Foster

That's Clay Aiken!

2008-04-07T21:38:00.006-04:00

AOL First Listen has Clay Aiken's new single, the title track, from his soon to be released, new album, 'On My Way Here' which drops on May 6, 2008.

It's Aiken's first CD of all original material since his debut CD, 'Measure of a Man', which sold 613,000 copies its first week, with total sold of 2.7 million. Aiken's second CD, 'Merry Christmas, with Love', was, at the time, the fastest selling Christmas CD in Soundscan history, selling 1.3 million out of the gate in just 6 weeks.

'A Thousand Different Ways, Aiken's third studio effort, was an album of love song covers 'suggested' by RCA's Clive Davis. Everyone knows when Davis 'suggests', the product usually happens. 'A Thousand Different Ways' sold over 500,000 copies. Aiken is only one of four artists whose first 3 CD's opened at number 4 or higher on the BillBoard charts. 'A Thousand Different Ways' also had Aiken's first penned tune, the exquisite 'Lover All Alone', co-written with David Foster, as a special itunes download.

Aiken then released an EP, 'All is Well', a four-track disc of Christmas music, featuring Foster's slowed-down 'My Grown-up Christmas List', and the title track, the spectacular 'All is Well'.

You can access Clay's first song from the CD here.

The song, 'On My Way Here', written by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic fame and produced by Kipper (Chris Botti, Sting), showcases a more mature Aiken, a man who has taken a hard look at how his life has unfolded in the glare of the spotlight since his stint on American Idol. It has a definite earworm and makes me anticipate the release of the album.

Currently, Aiken is starring in Monty Python's 'Spamalot' on Broadway until May 4th. On Monday, April 28th, Aiken will appear on QVC from 7:00 to 7:30 pm Eastern Time.

Check out the new song and let me know what you think.

Clay Aiken
American idol
AOL
RCA
Clive Davis
Ryan Tedder
OneRepublic
QVC
Monty Python's Spamalot

Clay Aiken: Spamalot, a review

2008-02-22T17:59:00.006-05:00

By Michael Kuchwara for the Associated Press

Clay Aiken Deftly Acts Supremely Silly

Let's clear things up right away: Clay Aiken can handle supremely silly.

That's not an inconsiderable talent when you are appearing in something as daffy as "Monty Python's Spamalot," the madcap medieval musical that has just added the "American Idol" alum to its cast.

We knew Aiken could sing. "Idol," television's favorite trial-by-fire, proved that. So it was only natural that Broadway, eager for new faces that might sell tickets, would call — just as it did for Fantasia, Frenchie Davis, Constantine Maroulis and others from "Idol."

But don't go expecting a star turn. Aiken is a team player — and that's meant as a compliment. The ingratiating performer fits seamlessly into the extended high jinks of "Spamalot," which has been running at the Shubert Theatre since March 2005.

The guy gets the goofy humor that is the Python trademark and goes with the flow, most prominently when he is portraying the perpetually petrified Sir Robin. It's one of three roles he plays in the musical.

Aiken also exudes the physical buffoonery that underlines the cartoonlike nature of the characters and their quest to find the Holy Grail. He radiates a delightful benign bewilderment. What's more, for someone born and raised in North Carolina, Aiken does a credible British accent.

And the rest of the production, directed by Mike Nichols, holds up quite nicely, too. The tale, concocted by "Python" legend Eric Idle, is loosely based on the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," and film buffs will recognize some of their favorite bits from the film. Idle also wrote the lyrics and shares credit with John Du Prez for the music.

If there is anything approaching show-stopper status in this "Spamalot," it's the performance by Hannah Waddingham as the Lady of the Lake. The statuesque Waddingham, who originated the role in the London production, is sensational. She's funny, sexy and blessed with one of those powerhouse voices that really shakes up the score.

But then Nichols and choreographer Casey Nicholaw have kept the musical in tiptop shape. From Jonathan Hadary's robust King Arthur to the preening Galahad of Christopher Sieber (an original New York cast member who recently returned to the show) to Rick Holmes' sexually fluid Lancelot, the cast gets a high amount of laughs from low comedy.

And then there's Tom Deckman as the hilariously fey Prince Herbert and David Hibbard as the aptly named Patsy, singing and tapping his way through the show's best known moment of musical cheer, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." This is ensemble comic lunacy at its most inspired.

But attention Aiken fans. He appears in "Monty Python's Spamalot" only through May 4.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

MICHAEL KUCHWARA has been the drama critic and drama writer for the Associated Press since 1984. Before being named to that position, he worked for the AP in Chicago as a general assignment editor and reporter and in New York on its General (now the National) Desk, the main editing desk for national news. Born in Scranton, Pa., he is a graduate of Syracuse University. Kuchwara also has a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. Kuchwara is a past president of the New York Drama Critics' Circle.

Clay Aiken
Spamalot
Broadway
Monty Python
Mike Nichols

Clay Aiken gets a little pissy

2008-01-12T15:59:00.000-05:00

Clay Aiken gave an on-line interview to Ramin Setoodeh from Newsweek on Friday, January 11th. Here was an opportunity for a respected news magazine to do a good interview with one of the most fascinating and controversial celebrities around. Why fascinating? Because he's not a one dimensional, a one-size-fits-all, so to speak, celebrity. Why controversial? Because everything he does gets noticed and commented on. Fall asleep on a plane and get in a bro-ha-ha with an attacking passenger? Covered in over 500 newspapers, news sites, tabloid rags, and TV shows, including CNN Headline News.

So anyway, this Newsweek reporter had a chance to interview Clay and the beginning of the interview was pretty informative. We learned that Clay is very sore from his Spamalot rehearsals and why Clay decided on Broadway and Monty Python. From there, it went downhill, well, not Clay, but the questions this Newsweek 'reporter' asked.

I don't know if the 'reporter' was trying to be funny or maybe trying to get a scoop or what but Lord help me, if this is the kind of interview a Newsweek 'reporter' asks, Newsweek, I'm available for a freaking job because even a neophyte could have done better than this bozo. I'm surprised Setoodeh didn't ask Aiken if he saw the card!

The first inkling I had of a fluff interview was the question, 'Did you know your socks don't match?' O-kay, Mr. Reporter. Maybe your questions will get better, at least, more intelligent. Then he asked Aiken about why he decided to do Broadway and some Spamalot-related questions. Good job, so far, only one little fart.

Maybe I shouldn't have been so optimistic because Setoodeh then asked about the 'Claymates' *yawn* and if women throw their panties on the stage when Aiken sings *BIG yawn* Really Mr. so-called Reporter, look at some interviews from the past five years to get your answers about these tired, old questions. In fact, why don't you use your Stanford and Oxford educated brain to try to think of something, oh, I don't know, maybe original? There's an idea! Try to ask original questions or at least, questions that haven't been asked multiple times.

Wait, it gets worse.

The reporter then asked about the airplane incident, yes, that same incident that got over 500 mentions in the media. Then he asked about the Kelly Ripa 'thing, if Aiken thought it was a homophobic remark. Each time, Aiken's answer was "I'm not going to discuss it" yet the reporter went on and on. What part of 'I'm not going to discuss it' don't you understand, Mr. Reporter? What part of 'intelligent interview' don't you understand? I'll quote a bit of the article here:

How did you get into a fight with that lady on a plane?
I'm not going to talk about it.

I was just curious because you've never talked about it.
I did talk about it.

What about the Kelly Ripa thing?
I'm not going to discuss it.

Did you think it was homophobic?
I'm not going to discuss it.

What do you want to talk about?
I think we're done.

Can we talk about something fun?
No, we're done. I thought NEWSWEEK would be more reputable. I'm surprised

But I think people are curious about it.
It was a year ago. This is NEWSWEEK. It's not the National Enquirer. I'd hate to have a job where I had to be rude to people.

We're just having a conversation.
Change the subject! I'd never take a job where I had to do something that I didn't want to do.

I'll change the subject. What do you do for fun?
I watch the news. I read news magazines, but I'm reconsidering that now.

Perhaps I should cut this reporter a bit of slack, after all, he's only 25, he's a baby and he's probably spent the past 10 years or so reading newspapers and magazines and looking at TV news broadcasts' that use gossip sites as 'sources'. Yes, even Newsweek used Gawker.com and referenced Perez Hilton as a 'source' for articles a time or two. This subject was written about at The ConCLAYve a few months ago. Check it out.

I'll shut up now. I just wish that respected news magazines would write with a little more respect for their readers. We're not stupid and we'd like the style and method of writing to reflect the intelligence of the readers. I just wish that reporters would do their job with integrity and to the best of their ability instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator.

Clay Aiken
Newsweek
Spamalot
Broadway
Monty Python
The ConCLAYve

Clay Aiken: 2007 - The Year in Review

2008-01-02T21:50:00.001-05:00

Hey Clay,

Here we are once again, your internet fans, taking a look back at 2007 and seeing what you, and we, were up to. We did a lot this year!

You ended 2006 with a wonderful Christmas Tour that featured your marvelous voice and some off-the-cuff banter that had us rolling in the aisles. You showed us that you were a funny, bawdy man with a devilish sense of humor and we ate it up. But, as you know, after the tour was over, we wondered….when will we see you again? Actually we always wonder when we’ll see you again, but that’s pretty usual for us.

Anyhoo….January 28th was the 4th anniversary of your first appearance on American Idol. You remember that little show, don’t you? Heh. We sure do. We remember when a tall, skinny, red-headed kid walked out, all arms and elbows and blew us away with that voice. Four years, Clay.…and here we still are, still blown away by the voice, but by so much more. Your voice, your sense of humor, your kindness, your sarcasm (not everyone likes the sarcasm but a lot do), your foibles, yeah, you have them, and your philanthropic work. Which leads us into your work with UNICEF. At the end of January, you teamed up with Yahoo to promote UNICEF’s life-saving work throughout the world. You did a few Public Service Announcements for UNICEF and a wonderful PSA for the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus. You were still in the news from the end of 2006, featured in the ‘Inside Edition’ segment on ‘Celebrity Feuds’, recounting your ‘feud’ with Kelly Ripa. Geesh.

Your UNICEF work continued in February with an appearance on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer, to speak about the Yahoo Awareness program, asking the public how we think we can get involved and participate in what UNICEF is doing. But before you got to talk about UNICEF, Diane played your Idol audition and with the help of a split screen, we got to see your reaction to your audition. You looked like you enjoyed it as much as we did. Well, maybe not quite as much. Too bad the judges didn’t say anything mean to you in that audition because we would have loved to see you be all feisty in their faces. Oh, well. And Clay, even though Jennifer Hudson got a Golden Globe (and eventually the Oscar), don’t worry, your time will come, we’re positive of that. What was really neat at the GMA appearance was the fan videos. We got to see the interview not only from the perspective of the GMA cameras, but also from the perspective of the audience through the lenses of some of our premiere Clackgatherers. And no, you’re not fat, Clay.

On Valentine’s Day, you made your annual date with Jimmy Kimmel, singing a Valentine song to us using candy hearts for your lyrics. The intro to that was priceless. You played the ‘not knowing what Kimmel was talking about’ bit to perfection. We loved it and we loved you for doing it. Oh, and we love Kimmel as well, but we think that February 2007 shall forevermore be known as the ‘blindingly white’ month. Clay, what in the world did you do to your teeth? *dons shades* Yes, They were so white, we nearly went blind just looking at you! We do have to say that even though your teeth look great, a lot of us miss the chicklets. Yeah, we have a word for your old teeth and some of us mourn the chicklets but as long as you’re happy with the new teeth, so are we. For the most part.

You also did an interview with ‘Be seen, Be Heard’ for ABC about UNICEF, talking about what we can do for UNICEF and about the plight of the children in Uganda, all kinds of things. That’s the kind of interview we like, the ones that are meaty and have really good questions asked of you and you have really good answers for them. And that they last for thirteen minutes. Yeah, we want more of those kinds of interviews.

You appeared as a co-host of the Mike and Juliet Show, the new morning show in New York City, where you judged Juliet’s karaoke singing, then danced with her. The funniest part? When you glued a picture to Juliet’s Diane Von Furstenberg dress and your reaction: "Oh my goodness, I've ruined another talk show!" Don’t know how good the Claymobile and the trivia segment went but any time we see you on TV, it’s a good day. But you gotta learn how to drive stick, Clay! It’s fun!

February wasn’t that busy for you, Clay, at least, not that we knew. Clear Channel premiered your video for ‘A Thousand Days’ and you made a guest appearance with Steven Curtis Chapman at the Winter Jam, singing ‘The Great Adventure’. Of course we have video. Did you ever doubt that? We loved it!

March was a very quiet month for you. Little did we know that you were preparing for a trip overseas for UNICEF. On March 31st, you hosted the ‘Champions for Change’ Gala in Raleigh to raise money for the Bubel/Aiken Foundation. And raise money you did! Well over $300,000 that evening. Good job, Clay. That evening you were funny, charming, hilarious, and, when the bid for the autographed lyrics of ‘Lover All Alone’ fetched $55,000, a bit pensive for just a moment. And what was that ring thing? You know, the rings that you put in your mouth? Used your tongue to play with them? With that devilish look in your eye? You so know. By the way, a lot of us really, really, really loved the beard. You wear it well, Clay, but beard, stubble, or clean-shaven, we like you just the way you are.

April came ‘in like a lion’ with your trip to Afghanistan. Once again, for safety and security reasons, we didn’t know where you were going until after the fact. Some of us guessed but mostly we were hoping for safe travels. And once in Afghanistan, you ran into Diane Sawyer! What a coincidence! GMA ran some footage of you in the schools with the children, and in your native dress with the beard, you kind of looked like Jesu….never mind *g* One of the things we’ll remember most is your enthusiasm for the hope and promise that is Afghanistan and their thirst for education.

At the end of the month you received the Children’s Advocacy Award from The National Center for Learning Disabilities. Congratulations, Clay, keep using that voice of yours. The month ended with a wonderful interview on the Leonard Lopate show and a short segment on The Today Show, discussing your trip to Afghanistan. Um, Clay, your hair was pretty darn perfect on The Today Show. Yes, we can be shallow at times. We ended the month watching your Mother win a dance competition. What a ‘perfect’ song choice.

May brought us yet another Jimmy Kimmel appearance. You made your entrance and did most of the interview……on a horse. A HORSE! What a wild and crazy guy! We saw you in a skit with Kimmel on Dancing With the Stars. Heh. You could have grown your own moustache, Clay *wink* Then you went to Vancouver to appear at a private function with David Foster, Gov Ah-nold, and the Canadian Prime Minister.

June brought us the Pineapple Salad on The Martha Stewart Show repeat. Aww, that was just as cute the second time around. Clay Aiken, cooking his Grandmother’s recipe on National TV. A lot of us made that pineapple salad and most of us liked it. So did our friends and coworkers.

July and August had the Clay Aiken Soft Rock and a Hard Place Tour, or SRAHP Tour. We got us some ballads, we got us some orchestras, we got us some schmoop, and we got us some banter, but we also got us some George Jefferson looking like this tall, skinny pasty white boy, dancing furiously around the stage. We got us some ‘Back and ‘sprung, we got a Keith version of a virgin, we got a sexy tractor and a little country stomp, we got to party all night, Yeah, Yeah, we got an achey breakey heart, and we got whips and chains, we got……..WAIT A MINUTE! Whoa! Hold on there a minute, partner. Whips? Handcuffs? At a Clay Aiken concert. Praise the Lor….I mean, wow! Whips and handcuffs and Clay Aiken in the same breath? Yes, there is a God! *clears throat* Shall we continue? After we got Clay in handcuffs, we got to Beat It. Being a Clay Aiken fan these days is a good thing, yes it is *g*

The other thing the summer tour gave us was some of the most wonderful Meet and Greet experiences ever. Clay, they were perfect. Most of the fans have been saying for years that they’d just like a chance to sit down and talk to you for a few minutes. You eliminated the ‘stand in line like a robot, hi, shake hands, sign, pose, you need to leave’ feeling and really made the M&G’s feel warm and inviting. We hope you liked them as much as we do and we hope that they continue in the same vein in the future.

Um, what’s going on in the friendly skies, Clay? Where has that foot of yours been? We can’t imagine what it was like to wake up to a woman hitting you, but that little incident made all the major news sources for the next several days. It must have pissed you off but all we could do was shake our heads at the sloppy reporting which mentioned only half the truth.

In August, after the tour was over, we didn’t have to wonder when we’d see you again because we knew that you’d be taping ‘Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader’ (AYSTAFG) and the ‘Holiday on Ice’ TV Special (HOI). Of course, the fans attended both. AYSTAFG was especially fun as we read the re-caps, got the low-down, discussed hair and clothes and shoes, and when we realized how many questions you answered and how much money you won for TBAF, we were ecstatic! Another good job, Clay. We all made our pledges.

September was sort of a vast wasteland in the fandom. Since we didn’t have much of you, we had to content ourselves with discussing you and speculating over whether or not you were going to appear in Spamalot. I don’t know where that rumor first appeared but we had fun discussing what part you’d play. In fact, we had so much fun that you posted your second post on the ofc telling us that we crack you up and you don’t know where we get our crazy speculations. You laughed at us. Pfft, Clay, you know that we know that you know that we know where you are and what you do before you know it. Well, mostly we do, although you’ve been getting pret.ty darn good at hiding things lately. Another thing we speculated about was the press release from Kim Locke’s camp about the ‘Reunited Tour’ with you, Ruben, and Kim. Some fans hated the idea and were very vocal about it, some fans liked the idea and were very vocal about it but in the end, you had to blog that it wasn’t going to happen. You’re a very diplomatic man, Mr. Aiken.

October was a Clay-filled month! You appeared at the UNICEF launch of Jenna Bush’s book, ‘Ana’s Story: A Story of Hope’, and your appearance there spawned mentions on both ‘Inside Edition’ and The Insider’. A week later, you appeared, at least vocally, as the narrator of ‘American Idol Rewind, Season 2’. Let me tell you how happy we were just to hear that sweet, southern accent every week in our homes, and the short interviews were a lot of fun. But the biggest news?? We’d get to see AI in high-definition! Five years ago, HD was just a twinkle in someone’s eye and our capping and downloading equipment wasn’t the most sophisticated so most of our AI-Season 2 downloads are pretty crappy. Now we’ll get a chance to replace them with the HD version. Squeee! Although most of us don’t like the bad auditions and we’re waiting for the Top 12 to start, we do like seeing all the finalists like Ruben and Trenyce and KLO and Carmen and Rickey, Julia and Charles, Josh and Vanessa.

Also in October you asked us to submit stories and to be a part of your Christmas Tour. So we did. You can ask us to do just about anything and we’ll do it, well, mostly. So you asked. We answered. And answered. And we wrote and wrote and wrote and you blogged about it. And blogged. And blogged. Teacher!Clay! was out in full force. Be careful what you wish for, Clay, because we’ll give it to you. In spades. In the form of stories and stories and more stories. 1,500, 1,600, 2,000, 4,000, you kept changing the amount of stories that were submitted. Your eyes must have crossed several times during your readings of our memories. At first, I think we were a bit apprehensive about how the stories would work, if they would take away from our ClayTime on stage, but you managed to fit them in beautifully. Not everyone agreed with that assessment but most of us do. Some of us would still prefer that you gave us more of you on stage instead of the fans but as usual, you’ll do it your way. Although the individual notices came a bit late, and some of the reader substitutions didn’t work out, everything seemed to work on stage in the context of the concert. We just hope that, through our stories, you got to know us a bit; that you got to know some of your fans as individuals instead of the nameless faces populating the concerts.

The end of October brought us all to Avery Fisher Hall for ‘Neil Sedaka’s 50th Anniversary at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center’ and your powerhouse performance. According to all who attended, you brought the house down! As usual. Another job well done, Clay! Oh, and you snuck in a press release about one Mr. Clay Aiken joining the cast of Spamalot. Hmmm, remember, you laughed at our speculation, we cracked you up. He who laughs last, laughs best, mister *g*

On the 1st of November, FOX aired your AYSTAFG episode and America saw that you won $300,000! Way to go, Clay! Way to go! You could have won even more but as a prudent man, you chose to keep the money in hand rather than bet on a chimera. We think, in the end, you made the right decision. It was a really fun appearance for all of us. That day, while we were in front of our TV sets, you were at Yale University, speaking on the importance of geography in children’s education along with the keynote speaker, the Ambassador of Indonesia. You keep good company, Clay. You are a ‘quality human being and a man of character’. And yes, we have video. Not fan video because that time you kept it quiet, but we do have the downloads of the local TV news who covered it. On the 6th, you taped “Capital One’s Holiday Celebration on Ice” featuring Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen, to be aired on Christmas day. We were in attendance. Lots of us were in attendance and we got, yep, you guessed it, video. It was so good to see you again and you did a really good job. We think some of the skaters had a teeny crush on you, Clay. We know ‘smitten’ when we see it.

For the next 20 days, we didn’t see you. You were probably putting in hours upon hours of rehearsal time for the upcoming tour, well, four days worth, per your blog. At least you were putting in thousands of hours blogging about how we don’t follow directions, how our stories were too long, or too short, or how we may be asked for audio submissions. But you were also blogging about how we’re helping you make new lasting Christmas memories. That’s a really nice thing to say. One thing, Clay. When you asked us to wear all black, five days before the first concert, there was a slight panic because women, you know, those wonderful creatures that are foreign to most men, women plan their outfits w-a-y in advance. Just a little reminder for the next time. What? It’ll be a cold day in hell before you ask us for stories again? Heh. Bite your tongue.

Happy birthday Clay! There were many different ideas thrown out on the ofc as to what to get you for your birthday, some a bit far-fetched, but one idea took hold and the fandom went with it. One of your fans proposed a book drive in your name to benefit the Kalamazoo Public School System. The Kalamazoo Communities in School helped to coordinate the book drive. In the end, there were 1,216 books and $685 worth of gift cards collected for your birthday. You have some of the most amazing fans on this earth.

On November 26th into December, the ‘Christmas in the Heartland’ tour rolled across, if not America, then certainly ClayLand, to the delight of those of us on the east coast and in the Midwest, but to the despair to those of us on the west coast. Some of us were disappointed that you didn’t banter, that the concerts this year were a bit more reverent than last year, but you were in great voice, Clay. Angela and Quiana sounded wonderful, and Jesse’s scores were really brilliant. This had to be the Tour of the Hair because it seems that in each city, it was a different style and a different color. Please tell Jamie that she did a really good job, especially towards the end of the tour. Also this tour was the Tour of the Glasses. Speculation on the boards is that you’re going to get Lasik so you don’t have to worry about glasses or contacts on Broadway. Come on, Clay, you can tell us. We won’t tell a soul.

Back to the tour. The readings went well, the body count wasn’t that high, and the M&G’s were the same as the summer tour. The fans that were chosen to read their stories all did a wonderful job and the stories flowed into the songs, just as you predicted. You really gave us a lot of information in the M&G’s this year, too. They were open, informal, informative, and in the case of Morristown, eye-opening. Yes, most of the fandom is talking about that M&G. We have the re-caps from the fans in attendance so we know what happened. I guess we’re just sorry that you had to deal with something so unpleasant.

We’re going to end this re-cap as we began it, with UNICEF. Once the Tour ended, you left for Mexico with your mom, Faye, and your brother, Brett, doing one of the things that you do best, inspiring people to help those in need and to donate their time and/or money for those causes that affect children the world over. Your visit received very good media coverage this trip, Clay. At the same time that you were in Mexico, UNICEF ran their ‘Help Clay raise $100,000 by December 31st’ fund-raising campaign. It was such a short time period and at an especially rough time for a lot of families, but you know what? You did it! We did it! The $100,000 mark was reached around 4:30 pm eastern time, December 31st, just in time for those of us on the boards to celebrate before leaving for our New Years festivities. The total amount is around $109,665 as we write this. We bet UNICEF just loves you to pieces. We do, too.

Usually we wonder, after the Christmas tour is over, when we will see you again. This year, we don’t have to wonder. A lot of us will be at The Shubert Theater on January 18, 2008, for your Broadway debut. We know that you’ll be wonderful in your role as Sir Robin and that the cast will love you as we do, but allow us to be just a tad nervous for you. It’s a big step you’re taking, career-wise, and we wish you all the luck in the world and we hope that you ‘break a leg’ in stage parlance. We also hope that you’ll do the stage door thingy because we’ll be out there, freezing our buns off, right there waiting.

For 2008, Clay, we wish you health and happiness, love and fulfillment, family and good friends, continued personal and career success. We wish you all that you desire for yourself, your family and friends, and the children throughout the world who need it. We wish you contentment and happiness. And we’re going to be a bit selfish and wish you a Pop CD in the first half of 2008, radio play, and a kick-ass summer tour. But most of all, we wish you love.

~Your internet friends

Clay Aiken
American idol
Martha Stewart
Tyra Banks
Jimmy Kimmel
Diane Sawyer
Neil Sedaka
UNICEF
Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader

Clay Aiken: Merry Christmas, with Love

2007-12-24T23:09:00.000-05:00

It's just another Christmas Eve. Tonight I baked cookies and surfed the message boards, played some games, let the dog in and out, in and out, in and out. Tomorrow I eat dinner at my brother's house and my nephew's going to come. I haven't seen him for a year. He's in law school in Indiana. Tomorrow we'll visit my dad in the nursing home. His alzheimer's in what the doctors call 'end-stage' but he's happy and relatively healthy and sings all day long.

I don't have a big family. One brother here, one brother in Houston, dad in the nursing home, a cousin close by and another cousin in France. The holidays aren't a big deal to me, in fact, I can truthfully say that they really don't mean anything to me, just another day to get by, eat a good dinner, and get together with the few relatives in my life.

I look back at Christmases past and think of the good times we had as children. I remember the year my dad was putting toys together at 3:00 am and didn't have a tool so he threw on an old ratty coat, got in his car and drove to his store to get what he needed. The cops saw him jiggling the lock, trying to get the key in the door and almost arrested him for breaking and entering. And the year the angel hair over the fireplace caught fire. My mom yelled out 'the house is on fire' and ran out, leaving all of us to deal with it. Or the year when she persuaded my father to put up all green and blue lights around the roof of the house and once he had them up, she didn't like them so he took them all down and put up the multicolored ones.

I remember the year I had my tonsils out and the next morning waking up with a nose bleed, a serious nose bleed where the blood was pouring out of my nose. My older brother took me into the bathroom and woke my parents. I ruined the brand new carpet that year and it had to be replaced.

I remember the year that I got my first pair of skis. My first record player, my first TV. Funny, though, I never got that pony that I wanted so badly. I remember that every year we got our dad a pair of munsingwear pajamas and a tie. He had so many freaking ties!

This year, as I have the past four Christmases, I think about how my life has changed because of Clay Aiken. I remember going to my first concert in 20 years to see him, then of, course, I had to go again. And again. And again. 39 concerts later, I'm still planning on going to more. I've made so many friends and acquaintances because of Clay Aiken and this incredible fandom that has sprung up out of nowhere. I've discovered message boards and have met so many wonderful people at the concerts and pre and post-concert parties. I've seen some of my friends go to college, graduate, and get married! Others have passed away in the prime of their lives. Some live charmed lives yet others have problems that have made them stronger.

My cookies are baked, the food is in the refrigerator waiting for tomorrow, my dog is asleep at my feet. All I have left to do tonight is to roast the pine nuts and mix the home made salad dressing.

Clay is spending this Christmas holiday in Mexico, bring comfort to the flood victims and raising money for UNICEF. He's a good man with a good heart.

Clay, I'd offer you one of my chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, raspberry chocolate chip, macadamia nut cookies, but that would kill you, so *smack* hands out of the cookie jar!

Merry Christmas to my fellow Clay fans. I'll leave you with this message from Clay:

She leaned with her head on the window
Watching evergreen bend in the snow
Remembering Christmas the way it had been
So many seasons ago.

When children would reach for their stockings
And open the presents they found
The lights on the tree would shine bright in their eyes
Reflecting the love all around.

This year there's no one to open the gifts
No reason for trimming the tree
And just as a tear made it's way to the floor
She heard voices outside start to sing.

Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here
Merry Christmas if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you
Merry Christmas with love.

Carolers sang as she opened the door
Faces of friends in the crowd
And all of the shadows of lonely reminders
Driven away by the sound.

Now the heart that for years had been silent
Was suddenly filled with a song
As she clung to their hands like a child in the night
She found her self singing along.

Merry Christmas to all who may dwell here
Merry Christmas if even just one
May the joy of the season surround you
Merry Christmas with love

My Grown-up Birthday Wish for you, Clay

2007-11-30T23:05:00.000-05:00

By Rockysmom............

Well, well, well Mr. Aiken. Today's your 29th birthday. I know that seems old to you, but trust me sweetie...I've got underwear older than that (I know,I know.... just a little too much info there *g*).

And once again we're blessed that you're celebrating it with us....those enthusiastic and creative females you've chosen to think of as your extended family. Hopefully sometime today you'll get a chance to blow out all those candles on a cake (free of mint, chocolate, and tree nuts, of course) and that the wish you make--and every other wish you hold in your heart--comes true.

This will be your last birthday as a "twenty-something". What changes this past decade years has wrought for you....you're no longer the young, painfully skinny, slightly geeky boy who had only flown in a plane and left his home state of North Carolina once.

You've matured into a handsome, sophisticated young man who has traveled the world, for business, for pleasure, and as an advocate for children's causes. That is one thing that hasn't changed about you as you head towards the "Big 30".... your commitment to helping others and inclusion for all. As you yourself have said...."the wrapping may have changed, but the gift is still the same". So today I'd like to humbly offer you "My Grown-Up Birthday Wish" (with apologies to David Foster):

Do you remember me?
I saw you on TV
I wrote to you of schoolgirl fantasies

Well you're all grown-up now
Your looks have changed (and how!)
You're not a child but my heart still can dream

So here's my life-long wish....my grown-up birthday list
Not for myself, but for someone I love....

No more lives torn apart
That rumors never start
And time can heal your heart

That you can always count on friends
That right will always win
And you find a love that never ends

This is my grown-up birthday wish

As children we believe
the grandest sight to see
Is something lovely tagged "From You--To Me"

But as our wisdom grows
Those packages and bows
Take second place to what's held in our hearts and souls

No more dreams torn apart
That lies and hatred never start
And time has healed your heart

That you are always surrounded by your friends
That right will always win
And you realize ...our love for you will never end.....

This is my grown-up birthday wish

Happy Birthday Clay.....Always and Forever.

Clay Aiken's list of things to do before the Christmas Tour

2007-11-22T19:49:00.000-05:00

By Rockysmom..........

Things to do before the CITH tour starts......

1) Right before the tour starts....blog to my cra...I mean creative fans that my hard-drive has crashed and I've lost all of their touching, heart-warming stories about love, redemption, eggnog, donkey poop, and what-not. Since there won't be time for me start over, we'll just have to do the show without their participation this year. Whew. That was a close one.

2) Have Mary smack me upside the head if I ever come up with an idea like that one again.

3) Double check to make sure Jesse and Sean have bought all the kazoos within 500 miles of Michigan so there won't be any birthday serenades. At least not on those things.

4) Make sure Jerome knows not to accept any gifts of jewelry from my fans. Especially ones engraved with sayings in foreign languages. I have enough trouble with Espanyolee, I don't have time to learn anything else. Unless it's Malaysian, I'm mucho goodo with that one.

5) Make sure he also knows not to accept any jars of formaldehyde with pickled body parts inside. Just in case somebody finally got rid of that gallbladder that's been bothering them. Nuff said.

6) Tell Momma one.more.time. that we really don't have room for that pouffy ottoman on the tour bus. Durham will just have to lift his leg against something else.

7)Speaking of Momma, make sure she changes her email address so my fans can't complain to her that I've said "crotch" or "balls" or talked about bodily functions while singing to Baby Jesus. At least Quiana shouldn't be getting any "fat letters" this time around. Speaking of which, make sure there's plenty of Breyers Peach Ice Cream on the bus.

8) Make sure Angela has plenty of Midol since I'm too busy preparing for Spamalot to have time to learn her song this tour. Same goes for Quiana.

9) Make sure the next time I call a tour "yada yada yada Heartland" that I know where the Heartland is and actually perform some shows there instead of doing them all in New Jersey.

10) Try to remember that I am not an angel and stop trying to priiiinnng things

11) Remember that those ladies at the Clack House aren't angels either, so no wearing lowrider jeans, especially ones with rivets. Thank the Lord there are no Christmas songs that include whips and chains. At least I'm hoping there's not. If there are any I'm sure that bunch will find them. HAHA.

12) Dig out that dictionary of Eye-talian musical terms and look up the ones with dirty meanings.

13) Tell Jaymes to stop talking about back-flashes. And her hot flashes too for that matter. And tell her that I have no intention of sliding down her chimney in Santa Monica. She doesn't even have a fireplace-what's up with that?

14) Practice getting my butt back up on stage after I jump into the audience.

15) Practice my video-taking technique just in case that lady with the Radio Shack in her purse is in the front row again. Then I can borrow one of her cameras and my Clack won't skip around. She might smack me if it does.

16) Speaking of getting abused....make sure all of my body parts are accounted for at all times during any flights. Don't want to have to explain things to the FBI again. Or to Momma. Whichever is worse.

17) Shave the hair off several of my appendages so my fans will be too busy speculating about that to ask me any questions about the new CD during the Meet & Greet's.

18) Make sure I have a warm coat and scarf to wear so I can walk the line as often as possible to thank my fans and show them how much I love them.

Once again, thanks to all the Clackgatherers. Without them, this fandom would be the poorer.

For a Good Time, call 1-800-Clay-Aiken

2007-11-09T22:10:00.001-05:00

I mean, seriously, where else could one find so much fun and entertainment? There are message Boards, concerts, TV appearances, speeches, charities, news groups, interviews, MySpace pages, montages, YouTube videos, Clack, the list is endless. One of my favorite saying is this: You can't get better entertainment for the price of the internet!

Let's start with TV. First there was American Idol where we got to see this young man, I mean really young man, every week, singing his heart out, flat ironing his hair, trying on different outfits, making commercials for the show, talking to the Jaded Journalist and Ryan Seacrest. Did I mention singing his heart out? Clay knew how to play the game, yet he did it so wonderfully and never lost sight of who he was that he endeared himself to us.

Then came the TV appearances, the morning shows, the afternoon talk shows, the late night shows, Clay cooked for us on Martha Stewart, he mugged for us on Saturday Night Live, he flirted with Tyra Banks and we crushed on him. He helped Oprah make a wildest dream come true, he turned the tables on Jimmy Kimmel and he made Diane Sawyer swoon.

Then he went on tour. And he never stopped. The AI Tour, the Jingle Ball tour, the Independent Tour, the Not-a-Tour, the Joyful Noise Tour (JNT), the Jukebox tour, the JNT05, the JNT06, the Soft Rock and a Hard Place tour, and soon to come, the Christmas in the Heartland tour. The guy is a tireless touring machine! And why not? The man sells tickets, he puts butts in the seats, he puts on a show that rivals the old-time entertainers, the kind of show that includes singing, dancing, and comedy. He interacts with the audience with a sense of comedic timing that's instinctive. And funny. Very, very funny. And that voice. That marvelous, marvelous voice. That voice has captivated millions, turned women into goo, made men sit up and take notice; that voice is a once-in-a-lifetime voice.

And the Clack. Of every single show, almost very single appearance, every single public event that Clay has done, there is Clack.

Clack, glorious Clack!
We're anxious to watch it.
Three hours a day, our favorite diet.
Videos, montages, and fabulous songs
What next is the question
Rich, wonderful Clackathons
All-night sessions!

Ahem, forgive me for I digress.....

Where were we? Ah, yes, celebrating the entertainment that is Clay Aiken.

Clay just finished appearing on 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader', taking part in a tribute to Neil Sedaka at Lincoln Center, singing Christmas songs to world-class skaters to be broadcast on Christmas Day, giving a lecture at Yale on the importance of teaching geography and he's preparing to go on his tenth tour in less than five years. In those 'less than five years' he also found time to become a UNICEF Ambassador and visit Indonesia, Uganda, and Afghanistan and to participate as an Advisor to the Bush Administration's President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Oh, and graduate from college.

Like I said earlier: You can't get better entertainment for the price of the internet!

Clay Aiken
American idol
Martha Stewart
Tyra Banks
Jimmy Kimmel
Diane Sawyer
Oprah Winfrey
Neil Sedaka
Yale
UNICEF
Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader
President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Clay Aiken at Lincoln Center

2007-10-26T23:18:00.001-04:00

Tonight, Clay Aiken made his debut at Lincoln Center as part of 'Neil Sedaka: 50 Years of Hits. According to the reports, Clay looked fabulous, the hair was perfect, the suit was perfect, the cheekbones were perfect. David Foster accompianied Clay singing 'Solitaire' and high-fived him as he left the stage.

According to Corabeth:

David said, when you write a great song you can sing it a Thousand Different Ways. He started to introduce Clay and stopped and said, "no need to go through all that -- Clay Aiken." The crowd started standing on the glory note and by the time he finished the wail at the end, the entire audience was standing.

The excitement on the message boards was contagious as poster after poster after fan expressed their excitement and glee as the reports started to trickle in.

Brightstar summed it up perfectly:

Being a Clay fan is just the most fun in the world! --listening to a muffled CV cellstream and sharing gahs and giggles and sighs and sobs with fans literally across the world, brought together by love and appreciation for an amazing man with an indescribably beautiful voice.

Thank God for modern technology because it can allow a huge group of really good people to come together, take a cyber trip to NY, and hear (in real time or just a bit later) a really good man, standing in the midst of established celebrities and superstars, blow the roof off the place.

Perfectly said, Brightstar, perfectly said.

Clay Aiken
Neil Sedaka
Lincoln Center

Clay Aiken: What's next?

2007-09-24T21:11:00.000-04:00

Clay Aiken is at a crossroad in his career. He released a pop album in 2003, a Christmas album in 2004, and a covers album in 2006. He's toured nine times and he appears on countless TV shows. He's definitely a TV personality and as an entertainer he's garnering an excellent reputation as a live act who can sell tickets and put butts in the seat. So, what's next?

Clay has told us that he's working on a new CD and he has said that they are aiming for a Spring 2008 release date. His last CD was filled with cover songs, apparently a mandate from Clive Davis. From what I understand, Clay fought hard to include four original songs on the CD and two songs available by download only, 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' and the incredibly plaintive, Aiken-penned 'Lover All Alone'.

From some of Clay's remarks in his meet & greets during this last concert tour, it will be a CD of originals and, so far, he and RCA are on the same page.

Let's take a quick look back before we anticipate the future.
2003: Clay competed on American Idol and ended up in second place when Ruben Studdard triumphed as the Season 2 winner. There has been a lot of controversy over who really won that year because the vote was so close. Ruben has a wonderful voice, but something tells me that a lot of Clay fans just couldn't get through the inadequate phone lines.

After the show, Clay took off like a "rocketship to the stars' (tm Diane Sawyer). He toured the country with the AI2 tour, cut his first CD, 'Measure of a Man', which sold 613,000 copies the first week and was certified double platinum after the first week sales. He recorded a PrimeTime Live interview with Diane Sawyer, appeared on Oprah with Ruben and Season 1's Justin Guarini, appeared on countless TV shows, was on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine, won a few awards, and ended the year touring with the Jingle Ball tour of various acts.

2004: In Spring, Clay embarked on his first co-head-lining tour with Kelly Clarkson which made it's way across America. Later that summer, he toured again by himself, his first solo tour, with the fan-titled 'Not-a-Tour' or NaT, due to the fact that his PR person told a few fans that it was not a tour, just a few 'spot' dates, which then escalated into a full-blown tour.
In the fall, Clay released a book that he co-wrote with Alison Glock called "Learning to Sing, Hearing the Music in Your Life" that went to Number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller list and he followed that with his first Christmas album, 'Merry Christmas, With Love", which was the best-selling Christmas album of the year. Clay toured the Christmas CD calling the tour 'The Joyful Noise Tour', or JNT04, his first Christmas tour.

2005: The beginning of 2005 saw Clay take a step back from the spotlight, perhaps recharging his batteries after the whirlwind of 2003 & 2004. Unbeknownst to the fans, he was putting together his most ambitious tour of the time, the 'Jukebox' Tour, a musical journey through six decades of pop music, from Buddy Holly to Elvis to The Beatles to disco to Prince to Heart to the Goo-Goo Dolls to his own music. It was a musical marriage of talent and entertainment that far surpassed anything he had done previously.

Clay toured his second Christmas Tour at the end of the year, this time by doing a musical play filled with vignettes that told the tale of a woman whose heart was opened through the friendship of a small boy and the love of her family and friends.
2006: We were expecting Clay's sophomore CD in 2006 and we heard rumblings that it would be a cover album of the greatest love songs. The fans want to hear Clay sing every song ever recorded but mostly, we want Clay to sing his OWN songs, so some of the fans were disappointed, yet others were ecstatic after hearing the tracks. The CD, 'A Thousand Different Ways', was released on September 19th with a kick-off on GMA. Clay sold over 200,00 the first week with sales totals to date of around 512,000. The CD went gold, but many considered it a disappointment when comparing it to the sales of 'Measure of a Man'.

Clay also mounted his third Christmas tour, this time, as a guest vocalist of many symphony orchestras, where they played the first half of the concert and Clay sang the second half. He also introduced banter in-between songs. Funny banter. Side-splittingly funny banter. Who knew that Clay Aiken could add stand-up comedian to his resume? The man is quick with a quip, plays to the audience while engaging them as part of his act, and is endearingly self-ingratiating. Clay released an EP consisting of four Christmas songs, Called 'All is Well' sold exclusively at Walmart. It sold out almost immediately and the title song is a vocal tour-de-force.

2007: Clay went on his 9th tour, the 'Symphony' tour, or, the Soft Rock and a Hard Place Tour in the summer of 2007. He performed with symphonies again because he loves the sound but realized that he couldn't sing just sloooooooow songs, so he mixed it up by doing a medley of TV Theme songs in the first half that got the audience singing along and laughing out loud at his George Jefferson parody. In the 2nd half, he performed a series of songs that one would never think could be done with a symphony. Songs like Justin Timberlake's 'Sexyback', Usher's 'Yeah', and Michael Jackson's 'Beat It', among others, which got the audience on it's feet, dancing and clapping and generally having a fantastic time. Oh, and he bantered some more and had us laughing so hard that we were crying.

So.........what's next for Clay Aiken? Some fans are speculating that what he does next may offer a glimpse of what we will be seeing for the next 5 years or so. What I do know is Clay Aiken is talented and versatile and quick and charming and has one of the best voices in the world. I'd love to hear him on the radio. I'd love if he wrote more songs and I can't wait to discover what next he has in store for us.

Bring it, Clay!

As usual, thanks to all the Clackgatherers. Your contribution to this fandom is immeasurable.

Clay Aiken
RCA
American Idol
Ruben Studdard
PrimeTime Live
Diane Sawyer
Rolling Stone
Measure of a Man
A Thousand Different Ways
All is Well

In Loving Memory: Joan McGhee Marbrey

2007-09-20T21:35:00.000-04:00

The NewsObserver.com

In the quiet afternoon hours of Tuesday, September 18, 2007, Joan McGhee Marbrey slipped away from her family and friends to a place of eternal peace.
She was deeply loved and will be sorely missed.
Living on to cherish her memory are those to whom she devoted her life's work; husband, Larry Wayne Marbrey; her daughters, Yvette and her husband, Joel Rich, and Yvonne and her husband, Bruce King; her grandchildren, Brittany and Bailey King, Justin and Ashlyn Rich; her mother, Amaryllis Howard McGhee; her brother, Richard and his wife, Nancy McGhee; her sister, Donna Mcghee.
She is preceded in death by her father, Roscoe Wiley McGhee.
Joan also leaves behind numerous loving friends.

Tonight my heart is heavy with the news of the passing of Joan McGhee Marbrey. May her family and friends find comfort in her loving memory. This evening, many hearts are thinking of Joan's family and, perhaps, their own families, as well.

May you rest in peace, Joan.

Picture courtesy of the ofc.

Clay Aiken & Michael Buble, a Study in Contrasts

2007-09-08T13:00:00.000-04:00

This was an article written by Dianne Austin and published on ElitesTV.com

Aiken and Buble—A “Diva” and “Geek” Play the Greek

I saw Aiken first. It was different than past concerts for the former AI star. This show sported no frills, bells or whistles (except those that went off in the minds of the Claymates of course). Unlike Clay’s last tour (Jukebox) that had him running from one era of rock n’ roll to the next while he ran from one end of the stage to the other , this was a really bare bones presentation. This time Aiken rested on his laurels and relied on the pure power and clarity of his voice to carry the show.

Did it work? You betchya! If there’s anyone who can pull off a show of this kind, Aiken can. He does it by simply singing. The only extras we got were his southern boy gift of gab and somewhat corny/dork sense of humor coming out in a medley that spoofed the fact that he is not “cool.”

Clay is clever enough to make his country boy image still work, and more than ever, he seems to be happy with who he is and what he’s about. He still wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s this fact and a down to earth demeanor that are so obviously infused into his pop persona now. Early Aiken showed a bit of a struggle with how he should present himself, but it’s clear now who he is--what he gets from his music, his fans, and his life’s work.

Mainstays Quiana Parler and Angela Fisher were there as always to back him with vocals and then take center stage to do their own solos. They continue to add beauty, fun, and talent to any evening with Clay. The two women also help the artist get a reprieve each night for just a few minutes when they become the featured soloists and Aiken gets a chance to rest his voice.

The highlight for me was when the artist performed a song he wrote the lyrics to: “Lover All Alone.” Producer David Foster wrote the music and the collaboration resulted in a piece that should draw serious attention for Grammy consideration. Will it though? Probably not—it was recorded only on a bonus track for Aiken’s last CD entitled “A Thousand Different Ways” and hasn’t been heard much. Still, if a tree falls in the forest. . .?? Yes, for me, it does make a sound. And trust me, the sound of Aiken singing “Lover All Alone” is something else.

Speaking of David Foster, here’s another commonality that Buble and Aiken share. Foster produces Michael Buble. So there you go!

I went to see Buble at the Greek a couple of weeks after I'd seen Aiken perform. He played to a sold-out crowd and it was magical. Michael’s presence and true vocal tone backed by his very BIG band were enough to send me. That kind of music under the stars just seems to be the sort of thing that makes people happy. And Michael Buble milks it for all it’s worth.

Sophisticated and savvy, sexy and smart—all those things that girls love—that’s what this young artist exudes. His voice? While not coming close to the power and precision of Aiken’s, it’s good. Buble has a keen tonal quality with a gift for hitting those bottom notes effortlessly. He delivers his big band style of singing with confidence and flare in the clipped, staccato manner that so becomes this genre of music. Michael is slick. He gives a lot, but he makes it all look so easy.

Yet Aiken is the opposite in this respect. When you’re through with one of his concerts, you have the sensation of being elated yet drained, of having soared someplace otherworldly, yet being set firmly back down on the ground. Aiken works hard at what he does. The sound comes out of his throat without trying, but the intensity with which he delivers the piece is so thick you can cut it with a knife. We’re not always there for the fun of it with Clay, we’re often there to feel the blood, sweat and tears he seems to draw upon when he performs as well.

But back to the boys’ similarities. Well, they’re about the same age—both in the “approaching 30” range. Ironically, however, they exhibit opposite traits with respect to age. Whereas Buble seems older, more mature, worldly and experienced for his age, Aiken exudes youth—innocence, boyish silliness, and naivete. There is even, at times, a bit of immaturity about him. Not so with Buble—he seems to have been around the block a few times, at least. But their age related characteristics seem to fit and are becoming to them, especially considering the type of music each performs. Buble seems older which lends itself well to the “rat-pack” reminiscence. Aiken appears younger with a vulnerability and innocence that envelopes the heart when you hear him croon those lover’s ballads.

Is there anything else we can compare between the two pop stars? Yes--neither one is very graceful when it comes to dancing. Clay has always claimed he can’t dance, and although he shows an ability to learn some of the moves, he does have two really big feet that can get in his way at times. Buble thinks he’s great at it (so it seems), judging from the way in which he attacks the chore, but in actuality, his large frame gives a bit of a hulky, somewhat awkward look when he tries accentuating the blaring horn-blowing notes on the upbeat with his body. He’s getting there though. He skids across the floor in his designer suits and Italian shoes and looks like he’s having one heck of a party up there doing it. One doesn’t get the impression that he’s working hard—just that he’s having fun.

We all know that Aiken is a self proclaimed geek. But did you know that Michael is supposed to be a diva? He may not have admitted it himself, but his slide trombonist does some quick schtick in the show telling us he’s nothing but.

Geeks and divas at the Greek: what’s the world coming to? Who would’ve guessed that two very different yet talented crooners who are just about the same age would be delighting audiences with their voices within weeks of each other at L.A.’s most wonderful outdoor arena?

Well, it was a bit confusing, yet oh so gratifying.

And then I went to see UB40 at the Greek last week. But that’s another story.

Dianne Austin--Columnist and Freelance Writer

Clay Aiken
Michael Buble

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered

2007-07-22T18:06:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's very....enlightening how some things can be so misunderstood. The blog I wrote included one of my many wtf? moments that this fandom has provided in the past four years. What I wrote was one of those moments.

If people would have read to the end, they would have seen that I said that I did not hear him say it, I was not there, I did not know if he was joking. It just provided me a wtf? moment. I think that many things Clay says have some underlying meanings and each of us interprets it through their own filters. Obviously, according to the many e-mails and PM's I received, I'm not the most popular person in Clay Nation today. In fact, I may be the most hated. I do want to thank the people who contacted me and understood what I was trying (and obviously failing) to say.

Actually, it gave me some insight to how something can be so misunderstood even though it wasn't meant to be harsh or mean. Or how trying to convey a certain thought sometimes doesn't translate very well. In the future, when reading reviews and interviews, I do think I will look at them in a very different way than I currently do now.

What Clay said is still a wtf? moment, at least to me, and I'm sorry that my lowly little opinion upset some people, but I am entitled to it. Whether he was laughing when he said it or not, I'm still entitled to a wtf? moment.

At least I didn't e-mail his mamma.

Clay Aiken puts the airport incident to bed

2007-07-09T23:37:00.000-04:00

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight, Clay Aiken set the record straight about what really happened on the airplane that was, evidently, so important that more than 225 news outlets, mostly in the USA, reported this insignificant story.

No matter that we have Americans dying everyday in Iraq, children in Uganda have to wander the countryside in search of safe haven, and Afghani women and children struggle to get even a basic education. Our President's approval rating is in the 20's and he has squandered most of the good will and respect that other countries used to have for us, our politicians can't be trusted to do what's right for the American people, and New Orleans is still a quagmire of deserted and forgotten people.

But God forbid, let Clay Aiken (or his foot) be the victim of an unprovoked attack and it's stop the presses and slant your story so that it gets the most hits. Read below for Clay's exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight:

Singer CLAY AIKEN was involved in a minor dispute with a woman on a plane Saturday.

Now, in an exclusive statement to ET, the singer tells his side of the story, saying, "While sleeping on a plane over the weekend, my foot evidently found a home on the arm rest of the passenger seated directly in front of me. I didn't realize I was causing the woman any distress until she woke me up with a quick hit to the chest.

"Unfortunately, being that this happened on a plane, the FBI was called in to investigate and eventually we were all sent on our way. I'd like to thank everyone for their concern; I am fine and have taken steps to prevent any foot wandering in the future."

Clay cleverly implies that there are far greater sources of distress in the world. "Now that I have your attention," he continues, "if you'd like to learn more about how you can help the world's children, please visit 'www.unicefusa.org.'

The 2003 "American Idol" runner-up was on a Continental Airlines flight heading to Tulsa when he and a female passenger got into a minor disagreement that led to her shoving the 28-year-old pop star.

FBI Special Agent GARY JOHNSON reportedly told the Tulsa World newspaper that the argument was between a male and female passenger, but did not give their names, saying only that the man was a former "American Idol" contestant.

Johnson added that the dispute was over the male passenger's foot resting on the woman's armrest.

The situation, however, did not disrupt the flight, and while both parties were questioned by the FBI, no charges were filed.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Entertainment Tonight, UNICEF

Clay Aiken attacked on airplane

2007-07-08T11:39:00.000-04:00

According to researchers, "Over 125 media outlets have picked up the airplane story, including FOX and ABC News, and the NYTimes and the Washington Post." Really, I guess it's a slow news day, I mean, Live Earth is in the midst of worldwide concerts and Clay Aiken gets the headlines for something that was done to him??

Listen to Clay's take on the incident during his concert last evening:

I can't imagine what it would be like to be sound asleep on an airplane and wake up to a stranger hitting me.

According to someone who was at the meet and Greet before that evening's concert (I edited out identifying information on the eye witnesses):

I was in a meet and greet with him tonight before the concert......Clay told us
exactly what happened and he was asleep...he's a tall guy and his foot
accidentally touched her armrest...He didnt even hear her talking to him until she began screaming at him, at which point he pulled up his visor and she started swinging... she hit him 3 or 4 times and being the gentleman that he is
he did not swing back......He was not hurt......but man was he pissed......one of our friends was sitting across the aisle from him and was a witness to this woman's personal attack

Yes, Clay Aiken is the King of Controversy!

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Tulsa Airport, FOX News, ABC News, The New York Times, The Washington Post

Clay Aiken and the Case of the Airport Attack

2007-07-08T02:08:00.000-04:00

Geez. It seems that Clay Aiken just cannot get a break. First it was the Ripa incident, then the Rosie incident, then it was the tabloid incident(s). Let's set the record straight on the airport incident. According to eye witnesses, Clay was sleeping when he was attacked. That's one little piece of information that AP left out of their report. But is this a surprise? Journalists are so sloppy in this day and age.

Evidently, Clay had his ankle crossed over his knee and fell asleep. His foot was resting against the armrest of the passenger seated next to him. She was, shall we say, a mite perturbed so she hit his foot and told him to remove it. Aiken did not wake up. When he did wake up, the passenger was swatting and smacking at him.

Clay Aiken Involved in Airplane Spat

Posted: Jul. 7 10:43 p.m.
Updated: Today at 12:01 a.m.

TULSA, Okla. — Former "American Idol" singer Clay Aiken apparently was involved in an airplane disturbance with
another passenger Saturday while headed to Tulsa International Airport.

The dispute on a Continental Airlines flight occurred between a woman and a man, whom FBI Special Agent Gary Johnson confirmed was a former "American Idol" contestant.

Aiken, runner-up on the TV talent show in 2003, was headed to Tulsa for a Saturday performance at the Brady Theater. His management could not be reached for comment on the alleged incident.

Johnson said he was told the dispute was over the male passenger's foot resting on another passenger's armrest. He said the disturbance minor.

There was an allegation that the woman gave the male passenger a "minor shove" during the argument, Johnson said.

"At that point the flight crew was able to resolve the situation," he said.

The disturbance occurred Saturday morning, said Tulsa Airport Authority spokeswoman Alexis Higgins. Higgins said
the passengers were held until FBI agents arrived to interview them.

No injuries were reported and no arrests were made. The disturbance did not interfere with the flight of the aircraft, Johnson said.

Agents forwarded the results of their investigation to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which declined to file charges, he said.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Airport, American Idol,

Clay Aiken takes on radio's Top 40

2007-07-07T12:44:00.000-04:00

Clay with the Houston Symphony. Clay takes on radio's Top 40 'Classics'. Thanks to Spotlightlover for rendering the clack!

2007-07-07T01:12:00.000-04:00

Friday evening, July 6, 2007, Clay performed a concert at Jones Hall with The Houston Symphony. Towards the end of the concert, he sang one of the songs he wrote called 'Lover All Alone'. Spotlightlover so perfectly captured this exquisite song and Clay's wonderful, emotive rendition.

Clay Aiken is touring....v2007

2007-06-30T14:02:00.000-04:00

Clay Aiken likes to tour. Since 2003, he's toured eight times and, in less than a week, is about to embark on his ninth tour:

2003 American Idol Tour
2003 Jingle Bell Balls
2004 Independent Tour
2004 Not a Tour
2004 Joyful Noise Tour
2005 Jukebox Tour
2005 Joyful Noise Tour II
2006 Joyful noise Tour III
2007 Hard Rock and a Soft Place Tour

Clay's a tourin' fool! And why not? His fans love him, he makes a lot of money on tour, he's one of the best live entertainers in the world, and, in his own words, "Singing is the single most joyous thing a person can do".

Before the tour starts, I thought I'd take a look back at Clay's previous tours. Let's take a trip down memory lane.

2003. The American Idol Tour. The excitement in the venues was like this giant ball of energy. As we enjoyed the other performers, it was Clay that we were waiting to see. As it came closer to his first song, the energy started in the back of the venue and rolled forward, gathering momentum from the fans until we were bursting with excitement. It was almost like the venue was rumbling or vibrating. Clay was so excited to be returning home to Raleigh he just about jumped out of his skin. Then that spikey head arose from the floor....

In December, 2003, Clay was a part of the Jingle Ball, a traveling minstrel show of pop stars and wanna-be's. He sang only a few songs to a backing track. Listen to 'Invisible' from Tacoma by Olyrose.....

Clay's very first solo tour, wasn't. It was a co-headlining tour with Kelly Clarkson. When both fandoms heard about it, none were too happy, they wanted their idol to share the stage with no one, but, in the end, it worked out very well. They sold out almost all the venues and each played an hour, alternating who opened and who closed. Clay choose 'Kyrie' to open his portion of the show, and what a freaking entrance it was!

Summer of 2004. Clay's FIRST Solo tour. The fandom named it two different names, The Solitour, combining 'Solitaire', Solo, and Tour, but the one that stuck, and the one that the Official Fan Club used was, 'NaT', ot Not-a-Tour. Why that? A few dates were picked, but Clay's publicist, when asked about a tour, said, this is not a tour, just a few dates. Which turned into a full-fledged tour. Go figure. This is his opening song, U2's 'Where the streets have no Name', courtesy of Aflack and Scarlett.

December, 2004 gave us Clay's first Christmas Tour. He called it the 'Joyfuol Noise' Tour, after that Bible verse, 'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord'. Don't take that literally, I'm not up on the Bible, but you get the picture. This is a partial video by Scarlett of 'Good News'. The Clackgatherers practiced stealth video'ing that tour and trying to find a really good video was very hard, but this is a beautiful close-up of Clay's face. You can really see the reverence he has for this song.

During the Spring of 2005, when we heard that Clay was doing covers through the decades, a lot of us thought the cheese would be melting all over the place, but Clay surprised us. Boy, did he EVER surprise us! What a tour-de-force that concert turned out to be. Song after song after song, most sung in 90-100 degree heat. It was a wall of sound that slapped us upside the head.

The 50's (thanks Tsunamimommy & DiamondJake)

Elvis

The 60's

The 70's

The 80's

The 90's

Current

Stump the Band, part I

Stump the Band, part II

December of 2005 brought us Clay's second Joyful Noise Tour. When he played Raleigh, his 'Papa' was in the audience and Clay sang a song just for him, and, by doing so, gave the fandom this very, very, very special treat. 'Oh, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem'.

In December of 2006, Clay did his Christmas show, but this time, he sang with an orchestra. He grew his hair long, sometimes grew a beard, but he entertained us with the songs and with his stand-up comedy routine. Clay? A comic? What? You don't believe me? Seeing is believing!

So.....what will Clay sing this summer? We don't know. We do know that he is singing with an orchestra, touring his CD, A Thousand Different Ways and it starts on July 4th in Frisco, TX.

All across the nation, through-out the Clay boards, the fans are stirring. There is a palpable energy surging from one message board to the other. Like a game of telephone, we are starting to hear rumblings from the Giant. And it is good. So we wait and we wonder and we speculate. The Giant is awakening from a long slumber and the fans are stirring.

It's going to be a terrific summer of Clay, version 2007.

Thanks to all the Clackgatherers, without whom this fandom would not be what it is.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Tour, 2003 American Idol Tour, 2003 Jingle Bell Balls, 2004 Independent Tour, 2004 Not a Tour, 2004 Joyful Noise Tour, 2005 Jukebox Tour, 2005 Joyful Noise Tour II, 2006 Joyful noise Tour III, 2007 Hard Rock and a Soft Place Tour, YouTube

Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire..together at last

2007-06-24T17:19:00.001-04:00

I've seen Kelly Clarkson in concert twice, both time when she and Clay Aiken co-headlined for their Independent Tour in Spring of 2004. I loved Kelly on American Idol. I didn't buy her first album and because I heard so much of her on the radio, I didn't buy her second album. I do, however, have her third album, My December, and I'm going to buy Breakaway.

Recently, Kelly taped CMT "Crossroads" with Reba McEntire. Read the review at AllYourTV.com. Here are some excerts from the review:

If you're not familiar with the series, "Crossroads" teams up two singers or groups together and encourages them to sing each other's songs.

The evening begins with McEntire and Clarkson dueting on a couple of the young singer's recent hits. While Reba does a solid job of singing songs such as "Since You've Been Gone," it's only modestly entertaining, and as I watched, I was preparing myself to be letdown.

But about ten minutes into the show, the pair find their groove, and the rest of the hour is a real treat for viewers. Clarkson and McEntire are obvious friends, and their all-too-short interview segments provide some real insight into their careers.

There are also some magical performances. Their take on Clarkson's "Because Of You," (which is included on McEntire's new album of duets) is good, but their rendition of McEntire's "The Greatest Man I Never Knew" is jawdropping. It's an emotional song, and both singers singer's subtle performances wring every last drop of sadness and pain from the words.

All too soon, the hour is over. And as if often the case with "Crossroads," I find myself wishing there was a CD of the performances available for viewers.

I'm not a country music fan, although I do like Reba, and I've never seen CMT "Crossroads" but tonight I think I'll watch it. It really sounds fantastic and I'm anxious to hear what both artists do with each other's songs.

This video of their joint effort is from YouTube. It really puts a different spin and meaning to Kelly's song, 'Because of You".

CMT CROSSROADS: KELLY CLARKSON AND REBA McENTIRE premiering Sunday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT.

More air dates:
CMT CROSSROADS: KELLY CLARKSON AND REBA McENTIRE will be retelecast on Sunday, June 24 at 11:00 p.m., ET/PT; Monday, June 25 at 7:00 p.m., ET/PT; Tuesday, June 26 at 6:00 and 10:00 p.m., ET/PT; Thursday, June 28 at 11:00 a.m., ET/PT; Friday, June 29 at 6:00 p.m., ET/PT; Saturday, June 30 at 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., ET/PT; and lastly on Sunday, July 1 at 2:30 p.m., ET/PT.

Related Tags: Kelly Clarkson, Reba McEntire, CMT "Crossroads", American Idol, Clay Aiken, My December, Breakaway, YouTube

Clay Aiken and his....tush

2007-06-23T11:21:00.000-04:00

Heh. Clay's got quite a nice one, too!

Enjoy!

A Tribute to Rocky

2007-06-09T23:26:00.000-04:00

This was posted by RockysMom on Clayversity on June 07, 2007:

Rocky was supposed to be short for "Rock and Roll" because he was born on the night I saw Pink Floyd in concert but my mom hated the name. One day I drove past a baby consignment shop named "Rock-a-Bye Baby" so that became his full name instead. His grandmother's name was "Love Me Tender"

Rock-a-bye Baby

June 3, 1994 ~~~ June 7, 2007

I know I haven't been around lately, not that anyone's missed me. I never really contributed anything much anyway so who cares if I'm gone, right?

Anyway, this is just to let you know that my little Rocky's two-year-long battle with cancer has ended. He pulled through so many times when the vet didn't think he would. He really lived up to his name, he was a tough little fighter, even though he looked like a delicate little powder-puff. For the past seven years he was the only family I had, the one I shared my Thanksgiving dinners with...the one I watched rip open his presents on Christmas morning...the one who snuggled under the blankets with me on chilly nights....the who gave a little "grrrrr" when I nudged him with my foot during the night....the one who somehow managed to drag a package of toilet paper twice his size from the powder room and decorate the living room with it....the one always waiting by the front door when I finally got home from work....the one right beside me while I was planting flowers and weeding my garden....the one sitting next to me while I ate, sharing my ham sandwiches...the one sleeping at my feet while I spent too many hours on the computer.

The only living thing on this planet that truly knew me and loved me,unconditionally.

He used to sit up and wave his little paws and beg for treats.

He used to "dance" underneath this Queen Anne wing chair I have and actually bounce the chair up and down if he didn't get his Milk-Bone right away.

He used to love to sit on the end table in front of the window and watch everything that happened on our street and bark his little fool head off.

He used to bark like crazy when ever he heard a door bell on TV, especially those pizza delivery commercials (I could never hit the mute button fast enough)

He loved those fuzzy stuffed doggie toys. He had one that was a train and it made all sorts of "choo-choo" sounds. He'd push it with his nose to make the sounds over and over until he wore it out and I had to buy him a new one. I kept his toys in a little foam doggie bed he'd out-grown and he'd root through, looking for just the one he wanted to play with that day. He'd even pick the bed up in his mouth and dump everything out and carry it across the living room.

He loved to un-wrap his toys, too. Ever since his first Christmas he just adored ripping off the paper and seeing what new thing he had to play with. He ripped open his last present Tuesday night, a belated birthday gift of a tiny stuffed teddy bear. A few hours later,he started to go downhill, almost as though he was waiting for us to have that last little birthday party together before we had to say good-bye.

We had almost 13 years together....ever since the first time I saw him strutting around that puppy pen carrying a big fuzzy ball bigger than he was. I don't know what I'll do without him...he certainly deserved a better mommy than I was.

How can the absence of one little heart beating and one little body breathing make a house so quiet and so empty?

Clay has an incredible voice

He's developing into an amazing all-around live performer

He gets more handsome by the day

I continue to hope and pray that he is the man I believe him to be....not perfect, but trying his best to be good and make this world a better place.

I hope and pray that someday soon (and hopefully not by his definition) he will once more have a place in my heart....but right now that heart is too broken to hold anything but grief.

To all who love and have loved their furry children:

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start...and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.

My friend is hurting. That means I'm hurting, too.

Clay Aiken: King of Controversy

2007-06-03T14:49:00.000-04:00

It doesn't seem as if Clay can escape that moniker. First it was the tabloid crap, then the Kelly Ripa debacle, now it is a venue where he is scheduled to perform.

Clay is scheduled to perform a Christmas concert at the Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS., on November 26th. The church has a 3,000 seat auditorium with state-of-the-art sound system and video monitors. Steven Curtis Chapman is playing there, also. Clay has often said how he admires Chapman.

At first, the fans thought that having a Christmas concert in a church was OK. That is, until some of them started realizing what that church stands for. You would think that most churches preach tolerance and respect for your fellow humans. I think that most churches do, at least I hope so, but this particular church? In my opinion, this particular church preaches hatred and intolerance and, in fact, has gotten involved in secular law-making. Churches are tax-exempt, but once they start affecting public policy laws, their tax-exempt status should, in my opinion, be revoked.

I'm going to present opinions of the fandom by using quotes found on various message boards. I will do my best to not let my personal opinion of this church interfer with this blog. I will not mention the names of the posters, nor the boards where I found the quotes.

I can't even fathom that that WalMart looking building with a big-ass cross strapped to the front of it is considered a "church". WTF? It reminds me of those creepy evangelist shows on Teevee.

I am anti-organized religion - especially of the Loud And Proud And Better Than You variety... but this is just a venue/building with a kick-ass sound system and big-ass jumbotrons. I rather like the thought - as someone put it on another message board - of heathens sitting there enjoying themselves.

Shoot, I am a practicing Christian, but there is no way I would set foot in that church or let alone give it any of my money. Sorry Clay—not even for you. Their sociopolitical thinking is so against everything I believe

Totally respect those people that say they rather skip this concert because they don't want to support this church and their political stance with their money. I say everyone must follow their conscience on this. I also totally respect Clay's right to sing in this Church. One appearance does not define him and his own politics.

This looks like a wonderful place for a Clay Christmas concert! I wish I lived closer--I'd love to try for a ticket. Getting one might be difficult, but if all the people there become new Clay fans, it's all good!

I'm with another fan on this one. It's a bad move for Clay, especially given his beliefs about inclusion. I would imagine that he and/or his people are thinking "it's just a venue," but it's not. If he stands on that "altar" and performs, he is lending that church, and its espoused beliefs, creedence--the legitimacy of his good name--whether he means to or not. That church is a symbol of discrimination and close-mindedness and hate, things Clay says he rejects with every fiber of his being. He should reject them, and this church, now.

I don't have to believe in gambling to see Clay at a casino. I don't have to believe in drinking to see Clay at a venue that serves alcohol. And, I don't have to believe in the values of this church if I want to see Clay at a place close to me.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of institutionalized spirituality, regardless of its name. I AM a fan of Clay Aiken and beautiful music, however. Clay's a big boy (heh)and I'll leave it up to him to either agree or refuse to play at any particular venue for whatever reason floats his boat. Just as I'm sure he leaves it up to everyone whether or not to pay money to be there if he does.

I should have clarified what I meant by "this." Obviously, a Christmas concert is about religion. What is not about religion is my reaction to his appearance at CCC. That response is not based on their religion, which they are welcome to, but on the fact that particular church acts as a political and public organization when it takes the lead on public policy that affects all citizens of Kansas regardless of religion. And that, IMO, has nothing to do with celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Abortion and gay marriage are two core issues for me, and I find CCC's stance on them abhorrent. That doesn't mean that I think that each and every person who goes to that church is bad or evil. It does mean, though, that on the whole, I think that church sucks. If they are doing good works that does not negate the damage they are causing by being advocates for an abortion-free, gay-marriage free world. One does not cancel the other. And maybe there are nice people who go to that church who don't subscribe to the hate. To them I would say, "What the fuck?"

Why do I get the feeling that a lot of the "principle"posting on that other board is from people who are not planning on going anyway? It's easy to make a stand when you are not really involved and don't have to be tested. I mean I have issues with blood diamonds and furs and don't buy either. Well the truth is I can't afford one and am allergic to the other but it sounds good

Churches don't make me feel uncomfortable and neither does Clay performing in one. I admit that I don't regularly research the venues I visit, but I'm also fairly sure that the majority of them haven't been in the national spotlight due to their intolerance-centered practices.

If Clay were to sing on the stage at the CCC, you could probably give me a thousand logical reasons to prove that it doesn't mean anything, and rationally I might believe some of them. But that's not going to do anything to stop the pain in my heart that image will cause. Just seeing the original post with his name next to the name of an organization I read so much about was a jab to the heart. If pleasure at seeing Clay is also mixed with pain, I have to decide how it balances out and when it's worth it. Judging by my feelings the past two days, it may no longer be worth it. That will make me sad, but there are other performers I can enjoy without having to deal with that baggage.

While I respect everyone's opinions about whether or not they'd attend a Clay concert in a church that promotes intolerance, I'm just glad that I don't have to make that choice. The round trip tickets are over $400.00. I don't know what I would do if they were reasonably priced. However, Clay is a religious man and I bet he'll love singing in that church.

The church is beautiful and has held many mainstream artist's concerts - it's an awesome venue - great acoustics - no bad seats! Seats 3000

Well, this venue kind of puts the kibosh on his 'lookin' at mah crotch' remarks.

Thinking about this show, though, it really sounds as if it would be a place to reach those teens that were swooning during his brief appearance at the Stephen Curtis Chapman concert in NC. ... and their parents... and their grandparents.

That church will probably be a really nice venue-looking at the pictures, it seems designed well for acoustics and sightlines. It is actually a similar design to the church I go to (mine's smaller, seats about 550) and we purposely used that sort of design to get the best possible acoustics for sound. I imagine that church in KS probably has lots of parking too, and is handicap accessible-it sounds like it could be a very pleasant place to experience a concert!

I find the Wichita concert venue exciting because of the state of the art sound and video available. Maybe we will get a Christmas Concert DVD out of that one. Hey, I can dream can't I?

Speaking as one who has never been part of any organized religion, I think Clay singing Christmas carols in church will be magical.

Over the years Clay has sung in arenas and high schools; theatres and fairgrounds; symphony halls and casinos; band shells and amusement parks; and even zoos and soccer stadiums. Singing in church? Well hell, why not?

This particular church in Wichita is very clearly anti-choice and I imagine they may be against gay marriage as well. If my money is going to be funneled into any of these causes (or even the cause on their homepage which says they want to connect the "unconnected" to Christ), I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror the next morning. And it's not that anyone has to agree with me; I just need to do what I feel is right for my own conscience.

Clay can sing in as many churches as he pleases, but I'll have to pass up each of those opportunities to listen to him. *sigh*

While I wouldn't choose this as a place to worship, I wouldn't have a problem attending a concert there. Clay's performing in their venue, not preaching their beliefs. When I buy a concert ticket, my money is squarely aimed at supporting Clay. In any case, those who don't like the idea of Clay playing there don't have to attend, so it's all good in my book. And the idea of him attracting new fans is always a good one, to me. I liken this to the season subscribers at a symphony hall getting to see him for the first time.

I doubt too much of the income from a Clay concert would be going to those causes (hopefully mostly to the upkeep of the building and other related expenses), but if it were, I have to admit it would give me pause also. So you're not alone in that. I don't have any issues with him singing in a church, but appearing to support this kind of agenda -- or anything this controversial -- would be walking a fine line, that's for sure. I would hope this concert would be separate from any of that.

I only assumed the church would be getting a rental fee. That alone would keep me from attending this concert. They won't get one dime of my money. I found a link to one of their newsletters at the OFC, and it frightened me to no end. I wouldn't want my dime or dollar or whatever being used to spread their message of (IMO) intolerance and hatred.

Clay grew up singing in church. I, for one, think he has probably missed that experience. He loves Christmas, loves singing, loves his church.....I hope he thouroughly enjoys the experience. Those that are offended by his choice....should just find another venue they are more comfortable with.

This looks like an outstanding venue! I love getting news of Christmas concerts this early. It reaffirms that these tours are organized well in advance

I'm sure if Clay was not comfortable performing there....he would not. Why does everything turn so argumentative? geeeesh.

I personally can't take much of the angst about the venues. If people have good reasons for not attending fine. Just don't shove them in my face with 1000 posts about it. I'm trying to be careful because I know some here may not like that particular venue. No problem. But then I'm sure if people did research, there would not be many approved venues. Some will like it. Some will not. *shrug* I hope that those who don't will let the rest of us enjoy the concert and don't go into the tailspin I'm starting to see on a couple of boards.

So it's not bad enough that I'm female, over 40 and somewhat less than svelte, now my Christian cooties are holding Clay back, too? Well, crap...

Sigh..religious and political topics are difficult to discuss without stepping on some toes. That is why I was happy to look at this Church as just another venue.

So, although I don't agree with the politics of the church, I'll likely be there. I'm a Christian, but not a right-winger. I respect those that won't be going to the concert due to concerns about where the money will go, but I'm gonna be selfish if it's the only concert I can go to due to distance.

I will be the first to admit I hardly research who is profiting from each of Clay's concerts, but if I went to a venue's website and found public statements of their views and those views were in direct conflict with my own, as is the case with this church in Kansas, I could not in good faith give them any of my money. Its the same reason I refuse to buy Domino's pizza. This church has a newletter on their site that is filled with IMO so much hate and intolerance its, well, let's just say its not very Christian! And from things Clay has said, I suspect its not his kind of Christianity! If this church were in my own backyard, I would not go to this concert.

I think Clay already has enough far right wing conservative Christian fans. IMHO some of them are too involved in mothering , protecting, and fighting for him. To a point that it is hurting him. So I can't join the camp that thinks it is a good idea to attract more.

I guess I'd have to bow out of this one, too, if that's the kind of religion they practice. Oh well...at least I won't be a pillar of salt after all

To me...Clay is a good example of an open minded Christian. He is a good role model for all kinds of young people. I would hope that by attracting young fans from fundamental Christians and extreme right...he can influence them to be more open to other belief systems and lifestyles.

Compromise - I have learned to live with it.

Unfortunately, I can't bring over posts from any boards that are private or require paid membership, but I think you get the drift of what the fandom has been discussing these past few days. I deliberately put the last quote in last place because no matter what your feelings are towards this Church, I think that respecting other's points of view is essential. Not to mention the right thing to do.

I removed two quotes because the poster asked me to.

Of Clay Aiken and Hair

2007-05-23T23:59:00.000-04:00

I remember those early, heady days (tm The ClackHouse) when Clay was on American Idol. He was so baby-faced one wondered if he even shaved yet. It didn't matter that he was 24 years old, he just seemed so young, maybe because he was young in experience, in worldliness, in demeanor. Before American Idol, he had barely left North Carolina. He was a college student in a sheltered college environment. Never did we see even a hint of hair, facial or otherwise.

Then came page 50. People magazine. The bathroom picture.

OMG! Clay has hairy arms! Sexy, hairy arms! OMG! Not only is he cute with a killer voice, he's sexy! Now, some of the fans saw the sexy right away, others, it took a bit, but Page 50 seemed to be THE first sexy picture of Clay.

Summer, 2003. June, 2003. The Rolling Stone cover. Shirt blowing open, buttons unbuttoned at his neck. The shirt tails flapping in the wind and we got hair. This time it wasn't on his arms, it was on his belly. It was nicknamed the cinnamon trail, the treasure trail, but whatever you want to call it, it sure sparked 'interest' by his fans.

His arms were hairy, or furry, like Clay Nation coined them, his chest and stomach had hair. But what about his face? Fast forward to the Fall of 2003 in The Year of Clay. He was on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, on a bike, clean-shaven, of course. Until someone photo-shopped a beard on him. I think that scared 5 years off our collective lives.

In 2004, Clay toured with Kelly Clarkson and got lazy. Either he didn't want to shave or he forgot, but we got scruff. We celebrated the scruff. It wasn't often that we got to see Clay with facial hair but sometimes all the zaprudering we do of Clay paid off. Of course, when my old computer crashed I lost a lot of my early scruff pictures, but you get the picture *g*

Fast forward to 2006. Clay made a surprise appearance on the finale of American Idol 5. What a freaking appearance that was! I remember getting a phone call from one of my friends and we just laughed on the phone for about 15 minutes. We weren't laughing at Clay. Oh, no, we were laughing at the sheer unexpectedness of his new look. At his 'screw you' to AI and the 'Clay Aiken look-alike'. Holy moley, does that guy know how to make an entrance!

In the Fall of 2006, Clay released his second mainstream album, 'A Thousand Different Ways' and he appeared on a lot of TV programs. This picture is from his 09/18/06 GMA appearance and he had hair. Lots and lots of hair. Not on his face but on the top of his head. This new hair style got pretty favorable reviews from his fans. Most loved the longer hair although some did not. However, Clay was still clean-shaven. His fans knew that he could grow facial hair, we've seen it. In fact, Clay's a pretty hairy guy.

Then came Clay's Christmas Tour, 2006. He grew his hair even longer. Most fans loved it. :::FLOVE::: So shoot me, I couldn't pick just one. But I could pick two *g*

In early 2007, there were two events that happened pretty simultaneously, his Gala to raise money for The Bubel/Aiken Foundation and his UNICEF trip to Afghanistan. Behold the beard!

Evidently Clay either didn't like it, or it was too much maintainence, but after these two events, the beard came off. One could hear a collective sigh in the Fandom, whether it was from relief that the beard came off, or despair that the beard came off.

Thus ends the saga of Clay and his hair. When he returned from Afghanistan, he shaved and got his hair cut, evidenced by his Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance. On a horse. The horse had hair all over. Oh.....and the horse was very 'excited' to see Clay. Must have been a fan.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, American Idol, People Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, A Thousand Different Ways, Good Morning America, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, UNICEF, Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Clay Aiken: Children's Advocacy Award

2007-04-28T00:27:00.000-04:00

There was a lot of speculation on why Clay didn't participate in the Idol Gives Back fundraiser on Wednesday, April 25, 2007. Was he asked? Did 'they' diss him? Why won't American Idol acknowledge Clay? 'They' never even mentioned his name. The speculation went on and on.

A A few hours ago, we found out why Clay was not involved on Idol Gives Back.

He had a more pressing commitment.

One Wednesday evening, April 25th, 2007, Clay Aiken was in New York City, participating in and receiving an award from the National Center for Learning Disabilities:

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) works to ensure that the nation's 15 million children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities have every opportunity to succeed in school, work and life.

NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs to foster effective learning and advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities.

Since its beginning, NCLD has been led by passionate and devoted parents committed to creating better outcomes for children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities.

Founded in 1977 by Pete and Carrie Rozelle as the Foundation for Children with Learning Disabilities, the organization provided leadership, public awareness and grants to support research and innovative practices in learning disabilities.

In 1989 the organization changed its name to the National Center for Learning Disabilities and expanded its mission and scope of work. Anne Ford assumed the role of Chairman of the Board at the time and led the organization for 12 years.

In 2001, John G. Gantz, Jr., past president of Argonaut Insurance Company, succeeded Mrs. Ford. In 2004 the leadership of NCLD was passed to Fred Poses, Chairman and CEO of American Standard Companies.

Throughout its history, NCLD has been guided by a passionate commitment to promoting the success and dignity of individuals affected by learning disabilities, as defined in our Credo:

NCLD Credo:

Let no children be demeaned,
or have their wonder diminished,
because of our ignorance or inactivity;

Let no adults be deprived of discovery,
because we lack the resources to
discover their learning needs;

Let neither children nor adults – ever –
doubt themselves or their minds because
we are unsure of our commitment.

On Wednesday night, they celebrated their 30th Anniversary

NCLD celebrated its 30th anniversary at its annual benefit dinner, "Voices of our Children, Voices of our Future," Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at New York City's Marriott Marquis.

The dinner honored three outstanding individuals who have championed the needs of children with learning disabilities and have given them a strong public voice. You can read more complete biographies by clicking on the names below.

• Arthur Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc., received the Spirit of Achievement Award.

• Clay Aiken, pop music star and special education activist, received the Children's Advocacy Award.

• Donald D. Deshler, Ph.D., professor in the School of Education and director of the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas, received the Distinguished Education Achievement Award.

NCLD has raised $1.6 million annually in the past three years; its goal for 2007 is $2 million, which will go towards the organization's programs and services for children, adolescents and adults. The benefit dinner is the largest single national fundraising event in support of the 15 million individuals nationwide with learning disabilities. It also showcases the Anne Ford Scholarship, given to a high school senior with a diagnosed learning disability who plans to go on to a four-year college. This year's Anne Ford Scholarship winner is Ryan Makinson of Greensboro, N.C..

Clay Aiken was awarded the Children's Advocacy Award

Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken's musical success has enabled him to fulfill his lifelong wish to support educational and children's causes. While the accolades that followed his stunningly close second-place finish on the second season of American Idol have validated him in ways that he never could have dreamed of when he was a teacher working with autistic children back in his home state of North Carolina, it is the charitable work that his musical career has enabled him to do that means more to him than anything else these days.

The singer created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation in 2003, an organization that promotes and funds educational and recreational programs for children with special needs. He also serves as a United States Fund for UNICEF National Ambassador, helping ensure that children everywhere can receive a primary education. In 2006 Mr. Aiken was appointed to the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Mr. Aiken holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

While American Idol decided to raise money for the world's children in a very loud and self-promoting way while pimping itself for ratings, Clay just quietly went about his business, working on behalf of children the world over and accepting an award for his humanitarian efforts for the past four years.

Thank you, Ambassador Aiken.

Photos are from one of the Bubel/Aiken Foundation's very first fundraisers in Raleigh, NC, around December, 2003.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Idol Gives Back, National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, UNICEF

Clay Aiken, UNICEF, and the Power of One

2007-04-23T21:28:00.000-04:00

As much as I liked what Lee Iacocca had to say, it's time to go back to Clay.

UNICEF released a statement:

Yesterday was the final day of Clay Aiken's ten day appeal for Afghanistan.

Congratulations! We raised $181,783.03 for the kids of Afghanistan during this ten day campaign. That's $80,000+ more than the original goal we set for this campaign!

This total includes all online gifts made online in the U.S. and Canada. We're expecting some checks to come in through the mail and will post a final total next week.

We appreciate your generous support of this appeal. Hundreds of you posted this appeal on your web sites, blogs and boards and forwarded the campaign to your friends.

My colleagues and I will continue to keep you posted on UNICEF's work in Afghanistan and around the world. We'll show you how your gifts are being put to work in the field.

And in an e-mail, I received this:

UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken issued an appeal for the children of Afghanistan at the end of his visit there. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Aiken hoped to raise $100,000 for Afghanistan in 10 days. UNICEF donors responded quickly generously. The campaign ended yesterday and raised $181,783.03 to support UNICEF's work in Afghanistan.

Aiken's appeal for Afghanistan was picked up in hundreds of blogs, bulletin boards and fan sites. "We are thrilled with the results of this campaign. We thank the many people who helped us spread the word about the children of Afghanistan and their urgent needs," said Christine Squires. "Clay Aiken's appeal for Afghanistan shows how UNICEF supporters can work together to help children survive."

Along with this:

Today marks the end of Clay Aiken's 10-day appeal for the children of Afghanistan and the end of National Volunteer Week.

Both events remind us of the tremendous power of people working together.

As you'll read in this issue of eNews, fans of UNICEF and Clay Aiken raised over $180,000 for the children of Afghanistan in ten days.

And over the past year, thousands of volunteers across the country have raised funds and awareness for UNICEF and the world's children through a variety of activities—from bake sales to writing to Congress to speaking at local schools.

To all of these UNICEF supporters, so generous with their time as well as their money, we extend our sincerest thanks. Together we are saving children's lives.

Sincerely,

Christine Squires
Vice President
U.S. Fund for UNICEF

The Power of One

I remember years ago, watching Jerry Lewis give an interview about Muscular Dystrophy. He said that as important as those huge Corporate donations were, you know the ones I'm talking about, the ones for $7 million, $10 million, $13 million, they still don't replace the $5.00 and $10.00 donations that every day people send in. In fact, he said if it weren't for those $5.00 and $10.00 donations, the MDA wouldn't be where it is today.

The Power of One

I'm going to use this blog tonight as an appeal to anyone who reads it. An appeal for a $5.00 or $10.00 donation to the charity of your choice. For Clay fans, I'm not asking that you do it tonight or tomorrow or this month, or even next month, but sometime this year. Pick a charity and donate just a little bit. Those little bits add up to quite a lot.

The Power of One

I've made a promise to myself. I'm going to go through my house and gather all the old dog collars, leashes, feed bowls, brushes, blankets, anything that I've used on my dogs and don't use anymore and I'm going to donate them to either my local Humane Society or no-kill shelter. And when I put them in my car to drop off, I'm going to stop at the grocery store and pick up a bag of dog food.

I give thanks every day for my wonderful Yellow Lab, Gracie. I can't imagine her in a shelter, alone, afraid, not knowing the love of a 'master', not being able to run in the sunlight and frolic in the yard, chasing squirrels and birds, playing with the neighborhood kids, sunning herself on a soft patch of grass on a lazy Sunday afternoon. And I'm going to start donating that $5.00 or $10.00 every few months. I wish it could be more, but I'm not a rich person. And as Jerry Lewis said, it's the small donations that add up to power.

The Power of One

That power is in your hands. One dollar at a time.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, UNICEF, Afghanistan, Humane Shelters, Clay Nation, Muscular Dystrophy

Straight Talk about the state of American politics

2007-04-22T12:53:00.000-04:00

On the heading of my blog, I said that I'd throw in a 'few things political', so I am. Being a fan of Clay Aiken's has opened my eyes to many things. One thing it has done is make me more politically aware. You see, Clay's fans are smart, very smart. Clay's fans are diverse, very diverse, and Clay's fans are politically aware. Doesn't matter if they are Republicans or Democrats, they are aware. I've read more political sites in the past three years than I have for the past 20 years. Thanks, Clay Nation!

I love straight talking. Don't give me platitudes, sound bites, pandering, pithy phrases, or any kind of moronic posturing, just some straight talk on how, if you're planning on running for Office, how you mean to solve some of the crisis facing America today.

I came across this speech, article, call it whatever, by Lee Iacocca. Yes, he's hawking a book, but what he said really resonated with me.

By Lee Iacocca with Catherine Whitney

---------------------------------------

I Had Enough?

Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!

You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies. Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don't need it). The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.

My friends tell me to calm down. They say, "Lee, you're eighty-two years old. Leave the rage to the young people." I'd love to—as soon as I can pry them away from their iPods for five seconds and get them to pay attention. I'm going to speak up because it's my patriotic duty. I think people will listen to me. They say I have a reputation as a straight shooter. So I'll tell you how I see it, and it's not pretty, but at least it's real. I'm hoping to strike a nerve in those young folks who say they don't vote because they don't trust politicians to represent their interests. Hey, America, wake up. These guys work for us.

Who Are These Guys, Anyway?

Why are we in this mess? How did we end up with this crowd in Washington? Well, we voted for them—or at least some of us did. But I'll tell you what we didn't do. We didn't agree to suspend the Constitution. We didn't agree to stop asking questions or demanding answers. Some of us are sick and tired of people who call free speech treason. Where I come from that's a dictatorship, not a democracy.

And don't tell me it's all the fault of right-wing Republicans or liberal Democrats. That's an intellectually lazy argument, and it's part of the reason we're in this stew. We're not just a nation of factions. We're a people. We share common principles and ideals. And we rise and fall together.

Where are the voices of leaders who can inspire us to action and make us stand taller? What happened to the strong and resolute party of Lincoln? What happened to the courageous, populist party of FDR and Truman? There was a time in this country when the voices of great leaders lifted us up and made us want to do better. Where have all the leaders gone?

The Test of a Leader

I've never been Commander in Chief, but I've been a CEO. I understand a few things about leadership at the top. I've figured out nine points—not ten (I don't want people accusing me of thinking I'm Moses). I call them the "Nine Cs of Leadership." They're not fancy or complicated. Just clear, obvious qualities that every true leader should have. We should look at how the current administration stacks up. Like it or not, this crew is going to be around until January 2009. Maybe we can learn something before we go to the polls in 2008. Then let's be sure we use the leadership test to screen the candidates who say they want to run the country. It's up to us to choose wisely.

So, here's my C list:

A leader has to show CURIOSITY. He has to listen to people outside of the "Yes, sir" crowd in his inner circle. He has to read voraciously, because the world is a big, complicated place. George W. Bush brags about never reading a newspaper. "I just scan the headlines," he says. Am I hearing this right? He's the President of the United States and he never reads a newspaper? Thomas Jefferson once said, "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate for a moment to prefer the latter." Bush disagrees. As long as he gets his daily hour in the gym, with Fox News piped through the sound system, he's ready to go.

If a leader never steps outside his comfort zone to hear different ideas, he grows stale. If he doesn't put his beliefs to the test, how does he know he's right? The inability to listen is a form of arrogance. It means either you think you already know it all, or you just don't care. Before the 2006 election, George Bush made a big point of saying he didn't listen to the polls. Yeah, that's what they all say when the polls stink. But maybe he should have listened, because 70 percent of the people were saying he was on the wrong track. It took a "thumping" on election day to wake him up, but even then you got the feeling he wasn't listening so much as he was calculating how to do a better job of convincing everyone he was right.

A leader has to be CREATIVE, go out on a limb, be willing to try something different. You know, think outside the box. George Bush prides himself on never changing, even as the world around him is spinning out of control. God forbid someone should accuse him of flip-flopping. There's a disturbingly messianic fervor to his certainty. Senator Joe Biden recalled a conversation he had with Bush a few months after our troops marched into Baghdad. Joe was in the Oval Office outlining his concerns to the President—the explosive mix of Shiite and Sunni, the disbanded Iraqi army, the problems securing the oil fields. "The President was serene," Joe recalled. "He told me he was sure that we were on the right course and that all would be well. 'Mr. President,' I finally said, 'how can you be so sure when you don't yet know all the facts?'" Bush then reached over and put a steadying hand on Joe's shoulder. "My instincts," he said. "My instincts." Joe was flabbergasted. He told Bush, "Mr. President, your instincts aren't good enough." Joe Biden sure didn't think the matter was settled. And, as we all know now, it wasn't.

Leadership is all about managing change—whether you're leading a company or leading a country. Things change, and you get creative. You adapt. Maybe Bush was absent the day they covered that at Harvard Business School.

A leader has to COMMUNICATE. I'm not talking about running off at the mouth or spouting sound bites. I'm talking about facing reality and telling the truth. Nobody in the current administration seems to know how to talk straight anymore. Instead, they spend most of their time trying to convince us that things are not really as bad as they seem. I don't know if it's denial or dishonesty, but it can start to drive you crazy after a while. Communication has to start with telling the truth, even when it's painful. The war in Iraq has been, among other things, a grand failure of communication. Bush is like the boy who didn't cry wolf when the wolf was at the door. After years of being told that all is well, even as the casualties and chaos mount, we've stopped listening to him.

A leader has to be a person of CHARACTER. That means knowing the difference between right and wrong and having the guts to do the right thing. Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you want to test a man's character, give him power." George Bush has a lot of power. What does it say about his character? Bush has shown a willingness to take bold action on the world stage because he has the power, but he shows little regard for the grievous consequences. He has sent our troops (not to mention hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens) to their deaths—for what? To build our oil reserves? To avenge his daddy because Saddam Hussein once tried to have him killed? To show his daddy he's tougher? The motivations behind the war in Iraq are questionable, and the execution of the war has been a disaster. A man of character does not ask a single soldier to die for a failed policy.

A leader must have COURAGE. I'm talking about balls. (That even goes for female leaders.) Swagger isn't courage. Tough talk isn't courage. George Bush comes from a blue-blooded Connecticut family, but he likes to talk like a cowboy. You know, My gun is bigger than your gun. Courage in the twenty-first century doesn't mean posturing and bravado. Courage is a commitment to sit down at the negotiating table and talk.

If you're a politician, courage means taking a position even when you know it will cost you votes. Bush can't even make a public appearance unless the audience has been handpicked and sanitized. He did a series of so-called town hall meetings last year, in auditoriums packed with his most devoted fans. The questions were all softballs.

To be a leader you've got to have CONVICTION—a fire in your belly. You've got to have passion. You've got to really want to get something done. How do you measure fire in the belly? Bush has set the all-time record for number of vacation days taken by a U.S. President—four hundred and counting. He'd rather clear brush on his ranch than immerse himself in the business of governing. He even told an interviewer that the high point of his presidency so far was catching a seven-and-a-half-pound perch in his hand-stocked lake.

It's no better on Capitol Hill. Congress was in session only ninety-seven days in 2006. That's eleven days less than the record set in 1948, when President Harry Truman coined the term do-nothing Congress. Most people would expect to be fired if they worked so little and had nothing to show for it. But Congress managed to find the time to vote itself a raise. Now, that's not leadership.

A leader should have CHARISMA. I'm not talking about being flashy. Charisma is the quality that makes people want to follow you. It's the ability to inspire. People follow a leader because they trust him. That's my definition of charisma. Maybe George Bush is a great guy to hang out with at a barbecue or a ball game. But put him at a global summit where the future of our planet is at stake, and he doesn't look very presidential. Those frat-boy pranks and the kidding around he enjoys so much don't go over that well with world leaders. Just ask German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who received an unwelcome shoulder massage from our President at a G-8 Summit. When he came up behind her and started squeezing, I thought she was going to go right through the roof.

A leader has to be COMPETENT. That seems obvious, doesn't it? You've got to know what you're doing. More important than that, you've got to surround yourself with people who know what they're doing. Bush brags about being our first MBA President. Does that make him competent? Well, let's see. Thanks to our first MBA President, we've got the largest deficit in history, Social Security is on life support, and we've run up a half-a-trillion-dollar price tag (so far) in Iraq. And that's just for starters. A leader has to be a problem solver, and the biggest problems we face as a nation seem to be on the back burner.

You can't be a leader if you don't have COMMON SENSE. I call this Charlie Beacham's rule. When I was a young guy just starting out in the car business, one of my first jobs was as Ford's zone manager in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. My boss was a guy named Charlie Beacham, who was the East Coast regional manager. Charlie was a big Southerner, with a warm drawl, a huge smile, and a core of steel. Charlie used to tell me, "Remember, Lee, the only thing you've got going for you as a human being is your ability to reason and your common sense. If you don't know a dip of horseshit from a dip of vanilla ice cream, you'll never make it." George Bush doesn't have common sense. He just has a lot of sound bites. You know—Mr.they'll-welcome-us-as-liberators-no-child-left-behind-heck-of-a-job-Brownie-mission-accomplished Bush.

Former President Bill Clinton once said, "I grew up in an alcoholic home. I spent half my childhood trying to get into the reality-based world—and I like it here."

I think our current President should visit the real world once in a while.

The Biggest C is Crisis

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. Where was George Bush? He was reading a story about a pet goat to kids in Florida when he heard about the attacks. He kept sitting there for twenty minutes with a baffled look on his face. It's all on tape. You can see it for yourself. Then, instead of taking the quickest route back to Washington and immediately going on the air to reassure the panicked people of this country, he decided it wasn't safe to return to the White House. He basically went into hiding for the day—and he told Vice President Dick Cheney to stay put in his bunker. We were all frozen in front of our TVs, scared out of our wits, waiting for our leaders to tell us that we were going to be okay, and there was nobody home. It took Bush a couple of days to get his bearings and devise the right photo op at Ground Zero.

That was George Bush's moment of truth, and he was paralyzed. And what did he do when he'd regained his composure? He led us down the road to Iraq—a road his own father had considered disastrous when he was President. But Bush didn't listen to Daddy. He listened to a higher father. He prides himself on being faith based, not reality based. If that doesn't scare the crap out of you, I don't know what will.

A Hell of a Mess

So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you've got to ask: "Where have all the leaders gone?" Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, competence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when "the Big Three" referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen—and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bobblehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough?

Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope. I believe in America. In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises—the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to action for people who, like me, believe in America. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the horseshit and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had enough.

Excerpted from Where Have All the Leaders Gone?. Copyright © 2007 by Lee Iacocca. All rights reserved.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, George Bush, Congress, Constitution, Free Speech, Democracy, Capitol Hill, Angela Merkel, 911, Airport Security, Hurricane Katrina

Clay Aiken's UNICEF FieldNotes

2007-04-16T22:42:00.000-04:00

UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken wrote this blog post for Fieldnotes, reflecting on his visit to UNICEF field sites in Afghanistan.

It's not that fun being wrong.
Fortunately for me, I don't have to do it very often! HA HA!
Okay... I'm kidding. I spend plenty of my time on the side of inaccuracy. But, few of my misdirections or misconceptions could possibly compare to how far off of the mark I was in my assumptions about my trip to Afghanistan.

I doubt it would come as a surprise that my mother was none too thrilled when I told her I would be traveling with UNICEF to a country that many consider to be one of the most dangerous in the world for Americans. My brother had just returned from his second tour as a U.S. Marine in Iraq when I let my mother know, so her blood pressure probably stayed high even after my return. I wasn't so at ease about it myself. Hostage takings, suicide bombings, and insurgent attacks are all seemingly daily occurrences in many parts of the country. At least that's what we see on TV and read in papers and magazines.

I couldn't have been more wrong about Afghanistan. And I couldn't have been farther off target about the Afghan people. With the exception of maybe my grandparent's house, I have never felt more welcomed. The Afghan people are some of the most gracious and inviting people on Earth.

After centuries of having their land filled with travelers and explorers, I guess they have hospitality down to an instinctive science. Everywhere we traveled we were greeted with warmth and welcome. Even on the streets of Kabul and the rugged hills of Bamyan. But nowhere as gracious as the schools and UNICEF programs that we visited. Despite the most meager accommodations, we were always invited in and shown every simple resource with the utmost of pride.

And, why shouldn't they be proud. Until a few years ago, most of these students were forbidden by the Taliban regime from going to school. And now?.... Now over 6 million children are piling into broken down buildings and UNICEF tents everyday to catch up on the lessons that they have missed out on for years. That's if they are lucky. Many, if not most, haven't even the luxury of a tent. Just a dusty ground outside in one of the world's most beautifully scenic landscapes. And still, they come to class. Many walk for miles; for hours.

With frankness I'll tell you, there is little to show off at these schools. The schools I visited had such limited resources that most made the average American 3 year-old's bedroom look like a learning lab. I can remember my own collection of books as a 2nd grader, and it looked liked the Library of Congress compared to the school library I saw at a school for over 2000 students. (And, I doubt I ever read half of them.)

Yet, the hunger and desire to read and to learn is so strong that, despite no enforced laws making schools compulsory in Afghanistan, children are clamoring to go to schools.

As I saw on my trip, UNICEF is there. UNICEF is providing tents so children can study away from the elements. UNICEF is struggling to provide school supplies to every young boy and girl in Afghanistan who wants to learn. UNICEF is providing literacy courses for women who have been forbidden far too long from a right of education that so many of us take for granted. But there is so much more that needs to be done.

Afghanistan is so far from the "lost cause" that I had expected to find in the rugged hills of south Asia. It is, I believe, one of the world's countries with the most potential. The people are perhaps it's most valuable natural resource. They are determined to break through the years of oppression they have endured. They are sponges for knowledge, and poised for success.

Winter is over in Afghanistan. It's time to get ready for amazing growth in Afghanistan's spring.

The people... make that the COUNTRY of Afghanistan showed me and my fellow travelers such AMAZING hospitality despite meager means.
As a people of substantially more means... we can help UNICEF return the favor.

Posted by Clay Aiken, UNICEF USA on April 16, 2007 4:48 PM

If you can find it in your heart to help these children who have never even dared to dream of the educational riches that American children take for granted, please click on Clay's UNICEF page. A $5.00 or $10.00 donation will improve their lives in ways we, as Americans, can't imagine.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, UNICEF, Afghanistan

Clay Aiken UNICEF update!

2007-04-15T02:00:00.000-04:00

According to UNICEF's thermometer, in just over 48 hours, Clay's fans have raised about 90% of the $100,000 that he asked for.

Take a look at that thermometer. Yep, about 90% in about 48 hours.

We can make a difference in this world. Just ask Clay.

Related Tags: UNICEF, Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken, UNICEF, and $100,000 in 10 Days

2007-04-13T19:40:00.000-04:00

Clay's challenge? $100,000.00 in 10 days

Can it be done? Let's see...

Clay said:

I've been visiting UNICEF field locations in Afghanistan for the past week. Today, I'm writing to tell you what I've seen and ask for your help.

On my trip, I met Fwazia (we’re in the picture on the right). She is 11 years old. Fwazia attends a unique school where boys and girls from grades 1-9 share classes and study in the open. The school is in urgent need of funding to buy tents and materials to build a new school. This will give more children the opportunity to go to school.

Let's aim high and work together to raise $100,000 in 10 days to support UNICEF's work in Afghanistan. Join me in standing with UNICEF to support the kids of Afghanistan.

Give online with confidence. If you contribute $50 or more by April 22nd, UNICEF will e-mail you my exclusive field report, in a PDF file format, with some of my own photos from the trip that won't appear anywhere else. As my personal thanks to those of you who are able to donate $1,000 or more, we'll mail an autographed copy of my report.

The children in Afghanistan need help now. Please join me in making a donation today.

Sincerely,

Clay Aiken
UNICEF Ambassador

P.S. I'm so inspired by the change we can make together. Please pass this message on to your friends and family asking them to support UNICEF's work.

If you're so inspired to donate to help the children of Afghanistan, please visit the UNICEF site.

Seems like a lot of people have been moved to support the children in Afghanistan. So far, we've raised about $75,000! How many days did Clay give us? Ten? That $75,000 was raised in 48 hours! Way to go, people! Way to go! And way to go, Ambassador Aiken!

Here's a direct link to help Clay's cause: $100,000 in 10 days

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, UNICEF, Afghanistan, $100,000 in 10 Days

Clay Aiken, UNICEF Ambassador

2007-04-12T23:01:00.000-04:00

UNITED NATIONS Press Release:

Idol Star Spotlights Afghanistan
Thursday, 12 April 2007, 12:20 pm
Press Release: United Nations
‘American Idol’ Star And UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken Spotlights Afghanistan
New York, Apr 11 2007 5:00PM

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador and singer Clay Aiken is currently on his first visit to Afghanistan, aiming to raise awareness about the hope and promise he has seen in the young people of the war-torn country.

“The people here are very strong and they are very proud of their country,” Mr. Aiken told reporters in Kabul today, praising the “strength and conviction of the Afghan people and their ability to make sure that this country returns to its glory after such a long darkness.”

The singer, who gained a name on the televised talent competition ‘American Idol,’ has been a Goodwill Ambassador since 2004, has been in Afghanistan for the past week to see first-hand the grassroots health and education projects being delivered by UNICEF.

“It has been a long winter for Afghanistan and it is Spring time finally,” he said, adding that he is “thrilled” to be associated with UNICEF’s support for the country’s rebuilding efforts.

Traveling with UNICEF country representative for Afghanistan Catherine Mbengue and his high school teacher Mary Props, Mr. Aiken has visited schools in Kabul and in Bamiyan.

In Kabul, he met young women at Macfee High School who “have an amazing positive outlook on their future now,” he said.

Mr. Aiken called Bamiyan one of the most beautiful places he has ever seen, and mentioned one school he visited there in particular where boys and girls were being educated together. He also visited clinics where he had the opportunity to administer polio vaccine to a newborn baby.

“I have never in my life seen such a thirst and an excitement for learning,” he said, joking that his former teacher, Ms. Props, was very jealous of how eager students in Afghanistan are to attend school.

Calling the people of Afghanistan the country’s “greatest natural resource,” Mr. Aiken said that he also hopes to inform people in the United States, who he said too often associate Afghanistan with conflicts, troops and military activities, of the genuine desire on the part of children to learn.
“If we did see more about the kids [in the media], we will see more positive support and help,” noted Mr. Aiken.

Clay Aiken, Humanitarian

2007-04-11T23:40:00.000-04:00

By Rockysmom:

The night of the UNICEF snowflake light ceremony I wrote...

In NYC tonight....
There is the light of a brillant star
One made of many facets of the purest shining crystal
One that is meant to be a symbol of hope for all the world's children
One that is beautiful and precious beyond compare
It's not the one made of Baccarat and suspended high above the streets
It's the one we know and love and hold dearly in our hearts

You're beautiful Clay...inside and out....and the world is just beginning to see what we've known all along.

And now, almost 5 months later, the light from that beautiful, precious star is shining half a world away. Unlike this past UNICEF event he won't be waiting inside Tiffany's surrounded by the trappings of opulence and wealth, or returning to the security of an elegant, well-appointed hotel suite. He's in a country where he is, instead, surrounded by the constant reminders of decades long war, upheaval, and oppression. He's spending his days and nights in places where snipe attacks and suicide bombings are a fact of life.

His famous face won't help him get to the front of a line....in fact, it's important for his own safety that he alter his appearance slightly, to blend in with the people he so desperately wants to help. There are women in this far off land desperate for vaccinations for their children but locals are too frightened to help them; it's too dangerous for them to do. But he does it and makes a joke about it besides.

And so a little more of the world sees what we have seen and learns what we have known for just a little more than four years now....how wonderful and precious and beautiful this man truly is.

God speed you safely home, Clay. You carry our prayers and our love with you where ever you may be.

Related Tags: UNICEF, Afghanistan, Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken, Jim Johnson, and Jason McElwain

2007-04-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

Last night, Clay Aiken held a Champions of Change Gala in Raleigh, NC to benefit his charity, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation. From all reports, a good time was had by all. Held at the Cardinal Club, a dinner of either steak or salmon was served, Clay took pictures with some of the attendees, and he held an auction. The auction raised well over $174,000.00 with the biggest item, a signed, original music and lyrics of 'Lover All Alone' going for $55,000.00.

Linda Lovelace, WRAL news anchor from Raleigh was the Emcee of the event and in attendance was Diane Bubel, the co-founder of the foundation, Kristy Barnes, President and COO of the BAF, Faye Parker, one of the Board of Directors, Jaymes Foster, Clay's Executive Producer.

The honorees at this event were presented with the Champions of Change Award. They are:
State Farm Insurance
Beta Alpha Volunteers
Coach Jim Johnson
Jonathan Bunzey, Youth Honoree

I remember Jim Johnson and his amazing basktball manager, Jason McElwain, from the TV coverage about this basketball game. Coach Johnson works for Rochester, NY's Greece Athena High School as the varsity basketball coach. Jason McElwain is a student with autism who Coach Johnson let suit up for the last game. With just over four minutes left to play, Coach Johnson told McElwain to play ball. The crowd erupted in cheers when McElwain took to the court. His first two shots missed the basket but then a wondrous thing happened. McElwain shot his next six balls for six three-pointers. After each shot, the crowd grew a little more wild until the end, when they carried McElwain off the court on their shoulders. Rochester won the game 79-43 and to cap the season off, the Team captured the first section 5 title of Coach Johnson's career.

"My first shot was an air ball (missing the hoop), by a lot, then I missed a lay-up," McElwain recalls. "As the first shot went in, and then the second shot, as soon as that went in, I just started to catch fire." "I felt like a celebrity!" he beamed.

"I've had a lot of thrills in coaching," Johnson says. "I've coached a lot of wonderful kids. But I've never experienced such a thrill."

McElwain's mother sees it as a milestone for her son.

"This is the first moment Jason has ever succeeded (and could be) proud of himself," reflects Debbie McElwain. "I look at autism as the Berlin Wall, and he cracked it."

What a wonderful moment for this extrodinary young man. Watch the video to see it again:

This experience happened because the coach of a high school basketball team wanted to give his Team Manager, who happens to be autistic, a chance to get a basket. All Jason needed was a chance. That's all most people with disabilities need....a chance.

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation exists to give those children that chance. A chance to be included with other children, children without disabilities, children who live their lives free of the physical or mental inequalities. All any child wants is a chance to be included. The BAF is well on it's way to make that happen for a number of children this year.

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation and Youth Service America are pleased to announce the grantees of the Clay Aiken Able-to-Serve grants for National & Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22, 2007. These awards of up to $1,000 support youth-led service projects in which youth with and without disabilities serve their communities together. A selection of the service themes include: emergency preparedness, building wheelchair accessible gardens, disability awareness, and building intergenerational relationships.

The Clay Aiken Able-to-Serve projects for National & Global Youth Service Day 2007:

* Forty-five youth from Hutchinson, Kansas will plant trees along a popular walking trail and dedicate a plaque to commemorate their efforts reminding future visitors on the trail that youth of all abilities can make valuable contributions to their communities.

* After learning that scent-trailing dogs have difficulty tailing people with Down’s syndrome, Hillary, age 19, from Brewer, Maine was awarded a grant to launch a public service campaign about this topic alongside 25 youth with and without disabilities. They will reach out to police who will share the information with the National Down’s Syndrome Society, bloodhound training organizations, and search and rescue organizations.

* Tiffany, age 18, from Lynn, Massachusetts was awarded a grant to tackle the overcrowding and violence she has witnessed in her community public parks. She will lead 20 youth from the Part of the Solution Youth Council to mobilize their community and launch five simultaneous park clean-ups. The youth will petition the city to replace basketball hoops.

* Ashley, age 18 from Sparta, Michigan was awarded the grant to implement a project in which special education students who run the high school ice-cream shop train students from the National Honor Society in ice cream preparation. Following the training, both groups of students will plan an ice-cream social together for elders in the community.

* Fifty members of the Paraquad Youth from St. Louis, Missouri will assist The Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition’s resale clothing store and the Circle of Concern food pantry. Extended interactions among low-income youth, youth in foster care, and youth with disabilities will work to challenge assumptions and stereotypes.

* In Cranford, New Jersey, 300 students and community members will prepare garden beds for spring planting at two schools and one senior housing complex. Students will design, budget, and plant the community gardens.

* Youth in Durham, North Carolina, will convene two community forums to highlight best practices for public safety, human service professionals, and people with disabilities. One panel will focus on the interaction of the police department with the disability community and the second panel will focus on the interaction between EMS, the fire department, and the disability community.

* In Salem, Ohio, 40 students with learning and cognitive disabilities, in partnership with vocational education students, and with the assistance of a high school horticulture class, will design and landscape the Salem Storybook Museum. The Museum provides reading programs for 2,860 youth who are not proficient readers.

* Matt, age 20, from Carbondale, Pennsylvania won the grant to mobilize 30 youth to create an interactive information and snack station in conjunction with Healthy Kids Day. The group will educate the community about health and well-being from good nutrition and exercise. The Youth Board of the Carbondale YMCA will recruit youth from other youth-serving organizations.

* More than 150 younger youth between the ages of five and 14 from Abingdon, Virginia, will create wheelchair accessible gardens for children with severe disabilities to use as areas for physical and mental therapy. The group will collaborate with local high school students studying horticulture to develop a plan and will collaborate with students in the 4H Future Farmers Forum for construction and summer maintenance. Students with disabilities will water and monitor the growth of the plants, assisted by non-disabled 4th and 5th graders.

Full profiles of the grantees are at the Youth Service Day web site.

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation provides services and financial assistance to promote the full integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of those without. The Foundation strives to create awareness about the diversity of individuals with disabilities and the possibilities that inclusion can bring. To learn more about The Bubel/Aiken Foundation or ways to get involved visit their Web site.

Special thanks goes to Berkeleylovesourclay for compiling all the information about Clay and his charities. She's a special lady.

Heartfelt thanks go to all the clackgatherers without whom our Clay lives would be that much poorer. Invisible 926, Irishbookgal, thanks for sharing your pictures from the Gala.

Quotes taken from CBSNews.com

Related Tags: The Bubel/Aiken foundation, Champions for Change Awards, Clay Aiken, Coach Jim Johnson'Jason McElwain, Diane Bubel, Kristy Barnes, Clay Aiken 'Able-to-Serve Grants, Youth Service Day

Clay Aiken: Through the Eyes of a Child

2007-03-19T00:33:00.000-04:00

By RockysMom:

Any other Moody Blues fans here?

I was looking through my pictures of Clay recently (yeah,I know...a tough job but someone has to do it, right?) and I had to stop and spend a few moments with one of my favorites...

...and I found I had these lyrics of John Lodge's running through my head:

With the eyes of a child you must come out and see
That your world's spinning round and through life you will be
A small part of a hope of a love that exists
In the eyes of a child you will see.

Now, there are tons of wonderful pictures of Clay to drool over - I mean to look at. But the pictures of him with children always hit me in a special place.

Singing with Brianna in Raleigh.

Cradling Quiana's tiny son in those beautiful hands of his.

Backstage with the choirs from the first Joyful Noise tour.

The picture above from a UNICEF event.

But none are more special, more meaningful, more powerful, more poignant than those of Clay with the special children that mean so much to him.

Pictures of Clay singing to Mikayla in front of her classmates. Staring at sleeping children in Uganda. Dancing and singing and laughing with children struggling to re-build their lives after a devastating tsunami in Banda Aceh.

And of course the photos of him with Mike Bubel....whose mother Diane we all have so much to thank for.

But that's how WE see Clay Aiken....the caring, compassionate, dedicated man who sets time out of his busy schedule to make sure these children's voices are heard. While his contemporaries are partying from nightclub to exclusive nightclub.... Clay is testifying before Congress for additional funds for the ravished areas of Indonesia. Instead of spending small fortunes on "bling" and imported champagne, Clay is making sure he manages to get from a television appearance in California to his meeting of a Presidential committee he's been appointed to. And he makes that meeting, even through bad weather that stopped many members who had much shorter distances to travel. The same man who is, apparently, scheduling his long-awaited summer pop tour around his next trip for UNICEF.

And who, at the end of March is hosting a special benefit performance in his hometown for his very own successful and highly regarded Bubel/Aiken Foundation for the inclusion of special needs children into mainstream programs.

We see all that when we look at this man named Clay Aiken....all that and more. We see the loveable dork that shaved his leg and got a "tattoo" of Jimmy Kimmel for laughs. We see our Hot Rock Star God tossing his long mane while rocking out with his band. We see someone that has persevered and maintained his dignity and integrity while being the target of scurrilous tabloid lies. We see a man with a razor-sharp wit and impeccable comedic timing teasing his die-hard fans about their foibles and fantasies. We see the man who has the voice of a generation....who sings like "nobody else on this planet" (thank you, Shelly)

That's what WE see when we look at Clay Aiken. But looking through the eyes of a child....all those children in the photos above and many, many more whose pictures we haven't seen....what do THEY see when THEY look at this beautiful, wonderful man named Clay Aiken?

I think they see....caring....and hope....and most of all I think-no, make that-I know....they see love.

Thank you Clay, for being the man you are and showing so many of us how to be ...." a small part of a hope of a love that exists in the eyes of a child "

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, UNICEF, Moody Blues, Jimmy Kimmel

The Wearing 'o the Green...Clay Aiken style

2007-03-17T11:50:00.000-04:00

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

For your smile is a part
Of the love in your heart,
And it makes even sunshine more bright.
Like the linnet's sweet song,
Crooning all the day long,
Comes your laughter and light.
For the springtime of life
Is the sweetest of all
There is ne'er a real care or regret;
And while springtime is ours
Throughout all of youth's hours,
Let us smile each chance we get.

When your sweet lilting laughter's
Like some fairy song,
And your eyes twinkle bright as can be;
You should laugh all the while
And all other times smile,
And now, smile a smile for me.

Clay Aiken has an uncanny ability to bring a smile to one's eyes, a joy to one's heart, and a lilt to one's step. He has the ability to make us laugh out loud, to embrace life, to feel the joy in simply being.

He is curious.

He is sexy.

He stops to sign autographs.

And he sings like nobody else on the planet.

Now how'd THAT get in here?

Mucho thanks to all who bring the Clack. You are much appreciated.

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, Wango Tango

The Shaming of America, aka pig-slop Politics

2007-03-03T13:55:00.000-05:00

These ramblings are solely the opinion of the writer.

I usually don't write political blogs, I leave that to the writers who really know their subjects but I am so pissed off right now that I have to have my say.

Ann Coulter, that wonderfully ignorant, hate-filled bitch spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC. The remark that so pissed me off is this:

"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word "faggot," so I — so kind of an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards."

Listen to her hate-filled speech. Watch the expression on her face afterwards. She is The Ugly American.

The conference was attended by 2008 Republican presidential candidates: former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, and former California congressman Duncan Hunter. Vice President Dick Cheney also was there.

What is not clear is who was in attendance when Coulter made her hateful remarks. Why? Because after doing a Google search for more information, I can't find one major news organization that even mentions her disgusting slur in relation to who was there. However, it is reported that after she made that remark, those conservative attendees applauded her.

That's my first WTF moment. WTF were these people thinking? WTF is going on in America where hurtful slurs upon a good man's name are applauded? WTF is it about when the major news organizations don't even report that fact that by not speaking out, these so-called Presidential contenders tacitly agree with her remarks.

I did a Google of The New York Times and The Washington Post. I consider myself a pretty savvy computer person, certainly better than the majority and I spent time putting in keywords to search and.....nothing. These two newspapers are two of the most respected in the world so why didn't they cover this? CNN? Zip. zilch, nada.

The Republican candidates are all back-pedaling now. After the fact, after the outrage, to cover their political asses. Assholes.

I'm going to post my "Wall of Shame"

Ann Coulter:

Previously, Coulter has put “even money” on Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) “[c]oming out of the closet,” said Bill Clinton shows “some level of latent homosexuality,” and called Vice President Al Gore a “total fag.”
She is, perhaps, the ugliest American I've ever heard. I'm ashamed that she's calls herself American and I'm not ready to make nice. Fucker.

Mitt Romney: flip-flopper extraodinaire

"Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, said: “It was an offensive remark. Governor Romney believes all people should be treated with dignity and respect...."
First he was pro-choice, now he's anti-choice, first he wants equal rights for all, now he's anti-gay. Make up your fucking mind. Back-pedal much? Idiot.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO)

Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)

Former Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA)

And of course, Vice President Dick Cheney who doesn't even want equal rights for his own daughter. I get down on my knees every night and thank whomever that he's not my father. I would be embarrassed to have to claim kinship to him. And if this little rant is going to put me on a list, well, list away.

And because this is usually a blog about Clay Aiken, let's talk about his charity work:

I was going to make a list, but Berkeleylovesourclay blogged it last September at the ConClayve.

Here are the highlights

President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Community Alternatives Program for Persons with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities
Bubel/Aiken Foundation
National Ambassador to UNICEF
Ambassador for Ronald McDonald House Charities

I urge everyone to re-read Berk's blog about an admirable man with admirable qualities. Maybe this will cleanse your mind of the pig-slop that passes for politics these days.

Related Tags: Ann Coulter, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Tom Tancredo, Sen. Sam Brownback, Duncan Hunter, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, Conservative Political Action Conference, John Edwards, Clay Aiken, President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Community Alternatives Program for Persons with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, Bubel/Aiken Foundation, UNICEF, Ronald McDonald House Charities

Clay Aiken and Steven Curtis Chapman

2007-02-18T13:08:00.000-05:00

Last night, Steven Curtis Chapman performed at the Winter Jam, one of Christian music’s biggest annual tour shows. Unknown to anyone, he had a special guest come on stage to sing a song. That special guest was none other than Clay Aiken. They performed a song called 'The Great Adventure', a song that Clay recorded on one of his demos before he shot to fame with American Idol. Clay recorded the following songs of Chapman's:

The Great Adventure
More to this Life
I Will Be Here

Clay has often said that he liked and admired Chapman's music and songwriting skills. In fact, Clay has sung several songs by Chapman on tour:

All About Love
The Music of Christmas, and Chapman's arrangement of
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

The Clay Nation got wind of Clay's appearance through someone who was there and before the concert ended, we already had Clack of the song. When you think about it, that's pretty amazing. In this day of technological advances, a bunch of fans can record, upload, download, and watch a performance within hours of it taking place.

While the quality of the video and the audio is not the greatest, enjoy watching this special song:

Enjoy this video by Aflack. It's Clay singing another Steven Curtis Chapman song, 'All About Love', from the Independent Tour in Spring of 2004, co-headlining with Kelly Clarkson:

Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Steven Curtis Chapman, American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, Winter Jam