Quotes
about, by, and in support of Clay Aiken
8/26/10
"I think I'm now... being
the person I've always been, but wasn't willing to be."
~Clay Aiken
8/09/10
"Well, let me tell
you here that meeting Clay in person only enhanced my admiration for this
wonderful entertainer. When he walked into the M&G my nerves
melted away and I felt like I was meeting an old friend. He made
it a point to say all of our names and even wanted to know the background
of his involvement with my son meeting his new wife. (they met through
she and I going to Clay's concerts). When I told him they met because
of him he was very surprised and said "okay, what's the story?" He signed
their wedding picture and then we had pictures taken with him and we each
got a hug. Again, he was very warm, unhurried, personal and ABSOLUTELY,
INCREDIBLY handsome."
~Kathy
8/08/10
"Later, in a brief lull,
I asked the question from the Clack House: "Would you consider setting
up a kissing booth to make money for your charity?" and he laughed (entertaining
question! he liked it..) and the swift retort was along the lines of, "
No, but if you gals set one up, I 'll be there!" (and he was rather pleased
with his joke.) Too cute.
At the end, as he was
preparing to leave and no one was talking, I asked if I could ask another
question and the answer was "Sure."
I said, " We love you
with Jimmy Kimmel. Any chance you'll be there soon?"
The answer was swift
and predictable: "I don't plan these things, they just happen."
~LizinToronto (after
a Meet & Greet)
8/06/10
"But what makes the [Timeless
Tour] show sparkle is the onstage interplay between Studdard and Aiken.
They approach it like Martin & Lewis, bantering back and forth, often
ad-libbing for maximum comic effect. You can't fake that kind of
chemistry. <snip> "We are opposites," Aiken said. "I don't know what
the bond is. We just like each other's company. He's funny, pretty laid
back and relaxed, which, I guess, balances out my high-strung uptightness.
That's what makes it work."
~DAVE RICHARDS--- ERIE
TIMES-NEWS
8/06/10
"Studdard and Aiken work
seamlessly together -- both have musical stage acting in their backgrounds,
and it pays off during the banter between songs.
This is a concept that
could easily be translated to the small screen -- maybe it's time to revive
weekly variety television."
~Ted Shaw, The
Windsor Star
8/03/10
"<snip> After Clay
& Ruben's Idol season, the next time Clay was on my radar was the AI5
finale when he totally shocked me, and I jumped into the net and drank
a whole pitcher of orange kool-aid before I ever knew what happened. Everybody's
good old days never existed in my world. The good old days are right now
for me. It's exhilarating. He's beautiful, he's out there, he's OUT, he's
a father, he has his own PBS show, he has an incredibly entertaining tour
going on with Ruben, and another tour in early 2011, he's quick-witted
and funny, and he's radiating an overall sense of joy that's infectious.
I'm loving every minute of him. A newbie about my daughter's age sat next
to me in Reno and didn't know a thing about him. Absolutely nothing. She's
never watched any season of Idol and had never heard him sing, but came
with a friend. She sang every song of the set list from the 60's through
the 90's, laughed, cheered, and asked me why the crowd wasn't dancing!
At the end of the show she asked where she could find out more information
about Clay Aiken. He WAS the show for her. Clay doesn't need help amassing
fans, other than the exposure he's getting now. He's a magnet and live
performance is the key. That also seems to be the plan. I'm sitting back
and loving every minute of it, and it's one hell of an excellent time!
I'll never forget this summer. "
~keepingfaith
8/03/10
"Clay's multi-talented,
charismatic, gorgeous, philanthropic, famous and gay. He's fascinating
and people will always be interested in his life, both professional and
personal. Because he is fascinating. And he's one of the still too few
famous out personalities. His "gayness" is now just another part of the
puzzle. I don't think it's going away.
I've written more than
enough about Ben
Wener's review over at CH so I won't bore you with it here. Suffice
it to say that I think Ben's showing signs of evolution. He was charmed
and entertained in spite of himself and couldn't help stating so in black
and white. I'm going to give credit where credit is due. It was a definite
thumbs up review from a guy who usually shakes his fist."
~idlefan
7/28/10
RE:
Clay's singing in Timeless Concert
"Tell me which male singers
out there can sing Boston, Lover All Alone and Mack the Knife and do it
all well, and where it’s just about the music. One Voice. Live. No spare
parts needed.
OK, I’ve had my taste.
And what a taste it was. It was like those breakapart Tollhouse cookies
right out of the oven where you need to keep the milk handy because you’re
eating the cookies while they are too hot. And you don’t even care about
the stomachache that is headed your way or the chocolate all over your
face. This Massachusetts girl is happy."
~Corabeth
7/14/10
"Clay Aiken co-hosted
The View, and they discussed Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I was a little surprised
to hear that Clay's Marine brother was hesitant about repeal, but at least
Clay was honest. I don't think that Elisabeth or Sherri understands why
language matters when discussing the survey, but Whoopi gets it, and Joy
overestimates how far the nation has come. It's a rather strange conversation
where people outside the issue dominate the conversation when someone living
the topic is sitting right there."
~Ed
Kennedy
7/09/10
"Okay, he's gone now,
so I can talk about it. Just got to interview Clay Aiken for some TV pledge
breaks for his new PBS concert. Whoo hoo! He's just delightful -- very
easy to talk to, very knowledgable, and a complete professional. Makes
me proud I voted for him on Idol back in 2003!"
~Employee 0f WKNO
Memphis
7/6/10
"What other artist today
could move from a Kyrie to Where the Streets Have No Name to Rosanna to
something like the "classics" medley to a gorgeous acoustic medley, from
the intensity of a song like I Survived You to the lightheartedness of
a "TV medley" or to the haunting expression of his own written word in
Lover All Alone and to the despair of a song like Solitaire and on to the
simple beatdriven Back for More or the incredibly beautiful pop ballad
Tears Run Dry. And then to place his star on broadway and to have such
incredible success...to the more recent choices of Home and Those Magic
Changes in Bringing Broadway Home. I love the magic of the changes he makes.
I hope he never stops. I hope he never restricts his choices beyond recording
songs that he loves. And as always, I hope "anything goes" on tour.
I'll take a complex personality
like Clay's any day. It feeds me. It never bores me. There will always
be a place for an artist of his calibre in the world of entertainment.
Few, if any, can match him. [snip]. He has strength of character, compassion
for others, and he loves what he does."
~anncanada
6/28/10
"Clay is really a funny
guy, and is a devoted musician, father, and friend."
~Diana
Levine Photographer
6/28/10
"At this point in [Clay's]
life *when* [he came out] is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. He is
out. He came out on his own timetable...not on anybody's else's timetable.
It was as it should always be for a gay person. You come out (if you come
out) when you feel comfortable about it and not before. Anything you might
have to say about your sexual orientation before you are ready to come
out is said in order to protect yourself and your family. Clay handled
his situation the way he did in order to protect those members of his family
who would have to deal with the more bigoted in the world after he came
out. We all know from what he has said in more recent times that he was
extremely worried about that...about the effects on his mother and grandmother,
in particular. I totally respect his feelings on that and have great admiration
for the way he handled himself right from the beginning of his career.
He had great strength of character when faced with those who felt they
had a right to publicly ask the questions and expect an answer before he
was ready. Shame on them."
~anncanada
6/23/10
"There's a new energy
all around Clay. New little surprises popping up here and there (Popeater!
Phineas and Ferb!). Twitter, and Fanclub, and Facebook, oh my! A newly
re-energized TC.
And then there's Clay
himself. Here's where I'm going to really find that words fail me. He seems
renewed, inside and out. He's glowy, and loose, and happy, and relaxed
yet energized at the same time. He seems so grounded, but yet he's taking
off. It's a mystery.
And his voice! Where did
that voice come from? All the former power, and control, and ease is back
but with a new freedom to just run around and explore. It's like the music
is INSIDE him in a way that it wasn't before and it's just busting to get
out. "
~suziebird7
6/6/10
"What I loved the most
about this interview, besides the focus on his music, was how Clay was
able to comfortably share his journey of self discovery. It is so obvious
that he feels safe and comfortable in his own skin now. I think he is going
to be a wonderful advocate for all the causes he is involved with and especially
those in the gay community. His awareness and intelligence are sharp and
focused. There is no question where he stands on things and he seems to
know himself so well. What a fascinating human being he is. The talent
and intelligence and his ability to connect with people openly now gives
me the sense we will be hearing a lot more from him on the many topics
he chooses to use his voice for. The music is a given. He is going be singing
for the public for a long time. He loves it and it shows. "
~skybar
4/19/10
"We
trooped over to the late show for Jersey Boys [in Las Vegas]. This was
the first time I'd seen the show since the OMG [PBS Special taping] concert.
I had had some doubts about Clay's singing 'Can't Take My Eyes Off (Of)
You' after the [Golfing for Inclusion] Gala. Doubts that disappeared in
Raleigh in March. However, it's a signature moment in the musical, so I
listened more intently than usual with comparisons in mind. I've heard
Broadway class singers do this performance ten or twelve times now, so
my standards are very high. The actor did a very good job on Saturday.
Clay
would have blown him off the stage. Made me smile."
~artquest
3/21/10
"Front and center was
Clay’s amazing voice, but coming in a close second was his big heart. This
showed up early on in the night when, after the first five numbers, Clay
came into the audience looking for Sandy Schmidt. Ms. Schmidt had taken
four busses over a 36 hour period from Nebraska, traveling all by herself
just to see Clay again. After receiving word of this from her friends,
Clay personally escorted Sandy to the front row."
Shauna Moroney- from
her article "Clay
Aiken reveals new album in Raleigh concert"
3/21/10
Re
the PBS taping concert:
"Movement,
like the music, just flowed through his body--it seemed completely naturally.
The sways, the knee-bends, the movement of his hands out and to his heart
were enthralling. And his feet--his feet moved and tapped and kicked and
tilted--often. I think he responds to music with his whole self, and that
definitely makes his performances even more appealing and mesmerizing."
~Brightstar
3/18/10
Re:
the back to the audience pose whith which the concert began:
"Hmmm.
. ."the pose". . .It was definitely all about the shoulders -- he was standing
solidly, with one shoulder dipped a little, as I recall. One foot [snip
]was angled a bit, with his hip slightly cocked. [snip] The suit fell gorgeously
from his frame -- shimmery, lush, tailored in the shoulders, looser through
the leg, slightly pegged at the bottom. Matinee-idol hair silhouetted in
the backlighting. The way I'm recalling it, it wasn't the same pose but
it was definitely the same mood as the old photo-shoot shot of him standing
with his head bowed and one hand on the microphone stand. It was retro,
sexy, deliberate, powerful. He didn't seem relaxed, exactly, but there
was nothing tense about the way he was standing there, either. He was standing
like he was born to stand on that stage -- like every moment of his life
had been leading up to that one second. And, again, I don't recall precisely
how it looked, but I have a vivid sense-memory of how it felt. It felt
like success. . .like triumph."
~oldmoviegal
3/18/10
"The
band was great – rocking and swinging. I liked the groovy rockabilly hairdo
on the guy who was playing the standing bass, but I found myself mostly
watching the two saxophone players. They were in the front row, so I had
a clear view, and you could just tell that they loved playing this music
– they kept exchanging smiles and glances, and occasionally low-fiving
each other after a solo or other big moment. One of them was young and
very cute (think Titanic-era Leonardo DiCaprio, with perfect cheekbones
and floppy blond hair), and he didn’t take his eyes off of Clay the whole
night. He stared at him in wonder throughout the concert, often shaking
his head in amazement at a particular note, and I was particularly pleased
to see that the musicians themselves understood that they were playing
for a rare talent. They appreciated great music, thus they appreciated
Clay."
~oldmoviegal
3/06/10
"Clay
articulates an undeniably positive and persuasive presentation; nevertheless,
it is without doubt overshadowed by the influence he possesses purely by
being the man that he is. His example speaks volumes. Prior to coming
out, Clay was intelligent, educated, productive, purposeful, philanthropic,
courageous, wholesome, compassionate, responsible, ethical, and talented.
Following his coming out, Clay retains all of the aforementioned attributes
in an environment of exhilarating freedom and honesty. Clay’s
personal disclosure has to be significantly inspiring to those still struggling
with fear that prevents them from tearing down barriers so stifling to
happiness and to reaping the rewards of reaching their goals in life.
I envision Clay’s being instrumental in fostering major gains that narrow
the gap between the gay and straight communities."
~Mitzi
Gill
2/27/10
The
power of truth and living honestly is very liberating."
"We've
been waiting on the laws to change... the time for waiting has passed."
19th
Amendment that gave women the right to vote: "It was about damned time."
Civil
Rights Legislation: "It was about damned time."
Matthew
Shepherd Act: "It was most certainly about damned time."
"Like
all civil rights movements, our movement is one of fairness, rightousness,
decency. Our time is now, and it's about damned time."
~Clay
Aiken
2/27/10
"I
fell in love with Clay's voice all those years ago. Raised in song, it
has made me swoon, made me smile, made me cry. Raised in speech for those
causes close to his heart, it makes me proud. We so DID pick a winner all
those years ago. One who is absolutely worthy of love and respect. And
that I do!"
~onthebrink03
2/10/10
"On
a personal note, even though I don't "know" him, *g*, I am proud of the
man Clay has become; I was proud of the man he was before he came out...because
he is who he always was....a good man, a decent human being, fallible like
the rest of us, but trying to do what he can to make things a little better,
and I have no doubts that his advocacy will extend into many different
arenas, including the LGBT community."
~boo7
2/03/10
"There
is never one second that [Clay] is singing that I don't understand completely
what is in his mind. He has an incredibly deep . . . acting term coming
up here . . . "inner monologue" going on. It's what makes his phrasing
so special and unique and what I love about his singing so much. It's coming
from an impulse. He's singing these lyrics because "he has to". He can't
not say . . . sing . . . what is inside him. The connection to what he
sings is unbelievable. Many times, people don't understand the truth behind
what he is doing. It's like in a movie - how as an actor you have to do
so much less because your eyes are telling the story - there's thought
behind them and we see that on the screen. In the theater you go bigger
but the "truth" behind what you are singing or saying must still be there.
Watching him sing is amazing. I think the PBS viewers will get to see that
and "get it".
~Nanjeanne
2/03/10
"Clay
stepped up to the podium and said that he welcomed us all and recognized
some faces as being at many events and that he'd met nearly all of the
audience before. My close friend was sitting very near the podium and he
heard her whisper, "Not ME!" so he asked if she'd ever attended an event
before. She's been to many concerts, galas, GFI, and just never seemed
to get that meet and greet or other opportunity to talk to him. Plus she
had worked on this GFI for months now, and figured her luck would be the
same. Well, he told her she was meeting him now, asked her name, and then
came off the podium to shake her hand and then gave her a big tight bear
hug."
~
kbdm3
2/02/10
"This is the "Hey,I'm
still here and I still sing better than 99% of the people out there!" album.
"And oh by the way, I'm funny as hell."'
~Corabeth
1/14/10
Although
"Classic Memories" is a lame "Longines Symphonette" type title, I like
many standard or classic songs. Plus, I enjoy many songs when Clay sings
them even if I hated other people's versions. I love his voice, whatever
he sings (even the horsey song!). I'm pleased to get any CD, a PBS special
repeated numerous times, and most of all, any potential tour after this
long drought.
I'm
also not at all surprised by this direction. Clay gave obvious hints. Clay
said he would sing covers and that he loved ATDW and the JBT way back at
that Talkback at Spamalot and I believed him. He explained it at some length
-- it was not some casual remark. Sitting there at that moment, I thought
he was being forthright about where he was going with the next CD and he
has given no indications to the contrary since then. I think that was the
idea he shopped to potential labels and signed for with Decca. Moon River
was another strong indication of what he plans to do.
Plus
Clay's musical taste has always tended toward ballads and oldies and slow
songs. The demos were mostly slooow ballady songs, and way back on AI we
joked about him singing so many ballads. He has said over and over that
he and his music are not "cool." I think that is who he is and wanting
him to be someone else musically will not change who he really is. I'm
fine with it -- I do not need him to be my all-around-music smorgasbrod.
If I want rock or "cool" music I have thousands of other songs on my numerous
Apple devices! Of couse I think Vivaldi is thrilling, so slow songs with
orchestras is not a big stretch for my ears!
Who
knows what the market is for this CD? It's hard to tell what most of "the
fans" really think from online posts -- one person can say she loves or
hates something on six different boards with six different screen names
over and over again, but that is still really just one person's opinion.
Fans have a variety of different opinions on this and all other topics
and some post only once in a blue moon or not at all. Some fans do not
even read about Clay online. There are also some people who may enjoy Clay
who are not yet fans -- there are people out there who never watched AI!
The fact that ATDW outsold "On My Way Here" may indicate a bigger market
for Clay singing covers than for Clay singing original music.
Bottom
line I'm happy for Clay and for me, because there will be new music and
hopefully some live performances that I can attend. I've realized over
the years that attending live performances is what I really enjoy most
-- hearing that beautiful voice live and the whole concert or theater experience.
I love clack but I do not watch it much -- it's mainly a treasured souvenir
of the real live experience.
I
just want a tour-- any kind of tour, with singing and banter, and me trying
to get tickets on Ticketbastard and yelling expletives at my computer,
and the little electronic noise when they check the tickets at the door,
and the clack gatherers around me, and the overpriced water bottles and
even the annoying fans who scream stupid things while Clay is singing.
I miss it all. I do not care what he sings -- I just want to hear him sing
again!"
~DolcePienza
1/13/10
"Decca is excited and
so are the fans. We've got a new album on the way, a likely tour and a
PBS special. And that's just what we know about so far. We're here seven
years later {Post American Idol 2.] That's a star to me."
~Corabeth at The
ConClayve
1/13/10
Re the http://intl-media.com/
blurb:
"Yes, I believe
they are a production company Decca works with -- they produce the shows
and pitch them to PBS, who picks them up for national distribution. I tend
not to pay much attention to production companies because all my info comes
from a central database on PBS. I just promoted Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra
during our last pledge drive, and also the specials from David Garrett,
Andre Rieu (extremely popular and a big pledge draw), Celtic Thunder, and
others on that list.
I can say that if these
are the same experienced people who produce Andre Rieu's specials, the
show will probably not have any trouble being picked up by a lot of stations,
given their shows' track record for making money. So this is wonderful
news!
As for the content...I'm
sure that title is probably just a placeholder. And I would guess, judging
from when the other artists on that list generally debut their shows, that
we'd be talking about August or December (this is the kind of thing they
like to run at the holidays but if it's tied in to the CD release, it could
happen much sooner). I'd love to know if they're in production NOW."
"Just wanted to say --
sorry if I'm boring anyone with this PBS stuff -- that today I let it slip
to a few of my colleagues that it looked like Clay had a PBS special in
the pipeline being produced by the same folks who brought them Andre Rieu,
David Garrett and Celtic Thunder (all of whom have shown up live in our
studio in the recent past). Generally, they were quite pleased and impressed,
especially at the prospect of the pledge dollars he could command for us.
Certainly I heard nothing negative or derogatory. In fact...
...one young girl asked
(if Clay were to come to our station) whether I could get her an autograph.
*g* I thought that was pretty cool."
~Pink Armchair
1/13/10
"[snip]...whatever
this new CD is, I'm looking forward to it, I'll be buying it, and I'll
be supporting him in whatever way I can. I love his voice. It's as simple
as that to me. He's one of very few artists that I will buy without hearing
the music because I know he does an amazing job, whatever the genre of
music he's singing. I have at least nine songs from each of his mainstream
CDs that I will never tire of listening to. And I expect this next CD will
produce the same quality and the same beautiful tone that I love to listen
to. And if the music contains some added-extra deep register Clay, I'll
be in my own kind of heaven."
~anncannada
12/31/09
"I always see more than
a beautiful man in
UNICEF photos of Clay. He shows a natural, authentic and loving facet
of The Real Me, without the entertainer persona, the concern of business,
career, or fan management. Unintentionally he offers a peek of his beautiful
soul, interacting with other very unpretentious and authentic souls, with
whom he is at ease in the "here and now".
~propounder
12/31/09
"2009
we mourn the passing of Daddy. Brett finished his stint in the Marines
1 1/2 years ago. Is in school in Wilmington. Mama just had back surgery.
Hope she will be home B-4 New Year. My grandson is adorable and the apple
of my eye. Clayton. The New Year holds some exciting things for him. Me,
the energizing bunny. I keep going and going. Happy New Year and may your
lives be blessed in every way."
~Faye
Parker on Facebook
12/08/09
"... It's hard to know
who means well and who doesn't. It makes it all the more important that
you stay true to yourself.
For example, during my
first major meeting about my album, Clive Davis and I talked about the
title of the record. He wanted to call it Clay Aiken. I didn't. I felt
that the songs on the album, good as they are, didn't define me. I didn't
choose them; Clive did. And if a record was going to have my name on the
outside, I wanted it to be a project that I had orchestrated. I told Clive
that I preferred the title Measure of a Man, because it was a reminder
of why I'm here and what I said I wanted to do.
Clive was not pleased.
Clive Davis is the emporer of the recording industry in this country, and
I think I had irritated him.
He swirled around in his
chair. He looked out his window onto the streets of New York City. "I know
it must be very intimidating to have me here in the room with you," he
said, smoothing out his black turtleneck. "I don't want you to feel that
way. But you must understand."
My face began to flush.
While he was talking,
telling me not to be nervous but at the same time trying to convince me
I was wrong, I heard my mother's voice in my head: This is what you said
you wanted to do. Don't you back down on it. Don't you give in to somebody
who is trying to make you into something that you don't want to be.
So I didn't.
I thought of my mother,
and how she was never afraid of anybody.
I thought about her independence.
I thought about how she
is nothing if not hospitable to everybody, even those people who are trying
to change her mind.
And I said, "Mr. Davis,
I respectfully decline to change the title of the album."
And you know what? He
came around."
~Clay Aiken from his book
"Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life'
~~~
A response to the above:
"I think Clay was naive.
And I think he paid the price. Big time.
And I hope he never ever
changes. This is the kind of naivety that comes with values and standards
which few people in this industry exemplify. I still to this day admire
him so much. Not only for all he's been through and how he's handled it
but also for all his faults as well. I love his imperfections most I think.
But how he has remained so positive, sweet and seemingly happy given all
he has had to endure, from childhood through his dealings with the seedy
underside of this business as well as all the manure thrown at him by the
media and even some of his contemporaries, has amazed me most! Yeah, I
still think of him as the true Measure Of A Man.
An imperfect and incredibly
wonderful man.
~treenuts
12/07/09
"It struck me that, in
my opinion, Clay's Broadway experience enabled him to discover two things:
an atmosphere in which being gay held no negative stigma and a male peer
group in which, I believe for the first time, he found genuine acceptance
and even admiration. It took a very long time for him to find these
things and incorporate them into his life. I cannot help but think
that these factors plus Parker have made Clay complete. I just want
to shout with joy over it all!"
~Mitzi Gill
12/03/09
"Any
comparison of the two [Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken] that the AMA fallout
has induced got me to really appreciate Clay ever more again. He was the
original star runner up from the show and he was about the same age as
Adam at the same point. A nobody suddenly thrust into intense spotlight
and dizzying buzz, he could have easily grown his head to match the attention.
He never did. As much as he was fervently loved by so many ardent fans,
he was never the in vogue type media loved to hype, and he never got much
support from his label. Nevertheless he handed them record breaking sales
numbers, which still didn't win him any love and support. He remained humble,
true to himself and lived a rather simple life. No matter, he stayed in
the spot light, attracting attention. In view of him not providing scandals
and controversies, they were manufactured and spread all over for him.
Now I see Adam, unlike Clay, became the cool darling du jour of the entertainment
media even before AI was over, partly due to the anticipation created by
Clay's success precedence , and his ego got overinflated with all the attention
and hype, but ultimately he squandered the golden opportunities handed
to him on a silver platter. I am now ever more impressed with Clay's groundedness
and shudder to think what would have happened to him if he had actually
behaved otherwise and given real causes for disdain.
Sometimes
it takes a contrast to shine more light on what we already appreciate.
And I'm so happy Clay has put so much behind him and is continuing on his
path. Hatred and obstacles cannot stop a good man and his destiny."
~propounder
11/28/09
"Some
people live responsibly, respectfully, with purpose, with love and consideration,
and with intent to make the world a better place. Others care nothing
about others, look only to gaining fame and wealth to satisfy their pride
and ego, and strive to feed their own desires no matter how it affects
those around them. Herein lies the difference between people whether
or not they are gay."
~Mitzi
Gill
11/10/09
"One measure of maturity
in a man is his ability to accept that which he cannot change and to not
dwell on the negative aspects of his life and to move forward and not remain
mired in anger and hate. I respect Clay's ability to do that, especially
at such an early age."
~ellenpoppy
9/25/09
"As
for recent covers of his hits, he [Neil Sedaka] says he loved Clay Aiken’s
remake of “Solitaire,” which Aiken performed while Sedaka was a guest judge
on American Idol a few years back, and which went on to reach No. 4 on
the Billboard charts.
“Clay
has an emotional, strong, beautiful voice. I loved that,” he said."
~Neil
Sedaka in 'Sedaka brings his songwriting legacy to the IP'
9/17/09
"Rehearsed
at the same studio as Clay Aiken! Very nice to meet him! Cool kid despite
all the drama that surrounded him!"
~From
a Facebook post by singer / songwriter Chaz Langley
9/15/09
Interviewer
asks Tyra Banks: Any behind-the-scenes scoop on the New York awards
ceremony?
Tyra's
Answer: Before the show kicked off, I hung out backstage with my good
friend Clay Aiken, who presented me with the award. He’s such a funny guy,
and he loves making fun of me, so it was great to catch up.
~Woman
on Top
9/03/09
"I'm not worried about
Clay. I'm also not going to be comparing Clay's new CD sales figures to
any of this year's crop of Idol contestants. He's not coming off of a massive
television opportunity with full support of the show and the label. Clay
has done that already (the tv part, not the total support bit) and he did
it very very well. Right now he's not the flavor of the week or the next
new thing. He's a six year veteran of the music business and celebrity
life. He's multi talented and able to support himself and his family in
a fabulos lifestyle. He might not be where many of us hoped he would be
sales-wise, but he's come a long way and his challenges have remained unique
to him. As always, the VOX remains one of a kind. Who does he sound like?
He sounds like Clay."
~drmchaser614
8/12/09
"Clay makes magic. From
the Wildcard round to Jesus is Love duet to singing The Prayer with Hannah.
One moment like that on TV or a major festival and The Magic Is Back. It's
there because that excitement, that cool, that pop star electricity is
there. It's not in the style of music. It's who Clay is as a performer.
It's the way he sings and performs with everything that's in him. And given
the chance, it'll happen."
~austenfan
8/11/09
"Here
we have a man who is finally free of the bonds of having to hide who he
is in every interview; free of the tyranny of an uncaring and apathetic
music label; enjoying a happy and fulfilled personal life with both the
birth of a son he thought he'd never have <snip> and is supported by
a loyal fan base and a multitude of devoted family and friends dating back
to his elementary school years. He's built a solid ground for his career
by displaying professionalism and a strong work ethic in every endeavor
he's ever taken on. He has formed personal relationships with MANY of the
industry's movers and shakers. He has a talent that is so vast and varied
that I don't think to this day, we've seen all that this man is capable
of doing. Add to the mix his charisma (IT factor), his quick wit, his humbleness,
his heart, his caring concern for those who are disenfranchised and his
brains, and I feel anything is possible. PLUS, he's so dang easy on the
eyes."
~ClayIzzaQT
8/01/09
"Clay
has a very special, extremely rare gift. Perhaps it is his ability to connect
with the audience, to pull you in and for that short time to make you live
in the moment and abandon all your cares. For that short time you become
one with the experience. It is a mind- altering experience and when you
walk out that door, you are a happier person."
~lady4clay
7/31/09
"It
is his fluid movements, his sudden flip of a hip, or the guile of a smile,
to really see Clay at his best. He transmits his joy in performance to
his audience more than any other contemporary singer and seems to embrace
all of us with his beautiful voice."
~icame4themusic
7/22/09
"I knew Clay had chosen
Bridge Over Troubled Water... and I knew what a difficult song this
is to sing... He closed his eyes and sang the first line, and I could actually
feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. It was incredible. When
he finished the audience went crazy.... At that moment, I would have bet
my house on Clay Aiken becoming the next American Idol."
~Simon
Cowell
7/05/09
"For [ those attending
a Clay Aiken concert for the first time]: If you were to take the thrills
of the long 16 second note at the end of 'Everlasting lov'e and the Glory
Note from 'To Love Somebody' and the moment Clay's voice jumps into hyperspace
with the falsetto "NEED" from 'Unchained Melody' and the perfection of
the last "Mind" in Bridge Over Troubled Water, add the smoldering look
of his eyes at the end of 'To Love Somebody', the joy and fun that shows
in him while singing 'Build Me Up Buttercup', his amazing tone when he
sang 'I Could Not Ask for More' and wrap it all in a neat fireworks display
that bursts into 10 million shimmering specks of stardust...it still wouldn't
prepare you for this MAN's absolute beauty, presence, power and beam of
love that will transport you to another world."
~Unknown
6/18/09
"While I cannot wait
for a tour and a new CD, I'm completely interested in reading (and buying)
any book [Clay Aiken] writes. I always enjoy reading Clay's words, hearing
him express his thoughts, and learning more about him and how his mind
works. I see each word and each "product" as a small piece of a delicious
and intriguing puzzle.
Hmmm....if Clay were a
book, I think it would be an adventurous, insightful comedy/mystery/romance/fable,
with a bit of Ma and Pa Kettle, a touch of Fatal Attraction and Mr. Smith
Goes to Washington (in book form, of course), and a happily-ever-after
ending. Lots of informative footnotes, of course, and a beautiful CD inside,
with proceeds going to the foundation formerly known as the BAF."
~Brightstar
6/05/09
"How can you miss someone
this much when you don't even know them?"
~merrieee
"I think it's because
there are so many Clays to miss. He's compelling.
There's American Idol
Clay, Concert Clay, Christmas Clay, Recording Artist Clay, Kenny/Clay,
Spamalot Clay, Unicef Clay, Daddy Clay, Humanitarian Clay, Boy-Next-Door
Clay, Perfect Clay, Imperfect Clay, Funny Clay, Smart Clay... and on and
on and on....
I love them all.
And there's so much more
to know, to learn, to discover, to remember, to angst over, and to enjoy.
Clay's an interesting,
talented guy...how can you not miss him??? I can't imagine not being a
fan."
~imsnoqueen
6/02/09
"I don't get how anyone
can compare the whole Aiken & Lambert closet situations:
Aiken- raised by conservative
Southern Baptists, dad neglected him probably because he feared he might
be gay (treated his daughter fine), step-dad psychologically abused him
probably because he feared he was gay (treated his other kids fine), devout
Christian, whole family entrenched in conservative Christian community,
was not out to ANYONE in his life when he went on IDOL, told his family,
friends & coworkers over a period of time <snip>), happily raising
a child as the most prominent single gay dad in show business.
Lambert - raised by liberal,
loving parents in southern California, already out when he auditioned for
IDOL, but for all intents & purposes went back in [the closet] for
the course of the show. Official coming out part of a marketing plan by
his team.
The difference in their
life stories, when they were on IDOL (2003 versus 2009) & their entire
familial/social structures are at polar opposites. TPTB at 19E/R/M knew
Aiken being gay would not appeal to his fanbase & musical genre. They
also know that Lambert being gay will probably serve his image in the industry
as a positive. Again - polar opposites. It's a lot easier to say you're
gay & an entertainer in America in 2009 than it was to do so in 2003
- 6 yrs is a long time in the social conciousness.
From what I have heard,
Aiken was wanting to come out for a long time, but his contract held him
back. As soon as he was free of RCA & 19R, he did it. I'd like to see
Lambert walk in Aiken's shoes, live his life & see just how "honest"
he would be. We all have different journeys & shouldn't bash each other
for not coming out on someone else's timeline. Aiken is out & proud
now & that's all that matters. He also just wrote a very eloquent opinion
on Prop 8, but that's not as important to the entertainment sites as his
opinion on one song of Lambert's that he didn't care for. Sad."
~From a message board
post
5/28/09
(In reference to Adam
Lambert saying, " If he [Clay] wants to ride my coattails...")
"Actually...if anyone
is riding coattails, it might be Adam, thanks to all those other celebrities
(including Clay Aiken) who have (painfully) paved the way for him [Adam]
to 'be himself' sexually and otherwise. I think at the heart of the current
media indulgence of Adam's deliberate ambiguity is his perceived 'coolness'
compared to Clay. If this relative 'tolerance' (in
articles such as this one: Adam Lambert says, "keep speculating" )
signifies real progress, great...but this media treatment (so far) does
feel monstrously unfair to the besieged, private young man Clay Aiken once
was. And, whether the media or Adam or Clay himself agrees with me, I think
he jammed his size 13s in that American Idol door, to the benefit of those
following, whether he himself shares those benefits (yet or ever) or not."
~00lsee
5/25/09
"Late this afternoon
I fell into an enormous pothole while making a turn off one of the local
highways. Unfortunately it blew out my front tire. As I slowly inched the
car onto the shoulder with my emergency signals on, another car was following
me slowly. It pulled in front of me once I stopped, then got back on the
road, drove to a spot it could turn around and came back. We didn't pay
much attention and just got on the phone to AAA. To my surprise the car
drove up next to us and down came it's window. The driver asked if we were
okay and if we needed help. I told him what happened, saying we were already
on the phone with AAA, and thanked him for stopping. He looked and sounded
familiar and when I took off my sunglasses to get a better look I was pretty
sure who I was talking to. I said, "Aren't you Clay?" He replied "yes"
with a bit of a sigh in his voice. I thanked him again, telling him how
nice it was of him to stop to see if we needed help. Yep, it was Clay Aiken
folks!
When the tow truck guy
came we were telling him the story and at first he thought we were pulling
his leg, but then got really excited and said how cool it was. I'm still
bummed about the tire and what the repair is going to cost, especially
if I find out there's any damage to the rim or axle, but refreshed by the
kindness of this local celebrity! Pretty nice of Clay to offer his help
when most ordinary people would just drive on by, wouldn't you say?
Thanks, Clay, for being
such a good guy!"
~From a non-Clay ,Raleigh
message board
5/24/09
"So, I'm sitting on a
bench outside Macy's waiting for Mr AH and this man comes and sits next
to me. Middle-aged guy, looks like a trucker (trying to give you a mental
image) Plaid shirt, white socks, black shoes, crew cut. We exchange comments
about the beautiful weather and he says "You watch American Idol?" This
is the last thing I expect from this guy. I say yes and he says "Did you
like the results?" WTF? OK. I tell him I thought Adam was better but I
was happy with the results. He loved Adam, couldn't understand how he could
lose, etc. Told him it's all a matter of taste. Yep. he agrees, plus Adam
will have a great career. Just look at Clay Aiken.
Now I feel like you guys
are setting me up and I look around for a camera.
Yes, I say, he wound up
doing great. Guy says to me he couldn't believe it when Clay lost, either.
Says Clay should give Adam a call, cheer him up. Things are obviously very
simple in this guys world. heh
I take deep breath and
say, well, Clay is not exactly a fan. In fact, he jokingly said Adam made
his ears bleed. Guy laughed. Oh well, he says., a lot of his buddies don't
understand why he likes Clay's music. Says it's the only Christmas album
he plays. Each to their own, he says.
Yes, I agree. Makes the
world go 'round and all.
Mr AH pulls up just then
and I wish the man a happy weekend. Mr AH says "what were you and that
guy talking about?" I tell him, AI. He laughs. Yeah right. No, really,
I say, he's an Adam fan. No way, Mr AH says. Yep, and a Clay fan, too.
Mr AH laughs, shakes his
head. Only you, he says. I wave at the guy, he waves back. I think of how
perspective is a wonderful thing. "
:)
~AgingHippie
5/24/09
"I went to a wedding
in Cleveland, Ohio, a few hours from where I live. I was seated with some
interesting people. The man seated next to me is an electrical contractor
our company uses, but I've never met him, since he's the owner, and not
usually onsite. I'd say he's in his mid to late forties. There was also
a middle aged couple (I'll call them "Husband" and "Wife"), who I didn't
know.
The conversation was lively,
and we started talking about American Idol. Everyone at the table likes
Adam. So, here's how the conversation went:
Electrical Contractor:
I was so mad when Adam lost, I wanted to throw something at my TV. The
only thing that made me madder was when Clay Aiken lost.
Me: I'm in disbelief and
speechless.
Husband: Did you know
that Clay Aiken said that Adam did not deserve to be on American Idol because
he is a terrible singer and performer?
Me: That's not really
what he said. I read his exact quotes.
Husband: But it was in
the New York Times.
Me: Sometimes they don't
get it exactly right.
Husband: Repeats: But
it was in the New York Times.
Wife: I love Clay Aiken.
His voice is unbelievable.
Me: I like Adam, but Clay's
my man.
Electrical Contractor:
I went to his concert here.
Me: Which one?
Electrical Contractor:
The one where the stairs rose up, and he appeared, singing "Where the Streets
Have No Name". I love that song. Blew me away. Do you know how many men
were there?
Me: How many?
Electrical Contractor:
Ten!
We both laugh.
Electrical Contractor:
Then we went to the Christmas concert. The one with the Perry Como story(???
lol). I didn't like that one so well.
Me: I wish you could have
seen him on Broadway. He was in Spamalot.
Electrical Contractor:
I know! My son lives in Manhattan. We went 3 times, just to see Clay. He
was fantastic. What a performer.
Electrical Contractor:
Leans over, and quietly tells me: I have 4 Clay Aiken CD's in my car.
Me: I'll bet you never
thought you'd be telling anyone that tonight.
Electrical Contractor:
I can't wait to tell my wife about this. We're both big fans.
You never know where you're
going to run into a Clay Aiken fan. I'm still smiling about that conversation.
:o) "
~imsnoqueen
5/22/09
"Clay never dissed Adam
[Lambert], the man. He only stated that because American Idol had changed
and that it seemed that Adam had very early on been declared the winner,
that the over pimping [by the judges] may have contributed to public perceptions
of Adam being arrogant, etc. He then qualified it with "may or may not
be true." He then stated that since Kris was such the underdog, that view
may be attributed to Kris being a nice guy. Again, he then qualified that
it "may or may not be true". If Clay was dissing Adam there, then it follows
he was dissing Kris too, <snip>. For me, however, I inferred NO diss,
since he was only refering to how American Idol's and the media's manipulations
were influencing public perception."
~ Remedial
4/24/09
"As someone whose brother
works at Idol I can tell you in no uncertain terms that there is no truth
to this story. [Referencing tabloid reports that Clay was rebuffed when
we went to visit the set of American Idol] Clay came by to show his
infant son off to his friends at the studio. That is all. He has a lot
of friends there, including my brother. The contestants weren't even in
the building and Clay admitted he hadn't been watching the show this season.
Never trust the National Enquirer as your source."
~Message board
4/14/09
"Wow. Just: WOW. I totally
would have thought it was a fun evening if he had stayed online for 20
minutes and answered a handful of questions. That it went on for hours
and hours -- and that his answers ran the gamut from playful and funny
to serious and thoughtful -- was an enormous bonus. Some of the things
he said surprised me, in a really really good way, because they seemed
to reveal so many sides of his personality. Then the blog -- the blog,
and the gift of a gorgeous song! I'm stunned. Never in my wildest dreams
would I have thought to ask so much of him, or expect him to give it. That
he chose to do all of this is just amazing."
~Oldmoviegal
4/22/09
"I have to applaud Clay
Aiken for his decision to raise his son Parker away from the prying of
those whose enquiring minds need to know and from those in the media looking
for a boost in ratings or readership. Being a father does not warrant
publicity or scrutiny, and Clay has had an inordinate share of both.
Raising a child is one
of the few portions, perhaps the only portion, of Clay’s life that he can
enjoy out of the spotlight. I can think of no viable reason he should
do otherwise. There really are limits even in these days of the paparazzi."
~Mitzi Gill
4/21/09
“I spend my entire life
in the media eye and have everybody poke into my life, so I’m going to
leave him out of it.”
~Clay Aiken, on spending
time with his son this summer
4/22/09
"I remember when I first
heard Clay and was blown away. I called everyone I knew and told them they
had to watch the show. There was this guy, this wonderful guy, who sang
like nobody else I had ever heard. I was captivated beyond reason. I have
loved many singers in my life but none touched me as he did. No voice captured
my heart the way his did.
And then came the introduction
to his wit, his wisdom, his commitment to making change where he saw disparity
and his great love for children. All again just mesmerized me and gave
me such joy.
But it's the voice that
drew me here and it's the voice that has me stay. For me, there is no question
that [his is] still the most distinctive, the most moving and the most
captivating I have ever heard."
~onthebrink03
4/06/09
Aiken,
who was famously remade during his time on "Idol," said he was out of his
element for the fashion part of "American's Next Top Model." "I'm wearing
a UNICEF T-shirt and University of Tennessee pajama pants," he said. "I
can't judge that."
Aiken's recording contract
with RCA has ended, and he said he's considering other labels, while also
looking at stage and television offers.
"All three look enticing,
and I'm in the luxurious position of letting them sit down and come to
me," he said.
Washington
Post AP article
***
4/06/09
Comment
on above AP Article:
"Of course Clay has offers
and choices. Consider:
1) Name recognition. In
fact, one-name recognition.
2) Loyal and supportive
fan base.
3) Multiple talents, some
recently discovered and proven.
4) Work ethics.
5) Congenialness and charm.
6) The IT factor that
gets people intensely interested. From the time he came to public attention,
such interest never wanes.
I'm not surprised. But
very glad to hear him acknowledge his luxurious position.
I don't think Clay had
split personality. Most of the time "we" refers to the team involved in
his singing career. But now it is himself that's getting offers and is
considering and choosing, especially in regards to non-singing, non-label
stage and TV offers. It also indicates his new freedom, with few others
involved in his decision making.
Free at last, indeed."
~propounder
4/01/09
"POP/CLAY
AIKEN: DAVID FOSTER TALKS ABOUT SISTER MAKING BABY FOR "IDOL" STAR
WASHINGTON (AP) You may have thought it odd. But music producer David Foster
says he has no problem with the fact that his sister gave birth to Clay
Aiken's son. Foster says the deal "made a lot of sense on a lot
of levels," since Aiken is gay and his sister, who had been married for
more than two decades, had always wanted to have a baby. The only question
in his mind was whether his sister Jaymes, who was closing in on 50, would
be able to get pregnant. As for Aiken, Foster says he knew he was gay before
the media caught on, but it's no biggie as far as the arrangements with
his sister go. Just what are those "arrangements?" Foster himself isn't
even sure. He says Aiken, his partner and his sister are "working it out"
though he calls it "a beautiful way to have a family." Aiken's son, Parker,
was born last August."
~David
Foster
3/29/09
"It is his community
and that's why these events are so important and why this was such a great
thing for him to do. Being famous doesn't protect him from the same discrimination
that GLBT people face every day and for him to be such a positive role
model of a young out gay dad as well as someone who's had to come to terms
with coming out in the glare of the public spotlight, he's in a great position
to be a positive influence for tolerance and acceptance. My favorite thing
he'd ever worn used to be that black leather jacket from AI and just after,
but I'm thinking that white ribbon on his lapel has surpassed that."
~zara one
3/15/09
"He's had a tough life,
our Clay. And it began from the time he was very, very young. But "On My
Way Here", to me, is about overcoming most of that and standing past all
the trials and tribulations to move forward with his life. When I think
of him singing Ashes on some major television program and he sings "Turn
around and see what love's done for me", I picture the fandom, his friends,
his family, his loved ones all there as the support system who helped him
walk through the fire."
~Corabeth
2/12/09
"I think the sweet momma's
boy persona is one side of his 'real self'. So is the bawdy side. So is
the sexual side. The philanthropic side. The daddy side. The recording
artist side. The serious side. The smart side. Of course, I want to see
more and more of his authentic self...but it seems to me his many sides
are 'who he really is', too. Heck, that man's got so many facets, I think
he's a diamond."
~00Isee
1/11/09
RE: January 11th final performance
of SPAMALOT which Clay attended with his friend, dancer
and model Reed Kelly:
"It makes me happy that Clay is there tonight with
so many of the other stars of "Spamalot" as the curtain falls for the final
time. It will be great if Mike Nichols and Eric Idle are there, too. I
like thinking of all of them on stage, taking that final bow. What a wonderful
family they have been, for each other and for Clay in a pivotal year of
his life.
And... Oh, wow. For the very first time, Clay is out
with Reed, knowing without doubt they'd be seen by fans, the press, God
and everybody. *grin* It should be a small thing, but in this society,
this world, it took courage to be his authentic self.
He's free, y'all.
I can only hope that 2009 is as transformative, liberating
and rewarding for Clay's professional life as 2008 was for his personal
life.
Damn, but I love that man."
~berkeley
1/04/09
"Though I was there just
two days in March, I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
Thanks to everyone who
brought "Spamalot" to the boards, in videos, photos, recaps and cellcerts,
for almost a year.
Thanks to Mike Nichols
and Eric Idle, to Jonathan and Hannah and David and Rick and Chris and
Tom and Brad and Bradley and Michael and Merle and Wally and all of the
Spamalot family.
Thank you to the Broadway
community for all of the love, support and respect you showed a talented
newcomer who is now a seasoned actor with a caricature on Sardi's wall.
Thanks, Clay, for a knight
to remember.
On to tomorrow."
~berkeley
1/04/09
"It's here---Jan 4. Clay's
final finale [in Spamalot.] ;-)
A happy/sad, delightful/poignant,
hilarious/schmoopie, wonderfully meaningful day, for sure.
To all who are there--enjoy
every second, every word, every move, every funny expression, every scripted
line, every ad lib. Cherish each laugh and giggle, the cast's reactions,
the thunderous applause, the bows, the glances between cast members, the
props they'll give Clay today, the feeling of love and appreciation that
will fill the theatre. Hold tight to the memories, the smiles, the tears,
the incredible awe of being right there to experience such a time.
Then bring it back to
us---share the special moments. And know we're really there too. Our support,
love, laughter, and tears are going out in waves. I know you will feel
us there, and I hope Clay will as well.
From the historian's first
words to Clay's final salute, I know it will be magical.
And that's no surprise,
really, because we can always count on Clay to bring the magic.
How lucky we are to "get"
him--to see and experience the magic and joy he brings.
I'm not even there in
NY, but I feel like the luckiest person in the world."
~Brightstar
12/21/08
"There
are souls in the world who have the gift of finding joy
everywhere,
and leaving it behind them when they go. Their
influence
is an inevitable gladdening of the heart. They
give
light without meaning to shine."
~William
Frederick Faber (1814-1863) [ He was a hymn writer. These words
were penned centuries ago, but easily could be spoken of Clay Aiken.]
12/12/08
"I was a bit worried
about the E show, but you know, I've come to the conclusion that there
is no need to worry about Clay anymore. No need to worry about his career,
no need to defend him, no need to respond to every idiot who mocks him.
Clay has come out of the closet, he's had a baby with his 50 year-old manager,
he's been the target of late night comedians and asshat bloggers for quite
a while... <snip> And guess what? Clay is still a star, he's acting
on Broadway to great reviews, he's acknowledged for his amazing voice,
and he's considered to be a good man and a here-to-stay entertainer/star
-- by E (of all people!).
Despite ridicule and mockery,
despite lies and twists of the truth from those who would like to bring
him down, he's still here. A spotlight magnet. A huge and growing talent.
A solid, down-to-earth man with a good heart and a powerful work ethic.
He's lasted five years in an erratic, uncertain industry despite the best
efforts of some idiots and haters and the ineptness and short-sightedness
of his label. Why?-- because he has the goods. Talent, charisma, wit, intelligence,
and determination, just to name a few.
He can be careful, and
a risk-taker--and sometimes both at once. He's experienced the highs and
lows of fame, yet through it all, he's managed to keep his uniqueness,
his Southern charm, his love of family and hometown, his desire to make
a difference, and his love of singing. He's not only still a star, I think
he's on the road to being more. And best of all, perhaps, he's found a
new degree of personal happiness as a dad and seems to have much love in
his life.
He'll always need fans'
support, but their worry? Not so much. I think he's finding his way just
fine."
~Brightstar
12/09/08
"Random observations:
A friend of mine told
me that you don't just come out once, it is an ongoing, forever process,
and you come out again and again every day.
Being gay is still such
an issue. It's getting better, but it is still one of the most despicable
things about our society...that even though all men are created equal,
our laws and our religions still don't really mean it...not yet. Not ALL
men are equal. Not yet. Despite the fact that men and women and sons and
daughters and mothers and fathers and priests and doctors and teachers
and football players and ballerinas and hardware store workers and neighbors
are gay...they are still not treated as equal. Not yet.
[A friend] mentioned that
she is in her 10th year of coming out <snip> and still hasn't told everyone.
Clay Aiken may have been
out in his private life, but didn't get the chance to come out on his own
terms, at his own pace, to the rest of the world. I can't imagine the gaping
hole that tore in his life, his being.
Ellen DeGeneres is out
and married to Portia and open and talking to millions of people every
day. She delivers messages with humor and candor and shows the world that
she is just a regular girl in love. She is reaching and teaching, and is
a source of great hope for me.
Denny Crane and Alan Shore
got married on the finale of Boston Legal last night. Humorous, but beautiful,
with amazing, thought provoking discussions during the show.
The man who won on Wheel
of Fortune last night introduced his "partner of 4 and a half years," when
asked who was in the audience for him, and nobody in the audience even
gasped. They hugged and stood on the stage together and it was beautiful!
Kevin and Scotty on B&S
are being portrayed as a married couple with the same issues of family
and finances and careers and health and they just happen to be gay. (and
hot).
Luke and Noah on ATWT
are one of daytime TV's most popular couples.
Everywhere, there are
little signs that we as people, are getting it, that people are people
and that you love who you love, and yeah, maybe some are TV characters,
but they are in our homes every week...as they should be...reaching and
teaching.
The cover of a magazine
seems to be the way to go for many celebrities these days. I wish, for
those celebrities, that it wasn't the way to go, but for the rest of the
world? It's cool, because to me, it means they are reaching and teaching
millions of people who wouldn't have even uttered the word "gay" in their
homes just a short time ago.
All these things are little
signs to me, that we ARE moving forward. We're not there yet. But we are
getting there.
Clay didn't get his quiet,
self-paced, own-terms coming out, and for that I am sorry. Sorry to be
part of the society that didn't allow him that simple right. Sorry to be
part of the society that still forces it to be an issue that requires a
process, or explanation.
But we ARE moving forward,
and I can't wait for the day when there won't have to be lies or perceived
lies or self-preservation or hiding or closets or hate or inequality."
~institches
11/29/08
"If there's one thing
I've learned to do in this fandom, it's roll with the punches. So many
times the things I was convinced were going to suck turned out to be amazing
and things I was most excited about turned out to be kind of meh, that
I've gotten to the point where I try not to sweat (too much) the process
of getting to the next "there."
I could never have predicted
Spamalot or how well it would work out. If you'd played me "Falling" or
"Everything I Don't Need" a year ago, I'd have sworn to you they'd be big
hits. So what do I know?
I want him to keep singing
to me.
I want him to be happy.
All the rest is just the
stuff along the way.
He's still the most fascinating
book I've ever read."
~GBB
11/04/08
"In my experience online for the past 5-6 years, the
VAST majority of Clay's fans, young and old, are exceptionally friendly,
compassionate, generous, thoughtful and faithful. I do think they are more
so than the fans of other artists. I love how Clay loves us, and I love
how we love him and support him and all his "causes" as well. In the long
run, Clay and his fans are a blessing on this world. People who were friendless,
now have friends. People who were excluded, now are included. People who
lacked basic education, have been given education. People who are ill or
facing difficulties have been reached out to, supported and prayed for.
People who had lost a joie de vive have found it again. <snip>. This
is a remarkable love affair we are having."
~pax
10/21/08
"It's not about age.
It's not about sexual orientation. It never was. It's the power of his
voice, the power of his personality, and the power of his heart that keeps
me a fan."
~MsCrabtree
10/18/08
US Magazine from AI2
final 3: " A teacher from NC who watched [Clay] teach is quoted as saying
"I get goose bumps watching him work with children." then later "one time
when a little girl skinned her knee, Clay brought her into the health office.
He sang her a sweet, soothing song."
~Posted by Corabeth
10/17/08
"I always love Clay's
clothes. They either make him look great or provide me with a much-needed
laugh."
~berkeley
10/03/08
"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."
~Clay Aiken
10/09/08
"I read the People Magazine
article and watched the Good Morning America interview. I saw an extremely
courageous man make a difficult decision for the sake of his child. I felt
for an entire family, people I don't even know, when Clay decided it was
time to open up about the most private part of his life. I saw and heard
the words "I'm gay" but you know what? I just saw Clay - the same man I
fell in love with on American Idol, the same man I've listened to, learned
from and enjoyed for over five years. I still don't see straight or gay
- I just see Clay."
~suereu
10/07/08
"We are slowly starting
to respect this man-child more and more for the things he has to say on
the gay issue — his thoughts are eloquent and moving. There's few people
who can speak to those who absolutely believe all homosexuals are going
to hell without causing some sort of riot, and Clay is one of them. Bravo."
~From the entertainment
blog 'Mollywood"
10/04/08
"What a blog! What a
man!
I loved reading his words.
The blog was beautiful, sincere, understanding, accepting, and honest.
I also love the way he put things into perspective. Look at all that's
happened in the last week or two!
He explained and took
us into his journey for just a bit. He made it clear that he was always
mindful of his fans. But best of all, to me, is that he is proud of himself.
He is comfortable in his skin. He is happy. I couldn't wish anything more
for him.
I had a crush on Clay
in 2003
I was enamored with him
in 2004
I loved him in 2005
I treasured him in 2006,
and worried a little
I adored him in 2007
I cherish him in 2008,
and I am worry-free
This week didn't change
who Clay is. The man is the same. But the love is still growing."
~Brightstar
10/04/08
RE: Clay's 10/04/08
"I love how self assured
he sounds. I love how he expresses his feelings for those who are feeling
mislead but also how he says that (paraphrasing here) he never meant for
them to feel that way but it's his private life, one he tried to keep private
as best he could and since he was not able to do that he chose his own
time and place to divulge what he felt was nobody's business."
10/01/08
"Being gay is an aspect
of who he is, and important as it is, it is not his sum total. So he is
still the best voice of his generation, a charismatic and engaging entertainer,
a passionate humanitarian and children's advocate, a snarky sexy dorky
singerman, a Southern Baptist from North Carolina, a brother, a son, a
father, and a man who is gay. I see it as the People First language of
who he is.
9/28/08
"His talent hasn't changed
His amazing voice can
still excite, soothe, and bring joy
He still wants to help
others and make a difference
He is still charismatic
and funny
He still cares greatly
about his fans
He is the same man he
was a week, month, or year ago.
He just opened up and
let us know him better"
~Brightstar
9/28/08
"I
have known for a long time, through conversations with many of my gay friends,
that the process of coming out is intensely personal, that it can be a
major paradigm shift not just for the person who is being told, but for
the person who is coming out himself or herself. For those who are in the
process, making statements or behaving as if they are straight is not a
lie, it is absolute self-preservation."
~berkeley
9/25/08
"We love each other dearly
and deeply as friends, but I think as parents now, there's an even greater
bond, certainly for me. Our job is to remain best friends for the rest
of our lives and that's the most important thing for Parker."
~Jaymes Foster
9/24/08
"For me, all I've ever
wanted for Clay was for him to be happy. Life can be so difficult...but
I know from experience the added burden of carrying a secret in my heart.
There have been times I have said, "They wouldn't love me if they only
knew..." and yet, as much as I feared losing people's love, I also felt
they COULDN'T love ME...because I had never let them know the real me.
As long as I lived behind a mask, they could only love my mask, not me.
Having the courage to
lower that mask and discovering you, the authentic you, are loved anyway
is a feeling like flying, like being reborn. Like a new 'once upon a time'.
I'm grateful for the opportunity
to witness his courage. Clay...inspires me."
~00Isee
9/24/08
"While I would never
demand that Clay provide an explanation of his personal life to me or anyone,
the fact that he is in control of this message -- that his announcement
is as deliberate and carefully-considered an act as having a child was
-- has hooked me. He is telling this story; it's not a forced admission,
but something he chose to do, on his own timetable, for his own good reasons.
And I am fascinated, and proud of his strength, and eager to hear what
he has to say."
~Oldmoviegal
9/24/08
"Now I feel a lump in
my throat knowing that he had to live with this for four years. I hope
today is a freeing day for Clay. I can't imagine having to live with a
secret for that long.
I hope Parker will be
brought up in a world where we are more tolerant of others differences,
whether it be race, religion, sexual orientation or having a disability.
I believe that Clay will
help make inroads in teaching this lesson to others."
~FearofH2O
9/22/08
"That Aiken has chosen
to come to Broadway and return to Broadway in this comedy says a great
deal for his willingness not to take himself too seriously. His fans' enthusiasm
and joy in his performance suggest that Broadway should enjoy taking Clay
Aiken very seriously indeed. Like Fantasia igniting The Color Purple, or
Reba transforming Annie Get Your Gun!, Clay fits Sir Robin and Spamalot
like a glove."
~Edith Haight, Broadway
Magazine
9/22/08
The
current radiance that Clay shows in his stage door appearances are reminiscent
of AI2 when he was wide-eyed with wonder of the new love lavished on him
by his fans as well as the possibilities of what would become his new life.
It would seem that Clay finds his self-worth in loving and being loved
rather than in his success, recognition, wealth, or possessions.
Perhaps there has never been a time in Clay’s life when he has experienced
so much love simultaneously from family, friends, fans, fellow Spamalot
artists, and, probably most significantly, from becoming a father.
~Mitzi
Gill
9/16/08
"When you see him it's
never enough. Seeing him makes you want more after you just saw him! I
think that's because when he is in a room with you his aura shines so brightly...that
IT he has...it washes over you...and when he is gone it's like a light
has left the room...like someone blew out the only candle in a room with
no other light in it. You can feel it.
Once is never enough."
~dancermom2
9/10/08
"Best of all was the
blog's ending, the simple statement, "I miss you folks. " Those few words
jumped right into my heart."
~berkeley
9/09/08
"I still marvel at the
man, his seemingly endless, not fully tapped talent, his wit, his compassion,
his silliness, his wisdom, and his unmatched, versatile, touch-my-heart
voice. Sure I'd like more news, more appearances, and more knowledge of
what is to come, but I feel sure that what does come will be very worth
the wait. In more ways than one, no other entertainer can fill his shoes--or
grab--and keep--my heart."
~Brightstar
9/05/08
"One thing I continue
to admire about Clay is he makes friends for LIFE and creates family wherever
he goes. That is a rare gift indeed..and somehow he knows how to reach
and grab the core of a person. In a world where the superficial seems to
rule he is genuine and true to himself."
~luvhisvox
8/27/08
"I think Clay learned
long ago that the way to find personal happiness was to do what he decides
is best for himself and those he cares for, regardless of what "others"
may say. Any others, fans included. Besides, he could live a life of complete
perfection, show the world the most beautiful and "proper" of scenarios,
and the nasties in this world would twist perfection and make it seem ugly.
He can't "win" that war. He can only make his own life and refuse to participate
in senseless battles, games, and other nonsense."
~Brightstar
8/26/08
"He [Clay] has said how
much he wants children, and he now has a beautiful son in a somewhat untraditional-looking
family unit. In some ways, I see it as the family that love and strength
and courage (and much blessing) built.
I see Clay as one who
is trying hard to have a regular, normal, happy life within the crazy whirlwind
that his entertainer/star life can be. And if some aspects of that life
don't always look "typical" to others, I don't think that matters to him.
He'll make it beautiful, and he'll make it work. I don't doubt it for a
minute."
~Brightstar
8/12/08
"Since leaving Spamlot
in May, jokes have just not been funny," Aiken said in a statement. "Food
has lost its taste. The grass is no longer green—the sky no longer blue.
And babies WON'T stop crying!! I'm so excited about coming back to the
funniest show in the world!"
~Clay Aiken
8/12/08
"In
live, taped and print interviews, as well as in his book, I've heard Clay
talk about so many aspects of his life, for so many years. I do not and
can not know his full nature, and I sure as hell cannot predict every choice
he'll make, but I do believe I know his heart. This is a good man, devoted
to children, and now he has a child of his own. That is a good thing. Since
I am human, I may be curious about some things and I wonder a bit about
Clay's future, but I believe this child will bless his life.
~berkeley
8/10/08
" Parker will have something
that Clay once wished for: a father who will say "I love you" and mean
it. "
~berkeley
8/09/08
"Sometimes all of the
planets just line up, and everything seems like it is just as it should
be. Today is one of those days. Years ago, an international consortium
of organizers and leaders chose this day – this special day, with its rare
and lucky and symbolic row of eights – to be the start of the Olympic games.
The date, that very cool-looking 08.08.08, has been imprinted in the corner
of all NBC programming for well over a year. There have been online countdown
clocks leading up to this date for just as long.
And it wasn’t just the
day. To strengthen the symbolism, the Olympic opening ceremonies were scheduled
to begin precisely at 8:08 p.m., Beijing time. That one minute – that one
magical minute – was marked as special. So, for years, millions of people
have been waiting for this moment to arrive.
And, at 8:08 a.m. EST
– at precisely the same minute that, half a world away, the first Olympic
athletes were marching into the stadium – a dark-haired baby boy was born
in North Carolina. That special day, that special minute, just became even
more unbelievably important. To the baby’s parents, to their extended families
and friends, to the larger communities who have also marked this arrival
as a special day.
What an amazing turn of
events, and what a joyous one. I was already looking forward to this day,
to the minute when the world comes together in a symbolic way to put aside
their differences and celebrate. Now, I feel like I have something even
bigger to celebrate. Welcome, Parker Foster Aiken.
In the spirit of the day of your birth, I hope you always remember the
motto of the games that begin today: The most important thing is not to
win, but to take part. Welcome to the world."
~Oldmoviegal
8/05/08
"This is what I love
to do, I love to sing and to be able to perform in front of an audience,"
he said. "It does not happen often where someone can do what they truly
love for a living, so I feel fortunate to be able to have my dream of singing
come true. Music is such an important part of my life. The best thing of
course are the fans. Being on stage and seeing their smiles and knowing
they are enjoying the music is a great feeling."
~ Clay Aiken, December
13, 2007
7/30/08
"[Clay] is gifted enough
in myriad areas that he can have a career in entertainment for as long
as he desires, though it might be at a moderate level instead of at the
superstar heights that some desire. That's fine with me, as if I had a
vote --- I believe Clay wants to be broadly successful, but I don't think
that he has any taste for being the Biggest Thing Ever. The air is too
thin up there, and I think he'd rather breathe life in deeply and richly."
~berekley
7/30/08
"Underneath all the silence,
mystery and waiting is a hard-working, talented beyond measure, competitive
artist. I don't have a doubt in the world, that Clay is planning and working
on his career. IMO, he is a brilliant young artist and his resiliency not
to mention his versatility will become legend."
~yaknelle
7/19/08
"I love the uniqueness
of Clay Aiken. He's one of a kind, he's not "manufactured" for success.
He just "IS." I don't compare him with anyone else, so long as he sings
and entertains, I will be there. If he talks, I will listen. I love his
mind, his heart and his soul. I've never had "dreams" for him other than
his happiness, and never wanted to know his personal business ...<snip>
I love his charity work
and support that totally because it is meaningful to me, perhaps more than
any placement on a Top40 or A/C music chart could ever be. More than anything,
he wanted to "make a difference." I believed him when he first said it
five years ago, and I believe it even more today. The smiles we've seen
in the UNICEF photos are not staged, he and those children appear to be
totally enjoying themselves and it is wonderful to see.
Only Clay knows what he
has had to contend with behind the scenes all this time. He's a man who
values being true to HIMSELF more than bowing to the whims of the current
music marketplace, including those who profit from it. He's not the boy
he was on a TV reality show several years ago, but an adult male with a
mind of his own. I love that about him. And he's had the strength to endure
all this time, picking his battles as best he could. I think he told his
fans as much as he could in his last blog, yet many have chosen not to
listen.
I miss the hell out of
the guy, but will be here when he decides to return. <snip> This is
a very complex individual who seems to have a simple message: love and
serve your fellow man. He has given me more joy over the last few years
than I could have ever hoped for: beautiful music; hysterical laughter;
dancing (not choreography, Clay); friends; and, a focus on the joy of giving.
And, then there's the PANTS......"
~clayzedover
7/19/08
"He's like no one I've ever known. Mad talented, determined,
stubborn, highly intelligent, caring, hilariously funny, deep, strong,
and kind. And ambitious as hell, I think. He's one of a kind, and his career
will be one of a kind."
~Brightstar
7/09/08
"No wonder he [Clay Aiken]
ignores the tabloid-mentality individuals. He has seen with his own eyes
and experienced first hand what is truly important and worthy of his attention
and time. How can he waste his life worrying about what low-lives think
of him when there is real suffering in the world that needs to be addressed?
I admire him more than I can say. He's by no means perfect, but so often
he's a model for having one's priorities straight. He essentially says
"Don't look at me, look at all those in need. Worry about them, give for
them." And then he lives it. He puts his life and his heart on the line
on regular basis."
~Brightstar
7/06/08
"It makes me thankful
for my life," says Aiken of all his work abroad and with children in need.
"These kids, many of them struggle with unimaginable hardships and yet
they have positive attitudes. They don't feel sorry for themselves. Kids
who suffer the most never do. You see that, and it keeps all your own nonsense
in perspective."
~Clay Aiken
6/27/08
"While
they toss Grammys to Winehouse, with good aim so as to not break the crack
pipe in her pocket, Clay Aiken is walking the walk, and talking the talk.
Reaching down and extending a helping hand, to people who only know him
as a real nice famous American guy who wants to help us."
~Matt
6/26/08
"...though
I do not know this man, I can only observe he is just human. With flaws
and foibles, sure. But he is also a young man with a heart & soul like
so many others. And a voice unlike so many others. But he uses these in
a very distinctly different way than most. I can only surmise that he is
trying his best to do what he thinks is right. I recall he said this was
what he wanted to use his "celebrity" for way back before it had all but
began.
So
I am going to give him props for getting off his ass and continually working
to meet his original goal. And in a not so common, comfortable or risk
free manner. His environment seems to be continually changing and at his
own hand. He says he wants to be back home where he is comfortable. Yet
he is always off somehwere else working, giving, growing, speaking for
others as well as himself. He is living life and living it large."
~treenuts
6/26/08
"Just
speaking for myself, but when I first heard the news of this trip, [Clay's
UNICEF trip to Somalia] all I could think of were those horrible images
of "Black Hawk Down." Today, new pictures of mothers losing children to
starvation and dehydration are going into my memory bank. One set won't
replace the other, but maybe I can choose to focus on the one that asks
for and desperately needs help over those that rejected it ...I'm working
on it."
~Imtx
6/25/08
"Ah...
{UNICEF] Ambassador Aiken puts it all in perspective again! While fans
are angsting over whom Clay REALLY loves and HOW he loves her/them and
WHAT he's going to do/say or not do/say about this or that....
He's
actually DOING
and SAYING something about "this or that's" that really matter....
"
~muskifest
6/24/08
"If I were limited to
owning only one CD for the remainder of my life, I would select Clay Aiken’s
“On My Way Here”. Within its melodies are all the elements that deal
with our journey through life and how we cope with its inevitable trials
and tragedies.
There are expressions
of the agony that is ours when life insists on our choosing between those
things that are comfortable and the unknown. The album contains lyrical
discussions of perfect love, insecure love, and love gone wrong. Other
songs center upon humanitarianism and our relationship to God and our fellow
men. Fear, worry, and disappointment are juxtaposed with joy, encouragement,
and faith.
“On My Way Here” is truly
a universal, mini-commentary on human experiences as well as a revelation
of the heart of its vocalist. It is as profound as it is musically
satisfying."
~Mitzi Gill
6/18/08
"When an entertainer
has a life-long career, there will be times when it's hot, and times when
it's not. What he/she will never have is non-stop success and non-stop
visibility, I don't care who he/she is. I wish folks would learn to be
more confident and more able to take the times when nothing is going on,
and not get all in a panic or all glum about it. A fandom shouldn't be
something to torture yourself with and live in misery over--it should be
fun!! I think [the fan's] expectations can be unreasonable at times. As
for the lack of appearances, this is exactly how he told us it would be--some
promo, then a vacation, and a UNICEF trip. Hopefully there will be another
round of promo down the road a bit. A tour is a good possibility. And there
may be news of another sort--TV, a movie, whatever. Clay isn't a quitter
or a whiner. He's a strong, vibrant, talented man. He's going to be around
a long time."
~Claymaniac in PA
6/15/08
"Right now, I have a
CD that I absolutely LOVE...one that shows growth as an artist....by a
humble man whose voice I fell in love with five years ago. THAT has not
changed for me. But there are many more layers to the man that I could
never have foreseen. He's always interesting and surprising, and that is
what keeps me here. The new
biographyreminded me that he's done more in five years with his celebrity
than I could have ever dreamed. It made me proud to read it."
~clayzedover
6/13/08
"It is not always about
performance art, but about receiving positive energy from people with positive
spirits," he said. "Sometimes we can see someone's spirit, and those are
the people with great energy. Those are the people that get me through
the day, especially on Broadway."
~Clay Aiken
6/13/08
"A little over 5 years
ago Clay was a dorky guy from Raleigh , NC who set his sights on winning
a singing competition. Even though he didn't win, he has parlayed his 2nd
place finish into a lucrative and exciting career. Here he is, a successful
entertainer, who has attracted into his life a major music producer and
his not so famous sister along with his recent success on Broadway in a
major production directed by the very successful Mike Nichols. <snip>
This is the journey movies
are made from and what an interesting movie it will make someday, all of
it.
There really isn't anything
odd about Clay's life except for those who want to make it a strange story.
I think it is a wonderful story and if the baby news is true it is about
to get even more wonderful. Clay is successful and rich. He is a man who
transformed his life, by hard work and some lucky breaks, from the average
and ho hum into the extraordinary. Talent has been his ticket to all of
it but I don't see him sitting around wishing he hadn't traveled this road.
He is well loved and cared about and he looks happy. He is supported by
those who matter to him. He may lose some of the fans who can't accept
his non traditional life but that will make room for others who will see
him as worthy of their attention. Life has a way of teaching us what we
need to learn and God has a way of presenting us with who and what we need
to learn those lessons."
~skybar
6/10/08
"Clay is one-of-a-kind.
He will always be on the side of sanity, good judgement, and morality.
As long as he chooses this road, he is going to have an uphill battle.
He has traveled this road all of his life and seems to be made of something
most of us are not. He is not fearful. He is not discouraged.
He does not pity himself. There in the midst of it all, Clay
can be found calm, smiling, eyes filled with joy, and his sense of humor
in tact. He simply perseveres.
He possesses a true gift
that allows him to take the worst of circumstances and learn from them
rather than being intimidated, joining the crowd, or lowering his standards.
He is far beyond fortitude and appears destined for something that will
reward him for all of the obstacles he has faced and overcome. I
think Gladys Knight made a prophetic statement on AI2 when she told Clay
he was "magical"and "pure", that she knew something extraordinary was going
to happen to him in this world. I believe he is On His Way There!"
~Mitzi Gill
6/07/08
“That’s what’s so great
about America,” he said, laughing. “One of our valuable amendments to the
Constitution — freedom of the press — is also one of the crappiest. You
can write anything you want. You don’t need to have any proof or any truth
to what you write.”
~Clay Aiken in a May
29th interview
6/06/08
"You
know what I think Clay's trouble is?
I
think he's too damned progressive.
He
has a broader view of the world. How is that possible for a lowly North
Carolina guy? An ordinary guy who was going to college and decided to enter
reality show/talent contest?
But
he is. Progressive. Religious, yet open to a variety of religious views.
Very
aware of current events. Opinionated, yet accepting of a variety of opinions
from others. Doesn't seem to be judgmental, yet has high expectations of
people. Patient with people with learning differences. Impatient with laziness
and unprofessionalism and intolerance. Injustice.
He's
intelligent. He's a character. He has a wild sense of humor that sometimes
doesn't translate in print.
And
- then - he sings "off the chain"!
People
are just used to celebrities who are less substance. More shallow.
Especially
as young as he is.
It
throws people.
And
some people just don't see the intelligence and the snark. Some people
don't recognize sincerity.
So
- I guess they are right. He's odd.
And
some people are just greedy bastards who want to sell magazines and papers
and they aren't even aware enough of the world to see consequences. Others
just don't give a damn."
~Cotton
6/03/08
"I remember Clay was
recently asked why people hate him so much and he gave a beautiful answer.
He said he didn't know in the same way he didn't know why people love him
so much. He said that he represents the guy they picked on in high school
who is now successful and has women screaming for him. And they can't stand
that because it will never be them."
~Corabeth
6/03/08
"I can't figure out why
Clay has been such a target for vitriol over the last years. I get
angry when people who have been given a lot squander their gifts and opportunities.
But it is just the opposite with Clay, who has never done anything but
work hard and do right. For the life of me, I can't understand it."
~rubychambers
6/03/08
"When a true genius
appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are
all in confederacy against him." --- Jonathan Swift
"Clay will have a good
life, will do good works, will sleep soundly at night, will be loved.
The confederacy of dunces
have sold their souls for a short-term gain. In the end, they will get
away with nothing.
If you had to explain
to your children what you did for a living, who would you rather be?"
~berkeley
6/02/08
"Adversity has made him
a strong man...and his shoulders are broad."
~propounder
5/31/08
"Clay is a very unique,
exceptionally talented, decent man who knows who he is and where he is
going. He will not compromise his faith, nor does his behavior bend
to fit the world view or to appease his critics. Sometimes he seems to
be like a ship sailing into the storm."
~Mitzi Gill
5/30/08
"Clay has been the celebrated
catalyst to many wonderful experiences, and for that alone I will always
be in his debt. But more importantly, my respect for him as he has made
his very human courageous journey in the unrelenting public eye has remained
intact."
"And though I wish him
happiness with all my heart in all areas of his life,
it is his happiness
and has nothing to do with me."
~zena
5/29/08
"I
think that Clay is looking forward, and transitioning from The Singer to
The Entertainer. His talent is broad and diverse. Singing will become part
of who he is, not the sum total of his professional face. Not surprising,
really, from the man who has been on the Billboard charts and the New York
Times Best Sellers List, a singer who is also a member of SAG and Actors
Equity.
I
think Clay is one of the most extraordinarily gifted singers I've heard
in my lifetime. Most of all, I love it when he sings. But I was blessed
to see him in Spamalot --- there's just so much that he can do, and he's
clearly smart enough and hard working enough to broaden the scope of his
marketability.
That's
one very good way to build a lifelong career.
Regardless
of where Clay goes, I will be there. He's always been worth it to me. "
~berkeley
5/18/08
"Jimmy [Kimmel] gave
the goodnight, and Clay launched into “Ashes.” Now that is a song and a
sound that gets to me. I wish that everyone who loved “Invisible”-era Clay
Aiken could see him perform this song: informed by his history and experience,
he has moved far beyond that never-the-less captivating performer of five
years ago.
The energy in the room
ratcheted up really high. Clay started to groove and, hitting his stride,
began to wail. He closed his eyes, threw back his head, hair flying, and
sang, “Try and remind me now.” That was the sound of freedom.
Damnation, this song rocks!
There were voices everywhere singing along, but rather than disliking that
as I sometimes do, it was almost like a part of the performance, a chorus
of approval, acceptance and affection for the man on the stage, his voice
rising above all. It was one of the strongest performances I have ever
seen Clay give and I grabbed every note and held on tight.
I was so thrilled to be
there to hear this. I knew that, somewhere in the first few seconds, a
jackass had brayed and put an end to it for all but the few who were there.
I hope I’ve captured a little bit of it for everyone.
Heading out into the warm
evening, I called in my final report and headed for the subway. I was smiling
then, and I am still smiling now.
I don’t know what Clay
Aiken is doing today. I don’t know where he is. I don’t know when fans
will hear from him again. I don’t know how this kickass, magnificent album
of his will do over time.
But I’m okay. My life
has its challenges, but it’s pretty good. I know that Clay will be around
for as long as he chooses to be and, one way or another, sometimes he will
sing to me. I will always get that instant smile in response to his, I’ll
laugh when I hear his goofy guffaw and I will go on delighting at how well
he has grown and how content he seems.
I will forever be in awe
of his extraordinary, blue moon talent.
Maybe one day he’ll have
a worldwide #1. Maybe he’ll settle into a groove that makes him the most
comfortable. Maybe he’ll excel in another area of his prodigious talent.
I just know that he is not going anywhere --- except for back home for
a while.
So --- godspeed you home,
Clay. Sit on your back porch, play with your dogs, drink some sweet tea,
enjoy the company of your family and friends, feel the love of someone
who knows the real you. Rest, relax, and come back when you’re ready.
I’ll be here.
Even when you are in your
quiet time, you never feel far away from me. After five years of sharing
your journey with me, how could you?
You have your own world,
your own dreams, your own plans…
But you’ve left some of
your music here, part of the you who is always with me.
So thank you for letting
me share a little bit of love with you.
And --- just an aside
--- thanks for wearing those trousers so well. "
~berkeley
5/06/08
Re: 'On My Way Here'
"The sounds, the lyrics,
the unique use of his exceptional voice will surprise you. This ain’t American
Idol Clay Aiken, it’s the mature, successful yet seasoned Clay Aiken, with
just a little bit of cyniscm thrown in. This album has funky R&B, unexpected
techno in the middle of a song that starts off slow, driving pop/rock and
a jazzy love song that sounds like warm maple syrup poured over cinnamon
pancakes. I’ve read “professional” reviews who call this an album of ballads
and wonder if they hit the wrong button on their ipod. Or if they had written
the review even before they started. It’s congitive dissonance. They expected
ballad boy, they didn’t get it. They might have even sorta/kinda liked
it. And they didn’t know what to make of it so the reviews become more
of a review of Clay’s celebrity or Clay’s fans. Anyone who writs that this
is an all ballad album with trite or schmaltzy lyrics, simply.didn’t.listen."
~The
ConClayve
5/05/08
Re: Clay's final performance
in Spamalot:
"I can't help but think
tonight about the people of Spamalot.
Jonathan Hadary, Tom Deckman,
Rick Holmes, David Hibbard, all the knights and the dancing girls. Last
fall when they heard that Clay Aiken would be taking over the role of Sir
Robin, what did they think? They can be forgiven if they paused and wondered
what Mike Nichols was up to. I mean, this guy was from a reality show.
And Hannah Waddingham and Chris Sieber, what did they think? Hannah, already
a success in London's West End, Chris returning to the role he originated
so Hannah wouldn't have to come in alone. How did they feel when they heard
some guy from American Idol would be joining the cast with them?
However they felt, whatever
their qualms, these were good people and fair. They welcomed Clay as they
would want to be welcomed. But did they have any idea what next four months
would be like? How hard he would work? How good he would be? How the fans
would descend like a hoard and embrace Clay's Spamalot "family" just as
they did Clay? The stage door crowds that didn't fade in a few days but
continued to grow? Raising over $250,000 (the first time Spamalot had broken
$100k), due in no small measure to the work of Clay and his fans? This
last weekend when fans simply took over the Shubert and shook the rafters
with cheers and laughter, spilling out into the alley by the hundreds when
it was over, cheering as Clay greated the throngs from the roof?
Do you think they'll take
a moment to look at each other tonight as the madness dies down and say,
"What just happened here?" "
~GBB
5/02/08
Q: Why do so many people
hate you?
A: I have no idea why
they hate me, and I sure don't have any idea why they love me. I'm completely
clueless all the way around. In some ways, I'm sure, to a lot of people
I represent that dorky kid in high school and middle school that everybody
thought was a loser. And now there are plenty of people in the world who
are bitter because that dorky kid became successful and they did not. It's
kind of threatening when that nerdy guy you've been making fun of for all
those years has somehow become famous.
Q: You've obviously given
this some thought.
A: I've been thinking
about it for a long time.
Q: Does it make you sad?
A: Ah, I don't care. Whatever.
I've been around people who are too cool for me for almost 30 years now.
I don't know. I don't think I'm very threatening, but I do threaten the
notion that you must be good-looking and athletic and cool in order to
be successful. I kind of screwed that up for some people who thought they
were going to fly by.
~Clay Aiken in an
interview
5/02/08
"And let me just say
that I absolutely flove the answers Clay gave to Aidin Vaziri, the genius
who writes the
Chron's Pop Quiz. (I've shared my opinion about him before. This is
the guy who famously asked legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker, "So what's
the best cure for the blues?")
How much do I love that
Clay has this guy's number?
"I don't take crap
as much as I used to."
No, he doesn't. From what
I've read, Jesus showed that there was a time to turn the other cheek and
a time to turn over some tables.
"And now there are
plenty of people who are bitter because that dorky kid became successful
and they did not."
Yup, has to gall them
that this AIloserwannabefifteenminutesuntilhe'sgone has accomplished everything
that Aidin (to his credit, I'll admit) lists in the first paragraph of
the article.
"Ah, I don't care.
Whatever. I've been around people who were too cool for me for almost thirty
years now... I do threaten the notion that you must be good-looking and
athletic and cool in order to be successful"
Yup, except for one point.
Er, um, Clay? You're quirky, you're distinctive, and you're not some cookie
cutter Joe College Football Captain, but you are good-looking. But you
don't have to see that. I do.
And then the people who
have the image of this guy with the big ears whop was built like a lamppost
get directed to Clay's MySpace... I would love to hear the reactions of
some of the people who haven't seen him in a while.
I feel happy.
There's no better revenge
than success.
RE: The Billboard Review:
No, that review isn't bad at all. Read it again without the word "housewife"
(ugh --- as if there are any women who are married to a house.) Yes, there
are definitely songs that could break hearts. Then eliminate that inane
fan term and, while the reviewer doesn't think the CD is groundbreaking,
Kerri does think it is a solid work for people who've liked Clay's music
before.
Nothing in that review
that would make someone who was inclined to like Clay pass on it, and a
few words of praise that might be enough for fence-sitters to listen to
the snippets.
In a world where I rarely
expect Clay to get the credit that he deserves, at least it appears to
me this reviewer listened to the album. After some recent exposes of other
artists being "pre-reviewed," that's more than I expect from some!"
~berkeley
5/02/08
I can imagine Clay just
plugging along, year after year, getting better and better--getting some,
but not necessarily loads, of widespread praise and official recognition,
but putting out quality CDs and giving superior performances, time and
again. Maybe he'll still get disses and jokes and crap thrown at him off
and on, but he'll just stay confident, do his thing, and gradually win
over more individuals and lots of knowledgable folks in the industry as
he goes along.
Then one day, years and
years from now, people will realize that he has become an icon, a beloved
and multitalented entertainer who has built a virtual library of beautiful
music and performances. And even though he may still have detracters, most
of the jokes may be told with affection, and he will finallly be seen as
the treasure he is.
It's possible. And even
though I have dreams of the "magnificent, hawt, superstar who rocks the
world," I don't think that's in the cards--and it's not really the best
outcome for Clay, the man who likes both feet on the ground, either. The
other scenario can happen though, and it would be the better one in the
long run.
Perhaps he can go for
forty years without breaking a sweat. :)
~Brightstar
5/02/08
"Aiken, who debuted on
the Great White Way this year in "Spamalot," sings like a theater veteran:
almost too perfect, with a self-aware showmanship. But that doesn't make
pop-rock nuggets like "Ashes" any less catchy, or the ballads—on which
Aiken's breathy tenor could break housewife hearts—ring any less true."
~Billbooard Magazine
4/05/08
[The
name "Clay Aiken was mentioned at a gathering in Memphis: Someone asked
"Who's Clay Aiken?"]
"Before
I could answer, an older gentleman sitting with us smiled at me and said
"I know who he is". He then said, "Let me tell y'all a story".
He proceeded to tell about
when he was a young man and was trying to get a group to go with him to
hear a young singer he was crazy about. When they wanted to know who and
he told them his name...everyone's response was, "Who's Elvis Presley?"
He patted my hand and
said for me not to worry...I won't have to answer that question much longer.
He said Clay Aiken has the same charisma and great talent as a young Elvis
Presley. He said hold on...you're going on a great and long ride."
~DeepSouthGurrl
4/01/08
"Clay has had to reinvent
that little-known special ed teacher enjoying a rather sheltered life in
Raleigh to become the magnificent entertainer that he is, all the while
holding onto his beliefs and his purposes and remaining what he calls "a
decent human being". It just may be that if we read between the lines
of the lyrics on OMWH, we may catch a glimpse of his journey - both
the triumphs and the trials. The CD could be the sequel to "Learning
to Sing"!"
~Mitzi Gill
3/29/08
"Since I got into this
business, I've learned so much about myself and about life and the world.
I'm nowhere near an expert, but this album has taken on the form of addressing
how far I've come in those five years and how I feel like I've found myself."
~Clay Aiken
3/27/08
"I honestly have heard
very little of Clay- other than the tabloids..then I actually met him.
He made a point of meetin'
us all..right down to the ticket takers...he blew me away. He was nothing
like what I had read.. He truly is a great guy.. and he is just an average
guy that has been blessed with a great talent.. he really impressed me..
and I have already ordered on Amazon.. lol.. this guy is truly going places..
and we are all so grateful he is here at Spamalot."
~Schubert Theater Employee
3/27/08
"One of the great things
about this engagement for Clay has been his treatment by those producing
the show. [Broadway's Spamalot] From the very first report of his involvement,
he has been treated with respect and enthusiasm. He has been presented
as the desirable star that he is. The promotion, marketing and advertising
for his Spamalot gig has been first rate. He has stepped up to the plate
with professional precision and is shining in this role. <snip>
Clay is shown such genuine respect and admiration for his talent and work
ethic."
~Barnett2
3/21/08
"I definitely see in
the new [picture]
the very, very beginning of a smile playing on the edges of Clay's lips.
He is comtemplative there, but when I look at his expression, I see a quiet
satisfaction with where his road has taken him and a recognition of good
things to come. And his glow. I've never know someone with such a glow.
I definitely saw it at the stage door last week.
Berk said she and her
sis can picture the smile that is on the way. I can too. In fact, I picture
him starting to smile as he stands up and steps into that light. It grows
brighter, turns into a spotlight, and he flashes a killer smile as he grabs
the mic and steps into the light to deafening cheers. "
~Brightstar
3/18/08
"The word that comes
to mind most strongly when thinking about Clay's [Spamalot] performance
is "natural." He is totally natural in this role. It seems as if he's played
on Broadway forever-- singing and dancing almost effortlessly (and at the
same time!), delivering comedic lines with perfect timing, playing several
very different roles and making each one unique and memorable, speaking
with an English accent (several different ones, in fact), and fitting seamlessly
into an ongoing ensemble of seasoned and skilled stage actors. What a great--and
gifted-- performer! I swear the man is so brimming with talent, someone
probably has to sweep up what must spill over every night.
I loved his portrayal
of the suprisingly intellectual, and somewhat bored, tower guard. His wedding
guard is pee-in-your-pants hilarious (how on earth does he manage to keep
a straight face?), and Brother Maynard is completely unexpected and priceless.
And what more can be said about Sir Robin? I've heard several people who
saw him during the opening weekend say his current Robin is not as naive
or innocent and that may be true, but I thought there was a lot of innocence
in his portrayal, as well as sweetness, fearfulness, and an endearing hopefulness.
I guess I'd say his Robin was sure of himself when doing things he already
knew. But when he was faced with a new experience, depending on the nature
of it, he might be at some times eager and amazed, and at other times unsure,
even fearful.
I was impressed at Clay's
ability to stay completely in character, attentive at all times to the
words and actions of others while adding nuances to his actions while not
center stage. For instance he sometimes bites his fingernails nervously
when fearful and looks awestruck and gleefully amazed while watching the
goings-on in Camelot. He shares a lot of remarks with other actors-- as
part of his acting and reacting-- but I couldn't hear or figure out most
of them. I did hear (and see) him say "Can I touch it?" when standing close
to one of the Camelot girls. He just seems to live the role, and that is
probably one of the best things that can be said about an actor."
~Brightstar
3/01/08
"As I'm signing autographs,
a very petite, pretty girl walks up to me and says, "Your 'Invisible' video
made such an impact on my life." I didn't want to argue with her, but I
thought she must have gotten that confused with some other video I'd done.
"
"I thought it couldn't
have been 'Invisible.' That was just a self-congratulatory video of me
singing on the stage in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard with a bunch
of people cheering. There was no story line; there was nothing inspirational
about it. How in the world could that video have impacted anybody?" "Are
you sure you don't mean some other video?" I asked.
""No, I'm sure it was
'Invisible," she said. I asked her to please explain, and she did. "Well,
Clay, I used to weigh about 200 pounds." She paused. "You look great, but
what does that have to do with 'Invisible'?" "When I saw the girl on the
stage with you in that video and you put your arm around her, it made me
feel so much better about myself, because you had an overweight girl in
your video, and you accepted her. "
"Because of that, I was
finally able to accept myself. After that, my whole life changed, and I
lost 90 pounds." Then it dawned on me what she was referring to. While
we were making the video, the music director had pulled someone out of
the audience and put her on the stage with me. She wasn't hugely overweight;
she was just a healthy-looking girl, but I guess she didn't exactly fit
the image of what people usually see on music videos. "
"She wasn't stick-thin
or model-gorgeous, but I never thought anything of it. " "Thank you so
much for sharing that with me," I said, but a simple thank you was hardly
adequate for the gift that young lady had given me. Her words led me to
the realization that you never know the one thing you do that is going
to impact someone's life. I try to set the right example, but that day
I realized that even things I would never think would make an impact do.
"
"I never would have thought
that video would have affected anybody in any kind of positive way, and
lo and behold, it did. The person it affected most was me. I realized that
from then on, I was going to have normal, average, everyday-looking people
in all my videos. I literally had to fight with the people from my record
label. They were not going to let me do it. "
"They said that the video
wouldn't sell, but I wouldn't budge. When we made the video I told them
I didn't want any anorexic-looking girls or model-perfect guys. If we did
have beautiful people, I wanted the beautiful girl to be with the overweight
guy, and the average-looking girl with the model guy. I wanted people to
know it doesn't matter what you look like, that everyone is good enough.
"
"I realized that's why
"Idol" has the impact it does. You never see a contestant with that music-video
look. It's about real people, and I think the reason why Season Two was
so exciting is because not only were Ruben, Kimberly, and I all from out
in the middle of nowhere, Podunk, but we were all extremely normal, average-looking
people. We would have never gotten record contracts if it weren't for that
show: Ruben being such a big guy; Kimberly, who was gorgeous, but a plus-size
woman; and me. I was a dork, and I still am a dork. "
"We're all just normal
people from down the street and around the block. The final realization
I had that day in Atlanta is that it's not just people who are in the public
eye who have an impact on others. You don't have to make a music video
to make a difference in someone's life. You can be a bagger at a grocery
store or a teller at a bank. You never know when something you do is going
to impact someone's life without you even knowing it. "
~ Clay Aiken in Chicken
soup for the American Idol Soul
2/25/08
"I'm glad that he got
another great review and I think my favorite line is the "this is not
a debut for cowards" because that is spot on. If he had taken a role with
a big voice, big song "that goes like this" in Phantom or a similar vehicle,
his reviews would have been "he sang well, as expected". This role stretches
him, smashes stereotypes, opens up people's eyes to his comedic talents
and establishes him as an actor and singer, not just a singer who can act
a little.
I laughed at the aging
cherub line. Earth to the rest of the world, he's almost 30. If everyone
would stop using pictures from 2003 where he looked younger than he was,
it wouldn't be such a surprise."
~Corabeth
2/22/08
"I have always wondered,
and been exasperated by, the fact that many never seem to see/respect/acknowledge
publically (shock!) just how incredibly hard Clay has worked, how concrete
his work ethic is, his commitment to, well, his commitments. Heh. All the
dues paying spouting and whatnot that goes on....his dues? I think he's
earned it, and not in an easy way. He might have started with a lot more
exposure than some but he frickin' ran with it, didn't hesitate to put
in the time, the effort, jump on the learning curve and soak it up, and
he is gracious about sharing his face time with other artists. I'm so happy
to see him get a bit of respect from some who it really counts coming from.
I do think it's overdue, yet, all things progress in their time, as they
say. It's his time."
~boo7
2/21/08
"Dishing With Clay
Aiken"
In PEOPLE MAGAZINE
The Idol singer, 29, is
starring on Broadway in Monty Python's Spamalot. He chatted with Scoop
about:
SPAMALOT: It's smart,
intelligent and almost highbrow humor. The punch lines don't slap you in
the face. But for someone who's not a dancer, it's kicking my rear end!
HIS NEW CD: We're hoping
[to release it] May 6. In the past five years, I've learned a lot about
life. I would like to wrap a lot of the music around that theme.
A NEW IMAGE: Last time
I came out with dark crazy hair. We don't have any plans this time. But
I've got the red wig...
AMERICAN IDOL: It's something
I wouldn't be here without. But I haven't watched it in three years. I've
got other things to do!"
2/19/08
One of those woolly-tighted
knights is being played through May 4 by Clay Aiken, the runner-up in 2003's
"American Idol," whose various parts include the neurotic and cowardly
Sir Robin. Aiken has drawn his own largely female fans - the "Claymates"
- who are besotted by whatever he does onstage at the Shubert.
"It's hilarious," said
Waddingham. "He's so sweet about them backstage. He says, 'Ah'm sorry,
they're embarrassing me, y'all.'" She went on to add, "He's taller than
I thought he was and he's also quite strapping. I expected him to be 5'
6" and quite puny."
~Hannah Waddingham
2/15/08
"With an artist like
Clay it is hard to tell whether RCA is keeping information [about the upcoming
CD] tight to the vest because they may be hedging their bets on the release
date, or if they are creating a sense of drama and mystery. They have to
know by now that Clay has a very dedicated fan base that will sniff out
every detail and morsel of information regarding an upcoming release. The
only information we have about the upcoming CD has come from Clay himself.
We know that he wants it released, hopefully in May, and that the material
will be original songs. He has hinted that the sole executive producer
is a well-known, highly regarded person, likely male, and possibly British.
Clay has said he is going for personal expression over radio friendly material.
Intriguing and mysterious. "
~Barnett2
2/12/08
In 'The
Singer, The Albatross and the Promise of the Future [first posted
in January of 2005 ], berkeley wrote:
"I fervently hope, with
all the ports you will stop in and all who you will meet along the way,
that you will find the songs that speak to your soul.
And may the day soon come
when what you have created is a true reflection of the self you are trying
to reveal, in sound and in message. Then you will have built the vessel
of your own creation, one that will carry you safely and confidently to
the destinations of your choosing. It will be a ship of surpassing beauty
and elegance, with a nimble touch as it moves through the waves. It will
be built with your own hand, with the willing assistance of this band of
crewmates who are happy and eager to travel with you.
And when you are ready
to name it, there will be just one name that comes to mind. It will not
be a compromise or a promise for the future. That name will no longer limit
you, no longer be a minuscule part of who you are and what you will become.
It will be, through toil and struggle and sacrifice, through vision and
courage and artistry, the ship that deserves to be called, quite simply
---
“Clay Aiken.”
There is a lamp in my
window, and I wait for your return. Enjoy your journeys, and Godspeed."
~berkeley- first posted
in January of 2005
***
"Right now, I am loving
what I see on the horizon."
~berkeley- posted February
12, 2008
2/11/08
"The truth is, Clay is
a smart guy who knows what works for him, and he was shrewd enough to realize
that Spamalot, in its own nutty way, would be a good match for his talents
and his sunny sensibility."
~Kathy Henderson
2/11/08
"Everybody knows that
Clay Aiken can sing, but—surprise!—he can also hold his own on a Broadway
stage. To be more precise, he can hula, ogle scantily clad girls, discuss
flying coconuts in a British accent, pretend to poop in his tunic, do a
Cossack-style line dance and perform a lightning-fast patter song ("You
won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews") without dropping
a syllable. "
~Broadway.com
2/11/08
If I ever hear Simon
Cowell insult someone on the show by using "You belong on Broadway" as
a put-down, he can kiss my butt for that!"
<snip>
"People on Broadway are,
without question, the most talented people in the country because they're
doing seven things at once! They're dancing and they're singing and they're
acting and they're speaking in tongues and they're playing piano and tapping.
I mean, if Simon uses that as an insult again, he can kiss it! If you think
about the people who are most well known for being phenomenal at their
craft—Glenn Close as a prime example—the reason they're so good is because
they started on stage. If you can do this Broadway thing, you can do anything.
I'm considering running for President! [Laughs.] "
~Clay Aiken in interview
on Broadway.com
2/07/08
****************URGENT
PRESS RELEASE*********URGENT PRESS RELEASE*************
NEW YORK--Singer/actor/philanthropist
Clay Aiken revealed last night that a red-haired woman code-named “Shannon”
removes his clothes, specifically his trousers, several times a week and
twice on Saturdays and Sundays. Aiken made this announcement at the Shubert
Stage Door to thousands of his adoring fans (widely known as “Attractive
Independent-Thinking Enthusiastic Women and Men of Above-Average Intelligence
and Discerning Musical Tastes") with his arm around the shoulders of the
beautiful and petite “Shannon”. Shannon The Clay Stripper had no comment,
but she did have a big ol’ smile on her face.
*****END OF URGENT PRESS
RELEASE*******
~Jemock (Who else?)
1/30/08
"After reading, "The
Happy Hickster" I was moved to add my own comment, and I quote " this
is one of the best article/interviews I have read about Clay Aiken". You
can read it there if you like. And then I went on to read the other comments
and could not believe the storm of controversey that had been unleashed
by this article, and I mean on both sides....our own Claymates and the
Clay-haters. What really impressed me about the writer's perspective was
that she was bright, insightful and well-versed on the Aiken background
since the AI days, and even before, and had tried to approach this unique
personality with some measure of New York sass, coupled with her own sense
of his enormous talent and studied self-promotion. (Now I know that description
will alienate some fans, but ALL entertainers worth their salt are constantly
exercising self-promotion whether consciously or unconsciously.) Ariel
Levy, the writer, seemed to maintain a kind of tongue-in-cheek attitude
with Clay, pointing out his foibles and then balancing that with kudos
for his obvious talent. I have a feeling that Clay was aware that he was
talking to a well-versed New York writer and responded to that.
I loved the challenge
she presented him with open and honest questions, and Clay's quirky and
sometimes hilarious responses. If she jabbed at him a bit, he seemed to
take no offense, so it felt a bit like they were sparring partners, a jab
here, a jab there, and then a hug. Not once did I feel this interview was
a set-up, or pre-arranged, or conceivd with malice in mind. I think the
genius here was that she got Clay interested in talking to her, and that
is one great accomplishment. If there is anything that Clay responds to
it's intelligence.
She may have probed a
little more deeply than most of his fans would like, but that is always
what makes a great and interesting interview.
I was more than delighted
to read <snip> that quite a few fans felt as I did, and welcomed the
freshness of a brilliantly written piece about Clay after all the drivel
we have been forced to read, and Clay's funny, surprising, sometimes heart-breaking,
and snarky, but never defensive, responses. A very well-matched team."
~icame4themusic
1/28/08
"I found the article
to be hit-and-miss, positive and negative, with the typical New York tone
actually dialed down a bit. I also think there were a couple of errors
of fact and a couple too-convenient juxtapositions of quotes, but with
a bit of grudging respect for Clay's talent.
The second I read the
line about voting for Jesse Helms, I thought that was probably impossible
due to how long ago he last ran. (I see others saved me the Google, so
thanks.) Some people, though, vote the way their families do, or vote for
the old lions. But that might well be an error, because Levy writes that
Clay is "now" a Democrat when I believe his voting records show that he
has always been. He's spoken well much more recently than 1996 of Jimmy
Carter and Tom Harkin, both very different politically from Helms.
There are plenty of people
who are determined to paint Clay as some dumb hick. (Raleigh is about as
"country" as Seattle, in terms of population, dominant professions and
people holding advanced degrees.) I like that she saw through Clay's schtick
and other people's misperceptions and wrote that he is an intelligent and
thoughtful person.
There are people who think
Clay is ugly (or, alternately, fat or scrawny.) I like that she wrote that
he isn't, that he is instead perfectly normal looking and of average weight.
The "quite the little
activist" comment was patronizing (matronizing? *g*) and the term "special
needs cases" was stunningly rude and dismissive.
For a woman who professes
to be a feminist to write glib, insulting generalizations about an entire
generation of women is a disgrace.
Everybody has an accent.
Levy must not be able to hear her own accent, but I bet Clay could mimic
it better than she can his.
I think stereotyping is
thoughtless and lazy --- but what do I know, I'm just a shallow, headline-seeking,
soul-ignoring denizen of Los Angeles.
Basically, I think Levy
couldn't find her "hook" and couldn't draw it out of him. She had a couple
of interesting insights, but her lack of time or ability to penetrate her
subject showed in the extensive quotes from LTS. Four year old quotes in
a current article should only be used as a jumping-off point, not as the
gospel of Clay's thoughts and life today.
I don't think Clay discusses
details of his private life with anyone outside of his own circle, and
I think he answers those questions in whatever way the mood strikes him
that day. She carried in some preconceived notions she wasn't able to put
down, though she did qualify them. That tells me about her world view,
not his.
I am glad that she saw
that Clay fit well on Broadway rather than not being able to handle the
weight of New York, even though she threw in a little aside about Broadway
being a little piece of "Regular America."
She must not be a theater
fan. Anybody who thinks that modern theater is devoid of eroticism must
not have seen anything more edgy than "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown."
I'd say that Clay is a
guarded person, that self-deprecation is a shield and that he probably
doesn't even hear the "us" and "we." It isn't impossible to get him to
open up, though I imagine that, with all the crap flung at him before and
after fame, it can be difficult. Levy failed to do it, and that tells me
as much about the writer as it does the subject.
For Elle, Alison Glock
succeeded in presenting a fuller picture of who Clay Aiken is, as did Matt
Ehlers in his "New Measure of A Man" N&O piece (a balanced one for
that publication for a change.) Considering that New York has made a couple
of snide swipes just in the last few weeks, that this article is not relentlessly
negative is the best that I can expect.
So glad to hear that Clay
continues to grow in the part(s), that general audiences are enjoying his
performance and that his cast mates seem to like and appreciate him."
~berkeley
1/28/08
"I rather enjoyed the
second page of the New York article; I especially liked that Ariel Levy
acknowledged that Clay is smart and well-informed. I thought the wardrobe
discussion at the beginning went on too long, but the scene-setting in
the studio was entertaining. The last third of the article was kind of
mixed for me...I really enjoyed reading Levy's reaction to Clay in Spamalot,
but egads, I find discussion of Clay's sexuality approximately as interesting
as I would his opinion on rutabagas versus other turnips. Dullsville USA.
I think Clay came off
as unnecessarily high-strung, but no biggie there. For the most part, I
don't think Levy was sneering at him. I also didn't get contempt, regionally
based or otherwise. She came off as just wanting him to relax, which is
fair enough. The "promosexual" bit made me giggle, actually. I think Levy's
point might be that Clay has come to believe his own schtick about himself,
so the schtick is actually genuine but, in her view, it masks that there's
more to this guy and she's wondering if he'll ever relax enough to let
it through. I think she has an idea of what Clay would be like if he would
relax, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't agree with her idea, but whatever.
I will concede that there's no warmth to her writing, but I guess I wasn't
expecting that from this particular magazine, anyway.
I don't know...I'm not
really bothered by the tone of the article. I'm not enamored of the article,
but I don't think it's bad. And I'm not saying that it's not bad in an
"it could have been worse" way. I really don't think it's bad. I'm not
even going to try to predict the fallout, though, as I can only imagine
what the comment section is going to become."
~43dudleyvillas re:
The article in the
New York Magazine
1/28//08
"So what is the article
telling this audience?:
-That Clay is a successful
artist that has sold over 6 million records
-That his success extends
beyond the recording industry and he has even had a best-selling book.
-That he is a UNICEF
ambassador.
-That he established
his own charitable foundation.
-That he performs quite
well in his Spamalot role (and if this author could have attacked his performance
in any way, I've no doubt that she would have)
-That his appearance
in Spamalot is attracting a lot of his fans to the show
-And (IMO) most importantly
for this particular audience - that the "dorky" and "geeky" is just part
of a self-deprecating image, but that people shouldn't buy into that description
because Clay is in reality a very successful artist, is considered a sex
symbol by many (including People Magazine), and is no ignorant hick but
rather a rather shrewd artist who is very aware of his career and his publicity
and promo.
I agree that the article
didn't present any of Clay's warmth or humor, and it's not the type of
article that will cause people to go "oh, he's so funny," "he's such a
nice guy," "he's so cute and lovable" or even "he's so talented." It's
not the type of article that will make people fall in love with his personality
or his talent, simply because the author never really presented either.
However, it's the type of article that may cause those who look down on
Clay as too cheesy/geeky/dorky/uncool (take your pick) to look at him with
new eyes and see a very successful artist, and if there is one thing that
can earn people's respect among the more snooty and snobbish crowd, it's
success. The article may not earn Clay tons of friends, but it may earn
him another look and some respect from those who thought of him as a hick
or those who thought he had disappeared after idol and his 15 min were
long over."
~kellykellyk
1/27/08
"His accents, his faces,
his background chatter ( rhubarb,rhubarb,Hail Caesar!), his interactions
with everyone and that FACE! Oy! And he said "goyim"! He IS a dancer- a
natural- it just had to be brought out properly , given permission, coaxed.
And can he shimmy and shake! "
"He does not disappoint.
Again, he is in brilliant company who lift him higher"
~Divayenta, after seeing
Clay in SPAMALOT
1/25/08
"I asked him if he's met Clay and he said he did and
that Clay actually manned the ticket booth for them once and they all had
a break! The ticket guy said that no one's ever done that since James Earl
Jones! He also said that Clay's such a nice guy."
~zippy888
1/25/08
"Clay Aiken bristles
at questions from newsmagazine reporter".
"It's almost as if they
weren't interested in his position on Kenyan political unrest."
"Funny thing is,
he probably HAS a position on Kenyan political unrest *g* "
"And would compare and
contrast it with the Darfur situation with specific references to his UNICEF
trip."
~From a message board
discussion
1/22/08
"Associate director of
broadway's SPAMALOT Peter Lawrence says Aiken has been no idle diva; the
singer asked to be treated like any other company member and has been surprisingly
fearless."
"Clay really surprised
me. When you meet him, he's this sweet kid from North Carolina with an
accent. And you think there's no way he can do Cambridge material. And
then he does," says Lawrence.
"It's been a total delight
and a surprise for me and everyone in the company to work with Clay because
he can do things you'd never imagine he could do."
~Associate director
Peter Lawrence re: Clay Aiken and his role in Spamalot
1/21/08
"The Broadwayworld website
itself is very useful for photos, interviews and general news. Broadway.com
is advertiser driven, but it has a lot of the same features. Playbill is
considered the elite among the bunch, going back more than a hundred years.
It's pretty wonderful to see Clay being featured on all of them.
These places are part
of Clay's world now. It appears that he has proven himself to Mike Nichols,
Eric Idle, and the "Spamalot" cast and crew, and it can be expected that
they will speak well of him. Clay will, as time permits, be part of theater-related
events from now on, from shows to benefits to panel discussions. I haven't
seen him in "Spamalot" yet, and my mind is already drifting to when he
might be asked to originate a role!
His life will get increasingly
busy, between recording, pop and Christmas tours, BAF and UNICEF activism
and now acting roles. (Something in film will come up, too, I have no doubt.)
I just don't have time for the buzzing of gnats, when the real buzz about
Clay just gets louder and louder!"
~berkeley
1/20/08
"Clay appeared to me
to be totally and completely committed to this production. He was an actor
amongst actors; he was not Clay Aiken, American Idol runner-up playing
a role. He is Clay Aiken, actor, and has assumed the role(s) of a character
in a Broadway show that was certainly not created with a 'wannabe' in mind.
"
~STPteach
1/19/08
Re: Clay Aiken's January
18th Broadway debut:
"The word on the street
in NYC among the NJUs [People who weren't already fans of Clay Aiken] is
that Clay was GREAT."
~jojoct
1/11/08
"I think the thing that
attracted me to this show is how different it was and anti-Broadway it
is. I barely sing. They've written some new parts for me to sing a little.
But it gives me the opportunity to try different things. "
~Clay Aiken about SPAMALOT
1/11/08
" I treasure the moments
that he makes people feel .... transports them, even if for moments, to
somewhere beyond the hassles and obstacles often encountered in daily living."
"...the beauty of the
dance of love and laughter and joy in the exaltation of life and the vibration
of the music and being of a man who aids in transporting you there is a
hard attraction to resist, especially when it may also be savoured in the
camaraderie of other seekers journeying in to participate in moments of
time suspended in joy and a mysterious love."
~DancesOfSpirit
12/27/07
"We
had a nice Christmas at my sister-in-law’s house. Just the five of us listening
to some CDs and talking away. Then after our dinner we all went to bed
early. On the way to her house, I heard a song on the car radio that captivated
me? Mary Did You Know? It was a haunting rendition of a song that has been
done many times since it was written in 1984. This voice was dark and mysterious,
something like Alison Moyet in her prime. I searched through different
versions of the song and discovered it was actually sung by a man called
Clay Aiken. What a haunting voice and a delight to listen to! He was a
finalist on American Idol in 2003. As I don’t watch these TV shows, I really
missed out on something there."
~Echos
Across Time
12/21/07
"For me this is a shining
example of Clay's humor, he said it so casually. I didn't laugh until I
was driving home and was remembering my M&G and I remember this: For
our pictures Jamie assigns us a number and we get in line for our picture.
Clay talks through all the pictures. After we were all done with our pictures
Clay said "All done and all six of you smelled nice! "
~GodBlessedClay
12/13/07
"This is what I love
to do, I love to sing and to be able to perform in front of an audience,"
he said. "It does not happen often where someone can do what they truly
love for a living, so I feel fortunate to be able to have my dream of singing
come true. Music is such an important part of my life. The best thing of
course are the fans. Being on stage and seeing their smiles and knowing
they are enjoying the music is a great feeling."
~Clay Aiken
12/09/07
"Perfection
is for God, not for people.
Ever
look at the tags on a fine tussah silk blouse? like when it says that the
imperfections are proof of its weaving authenticity? If you don't want
imperfections, you should buy a synthetic blouse... but if your taste is
for the genuine, and for the real-deal, expect imperfections. The lack
of them is a sign of homogenized anaesthesia.
Same
goes for live concerts".
~likesclayspriorteeth
12/06/07
"
Simon Cowell interviewed. Interviewer threw out names for him to comment
on. Clay: " A classic example of somebody who was incredibly aware of the
process; what you say, how you act. He was on the internet, I think, just
about every hour, on every kind of poll available, knowing he was doing
well. During the results show, they'd come to him, he'd put his hands together
and look up and ask heaven, knowing full well he's going to sail through".
~December
GQ magazine (Bill Clinton on front)
12/06/07
"Honestly, the man has
the most dangerously subtle eyelids I have ever seen. Yes, he often employs
them with frankly seductive skill...but when he caresses with them...ah...it's
a mix of tender and intense. That slow blink, those drifting lashes, the
sidelong glance. All seemingly gentle, soft, soothing, safe...until he
drops his chin and openly looks...and the unwary are suddenly trapped by
a stunning direct gaze. Inviting. Deadly. Those eyelids. Those eyes. And
then...he smiles."
~00Isee
11/30/07
Review of the Waukegan
Concert:
"Clay Aiken gave a grown
up Christmas concert at Waukegan last night, and I was amazed at the virtuoso
performance. Clay is a musical instrument in this performance as surely
as the violins are. The physical positioning of Clay on the platform allows
the music to rise up, to swirl around him and to join with his voice and
float out to the audience and wrap it in the sound.
I witnessed the physical
beauty of Clay's hands literally move with the music. The passion flowed
out of his fingers. There were times when he used these hands to pull the
music up to him, and to pass it out to us. There were times when I noticed
his feet move to the rhythm and literally move the music through his body.
Then there was the face.
The light that comes out of that face, the joy, the pleasure was overwhelming.
He lost himself in the music, but never lost control.
There was such an artistic
connection between Clay and Jesse and the music. There was non-stop music.
It was holy and secular. It was majestic and fun. It was melancholy and
joyous. It moved at such a rapid pace, that surrender to it is the only
way to enjoy it.
Quiana and Angela gave
beautiful performances. They too, were caught in the moment. The ending
of "O Holy Night," stunning, just stunning.
If you were blind, you
could hear the beauty. If you were deaf you could feel the vibrations.
This concert is a physical, visceral experience. It foretells what we will
see from Clay, and it reflects his immense growth as an artist in charge
of his own career. God, I'm glad, I'm along for the ride."
~yaknelle
11/27/07
"I love that Clay is
always thinking, always coming up with new and different ideas, continually
showing us his heart and his artistry. I love that he knows his fans are
diverse and will love/hate/like/dislike/be enraptured with/be turned off
by/feel meh about/adore, adore, adore his shows. Some may feel all those
ways at the same time! And that's okay with him, he seems to say. It always
has been and may always be that way.
The quirky, beautiful,
mega-talented man loves us-- his sometimes quirky, almost always interesting
and devoted fans. He keeps telling us that. I love that he wants to put
together a special show each holiday season and entertain us --working
hard on each one until he is happy with it, until he thinks it is just
right. Then he presents us with his gift, every year a different one, each
one uniquely his.
He knows reactions will
vary, and that's okay. He is proud and happy with his gift regardless.
Those who aren't enraptured
this year may love the show in 2008. It's bound to be different. He's told
us his childhood stories. Does anyone really expect him to present the
same gift to us two years in a row? *g*
He's endlessly fascinating
to me. Such a unique and talented man.
~Brightstar
11/27/07
"Someone said anyone
can just stand up there and sing. I beg to differ. No one stands up there
and sings like my BF. No one. Each time I think he can't possibly sing
that song any better or make me feel it any more than I already do he proves
me wrong. I expect that to happen this tour as well. "
~beagle3
"I was thinking something
like that...That he's not "just standing there" even if he appears to be
still and in one place. He is energy, he is emotion, he is blood, he is
oxygen, he is light, he is sound...flowing in, and out, and through...pouring,
illuminating, swirling, sparkling, tugging, persuading, convincing, touching,
triumphing. It's a mysterious thing he does, really. Seeming to stand still
and "just" sing...and all the while doing, and being, so much more. "
~00Isee
11/26/07
"Remember when you were
a kid and the girl next door had a crush on Bobby Sherman or Shaun Cassidy?
It's like that, only now we have credit cards."
~ Karen Bellows as
quoted in an interview in the
Kalamazoo Gazette article
11/26/07
"When I spoke to Clay,
he seemed like such a good, warm-hearted person. I really got the feeling
that he did philanthropic things because he wanted to, not because someone
forced him to seem passionate about a cause. It made me like him even more!"
"Clay DOES talk quickly.
I do too, but most people who are being interviewed tend to speak slower
because they know the reporter is jotting things down. Not Clay. Not always
at least.
I did have to leave some
things out for size and relevance. At the very beginning of the conversation,
I asked how he was, and he said well. And I complimented his grammar, and
we talked about how he's a stickler for grammar and sometimes corrects
people. We talked about the causes he is a part of, and they're all things
that he personally chose. He said you can't force people to be passionate
about things. So if he was working with organizations that he wasn't passionate
about, you'd know. Going along with that, he said he used to work with
his church, but he's able to volunteer on a greater scale now than he was
then. We talked about how his job is getting easier, how after five years
he's gotten used to the different aspects of his job.
Those were the things
I had to leave out. It was a really nice conversation, and he was very
genuine. He didn't just spit out stock quotes like some artists can be
known to do. It wasn't rehearsed, and, as a writer, I appreciate that."
~Lisa Sokolowski in
reference to the article she wrote: Christmas
in the Heartland
11/21/07
"This will be new music,
new songs that will become signature songs. They'll stand up against some
of the mess in the market nowadays. "
~Clay Aiken about his
upcoming NEW album
11/20/07
"You of course, have
a beautful voice and I think the fact that you do so much with children
and so much with various charities, I think that puts you above some of
the other singers and actors and performers, because you want to spend
time.. and you want to do whatever YOU can to give back to the community
whether it's here in the states or in Africa or South America- that's very
commendable that you spend so much time helping less fortunate."
~Maureen from WASHFM
Radio to Clay in an interview
11/13/07
"I haven't come through
the front door of a building in 5 years."
[Words spoken by Clay
at a November 12th Special Education Concerence as he was trying to tell
the thousands of educators in the audiance where to find The Bubel/Aiken
Booth.]
"This line goes right
along with a memorable spot in the AI Rewind Hollywood segment. At the
end of the show Simon [Cowel] is chastising the entire group of guys, telling
them how badly they blew that day's audition. He says something like, "you
are going to be in limos, you are going to be in fancy hotels, you're going
to be famous" just as they show the entire group of guys just standing
there on stage listening to him.
It is amazing to watch
that piece and realize that the guy on that stage for whom that all becomes
a reality is that skinny dude on the end!"
~sugrbugr
***
"Not only that but it's amazing
to think that those big old feet of his that haven't been able to walk
in a front door for five years now have trod stages coast-to-coast during
his multiple headlining tours,been in recording studios all over the world,the
sets of how many television shows (including his own special),onto the
ice with Olympic skaters,and will soon take him to Broadway.
They've also taken him
to how many events to help the world's children including those of his
own foundation, to testify before Congress on their behalf, and to Presidential
committee meetings that he has been appointed to.
They've walked the devastated
ground in Banda Ache after the tsunami, the war-torn fields of Uganda,and
the dangerous mountain slopes of Afghanistan.
They've "walked the line"
for how many miles, night after night, just to touch our hands and thank
us because we love him and have followed those footsteps.
He may have stopped walking
in front doors five years ago but OH, the places he has walked instead.
"
~Rocky's Mom
11/11/07
Comments
about the newly- seen footage of Clay from American Idol 2 Rewind:
"Amazing how it takes
only a second for Clay's voice to engage one in the most lovely, transcendant
aural trance. That Superstar clip is four lines, but it is so rich with
that "essence of Clay," similar to that old clip of his part in "Hello"
(about the same length). It's an effort to tear oneself away even after
multiple on multiple viewings. As for what he was like then, all that comes
to mind between the beautiful hazel eyes, the lashes, the lanky body, the
sincerity, and the unique vocal tone and timbre, is that he was a totally
dreamy guy.
Paula and Randy are rocking
back and forth to the rhythm of the music, entranced by Clay's voice; Simon
is rocking a bit faster, with an edge of agitation seemingly. I think not
only is he thinking how the hell can it still be any kind of a competition
with this voice in the mix, but Clay's just so incredibly good and so polished
already vocally that a part of Simon must have sensed that his own dominance
on the show was challenged. Clay had the ability to do nothing but be polite,
thoughtful and sing, and in the process naturally soak up every drop of
attention in the room. Simon was confronted with someone that maybe he
sensed was intrinsically more than him, more conscious, more intelligent,
more passionate, more compassionate, and way more talented. And Clay's
standing there, probably only part of him really knowing how much talent
he already had. What an interesting dynamic and drama between the two of
them that had begun. And it will end with Simon's near-irrelevance, just
another man with a lot of money, while Clay still has all the real goods
that make for a fascinating person with a multitude of ways to entertain,
thrill, soothe, and influence people."
~waterbaby
11/10/07
"I love watching these
old clips. [video from American Ido 2] Not really old, just 5 years, but
it seems longer. I fell in love with that skinny, geeky-looking kid on
the American Idol stage with this huge, unique voice who sang with so much
love and passion that you forgot anything else. Now the voice and the body
match. The contrast is so great watching America Idol Rewind that I am
blown away. It is like the Sandecki [American Idol 5] Finale night being
replayed over and over. What a transformation, but my love for that skinny
kid is still there too. I do miss the confident, yet innocent expression
of sparkly anticipation that used to be in Clay's eyes, which has been
replaced by a more knowing and experienced wariness. He is one truly amazing
man, as fascinating and mysterious as ever."
~Barnett2
~~~~~~~
"One part that I love
is about 30 seconds into [the] Superstar [video] when they had just finished
singing. For just a second, he looked unsure. It was a rare hole in his
confidence and I wanted to hug him and tell him five years later it was
going to be OK. That he would be a millionaire with a devoted fanbase and
tremendous opportunities on the horizon. That he would have the opportunity
to tour the world and feed both his creative soul and his devotion to children."
~Corabeth
11/03/07
"...this
week, I am exceptionally proud of my association with Clay. I am particularly
honored by the way he chooses to put his strong convictions in the forefront
of his life."
~makenaiken1
11/02/07
"You are a quality human
being and a man of character."
~Jeff Foxworthy to
Clay Aiken as they shook hands after Clay won 300,000 dollars for his
Buble/Aiken Foundation
on 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth grader'
10/29/07
Unsent
letter to critic who wrote an ill-informed and erroneous report about
Clay's appearance at The Neil Sedaka Tribute -neglecting to even
mention Clay's spectacular performance:
[Webmaster
note: Chances are good that the critic wrote it to intentionally incite
angry responses from Clay's fans. The writer of the letter below
didn't send it because she believed that the critic did not derserve that
satisfaction.]
"Yes,
<snip> (or insert a variety of names here), it's true. Clay is taller
than you. And much more good looking. And so much smarter. And mega talented.
Did I mention well known? He turns heads. Oh, yes, and much more successful.
And respected-- by those who matter. He has a much nicer physique too.
Trim in the right spots and large where it counts. Yes, he has a huge heart.
And huge other wonderful things. Heh. I suspect that he's also much, much,
much richer than you are. And loved. Oh boy, is he loved! Ticks you off,
doesn't it?
How
much money did you raise the last time you signed and sold one of your
shirts? No? Why not? I see, no takers. Well the last time Clay did that,
he made thousands and thousands of dollars. Not for himself, mind you (did
I say he was rich?), but for his charity. What’s the name of your foundation?
Oh, you don’t have one. Too bad. Giving, helping others, encouraging, praising,
and celebrating accomplishments can be so rewarding. You should try it
sometime.
Well,
I could say more, but I must go buy some tickets to Clay's skating show.
And his Christmas concerts. And of course Spamalot. Can't wait to buy his
new CD! Of course he's still selling his first three. And his book. And
the audiobook. I hear he has a speaking engagement soon, sharing what he's
learned about Afghanistan--you should check it out. Maybe he'll share a
bit about his travels to Uganda and Indonesia, etc. too. Don't be surprised
if he's hard to reach for comment, though. He may be busy on the phone
with someone from UNICEF. Or his Presidential committee. Or Tyra Banks.
:) Maybe he'll give you a wave. Nah, I doubt it. He's learned to ignore
a-holes.
Must
suck to be you."
~Brightstar
10/28/07
"Looking
at pictures of David Foster with his arm around Clay reminds me of the
story about the Rockefeller: When someone asked to borrow $30K from him,
he said, "I'll do better than lending you $30K. I'll walk for 15 minutes
on the floor of the stock exchange with my arm around you. Then you can
borrow any amount of money from anybody." With association with and respect
from the likes of Foster and Sedaka, all the gnats are not even worth noticing."
~propounder
10/27/07
"I
hear nothing tentative about the beginning; I hear Clay taking the excited
energy in the room and softly and tenderly calming the audience down and
drawing them into the beautiful poignancy of the song. The tone on the
first high "Solitaire" note - gah! And the purity of the high notes mixed
with the deep, full richness of the low notes, with Clay moving so fluidly
in between the two; Clay has the consciousness of everyone listening suspended
in time with him as he moves them along on the song's journey. His eyes
and lips give even more depth and color to the tenderness in his tone,
then his hands begin to also reflect the anguish in the message of the
song. I wonder if he could sense all the hearts pounding with him on the
climax glory note and final notes.
I
think Clay celebrated before the high five with David, as he broke character
and did the fist pump and cute bounce on the final note. He knew he'd done
an amazing job, and I loved watching him celebrate it.
So
we have a version of Solitaire now that is an exquisite work of art, both
vocally and visually. What is more amazing is that we have the equivalent
work of art for many other songs as well that Clay has blown out of the
park over the years.
~waterbaby
10/27/07
"Clay
was born to perform. Period. He was born to be where he is now. He has
the talent, of course, but he also has the intellect, the character, the
heart, the passion, the perspective, and the wisdom to do this. No matter
what opposition he faces, no matter how loud the haters and the clueless
can be, he is destined for greatness, I believe. Maybe not as a pop star,
but greatness none the less. And I don't think he has even begun to plumb
the depths of his abilities. It's almost scary how talented he is.
I
just feel so lucky to be here now, following and appreciating him. I hope
I'm "frightened" and enthralled for decades to come. He's no angel, thank
goodness, yet he's a delicious bit of heaven on earth."
~Brightstar
10/26/07
"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. Yes, it provides a place for gnats and crazies
to spout their garbage, but it can also 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.
There
are so many troubles in the world these days, far away and close to home,
but tonight I'm just all smiles and gahs and goosebumps and giddiness.
"
~Brightstar
10/26/07
"Clay
Aiken is amazing beyond that glorious voice. Turns out he is an excellent
comic actor and a master of character. People will be surprised by his
wide ranging talent, since the first impression is of great country charm
and a singer to remember. This guy is not only a star, he is a lot more.
We are lucky to get him for SPAMALOT."
~Director
Mike Nichols
10/13/07
(In
reference to 10/13/03):
"Four
years ago I took my first trip to NYC, and I went alone. Clay empowers,
y'all.
I slept with my first
Clay fan (woohoo). I saw my first nekkid singing cowboy. I stood in line
at 3 a.m. for a wave and a "hey guys!" from the most beautiful creature
I had ever laid eyes on. I ran all the way back from Virgin Records to
the hotel, trailing the pull-out poster of Clay like a banner, to watch
the most incredible performance of Invisible I've ever seen.
Gosh, that was a really
great night. So full of hope and promise, and bittersweet vindication and
fulfillment."
~Jemock
10/10/07
"[Clay] is a grown man.
I respect him enough to
stand back while he handles his own professional life, private life and
especially his security.
I'll use my voice to natter
on about how much fun this choice or that one would be, and I'll ignore
the issues that affect his life -- as per his specific request.
I'll deal with the larger
issues of racism, sexism, homophobia and religious intolerance as I see
fit, but I won't use him as a poster boy for anything. "
~berkeley
10/01/07
Re:
Clay's Narration of American Idol Rewind: Season 2
"I've
written narration for documentaries, commercials and lifestyle projects,
editing and rearranging the words to better support the pictures. The narrator
can be directed to say the words in a certain rhythm to coordinate with
the action on the screen or with the cuts (edits), use tone of voice to
help create a mood, foreshadow upcoming action, summarize the theme of
the piece and sometimes suppy in words what is missing in pictures. Because
the narrator is (or can be) an additional "character" in a production,
it is essential that the narrator vary his delivery, from rhythm to pitch
to speed to intensity, and suggest a mood as well. He should be clear without
overenunciating, which is at least as distracting as the viewer having
to ask, "What did he say?"
I try to be objective
about Clay's professional accomplishments --- there's no point in me thinking
that everything he does is perfect, because he's human and it just isn't
always so. As a narrator, though, I would rate him at least a strong A-.
He really did a superb job with all of the above factors."
~berkeley
10/01/07
"The way for Clay to
genuinely make an impact with new music does -not- begin with radio penetration.
It will begin with songs like [Measure of a Man] and "Lover All Alone"
that people genuinely believe reflect his persona and personality. Those
songs will show up on his myspace page, on AOL Music, YouTube, etc., maybe
on a TV show, and Clay will perform at least one of those songs on a TV
show or three. If his music is connecting, we'll start to see positive
word of mouth, and a measurable impact via consistent digital downloads
performance (leading up to or accompanying decent album sales). I'm not
talking about flashy initial or weekly numbers, but steady and growing
numbers on a week to week basis. If that keeps up, radio may very well
follow. The way that pop radio is these days, I don't think it's the logical
starting point, whether you're the artist, record label or management.
The management in particular would, I would hope, be looking for creative
ways to generate positive word of mouth."
~43dudleyvillas
9/28/07
" My husband and I agree
that there is the special something about Clay- his voice and his persona-
that just makes people happy. I feel a sadness for those who "don't
get it" because they are missing out on this wonderful feeling of -
as
a4a beautifully described it-- "the link to hope".
In other cases it is like a re-awakening that just makes people happier,
and in turn their happiness spills over to the people around them.
Sometimes, all it takes is that voice to touch something inside us which
blooms and brings a smile to our faces or a thrill that is indefinable.
Many people will never get it. But those of us who do are the lucky
ones."
~Janwhatever
(posted after several
e-mailed requests)
9/26/07
"Yep, he's just a singer.
And just a humanitarian. And just a comedian, just a witty, snarky, bawdy
man, just an entertainer. Just a teacher, a writer, a presidential committee
member. Oh, and just a dorkie/hawt/humble/deliciously sexy guy.
That's all.
No biggie."
~Brightstar
9/26/07
"
As the House Manager of the Community Arts Center, I am so pleased to welcome
Clay Aiken and his fans back to our beautiful venue. The entire staff of
the CAC had such a wonderful experience with not only Mr. Aiken, but with
his wonderful Claymates and Claymaniacs last year. I believe that myself
and the rest of the staff were moved not only by his talent, but his kind
and loving nature. Not only is he an very talented artist, but a gentleman
as well!"
~Lara
Collins Breon
Williamsport
Community Arts Center
"Count me in as one who
thinks Clay wouldn't flaunt his success among his high school friends.
He was a popular, well-liked student, and wouldn't have anything to prove
by showing off how much money he has, or by name-dropping or by thumbing
his nose at anybody. I think he, probably more than most people, knows
that there are things much more valuable than riches.
But I do hope he looked
hawt."
~Jemock
"Clay's first blog yesterday
about Fantasia while everyone was expecting a comment about the tour rumor
was the cyber-equivalent of leaving the toilet seat up in the middle of
the night."
~Rocky's Mom
9/11/07
"Clay
has a terrific voice and he uses it well. But he's always been an entertainer.
Take another look at the much maligned Hometown Connection stuff. Singing
is just one part of who he is as a performer. What he does requires a complicated
skill set and singing is just one tool in his arsenal, albeit a powerful
one. He's also a storyteller, and a comedian, and a teacher, and a commentator,
and a promoter, and a producer. Lots of characters up there on that stage
every time he picks up a mic. "
~idlefan4ca
8/30/07
"He
came across not just as smart. He was not the memorized facts and figures
and book smart stuff. Yes, he was smart and confident. But more than that,
he clearly was well informed and very knowledgeable. He came across as
experienced, even worldly. It was obvious he was well rounded and grounded
and very much a man worthy of respect. He was the kind of man you’d solicit
and value his opinion if you were looking for someone who really “gets
it,” someone to believe and trust and put your faith in. He came across
as the kind of many that you’d sit up and notice. His responses were reasoned,
well thought out and were based on what he knows; not guesses. No ego;
he was focused, fully responsible and there to do a good job for his children.
And that he did!
He was real, totally authentic
and congruent and very much in the moment. I was talking to xxx4clay afterward
in the car on the way home. She said she would love the world to see Clay
as he really is, the way we see him. I think yesterday was all that and
a bag of chips! This is the closest he’s ever come to that, certainly on
television. You get to see ALL sides! ALL! Really, really, “REAL and CLASSIC”
Clay in the best possible way.
This appearance will serve
Clay extremely well. The people who already loved him going in will be
absolutely thrilled and love him more. The people who liked him will really
have their eyes opened and find a new level of respect and admiration.
The people who don’t “know” him will be really impressed. They will see
a multi-faced, multi-dimensional MAN. And the people who are neutral will
be nudged into really thinking he is pretty damn OK--a grown man who handled
himself very, very well. Some will quite frankly be shocked—certainly out
of their preconceived notions about that Clay Aiken guy. The people who
didn’t like him going in will be quite surprised and the LEAST they could
walk away with is, he’s really, really smart. "
~gareem- (after watching
the ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER taping)
8/29//07
"Four years later, this
fan has borne witness to the evolution of a man…a man in possession of
a voice unique, unmatched by any of his generation. However, this man is
so much more than a participant within the musical landscape of today.
No, he has emerged from his boyhood into a man of complexity, inner depth,
and contradictory traits awash in unabashed courage. At once, seemingly
naïve and yet knowingly sexy, sensitive and impatient, funny and wise,
Clay’s persona is revealed. From an unsubstantial youthful build, he has
grown into broad shouldered, narrow hipped young man ideally suited for
designer attire and fashion forward hair cuts…handsome and desirable. Initially
tentative, he confidently commands the stage, poised to banter with any
and all who evoke his mirth."
~Clayharmony
8/20/07
"I
love dangerous comedy that really kind of skewers people and situations,
and what's amazed me this tour (and last Christmas tour) is that Clay really
has that same ability that Jimmy Kimmel has, to be able to sluice people
with rapier sharp wit, but due to their overall demeanors being so warm
and affable, it doesn't come across as at all mean, even when it's quite
a cutting observation. For instance, picture someone like Dennis Miller
saying one of my favorite Clay lines from last night: "They may not know
how to punch a hanging chad, but they can sing a TV theme song." Out of
Miller's mouth, it's funny in a confrontational way that attacks the intelligence
of Floridians; but with Clay it's even funnier because it retains all of
its connotations, but with him delivering the line with that sunny smile
and modest demeanor, it becomes more of a gentle observation of human nature
that even Floridians can laugh at, with layers beneath that available if
you wish to enjoy them."
~waterbaby
8/20/07
"The fifty2thirty family
has finished another successful journey down this street. And I thank you
for Philadelphia, Meadowbrook, Newark and most especially, Asheville. Memories
of the faux catwalk, the jumbotrons, cussin Clay, incredible M&G reports,
the duet with the cello in "Lover All Alone", bats and bugs and rolling
laughter. And voices in song....Oh, such voices. No one compares. No.One.
Rest well, Clay. Hug your
two sisters tight, they have reached new heights in their showmanship.
Stop teasing Jesse for a day. He is a master for someone so young. Give
Jerome a slap on the back. So tough when he needs to be and then 10 minutes
later leads a kindergarten line of adults in a circle. Never leave him,
Jerome.
Search far and wide, Jaymes.
This man deserves the best that is out there. Well, he wrote the best that
is out there. Please honor it and find more."
~Corabeth
8/19/07
Clay Aiken is a
funny guy. Whether leading the crowd through a medley of television theme
songs, including Diff'rent Strokes and Growing Pains, or mocking his uncoolness
with OPP or SexyBack (yeah, you read that right), the boy's got a comedian's
timing and deft touch with a zinger.
~Leslie
Gray Streeter
"Hi friends...I just came
back from watching my first "Clay Aiken" concert here in West Palm Beach...The
boy can sing...And he has a sense of humor...He should advertise his concert
as more of a "variety" show...I truly think the guy can sing, dance, tell
jokes, rap, and actually act cool...I went to the concert expecting to
leave bored; however, I was highly impressed...I give it 4 out of 5 stars..."
~From a blog by a 38
year old man
8/18/07
"And in the past, he
[Clay} had indicated that he wanted a talk show, not a variety show, not
anything else. But I see now that he’s open to other types of shows… I
think he wants the opportunity to be on TV because he’s an entertainer,
period. A talk/variety show that is a hybrid, that would allow him to sing,
to entertain, as well as have conversations with people of interest to
him (I don’t think he’s interested in talking with too many “useless celebrities”)
would be what he wants, I imagine. I can’t help but think that Team Clay
must put together its own audition tape from our clack [fan videos taken
at his concerts] … there are so many wonderful moments that the clack-gatherers
of this fandom have captured that would serve Clay well in meetings around
town. His voice is a given… he needs to prove that he has the magic, the
personality, to carry his own show. The shows could be taped on a 3-day
a week basis, leaving him time for his singing career; I don’t think he
wants to give that up. I’m thinking now that if the show comes first, he
would have the opportunity to bring the singing back to the forefront with
the public (that singing that—for some reason—we haven’t seen in primetime
TV for years) and thereby get the publicity for the NEXT CD that he sure
as hell didn’t get for the last one."
~ellenpoppy
8/13/07
Re: The Asheville Biltmore
Hotel busline to touch Clay's hand:
"I wonder if Biltmore
people realized they were going to have 2000 people in the lawn. (My guess
is the lawn is about the length of a football field but a little wider.
We completely filled the perimeter and then Jerome came out. I think I
said to Karma4clay that Jerome [Clay's bodyguard] must sit in the bus with
graph paper and figure out the best way to make the line work. Jerome came
out and walked the perimeter and then grabbed someone's hand and we did
the kindergarten walk so that there was an additional line the full length
of the lawn! As I walked hand in hand with Invisible926 and a lady I never
met but who had watched him sing as Clayton Grissom years ago, I passed
security guards. One was saying "Red Rover, Red Rover". I said, "I bet
you do this for all the shows" and he shook his head in amazement "No,
we don't."
Even walking hand in hand
like that which under normal circumstances might seem very silly, just
felt good. It felt like a combination of grade school recess and peace
march. It was an amazing site, nearly 2000 people standing there in the
pitch dark for over an hour on the lawn with the amazing backdrop of the
house."
~Corabeth
8/11/07
"Thanks to everyone who
made last night possible -- in real time, and now in retrospect, too. To
those who have brought still and moving and word pictures to round out
the experience, thank you in a thousand different ways. To Jerome, for
earning his paycheck and a big fat bonus last night. To Mary, for writing
the blog and not dancing around the reason for it. To Quiana and Angela,
for providing multiple levels of back-up and support. To everyone who waved
a glowstick, although I'm not typically pro-glowstick.
And to Clay. For being
class and dignity and fortitude personified. For shining a spotlight on
truth, and leaving the lies in shadow, where they belong. For doing something
that I imagine had to be very, very hard, and making it look easy. Last
night was the perfect metaphor for the past year and a half: the heat was
cranked up, but Clay came out of it cool -- off the chain, in fact.
Wish I'd been there. Thanks
to everyone who fleshed out the experience for me, so I feel like I was.
~OldMovieGal
"A young African-American
serviceman in front of me was loving the show. At intermission he said
(paraphrased), "It's like a symphony show, and a stand-up comic, and a
REALLY GOOD concert all together."
Why yes it was."
~suziebird7
"Someone recently reported
(and I am paraphrasing) they were told that Clay loves meeting fans but
does not like it so much when fans are, for lack of a better term, "gaga"
over him. He doesn't "get" that degree of emotion or the extreme attraction
factor. So I think this meet &greet format helps fans see Clay as a
person rather than just a star, while it also lets Clay see fans as thinking,
caring, smart, funny, not-scary individuals (well, most of them *g*). I
would say it helps break down the barriers, assuming there are barriers,
on both sides. Brilliant.
I love the sense of "equality"
there. Clay sits with the fans, interacts with them, answers all types
of questions, and is not behind a desk or table "receiving his subjects"
and just saying hi and signing something. It sounds as if these m&gs
may lessen the "starstruck" factor, while, ironically in a way, (possibly)
intensifying the love and caring and connection. They sound very "real"
and very Clay.
Add to all that the opportunity
to hear Clay answer at least some burning questions, to deflect myths and
conspiracy theories, and to have his words posted online for all to read,
and I find myself looking for an adjective bigger than brilliant.
He's a big man, but his
brain and savvy are just all out of proportion huge."
~Brightstar
"Clay Aiken is a riot.
There's something genuinely comedic about the singer, care-free and, well,
likable."
~ DAVID GRAVES
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"And yet, let me tell
you …..he can sing like a son of a gun. When he isn’t sounding like God’s
most precious choirboy, he approaches Luther Vandrossian levels of soul
pop."
"But our boy Clay was
singing from the fist-sized organ in his chest. He’s no dummy. In fact,
I figure him to be quite shrewd. The placing and pacing of “Arms” woke
me up and won me over."
"Aiken sang those soul-numbing
lyrics with every ounce of focused emotional force he could conjure. Every
hurt, every slight, every deep yearning to be loved when he wasn’t came
out in that song. And let me tell you, we’re talking utterly convincing.
I would’ve dabbed his eyes myself if he’d been teary. "
~John Petric
Ohio Press
"If Clay can keep touring
and bringing in new people, he is going to continue to win them over, many
of them, one by one. He has a knack for finding a balance, a well chosen
variety in his set. Viewers can only hold out for so long before he delivers
a moment that delights them, in spite of any preconceived notions. And
once he's found their "soft spot," he'll reel them in and and have his
way with them. Heh. He's popping the bubbles of scorn then blowing their
minds."
~Brightstar
"His mother couldn’t have
known it…but the name she chose for her baby boy suits him so well. Clay
is a substance that is firm but pliable. It can be molded to take new shapes.
Clay takes new shapes every day, every night when he steps on stage. He
is forever a work in progress. He takes ad lib to new levels. Onstage and
in life.
Listening to him, watching
him, is like watching an artist with a brush. Dabbing at colors. Mixing
them. Adding texture. Building a picture. Creating a masterpiece. Some
abstract. Some clean and classic. But all are variations of the original.
A push here, a push there. But always a new shape.
While he holds the line
wherever he is at a given point of time, he manages to create a new arc.
He plays to his strengths. One of his biggest is…us. He is delighting in
that now. He has always known. Sometimes he has been a little in denial.
But he has always known. And now we are one of his Aces in the hole. He
massages that strength. He knows what he can do with it.
His voice, his presence,
his personality all find their niche. But the clay is a work in progress.
He works it, but so do we. His strength, his muse. His life is evolving,
his brushes are changing. But we are his constant, his canvas. And he loves
the color.
It’s a beautiful creation.
The man. The voice. The sculpture that is all of it. And we are part of
the compound that is…
Clay."
~callieK
"I think people like to
put performers in a box and categorize them somehow-this person is a comedian.
This person is an actor. This person is a singer." Aiken explains. "It
is very rare that you'll find someone who is known for more than one thing."
"So right now, people
see what I do as singing." I'd love to change that a bit and kind of branch
out and be known as other things."
~Clay Aiken
"Aiken's strongest moment
was his performance of Lover All Alone, for which he wrote the lyrics.
In spite of jarring intonation problems from his guitarist, he loosened
his grip on the polished, practiced stage manner and truly connected with
his own soul.
And for those few minutes,
the squealing fans, the strong-willed women, the devoted husbands and the
rest of the audience fell absolutely silent in appreciation."
~Lynn
Green with the Columbus Dispatch
"'Lover All Alone' was
fantastic. I read all the reports that said you could hear a pin drop while
he performed this song, but I guess I didn't really believe it. Before
the song started, I was still half-expecting someone to yell out something
during the song. Was I ever wrong. There was no shouting, there was no
talking, there was hardly any whispering. Over ten thousand people, that
engrossed in a song... it was unbelievable."
~va_1587
"Regarding the Soft Rock
in a Hard Place Tour, Clay has definitely brought “sexy” back. At
last sexuality has been lifted from the manufactured and marketed, suggestive,
lewd, and pornographic to a level that can be celebrated and enjoyed wholesomely
and, at times, with marvelous humor."
~Mitzi Gill
"He [Clay] has
been warm, funny and sincere. This recent interview was particularly entertaining.
I often laughed out loud, as did he."
~Joey Guerra of The
Houston Chronicle about his
interview with Clay
On Idol: The Musical:
"I just heard about it
not too long ago. I don't know what to think about it. I think it's kind
of flattering, a little bit. Someone put some money into it. They think
people are going to show up. I kind of want to see it. That way if they
do make fun of me, they'll have to deal with me sitting right there. And
then I will boo them loudly."(spoken with a laugh)
~Clay Aiken
"If I were the desperate
and threatened children of northern Uganda, who also have gotten almost
no attention from the press (again, with the same exception of ET), I would
be upset and dismayed that a stupid celebrity non-story is the top story
on most news sites today.
Then again, as much as
the media seems to screw up the actual facts in a situation, maybe they're
better off anyway."
~Clay Aiken
"I've come to expect the
extremes of love and hate [for Clay Aiken]. What I find amusing is that
the media seems just as fascinated by him as the fans and the haters are.
He's an unexpected twenty-first century pied piper--his fans know why they're
following him (figuratively and sometimes literally [snip]: the others
I picture trailing behind him, confused and not pleased to be there, but
helpless to leave. Maybe that's why they sound so cranky."
~Brightstar
"I think what makes many
people truly admire and "love" Clay Aiken is this very real, human quality
he has. I think he is absolutely sensational as a singer--I could
go into all sorts of high minded music major talk about the timbre of his
voice, it's color, where his breaks are, etc. But he has a great
natural sound, no bad habits or affectations, and he sings the music, not
messes up with vocal gymnastics. You can relax and enjoy the emotion
you feel when Clay sings.
But just as much, he
has this wonderful quality of basic goodness, decency and warmth to his
personality. He's kind of a boy next door with a great personality
and lots of talent and his decency is what makes you want good things for
him.
He is really a special
talent."
~A Music Major
"As
I was listening to the show unfold last night, it occurred to me that,
except for when he's singing to the Lord, Clay is probably always going
to be more about being an entertainer (and a teacher, and a philanthropist,
etc.) than purely a singer. I get the feeling that he isn't content just
to have a singularly gorgeous, distinctive, pitch-perfect voice that is
so facile that he can switch from singing a serious ballad to snarking
on schlocky TV themes to belting out a patriotic anthem without missing
a beat. The kind of addictive voice that makes anyone hearing it live eagerly
anticipate their next fix. Having a voice like that would be plenty for
some people, but not Clay. He's got to draw you in, make you laugh, win
you over. It's who he is. And even at his young age, he knows himself and
isn't afraid to let us know him, too, with all his foibles."
~Pink Armchair
Question:
"What one record would people be surprised to find in your collection?"
Answer:
"My brother's a Marine, and he's into this group called Breaking Benjamin.
I don't know much about them, but I own that. I wanted to kind of see what
he was listening to. There's a song called Diary of Jane that I think is
pretty good. . . . Breaking Benjamin is going to kill themselves because
they got mentioned in the same article (as) Clay Aiken. There goes the
rep."
~Clay
Aiken
RE: The unusual spong
choices for the Frisco Concert:
"So these choices are
not conservative ones. He is taking a chance. However, if he perfects the
show, it is conceivable that the payoff could be huge. Many of us have
often commented that he's an entertainer, and not just a singer. If he
can prove himself not just amusing but screamingly funny, it could help
open doors in other media. If 'Lover All Alone'
starts to get noticed, not just by fans, but by others, it could help raise
his credibility as an artist.
Clay took a risk when
he tried out for American Idol. He could have been rejected and sent home
on national television. It would have been easier to stay home and do his
little Hometown Connection show, pick up his regular paycheck at the school
district, and go to bed at night knowing that at least some people liked
his music. However, he took a shot, and it paid off big."
~JennaZ
"Lover All Alone" has
changed the dynamics forever. No matter how great the cover song or how
well Clay sings it, we have been exposed to something else. We now have
a real, honest, Clay-written song, that is glorious, personal and showcases
his fabulous vocal range. It was a major achievement and changed Clay forever,
whether he realizes it or not. We are hungry for more. Clay can't go back
doing what worked before. Clay has to go forward. He must continue writing
and exploring that side of his talent.
Clay, you are no longer
solely a singer. You are a writer of songs. Your songs."
~Barnett2
"My guess is that it is
most people's hope that Clay writes more songs that mean something to him
and that he doesn't write songs just for the hell of it. He may, he may
not write for the next CD. He may have a slew of stuff in a journal somewhere
just waiting to be put to music. He may not. None of us know. But considering
what he has said in the past, I would think he will never just write songs
because a fan, or fans, want him to. That doesn't change, for me, the gift
of "Lover All Alone" and it's just my humble opinion, but I don't think
it's the only song Clay has in him. The simplicity of the words is an art.
It's very difficult to strip away artiface. That's a sophisticated and
complex song disguised in simplicity. So it has changed the dynamic for
me as before this song, I didn't know Clay could do that. Now I do. From
what Jaymes said about Clay being an awesome lyricist - I would think that
she and, hopefully, David and Eman and anyone else that has worked with
him on songs in the past, would be encouraging him to stretch himself in
that direction. I love hearing that part of Clay that is his to share with
us."
~Nanjeanne
I am more convinced than
ever that Clay Aiken, is the bravest, most self-aware man in show business.
He totally does what he wants, how he wants to do it,
and says a pointed, ___ you to all who would mock, insult and demean him.
He's really, truly my hero.
~cindilu2
Re: Clay's iPhone blogs
"iLaughed!
He is the biggest dork
who ever dorked, and I love him."
~berkeley
"I think about how hard
people have worked through the years to design a musical instrument, any
instrument-- to make it play just so and bring forth a beautiful note.
Then I think how amazing it is that Clay was just born with his voice,
as beautiful as any instrument, to me at least. In fact, I think Clay’s
voice is like a hundred instruments, all beautiful, and I don’t even think
we’ve heard them all yet. Yes, he can practice, learn more, and improve
his technique, but the natural gift, even miracle, of his voice was there
at the beginning. It’s no wonder his voice can blend with the cello and
other instruments. It’s one of them, only better. Like the best instrument,
played by the most accomplished musician, his voice can inspire feelings
of love, peace, excitement, haunting sadness, calm, and most of all, joy.
It is a voice which should, IMO, be recognized, acknowledged, respected,
and celebrated-- and by many more than "just us."
~Brightstar
6/09/07
"Let them say it. It
doesn't make it true."
~Clay Aiken
6/04/07
"I must say that if somebody
in Canada hadn't heard of Clay before this past week, they certainly have
now. It was almost as if he was on a press junket the last few days.
I don't think that National
Post article is a dig at Clay at all. The writer is doing a comparison
of Clay to the new wing. The new ROM wing is very controversial. You love
it or hate it. But you have to have some kind of feeling about it. Which
means it is not boring. And that is like Clay. There is nothing worse for
an entertainer than to be boring. The writer certainly gave Clay a lot
of press space."
~Jank
"I loved the Post article.
It's all true - not everyone loves Clay Aiken. Personally I'd be very upset
if he was so boring that he didn't inspire intense feelings. Not to say
I appreciate the truly insane ones - but having a strong enough character
to not please everyone is one of the things I adore about Clay. And daring
and not-ordinary are great ways to think of Clay. I thought this was a
great mention. Love the new wing or hate the new wing - it's something
that is being written about and talked about. And I agree with the writer,
human architecture is fascinating. And Clay's is complex, stunning, with
great bones and a solid foundation."
~ Nanjeanne
"CLAY AIKEN, the American
Idol super-graduate, stole the show by singing at Arnold Schwarzenegger's
appearance at the Stanley Park Pavilion Thursday."
~The Vancouver Sun
"My God, he
looks good in these press mentions, so happy and glowing. I love the
patronly look on Foster's face and the friendly hand on the shoulder. Clay
is sure hobnobbing with the elite. He works with a President's committee,
meets a Premier, and performs before a governor. Clay is class personified.
I couldn't be prouder to be a fan."
~Barnett2
"It's been a good day.
We got a mussed up, packed-in, wide shouldered, jean-clad hipped, gorgeous
faced, arm furred, blog-writing Clay. I'm
happy."
~EmeraldEyes
"You know, I keep tryin'
to work up some fear and trepidation about this tour, and I just can't.
The only thing I've learned to expect from Clay Aiken is.....the unexpected.
I learned my lesson back in 2005 with the JBT. God knows I pissed and moaned
to my friends once we learned that Clay was going to be including selections
from every decade, including the dreaded Fifties. "No, no, NO! I HATE the
music from the Fifties. AND I don't LIKE Elvis music," I whined. Well,
many of us who attended those concerts know how THAT turned out. Yeah,
I loved it. A lot. Times seven.
I'll never doubt his choices
again. How will he make his entrance? Whether he uncoils himself from the
tympani or merely strolls in, I know that, either way, my eyeballs will
suck him into view and my pulse will do that little stutter-step. Nah,
I don't expect pure Symphony Boi. Make no mistake, there WILL be a symphony
orchestra behind him, with all that connotes. (I'm trying to PleezeBabyJeezus
a stool, a spotlight, an open-throated shirt and Lover All Alone into existence.)
But really, those musicians can play ANYthing. It must be amazing to have
that full, rich sound behind you. And our Boyfriend can sing anything...and
he LIKES to surprise us.
I've seen orchestras break
out of that "Symphony #11 by so-and-so" mold, haven't you? I love when
an orchestra "pops." They seem to love it. It's like they simultaneously
turned the page on their music stands and there was......pure pron. They
play for their lives....am I imagining that their eyes are just a little
brighter and they're leanin' in just a little closer? They finish, and
seem to smirk sidelong at each other and there's a little smug "Well, how
do you like THAT?" in the air.
And, as for Clay, I expect
the usual. I expect him to seat me, heat me, and street me...several times.
I imagine he might just grab us by the eardrums, have his way with us...and
then we'll suddenly find ourselves on the now-dark sidewalk.
Those orchestras and Clay?
I think with at least SOME of the songs, it'll be like............well............
............like layin'
rubber with a Rolls Royce."
~Whatever
"I printed out the criteria
for UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors & found the following attributes...sure
fits Clay to a T!
1. Widely recognized talent
in their public field;
2. Integrity, strong desire
to mobilize public interest re: UN programs, etc.;
3. Personality & dignity
to be a good representative;
4. Influential beyond
own national borders;
5. Knowledgeable about
UN goals & activities;
6. Good judgement, discretion,
respect the UN, refrain from incompatible activities;
7. Good citizenship, reputation,
prestige, talent, presence;
8. Passionate, courageous,
inspiring, caring, principled, credible, capable, influential,committed;
9. Leadership, willingness
to use professional prestige & networks to promote the cause of children;
10. Positive role model,
compelling, eloquent;
11. Articulate, genuinely
interested, willing to learn;
12. Ability to reach specific
audiences & to touch people's hearts.
UNICEF is VERY SELECTIVE
in making their choices. There are only about 200 Goodwill Ambassadors
in the world! "
~dardar1126
"I teach in a preschool
(4's) and most days at lunch I play Clay.They love the All Is Well CD.
The kids calm down and they even say to each other "shush, the big note
is coming." The best part is that it is a Jewish preschool, and pretty
religious, so they call Emmanuel "The Israel Song." If I don't put it on
then they request it, saying "Can you please play the Israel song? How
can I say no? "
~clayamour
"Not too long ago a young
man full of hopes and dreams and heart , auditioned in South Carolina singing
"Over The Rainbow". He was a little shaky and looked mildly geeky. He had
suffered for years as a child who was not "macho" or "athletic". He felt
like an outsider in his own family at times..
Jump to almost five years(?)
later and we see after almost winning a talent show and a makeover of sorts,
this same heartfelt and intelligent soul out and aout , making a huge difference
with UNICEF, his own foundation and his glorious voice and gifts as an
entertainer. He has millions of devoted fans. He meets lovely women like
Tyra Banks for dinner! The "makeover" was immaterial- if the substance
wasn't there, the heart, the talent, this amazing story would not have
taken place.
He is an uplift and inspiration
to many of us who have felt rejected, undecided, like "outsiders", unattractive
according to current standards. He IS "Cinderfella". But there was no fairy
godmother here- there was character and the expression and sharing of his
many gifts."
~Divayenta
"UNICEF has 60 years of
experience dealing with children's issues.
The President's Commitee
for People with Intellectual Disabilities was founded 46 years ago.
The National Center for
Learning Disabilties is celebrating their 30th anniversary.
All three organizations
deem Clay Aiken to be an exemplary advocate for children, worthy of recognition
for his work --- at the age of 28. There simply is no disputing that.
It is deeply satisfying
to me that, on Wednesday of all nights, Clay was quietly being recognized
for his years of giving back."
~berkeley
Re: theWNCY
Interview:
"This was a fantastic
opportunity for Clay to be introduced to the NPR audience, speaking with
knowledge, empathy, humor and charm about a humanitarian issue that is
likely to be of great interest to WNYC's core audience. It is exactly the
kind of thing likely to demonstrate Clay's intelligence and gravitas to
an audience that includes members disdainful of broadcast TV and reality
shows."
~berkeley
"Clay has been to places
where 35,000 people were hastily buried, and he did not complain of the
smell. He talked about resilience and hope.
Clay has been to places
where there are no sanitary facilities, where tens of thousand of people
are herded together like cattle, and he spoke of the need to end the war
and get children back home and back to school.
Clay has been to places
where many people do not know the fundamentals of hygiene, and he spoke
of how warmly he was welcomed and how the people he had met were the country's
greatest resource.
Africa is so much more
than tinpot dictators, starving babies and the AIDS pandemic. Unless one
sees the people first, what hope is there to solve the problems?
There is much healing
to be done across that great continent, true, but I am so grateful for
people like Clay who are able to look beyond the crises and see the beauty."
~berkeley
"Sometime during the month
of April (forgive me that I do not recall precise dates), I noticed an
advertisement on tv about the Oprah Show and Sidney Poitier going to be
on it the next day. As a long time admirer of Mr. Poitier, and because
normally I am working when Oprah’s show is on, I set my dvr to record it.
Finally, last week, my husband and I sat and watched the recording. When
I listen to Mr. Poitier, I feel as though I am listening to a very special
presence, a classy, elegantly eloquent human being, not unlike what I have
occasion to feel about Clay and see in him from time to time, though it
be perhaps in a somewhat more fledgling state, and expect to feel more
often about him as he ages and grows even wiser.
During the show, Mr. Poitier
conversed with Oprah and others in attendance during an Oprah Book Club
Dinner discussion honoring his book, “The Measure of a Man.” At one point
their discussion went back to the time in 1964 when he won the Oscar for
Best Actor for his role in the movie “Lillies of the Field,” and how, in
spite of this acknowledgment represented by the Oscar, he knew he still
remained an “outsider,” for he knew that he was the first, but still the
only African American to have been honored thusly, and that there was still
work to be done and, indeed, not all had been overcome. One of the participants
at the dinner spoke, “You mentioned in your book that you felt you were
an outsider back then ....” And, so, he reflected:
Quote:
“Well, I am an outsider
by instinct. I have always had a sense of myself as the observer, but I
don’t mind it. An outsider, to me, is the person who, by instinct, prefers
to walk on the edge. So, I’ve done it and I didn’t fall off. I survived
fairly ok. I am who I am and whenever I am treated in a way that I feel
that is contrary to how I hold myself, I will defend myself by improving
myself. The more I improve myself, the more of a man I become, the more
of a humane person I become.”
I cannot speak for others,
of course, but when I heard him speak these words, I thought of our Clay
and how my very subjective observation sees him reacting and using adversity
and challenges in his life as places from which to grow and improve and,
indeed, become a more “humane person.” I am so very proud of him for every
occasion upon which he is able to make this choice. May he never fall off
the edge, the precipice upon which he walks, and may he always be, at the
very least, “fairly ok” (for if he remains as “fairly ok” as Mr. Poitier
has been able to do, he will indeed have been blessed in his journey at
the edge) and able to remain true to himself.
Human beings who strive
to walk their paths in truth and honor, even though the rockiness and stones
strewn upon it may make it difficult not to stumble and fall off the edge,
give me cause to reflect upon what is good in life, what is good in people,
and upon what potential we all have when we choose to improve and grow
from our experiences. "
~ DancesOfSpirit
RE: the videos of Clay Aiken working
for Unicef in Afghanistan:
"Along with the classroom
shots, the singing and sitting with the children, being on their level,
putting them at ease, it truly exhibited why he was chosen for this work,
the attention to respecting another's culture and customs, the very much
in evidence compassion for his fellow man, the joy he radiates with children,
his honest attempts at truly making a change. No wonder those that count
respect him. I recognize that he's not perfect, has his faults like we
all do, but he sure does make a concerted effort to walk the walk, and
that's certainly commendable in my mind."
~boo7
"When Clay came through
the gate, wearing the garb of a distinguished Afghan man, I just sat back
stunned. There was the teacher, in his bigger classroom.
He made himself familiar
to these children, he showed respect for their culture and, when he spoke,
he demonstrated a deep understanding and a profound respect for the people
and the issues they face.
There is a reason that
Clay Aiken is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and another, who isn't a fraction
of the man Clay is, is wasting his precious time on earth mocking this
good man, his mission and the culture of the people he has gone to serve.Which
man is making a difference in this world?
Both.
But one is making a difference
that brings a bit of the sublime into this world, while the other tries
to drag clouds of contempt over a sun of hope.
In the end, the sun always
breaks through.
Thank you, Mr. Ambassador."
~berkeley
"One young man who brought
tragedy and death.
One young man who embraces
and upholds life.
More and more reason to
nurture the loving part of all of us."
~berkeley
Yes, a welcome and needed
(to me) reminder. Like so many others, I am struck by the contrast of two
men. One was apparently without hope, without perspective, without courage,
with a desire to do harm to as many as possible. At the opposite end of
the scale is a man with a strong desire to help others, an immensely courageous
man who often chooses to look beyond the negatives he sees and experiences
in his attempt to stay true to his goals, a man who sees possibilities
where some may see problems. Clay seems to look at a desperate situation
and find the hope, the potential, and the sparkle of the strength of the
human spirit amidst the rubble of war, tragedy, and devastation.
The sparkle of his spirit
is, to me, a beacon of hope.
~Brightstar
"I have been feeling so
blessed that I have this man "in my life." I've been alternating between
being impressed by his soul-deep compassion --- and his mature good looks.
*g* There is something about his bearing, a combination of humility and
strength, that I find both touching and reassuring.
Clay is the epitome of
the servant leader. When I saw him among the children, touching his heart
as he bowed his head in the Afghani tradition , I thought of how much it
means to him to serve.
And through his dignity,
his giving, and his all-encompassing love, I heard a simple phrase:
"For you, a thousand
times over."
~berkeley
"And as we were approaching
Bamiyan on the plane I was told of the promise of the grass and the promise
of green. When the summer comes there would be grass over the hills and
that it is so beautiful and lush in the summer yet I didn't see that and
some were skeptical that any grass grew in Bamiyan. When we flew out today
and I looked out of the window and I saw a little grass peeking through.
And I think that has been a kind of capstone experience for me here in
Afghanistan that there is so much promise and it has been a long winter
for Afghanistan and it is spring time finally."
~Clay Aiken
" Clay is not "a singer
who used to be a teacher". He has taken his role as educator very seriously,
and refused to accept that he had to choose one career over the other.
I love that he isn't
just showcasing a one-time "Giving Back" campaign, but that he takes his
work with BAF, Unicef, and the president's commission, seriously. Not just
supporting the people who do the work, but actually doing it himself."
~Judy
RE: American Idol 6:
"Watching all these performers,
I realized how hard they work to map out every footstep. They go up the
stairs, down the stairs, on the "catwalk" behind the judges, all around
the stage in every corner, and you can tell for many of them, it's rehearsed
from step 1 to the end. Literally.
It's comical someimtes,
especially when you think about how freakin' AWESOME Clay and Ruben were.
Just standing there. Singing.
You know what? I bet neither
one of them would even be put through by the judges these days. They weren't
gimmicky enough, nor were they "commercial" .... we know Clay got there
because WE voted him in on Wild Card, but I really think that they'd both
have a hard time making the cut these days, and what a SHAME that would
be. Two of the most beautiful voices EVER on that show."
~ Erin
"A few thoughts:
First of all, in The
Fellowship of the Spitty Ring video, you can actually SEE Clay's brain
shift gears when everybody starts squealing over the lip/tongue action.
That glint in his eye is him realizing he was wrong way back then when
he stated: "they just want to tuck me in." I think he finally bought a
rhyming dictionary.
Secondly, I think he has
never looked better. On the Jemock Sliding Scale of Droolage (tm), I give
Auction!Pimpin' for the Chirren!Clay! five out of five buckets, PLUS a
bonus drop cloth. If he gets any handsomer, he's going to become a pure
beam of light. *cue magical unicorn music*
His hair is CAP-approved
perfection, his smile is mega-gigawatt brilliant, he looks happy, his nails
aren't bitten, and the eyebrows are absolutely beautiful. His supraorbital
ridge is to die for.
Sa-WOOOOON!!"
~Jemock
"Through the internet
I reconnected with an old friend who lives out in the general Pala area.
I've thought he'd like Clay (his hero is Mr. Rogers) and he's come up a
few times but he really doesn't know much about him. Out of the blue about
a month or so ago, he asked if Clay had any live CDs, because you can get
the personality better than on a studio CD. Ah HA! My chance! I burned
him a video disk of clack from 2003-last Christmas and sent it off. Today
I got a message that he had just watched it. He said Clay is "Damn good!"
and that "Bridge Over Troubled Water was unbelievable." Then he asked about
Pala tickets.
Clack sells tickets."
~poshpenny
"... Find something that
you are passionate about that gives back to your community. I think there's
a misconception that really upsets me when people say, "If you're in the
public eye you have an obligation to let me know when you're gettin' married,
who you're gettin' married to and who you're dating." That's bull. But
you do have an obligation to be a role model. From the beginning, I realize
I got this only because God wanted me to be here. I think anybody who has
any microphone to use who doesn't use it for the benefit of those around
him is remiss. "
~Clay Aiken- March
31, 2007
"I despise the intrusion
into the private lives of celebrities. I cannot stand that there are people,
including some in the media, who cannot distinguish between being brutally
honest and being outright rude. I think "brutal honesty" is often about
brutality, not honesty. I think it harms society not to respect a person's
right to privacy, whether or not they are in the public eye. I'm an honest
person, but there's no freaking way I am going to tell all and sundry everything
about my life --- spiritual, medical, financial, sexual issues are my business,
and I share them only with those I love and trust. Many people in the public
eye, from George Clooney to Clay Aiken, are saying enough. Is it criminal?
That's public business. Is it a hypocritical action by someone who affects
public policy? That might be the public's business. But why does a person's
sex life or sexual orientation have anything to do with whether or not
they can act, sing, write, dance, bank, teach, defend, build, treat, preserve,
etc?
When one sees what happens
to the relationships of some of the people who have dated in the public
eye, I wouldn't blame anyone for keeping this to themselves. Even if Clay
is one day photographed walking down the street holding a woman's hand,
both wearing rings that look like wedding bands, pushing a stroller with
red-headed, floppy-footed, wonky-eyed, singing twins, I still don't understand
why he should have to talk about it to me.
I think the fictional
private life that was invented to try to harm Clay (and I am talking about
the lies about abusive, irresponsible behavior) simply made him decide
that he will not waaste his life trying to wrestle a shadow and he will
not expose the people in his real private life to scrutiny just to "prove"
his truth.
In his younger and more
naive days, Clay told the truth about one aspect of his private life: his
sexual orientation. Back in 2003, he told Rolling Stone and he told Diane
Sawyer on PrimeTime Live. Several times in other interviews, he mentioned
getting married one day, what kind of woman he was looking for and wanting
to have children.
Some believed him, some
did not, and some provided him with an imaginary life filled with tawdry
details.
"People are going to believe
what they want to believe." --- and invent what they want to invent.
The more I think about
it, the more I believe that saying "ENOUGH" is the smartest thing he could
have ever done.
Clay knows the truth,
the person he loves will or does know the truth, and I absolutely believe
that Clay is always very, very aware that God knows the truth."
~berkeley
"He mentioned “family”
toward the beginning, referring to all of us there. [At the Bubel/Aiken
Gala] I truly think he does think of his fans fondly now, as an extended
family perhaps. Some are quiet and sweet, some get a little hyper at times,
and some may be considered his “crazy Aunt Bernice” or something. But he
is so free now with what he will say to us, and joke about with us, imply
with us, and even scold us about. There is a lovely close feeling there,
at the best times at least, and that bond, that flow of love and caring,
from us to him and back again, is one of the very best things, to me, about
this fandom."
"And
yes, sitting so close to him was powerful and awesome, but he was also
very real---a happy, beautiful, charismatic man, but also just Clay, the
Raleigh man who made good, with an incredible talent but a down-to-earth,
down-home demeanor—the jokester, the teacher, the boy next door, the caring,
earnest man with a heart as big as the room. How anyone can not love him
is beyond me. He has me for life."
~ Brightstar
"When I was in line for
"coffee" (I don't drink the stuff) at the coffee bar right by Clay's table,
a general announcement was made about the rest of the evenings events.
And the Claytinis were mentioned. So, Linda Loveland turned to Clay and
"What's a Claytini?"
Clay replied, "It's a
martini with a little bit of me in it. It's a little bitter."
OMG! How funny is he?
"
~scrpkym
"You must be the change
you want to see in the world."
That is what Diane [Bubel]
and Clay have done. I hope that I can be the tiniest part of the change
that will make this a more loving world. "
~berkeley
"Think of it Clay Aiken
singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” backed by a full orchestra - what
a spectacle.
Before you ask why the
Houston Symphony Orchestra is so quick to pimp themselves out as the biggest
(and most well educated) back -up band in the universe, we already did.
Here’s what a symphony spokesman told us:
Quote:
“We consider ourselves
to be Houston’s orchestra, and that means across the entire breadth of
music. We’re proud on an artistic level to be able to present a wide spectrum
of repertoire thereby making the Houston Symphony approachable to a broad
and diverse audience.
“(You can hardly be a
“back-up band” for an artist like Elvis Costello or Ben Folds or k.d. lang,
all of who have written specifically for the power of a full orchestra.)
And, by the way, all the artists who appear with us have invested substantially
large sums of money to have symphony arrangements of their material written
so they can perform their shows with symphony orchestras all across the
country.” '
~Houstonpress.com
"The Houston Symphony's
phone lines were jammed Monday with calls inquiring about tickets for American
Idol runner-up Clay Aiken's July 6 appearance with the orchestra.
The symphony sent e-mails
to its subscribers and to Aiken fan clubs, prompting the onslaught.
"We've never seen response
like this," symphony spokesman Art Kent said. "Not that we're unhappy about
it. The response has been great. But I haven't even put out the press release."
~Symphony spokesman
Art Kent
"Today a rep from Creative
Artist addressed the group about bookings, etc. One of the questions afterwards
about the talent/performers was why they would never schedule two shows....afternoon
and evening. The reply was that most of them don't have enough material.
He said that for instance they handled some of the American Idols and most
of them can't do more than five songs...let alone two shows....with the
exception of Clay Aiken who could probably give you three hours without
breaking a sweat."
~DeepSouthGurrl
"Starbucks sells music
that skews to a somewhat older audience, lots of buyers who consider themselves
intelligent, educated, discerning, interested in social activism and definitely
supportive of artists who aren't just fluffy pop. This is one reason I
would love to know what Clay is going to do next. To so many in the music
world, Clay is neither fish nor fowl, so they don't know what to do with
him. He's described as a teen pop singer in one article and as an artist
for boomers in the next. Some think he's disposable, some marginalize him
and a few see him for the extraordinary song stylist that he is. Fortunately
for Clay, the people whose opinion of him is the highest are the ones who
know what they are talking about, from Gladys Knight to David Foster. They
respect Clay, even if --- or especially because --- he defies description.
No, neither fish nor fowl.
I'd say he's more of a
rara avis. "
~berkeley
"I hate to brag, but I
would say that I am quite musically trained. I have a pretty strong background
in music. And in all my years as a musician, I have NEVER heard a vocalist
more brilliant than Clay Aiken.
I admit, I'm not a fan
of American Idol. But I will not deny that it is a great part of American
culture and can actually wring out stunning singers. And, I believe, that
Mr. Aiken is the best singer ever to emerge from the show and will likely
continue to be the benchmark for techinical perfection in the coming seasons.
This kid -- he's talented
beyond compare. Amazing range. Pitch-perfect vocals. Stunning lung power.
This all sums up to a jaw-dropping vocal prowess.
And what sets him apart
from other singers is that he can convey emotion through his voice and
can change his sound to suit the feeling.
In this case, it is heart-felt
reverence. Clay Aiken brought tears to my eyes when he sang the US National
Anthem -- and this, coming from a non-American, is a feat all in itself.
Basically, all I'm trying
to say, is that this man is an absolutely phenomenal vocalist. You should
get used to Clay. He's going to be around for decades to come, making his
mark in the music world."
~Mike
"I've never been one to
say, "If Clay sings it, it is perfect." I always try to be objective and
listen with an open mind. For example, while I know many of you have loved
A Thousand Days from the first time you heard it, as I have said before,
I haven't been a big fan of the song. It has grown on me, especially the
video perfomance and the ATDW track, which brings me to the subject of
the entire CD. I enjoy it each time I listen to it, which is every day.
And depending on my mood, my favorite track changes constantly. One day
it's Because You Loved Me and the next it's Here You Come Again. On another
day, it could be When I See You Smile. Clay's voice sounds great, the production
quality is excellent and the orchestrations are wonderful. Sometimes I
agree with critics (and even Idol judges i.e last night's results) and
sometimes I don't. In the case of ATDW, as I listen to it, I truthfully
don't understand those critics who have slammed it. I think it has nothing
to do with the music but rather with the cultural phenomenon that is American
Idol. I think some critics just absolutely refuse to give Clay his due
because he is an AI alum. Their opinions won't stop me in the least from
enjoying this beautiful album."
~OLMass
"I'll clear up a misconception
people have. When I watched the show last year, [I've heard it said] I
said to myself, "I'd much rather be the second-place winner because the
first-place person is tied into the contract and the second-place person
can go and shop their own." Well, that's not the case. I signed with RCA—there
was a right of first refusal with RCA so I signed with RCA automatically
at the end of the show. But there's definitely not a downside to that at
all. I'm happy with that. Every person who's been on the show at some point
wants to distance themselves a little bit, but no matter what, I came from
there. I'm only here because of that show and so I can't help but be appreciative
of that. Any time that they want me to come back, I'll be happy to. [Working
with Simon Fuller] has turned into a really great relationship. I mean,
he's really exactly what anybody would want in a record label head. We
auditioned for the show because it looked like fun. I think every year
after that, the fourth and fifth [season] especially, you found people
who got into the show because they knew something big was going to come
out of it. I kind of liked seeing contestants come up out of obscurity.
It's lost a little bit of its innocence and so it's not as much fun for
me anymore."
~Clay Aiken- from an
Interview with Billboard Magazine, January, 2007
"I think what he's doing
<snip> is he's raising money for his foundation and working on its programs,
he's getting ready to go on a trip for UNICEF and reflecting on the success
of the big internet campaign he launched for them, and he's planning a
tour. He's working on his career in ways we never see or hear about. He
has a personal life, which he intentionally keeps very private. He's also
watching CNN and reading good books about genuinely important issues in
this world we live in."
~Annonymous
RE:
Sleigh Ride Montage on YouTube
"Do you ever have those
moments where you wonder why you’re stuck on Clay? Suddenly it appears
absurd and you think you’re done? I’m talking for like a second or two.
And then you click on a montage and you can’t stop smiling and giggling
and you want to hug him, give him high five, and just smile back at him?
And you know why. It doesn’t have to make sense, you just know why."
~Savonnette
From
a Blog:
"Being an Orchestra and
Band Director/Conductor at one of our large University, I have heard hundreds
of singers sing our National Anthem so I was curious to see how a singer
from American Idol will fare.I am not really familiar with Clay Aiken so
I watched the video.My verdict: Mr. Aiken has an awesome voice,pure
in tone and clarity,great phrasing,and an exceptional vocal range.One of
the best singers of our national anthem that I have heard in my life.Wow
what a great performance.Thank you to who ever posted this.
~Posted by: wmharrison
| March 1, 2007 5:05 PM
"I am not even an American
and I can appreciate how brilliantly and beautifully Clay sang your National
Anthem. I don't get the joke and why is it even a joke that people want
to hear Clay sing? He's got a beautiful voice and he is one of the most
talented singers I have ever heard. I definitely would love to hear him
sing more! NO JOKE!"
~Posted by: Roni |
March 1, 2007 8:21 AM
"It's almost like there
are two Clay Aikens, one that Not.Just.Us knows and one that Just.Us knows.
He is the first-rate balladeer with the sunny smile and sense of humor
who shows up on television. He is also the rocking, strutting, wailing
"I'll take on Prince and U2 and Motown" bawdy humorist who commands the
concert stage. I hope the latter goes out on the town tonight and shows
up on Mike and Juliet tomorrow!
In the last few months,
the "real" Clay Aiken --- or at least a lot more of the aspects of the
multi-dimensional person his friends and family have long described ---
is showing up more and more as Clay broadens and redefines his public persona.
Funny --- he's been there all along, almost every time he sat on a couch
and told one of his stories. The self-deprecation, the mock outrage, the
innocent abroad schtick, the quicksilver wit, combined with his joy, his
skill and his courage as a performer make Clay one of a handful of people
in entertainment who is always engaging, if people just look at who he
actually is instead of filling in the fictional blanks of who he is "supposed"
to be."
~berkeley
" I recently came across
a neighbor who is a young, African American teenage boy as I was cleaning
out my van one day. Very typical. Loved Rap Music, Hip Hop too. Very..macho
for seventeen. He saw me dressed up in a Clay shirt and a vest I'd made.
After a couple of snide remarks, he stopped for a moment. I glanced at
him and he had the funniest expression on his face.
"What?" I asked impatiently,
waiting for more snotty comments to come.
He looked at me quizzically,
unsure of what to say.
"Who's that singing?"
he asked. He was referring to you Clay, in all yourglory, singing "I Want
To Know What Love Is".
"That's Clay Aiken" I
said.
He looked at me skeptically
for a moment.
"Yeah, RIGHT", he snorted.
"My Pop used to play in a band. They did some oldies and stuff. You know..like
Foreigner. This song".
It was my turn to look
at him quizzically. "So what's your point?" I asked.
He just stood there for
a second, listening to the rest of the song. He hadn't said a word, didn't
make anymore remarks. I didn't want to ruin it for him. Or me for that
matter.
"Dunno," he said. "Just
shocked is all." He gazed towards the ground, kicking up some dust.
"Shocked?" I asked.
"Yeah..I didn't think
he sang that good."
Then he walked away,
still pondering what he had just heard.
It just goes to show
you, Clay...
Your reach is far and
wide. Younger, older, white, black, physically or emotionally challenged,
so-called "normal", you touch us all. You somehow reach into our hearts
with your voice and wrap yourself around us, prodding ever so gently, touching
one person at a time. "
~Shari Sanchez
"He has work to do and
I think he knows it. I think that is what we are seeing.
He is revealing his inner snarky self, making people laugh, making people
like him, taking on the tabs with disdainful glee, showing off the pipes
in unexpected venues, making people want to hear more, getting buzz. I
am feeling more hopeful about his future than I ever have.
Those who love the CD
win because they have him singing to them on a regular basis. Those of
us who don't still win because we have the joy of watching the story unfold.
We all win because, for whatever reason, we love the guy and he loves us.
It's all good. Hell, sometimes it's great."
~AgingHippie
"He seems to be looking
forward to what's to come in 2007 so I'll follow his lead. I'm looking
to the future. I think it's going to be very bright and I'm not just talking
teeth here. *g*
~Invisible926
" Clay sends a message
of love in simple, condensed ways, and in the processs--along with many
others, famous or not-- he helps people bear the wounds life inflicts on
all of us: from losing a cat, to losing a foot, to burying a grandson.
He inspires people by being an imperfect, kind human being and putting
himself out there. Sometimes (often?) he sings, writes, or says clichés,
but he is sincere and not out to exploit others; and still he manages to
inspire others with his clichés and even to transform some hearts.
Oh, the miracles that a simple good heart can accomplish! "
~Savonnette
"And after a few months
of trying on a neo-hipster image, he looks like Clay Aiken again- kinda
cute, kinda dorky, but totally lovable."
~Idol
Blogging
" Clay seems to have a
pretty good sense of humor about himself and any “rumors” floating around
about him, which is always the best way to approach those kind of things."
~Best
Week Ever
"What makes Clay so compelling
as a personality, I think, is the many dualities that make him a complex,
three-dimensional persona -- the sincere self-deprecation while he's so
confident (especially on tour) of his appeal to fans, his good-heartedness
alongside the snark/sarcasm, his intelligence as he tries to play dumb,
etc. Looking at these other talk show hosts, I think that three-dimensional
persona will be a tough thing to maintain, but if he can, Clay will be
golden. Like many of you, I think Clay has scads of interesting things
to talk about, and I believe he can do so intelligently and effectively.
I remember being impressed during his role reversal interview of Tyra that
he seemed to actually listen, and intently. Generally speaking, I think
Clay has a special ability to cut through the fake-y niceties of promotional
TV and seem authentic, spontaneous and real. I just hope that, if/when
Clay gets that forum, he is able to nurture and sustain that ability. And
sing. His own music. A lot."
~43dudleyvillas
"You know what's funny?
Beyond the great voice, I don't think I knew what we had in Clay until
I saw him in concert. But even then, I don't think I knew quite what we
had.
In 2004, I saw someone
who electrified the crowd with his presence. Who could cover the whole
stage and sing to the person in front of him or the person in the cheap
seats. But he got better and better. Now we have the consumate performer
who can make a spontaneous bawdy joke that has the audience (and himself)
laughing and then turn on a dime and sing a glorious Christmas song. It's
quite simply amazing."
~Corabeth
Re: Pervasive comparisons
of Clay to Barry Manilow
"It is a fundamental
misunderstanding of Clay, his audience and his potential to label him as
the next anybody, much less associate him with an artist with whom he has
so little in common. Manilow is urban, Jewish, primarily an arranger and
accompanist before he was a singer, a former jingle writer, brought to
wider attention as music director for Midler, playing the bath house scene,
known for his broad strokes and more than thirty years Clay's senior. Nowhere
in Clay's own lists of favorite male artists was Barry's name to be found.
Clay's roots have nothing
in common with Barry's. Southern, mid-sized town, Southern Baptist, performed
and produced local family-friendly showcases, always the singer first ---
until he decided to make teaching his future. Being thin and using one's
mothers maiden name isn't enough to turn Aiken into Manilow's doppelganger.
Their vocal styles are
very dissimilar: I could see comparisons made to Taylor, Fogelberg, Loggins,
even Denver if one were to hark back to previous generations, but the man
who wrote "Lover All Alone" is reminding me more of John Ondrasik/Five
for Fighting or some of the more introspective work of Coldplay or The
Fray or Snow Patrol. Who is he beyond that song? That's what a savvy mentor
will help Clay determine.
I don't know where Clay
will go next, I don't know what's in his musical future, but I will be
a very happy person if he continues to explore his musical identity with
the help of a mentor who realizes that Clay's full potential lies in becoming
the best Clay Aiken, not a retread of any other artist, no matter how successful."
~berkeley
Note written to ABC News:
"I must give kudos to
ABC Online for the BE SEEN....BE
HEARD....interview
conducted with Clay Aiken
regarding several subjects, mainly discussing
the questions and answers
from Clay's fans on the subject of UNICEF.
I regret I do not
have the name of the news correspondent who
interviewed Clay, but
I must tell her what a bang-up job she did, and
how much pleasure it
behooves each Clay fan to hear their Idol
interviewed intelligently,
thoroughly and with some substance. She was
so charming and I wish
you would let her know of my approval.
A thirteen minute
interview is a feast for all of Clay's fans, and I
must thank your organization
for recognizing that Clay Aiken is a
singing Idol, but also
a great humanitarian, an intelligent and
knowledgeable individual
and quite a clever conversationist.
Thank you for the
time you gave him to discuss what is so important
to him, and for the sense
of professionalism that pervaded the entire
session.
I shall look forward
to many such interviews in the future."
~Shirley Romano
"So, for me – what we
have now is Clay. He is beautiful and brave, kind and funny, talented,
goofy, serious, right and wrong…. He is human. And my feelings are the
same now as they were then and before then. He draws me in and I’m sticking
around. I know that doesn’t really address your question about how the
general public sees him, but I can’t really get too hung up on that. People
who take the time to look will find something special. And the journey
is far from over."
~akcanuk
"He has made such remarkable
music, but Clay's heart is my favorite song."
~berkeley
"Loved Clay on GMA, though
I wish he had been asked less about AI and more about UNICEF. Or almost
anything else.
One day a reporter will
ask Clay some great questions in an interview. I’m sure of it. At least
I hope so.
Maybe not.
Scenario:
Feb. 6,
2008
2007 was
a busy and amazing year for Clay, and 2008 already looks as if it will
be even more spectacular. Just a few months ago (after an “interesting”
break from RCA and signing with a new label), he released a new CD that
has already gone triple platinum. His new book is high atop the NY Times
bestseller list. He has a song nominated for a Grammy and a different song
nominated for an Oscar. His OFC contest last year made further gnat “productions”
pointless (people reading the tabloids kept saying “Good one! Bet that
one will win!” and whatnot). A serious personal relationship made its way
into the news (yeah, she’s blonde), and, for the moment, reporters have
stopped asking THE question. Clay is getting ready to start a world tour,
even though he is just returning from a three-country UNICEF visit, including
a stop in Iraq, where he was able to talk at length with the new Iraqi
president, who has amazingly been able to end the war and bring a new peace
to the entire nation.
Clay has
been too busy to give interviews for a number of months, even though he
knows he has a wealth of interview material. He still has no extra time,
but he has graciously offered to meet Joe Smith, a veteran news reporter,
at the airport and to fully answer any one question. Clay (who looks gorgeous,
by the way, in his long black coat, kickass boots, stubble, and Tyra hair),
reaches out and gives the reporter a firm, enthusiastic handshake. “Nice
to meet you, Mr. Smith. What question can I answer for you today?”
Mr. Smith
replies, “ Thank you so much, Clay. Did you watch American Idol last night?”
*sigh*"
~Brightstar
"Reader, you must know
that an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits
almost everyone, man or mouse, who does not conform."
~Narrator of 'The Tale
of Despereaux'
"I believe that everyone
deserves the best start in life and that education is essential to a child's
development. Since becoming a UNICEF Ambassador in 2004, I have testified
before Congress urging the government to allocate more funds for UNICEF
so that its programs can reach all the children in need worldwide. I also
traveled
to Indonesia after the tsunami and Uganda to see the devastating conditions
affecting millions of the world’s children first-hand—disease, malnutrition,
and war, chief among them. You just cannot believe how some of these kids
are forced to live. It’s truly heartbreaking, yet many people don’t even
know these conditions exist. It is my hope that as a UNICEF Ambassador
I can encourage people to join UNICEF's mission in support of child survival
programs worldwide and to make education a reality for these children."
~Clay Aiken
"Happy 4th Anniversary
of "Take" ...
What followed was quite
an exciting and amazing journey on that Taken Road...certainly filled with
blinding curves, steep inclines, deep drop-offs, potholes and craters.
But there have been some heartstopping vistas of the many beautiful horizons
to come. Joy may be elusive and fleeting, but once the heart is Taken,
its afterglow of love is forever and its reach expands like ripples in
an infinity pond.
But the most wonderful
thing about the Taken Road is that it stretches from where it began to
as far as he wants to take it...and we, with him."
~calliek
"I think Clay considers
himself on a break from CD promotions...I bet he is currently concentrating
on BAF and UNICEF. But TC knows that its important for Clay to have a continued
radio and internet presence and to have some TV time so that it will be
easier for him to get interest once they start actively promoting again.
So they invest on some slow and steady radio play, bring out a video that
was already filmed and do some TV appearances where he does not have to
have the band with him, which can be very expensive. This way they are
probably saving money for for a more aggressive promo for the next single
and tour.
Clay is a smart and practical
man. He knows he won't be going anywhere. He does not need to race against
the 15 minute ticking clock...he is here to stay, so he can afford to take
it easy."
~samtaycai
Clay shows a surprisingly
adept manner of handling speed and tempo in a variety of slow ballad to
mid-tempo ballad ranges: [On his album 'A Thousand Different Ways' ]<snip>
This
Clay Aiken work is not about fast and lusting. This is about deep ceremonial
introspection. This is a man singing the modern ballads with truth, honesty
and from the heart.
~Meanspeed
"I'm reading an article
about "enthusiastic" Saints fans in Chicago. Those who have told husbands/boyfriends/coworkers,
etc. that following Clay is like following a sports team are spot on IMO.
These
fans put Clay fans to shame. I'm sure others here have seen similar
displays for their respective teams. *g* "
~Invisible926
"I find Clay to be edgy
in his persona in that he goes his own way, knowing the inevitable repercussions
will come, from those that wish for conformity, in whatever form, be it
what they think he should sound like, look like, act like, yet he forges
on being *gasp* his own man. I admire that. I do think he shows more spine
than many of the vaunted, celebrated tough ones out there because he just
soldiers on without the driving need to point out why he’s who he is."
~boo7
"To be nobody-but-yourself—in
a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else—means
to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never
stop fighting."
~E.E. Cummings
"Quite possibly the most
polarizing contestant in Idol history, Clay (pictured during the Idol finals)
represents either the pinnacle of modern balladeering or the ultimate low
in lite-pop affectation, depending on whom you ask. That said, his take
on Neil Sedaka's angsty ballad — moodily backlit for maximum impact — was
as heartfelt as it was riveting, with not a single wonky note to be heard.
As Sedaka himself sighed, ''I have lost my song forever to you; it will
always be a Clay Aiken song.''
~EW.COM
"Clay Aiken has undoubtedly
surpassed the velvet-voiced teddy bear who beat him, Ruben Studdard, in
terms of headlines, recent album sales and strength of fan base."
~Frank Farina
New
York Post online
"Over the next few months,
you're going to fall head over heels in
love with a new "American
Idol" wannabe. Before indulging in y
our new infatuation,
consider these seven past standouts you gave
your heart to -- and
what they did with it.
<snip>
CLAY AIKEN
"AI" finish: Second (2003)
Post-high: Responsible
for a new species of humans called "Claymates."
Post-low: While subbing
for Regis Philbin, covered Kelly Ripa's
chattering lips with
his hand. Hey, Clay, you don't know where that mouth has been! "
~By Neal Justin, Star
Tribune Rollercoaster
of 'Idol' love
Perhaps, like so many
who have brought joy to others, he was not meant for the masses. Perhaps
the world will never understand the love we have for each other. Perhaps
he came just for us, and if that is true we are indeed blessed.
~ananka1313
---
"ananka, honey, we are the
masses. There is nothing special about us. We are normal human beings from
all walks of life, representing all ages and all races. Clay is there for
us. He does have the respect of the masses and of the industry. Clive Davis
may not know what to do with Clay, however others do and are chomping at
the bit to get a crack at working with him. But, yes, I do have to agree,
we are indeed blessed."
~ncgurrl
I think that Clay's apparent
newsworthiness over just about anything results in heightened vitriol when
his music doesn't live up to the personality that generates all that attention.
Basically, I think the musical standard for him is higher, and he isn't
allowed to get away with bubblegum pop. I think that is because there's
this general idea of him out there as a do-gooder dogged by controversy
(whether legitimate or trumped-up), and it follows that the music he would
produce would reflect all that somehow. Since so much of what he does is
treated as if it means something (whether it does or doesn't), his music
should mean something, too. I think that's a fair expectation, honestly,
but it's also an awfully difficult one for anyone to live up to.
There's a separate but
related issue of whether Clay's natural inclination is to sing music that
reflects as complex and three-dimensional a personality as he is. I can't
pretend to know either way. For a long time, my feeling was that Clay prefers
to sing hopeful songs, alluding to struggle or challenge perhaps, but typically
reflecting a belief in the possibility of a happy end. But the lyrics of
"Lover All Alone" suggest that he has more than that inside of him and
more of a willingness to explore it that I had imagined. So I hope he has
and takes the chance to do that.
~43dudleyvillas
NBC's January 6 encore
telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Alec Baldwin and featuring
musical guest Christina Aguilera, has generated the highest "SNL" results
for a rebroadcast in nearly three years. According to "live plus same day"
in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research," the January 6 "SNL"
rebroadcast delivered a 3.4 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and 7.6 million
viewers overall.
In adults 18-49, It's
the highest-rated "Saturday Night Live" encore since March 27, 2004 (with
host Megan Mullally and musical guest Clay Aiken) and in total viewers,
it's the top "SNL" rebroadcast since January 31, 2004 (another telecast
hosted by Alec Baldwin, this time featuring musical guest Missy Elliott).
~NBC
Universal
"I took a package to the
post office to mail to a friend with one of my homemade return address
labels on it--it's the purty AIW pic that was our banner here a while back.
The postal clerk put it on the scale, looked, looked closer, and then squealed
"is that Clay??" So we had a mutual fangurrly moment or 3. "I just love
him," she said. "He's so nice, and his voice is great, and he's not vulgar
or mean or rude like all these other guys out there trying to sing."
~DixieHellcat
"I wanted a perfect ending.
Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories
don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing,
having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without
knowing what’s going to happen next.”
~ Gilda Radner
"I think the dilemma is
this. Clay loves them both. ["Sweet, Sappy love songs and Rockin'
songs."] He loves it when the entire audience is rocking out to 'Invisible'
or BFM', yet he also loves the acoustical segments he does. The JBT was
a really good mixture of both. If Clay does a love songs tour in small,
intimate venues, I'm OK with that because I think the tour after that will
be more rocking. It really is something to sit in a theater and listen
to Clay sing without all the screaming. But participating in a crowd of
people rocking out to his songs, fists pumping, head-banging (well, as
head-banging as one can get-ya'll know what I mean), standing, dancing
in your spot. Man, what a rush, for us and for Clay. So I have no doubts
that he'll satisfy both sides of his musical heart.
I don't think Clive, in
mandating a covers album, is working against Clay's career, I think Clive
looked at the success of Barry and Rod's cover albums and thought that
Clay could double, if not triple the sales of the other two, just with
the fact that Clay is current and has a fan base of all ages. I think Clive
erroneously misjudged this CD and Clay is paying for it. I applaud what
Clay has done with the songs but some people just can't get past the covers.
Combine that with a lackluster push to radio along with little major print
promotion and you have a gold record instead of a platinum one."
~Shadylil
Re: The 2006 David Foster
Gala:
"I loved the part when
David had Clay re-sing the "money note" for Unchained Melody. I love watching
David's face as Clay sings. After David messes up the note the first time,
and then Clay comes right in on the correct note, David just smiles and
shakes his head in amazement and appreciation for how Clay just came right
in on key and nailed it. At the end of "Without You", I love how David
stands up from the piano, walks over to Clay and goes, "GOD!" and then
hugs Clay and keeps hugging him. As Clay walked off the stage, David repeated,
"WOW!". '
~anntherese
"My hope for him this
year is to produce a CD of kick ass music...original, bluesy, heartfelt,
a little bit of edge and a lot of soul. One that celebrates his voice and
his heart. I could not care less which label it's on.(The last one got
so little attention it might as well be 3 years old.) Then I want him to
go on tour and sing it all...old and new..with that sexy/funny presence
he has. And I want at least one frickin' review to give him the respect
he deserves. And I want him to come to my theater so I can get 1st row
seats for everyone.
I am encouraged that Clay
says his current mood is "excited" and it gives me hope to see who is in
his corner and I have a lot of faith in him to live his life and manage
his celebrity with integrity, honor, class and wit. He is smart and he
has experience dealing with bullies. He has come home and pulled his friends
and family close, so he will be dealing with things from a position of
strength."
~ AgingHippie
"Beyond all the things
that we debate about, the reality that Clive [Davis] mandated an album
of 80s covers for a sophomore album of a hugely popular singer is an action
that speaks louder than anything else to me. Whether or not it means that
Clive is actually working against Clay's success for some reason or simply
trying to put him in a musty corner where he won't compete with the others
in the AI stable doesn't matter. To me it's reason enough for Clay to try
to get the hell out as soon as he can find a way that works and a good
alternative. There isn't anyone in the business that would ever tell you
that doing mostly covers for a sophomore album is anything but career suicide.
Clay's probably one of the few pop stars that can survive it.
If he can't get away
right now, I'm glad he has loyal fans who will stick by him and I'm one
of them. But I want to hear what a free, or freer Clay would sing, and
I want that sooner rather than later."
~waterbaby
"There is an African proverb,
"When you pray, move your feet."
To me, that's always meant
living life with the combination of faith and action.
I know that Clay believes
in prayer. Right now, I hope his feet are moving, too."
~berkeley
"When I say it, ["I believe"]
I don't mean some nebulous "something" on the horizon or some particular
road that might end in a disappointing dead end. I mean " I believe in
Clay Aiken". I believe in the power I see in his gifts, his talents, his
charisma, and his continued example of "be the change you want to see in
the world". I believe in positive energy, in light, in hope, in love. I
believe in the glow of affection I see in his eyes and ours when we are
together, in the laughter and friendships I've enjoyed "since Clay", in
the bubble of joy I feel in my heart when I hear him sing, in the tenacious
optimism he demonstrates as he lives his life.
As for the label, I did
mistakenly hope for a juggernaut and instead got juggerNOT...so I'm not
putting my faith in "that", although I still cherish dreams in that direction.
Instead, I'm learning to feel excitement and hope that doesn't depend on
external circumstances...that doesn't rely on the proactive support I wish
for from the label, that doesn't hinge on the public/media acceptance I
still dare to hope for. I've found that enjoying the way I feel about Clay
is "excitement" enough. Whatever happens, I know "he's got me"...THAT'S
what I believe in.
For me, it's all about
Clay Aiken. I BELIEVE! :)
~00Isee
"I recall Clay saying
on a few occasions that he is a realist as opposed to an optimist. I would
think that he watches the incoming numbers for CDs, concerts, etc with
hope for the best and a desire to out-do the others, but with a constantly
evaluating eye. His comments on Kimmel reinforced my perception of his
outlook. With regard to not buying Timberlake's CD, he said, "I don't want
the competition. I don't wanna give him points. Every vote counts!" In
that same interview he had just downplayed the potential of knocking Justin
from the top perch. While he might generally downplay his ambition verbally,
I believe he actually is *very* competitive, but realizes there are many
external elements that strongly influence results. It is an interesting
tightrope to walk ... balancing self-confidence, reality, insecurities,
hype and knowledge of industry machinations among a zillion other things."
~Fountaindawg
"I too love 'A Thousand
Different Ways' beyond all reason...my beef was always that a CD of covers
was the wrong choice for a sophomore album, regardless of how skillfully
it was done. We did see tantalizing glimpses of the original work of which
Clay is clearly capable...I hope wherever he goes, [Re: Speculation that
he may leave the RCA label] he will be able to go in that direction if
he so he chooses. With some actual effort to distribute the stock properly
and get some tracks played on the radio. That shouldn't be asking for too
much for someone of Clay's talent and sales record."
~Pink Armchair
"Clay didn't search around
for his current label, he had no choice. Sort of like when you leave college
with your degree and a smile and you'll take just about whatever job they
give you. (I can't believe I could live on my first paycheck.) But just
like when you decide to move on to the next company, you interview the
new company while they are interviewing you. Forget "show me the money",
if I were him I'd say "here are my goals and concerns, show me the marketing
plan". '
~Corabeth
"Freedom. It's not just
a fantasy.
Clay will always know
it. He knows it now. It's just a matter of time.
And knowing this, I am
free.
It's going to be an amazing
year."
~calliek
"Think about it....with
all the crap last year, a LOT of people decided that they wanted to take
in a Clay Aiken show in December. And....Clay surprised EVERYONE...including
his fans. The guy who came out on those stages was not the cowering, embarrassed,
uncomfortable guy predicted by those mental giants at Access Hollywood.
The guy we saw was confident, blisteringly funny, a stellar performer.....and
he took no prisoners. Can't wait to see what's next."
~Permaswooned
"Call from Grand Rapids
violinist:
I just got off a phone
call from one of the symphony members in Grand Rapids . They call new subscriber's
to their concerts to encourage attendance. She was absolutely wonderful
to talk with. She had high praise for Clay and his work ethic and his voice.
She also had high praise for Jesse Vargas and how he had everything prepared
for the Symphony. She is the one who Clay asked to define mercato. She
also said that while he bantered and had fun with that that once he started
to sing he was all business and was focused on the program. And boy can
he sing she said. Asked me if I had followed him from the beginning and
was I one who still had my hand up for the number of concerts. Said he
was very easy to work with during rehearsals and a true professional and
very nice guy!! She also added that he must have picked up the news of
their Grammy nomination on his own cause they had just found out the day
before about the nomination and were all a buzz about it. Too cool!"
~flozie
"What is "right for Clay"?
My dream for Clay has always been that his dreams for his life and career
come true, not mine. His is a sublime talent: I will be there, whether
he plays clubs, concert halls, stadiums or Vegas, whether he sings mainstream
AC, Top 40 or the more indie-inspired sound of "Lover All Alone". All I
know about what is right for Clay is what he says --- everything else is
just me musing on a message board, where I could be reading him rightly
or wrongly. He has said he wanted radio play, particularly on Hot AC formats.
I will believe that it is right for Clay when he has a label putting concerted
effort into getting it for him, with every legal form of $upport still
available. He has said that he doesn't want to be a punchline. The Fosters
don't think he's a punchline, and neither does Tyra Banks or Neil Sedaka
or Eman Kiriakou or a slew of singers, songwriters, engineers, arrangers
and producers whose positive comments about Clay never made it into official
RCA Public Relations. I'll believe he has the right combination of label,
PR and management when I see more of the simple things that focus on his
talent, including more music-based interviews and being talked up by his
peers / collaborators / writers / producers when an album drops.
Clay has asked his fans
to request his songs in the past. I will be very interested in seeing if
he does so when "A Thousand Days" goes for adds or if he ever mentions
ATDW in his blog again. That will tell me a lot about whether or not he
considers this album cycle finished and whether a "fresh start" is more
than a simple New Year's greeting.
"Excited"? Yeah, Clay,
I am, too, and I don't have to know exactly why yet.
I've heard you sing.
I've seen you entertain.
And now I know what you
are capable of writing.
"Excited" is an understatement."
~berkeley
"...he is not the young
kid from the Carolinas with a bad haircut and a number on his chest anymore.
He travels in different circles now. Don't you think he networks? I do.
I think he talks about this stuff with his AI friends, with the Foster-Levy_Aiken_Fosters,
with other industry people, with Buble, with Manilow, with Rosie, with
DS. Sometimes he gets good advice, sometimes he gets used. Life is sorta
like that for all of us, no?
But he rides in the black
cars now. He has lawyers and agents and cleaning people and PR folk and
a gardener and a publicist and a body guard and a fan club and lots of
money and amazing talent. It's not just him and Faye now. He has people."
"I imagine it's hard to
market Clay. Every time we see him, he reveals a new talent. He is unique.
It would be like trying to catch falling stars in a paper cup. Maybe the
best thing to do is watch the sky with wonder and wait. I have time."
~AgingHippie
I have no doubt in my
mind that when Clay Aiken lays his head on his pillow at night he has no
problem falling right to sleep and sleeping like a baby.
Clay Aiken knows who he
is. I don't think he loses any sleep at night because I don't think he's
trying to impress anyone. I don't think he's worried about changing anyone's
mind. I think he has finally learned that the best path you can take in
this business is to be true to yourself and let the chips fall where they
may.
I think he made up his
mind to take control of life and do it ALL his way. If people like him
and what he does...super. If they don't...whatever. I think he enjoys entertaining
(in many forms) and I think he would love to continue to do so as a career.
But I also think if the demand for his talent would dwindle away...he'd
be just fine. I've felt that way from the beginning of this journey and
I have never wavered on that opinion.
~Panty Queen
"I am very intrigued by
Clay's comment in his blog that his mood is "excited". Not just "happy",
but "excited". I love the sound of that. I do think he has plans in the
works for this year... he always has plans in the works. I have to laugh
at times when I think about those stories from his friends and professors
back in his college days who told us that he'd race into class at the last
minute with a bag of Chick o' Filet (sp?), having skipped his homework,
having slept in, clothes grabbed off the floor, winging his way through
some of the classes when not prepared--typical college student. Who would
have anticipated that he would turn into such a multi-tasker and successful
CEO of Clay Aiken Inc.? "
~ellenpoppy
"...So whatever his fresh
start is I will be also be gratified in knowing that I was right to put
every confidence in his ability to know what's going on around him. This
man is sharp as a tack. He will move on if ncesesary, stay [with RCA] if
he chooses to, make the best of it if released. He will learn each day
more and more what he wants out of this business whether it's singing love
songs, or pop songs or rock songs or doing television, or focusing on charity
or whatever. That faith in his strength and courage allowed me to
enjoy every TV appearance, clack, both albums, without worry or angst.
He's a smart man, sharing in the decisions of his career, knowing the stakes
in commenting on things the way he did, making compromises as we all must
do in life. I will be surprised by nothing that happens in 2007 yet be
surprised by everything..and yes that makes perfect sense to me."
~couchtomato
"Christian has been working
closely with Clay Aiken and his executive producer Jaymes Foster, sister
of legendary producer David Foster.
"A Thousand Days"was
released on Clay Aikens album "A Thousand Different Ways." The album debuted
at # 2 on billboards top 200 albums the first week it was released. Christian
wrote “A Thousand Days” specifically for Clay. Clay Aiken has performed
Christian’s song on national television, including Good Morning America,
Jimmy Kimmel Live, CNN Larry King Live, The Martha Stewart Show and the
Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. "
~Christian
Leuzzi's website
"Back during the American
Idol tour I wrote...
Tomorrow, the road would
widen and extend to points so much father than he'd ever dreamed...but
tonight, the world seemed as small and as large as the outpouring of that
love in the arena as he choked back the tears, listening to the thousands
of voices raised in celebration of his.
The arena, of course,
was Raleigh.
But the arena now, always,
no matter where he is, is the world. From the stage, from the screen, from
the Internet, from us.
He is still intimately
ours, but he is everywhere else. It's made for a hard battle.
And it has been just that.
But he has never really been at war. We have, for him. But he has been
at peace. Because he knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. His
banter tells us he knows. A lift of the eyebrow, a subtle twang, a flip
of the hair. Yes, he knows.
True, there have been
some trials. But he raised his voice, he let it ring...we heard it. It
has not wavered. Clay is as he has always been.
Now, 2007 is here.
Step back and wait for
the glorious sunrise. It is coming."
~calliek
"I've learned that beauty
isn't skin deep---------that it begins in the heart and radiates out. Though
Clay has had a wonderful transformation on the outside----it wouldn't have
had the impact that it has had if the beauty wasn't in the inside first
and has remained there continually.
I've learned that perseverance
is the key to success. Clay proved that with the American Idol adventure---where
he overcame all odds and obstacles. And that winning a race isn't the only
acceptable result. I've learned that I want to be the very best I can be.
I've learned that we don't have to measure our success by what the world
thinks or holds dear. That we need to be true to ourselves and our beliefs---that
is true Success!!!
I've learned that it is
best NOT to return evil for evil and it is also sometimes best not to comment.
Clay has weathered some scathing allegations, and has shown that he has
become a better man as a result."
~Idb51
"I just wouldn't want
to miss out on the deliciousness that is Clay Aiken. Not ever seeing him
in concert hasn't made me waver in my fandom one bit. I've been a fan since
"Take..." and all through the times when we didn't know if he'd even be
out on tour (Solo Tour!) to right now. And I'm eagerly anticpating what
2007 has in store for him and us!"
~xandersmom
"My first Clay concert
was "going to be" the JBT in Toronto until health issues prevailed. I was
heartbroken. But I will always be a hardcore fan despite still being a
concert virgin.
He won my heart during
AI2, and won it again for all time the first time I watched some clack
of the infamous Minnesota Invisible. Hook, line and sinker. No turning
back. Never once looked back. Always looked forward to the next time...and
always will. He's got me for life. The voice is what did it. The emotion.
The delivery. The tone. The entire package. I will always be eager for
his new music. I will always follow him through whatever means are available.
And if it comes to a day when not a board exists on the Internet, I will
hound his label (whichever label that may be) and haunt the record stores
and the internet for his music. The voice is the root that sustains. Everything
else is icing on the cake (and what a cake it is *g*). I thank the Lord
for the clack gatherers (of every genre). If I never see a concert live,
I hope to continue to experience this amazing performer through the eyes
of those with the passion to bring it to us. Thank you will never be enough.
I have never felt this
way about an artist (and what an artist he is) before. I never expect to
feel the same way about an artist again. Until he brings me a CD filled
with "lyrics by Clay Aiken", it doesn't matter to me whether it is covers
or original songs. It's the voice. Always the voice. The tone and vibrato
bring unmatched vocal beauty. Don't care about the glory notes. They've
never been the most important thing to me. It's the root of the voice that
makes it special for me.
A hard core fan who's
never seen a live concert? Yup, that's me. And I will always be "hard core"
even if I never see a live concert.
Hope everyone had a great
Christmas and that the New Year brings Clay back to us as soon as possible.
I can't tell you how much fun and beautiful music this JNaT has brought
to these grateful ears and eyes (through the clack for this tour). I've
loved it. Get busy, Clay. We're waiting...with love."
~anncanada
"He asked the men to raise
their hands, and there was a guy about 10 rows back on the aisle who didn't.
He was maybe 6 rows down from me. Clay wanted to know his name, including
last, and the guy said "Smith". He asked where he worked--he was really
picking on the guy, but the guy was loving it. Meanwhile the wife is supposed
to be standing and Clay won't let her sit down. She keeps trying to sit
down but everytime he asks her something else and all she can do is giggle
and blush. She was a good-looking woman, 30ish, maybe 40? Both of them
were well-dressed and "classy". So then someone on the other side of the
theater starts telling the entire audience what the guy's name really is,
where he works and so forth. Everyone is laughing. I could see the guy
and his wife for the rest of the concert--the guy loved every minute of
it and interacted with everyone around him for the rest of the show. I
was sitting among mostly all NJU people whom I didn't know, and I watched
them all being won over and totally having a blast. It created a sense
of community in the audience, and made folks feel happy. Clay is sharp,
quick on his feet, and a fantastic entertainer."
~Claymaniac in PA
"I have always believed
that one of the best ways to increase concert attendance would be to get
one of [Clay's] shows televised and marketed with great clips in
ads so folks wouldn't ignore it as 'likely Clay standing at a mic and singing'.
Just using my Clack supply [fan videos of Clay in concert], I could plan
a nice little TV concert using the great vids taken by our resident Clack
Goddesses and their compatriots across the fandom. It would lack that live
'hit' that you cannot get any other way than his voice heard in person,
but the diversity of material and styles covered with such excellence might
open quite a few eyes and minds. I think far too many people know nothing
about him but the nice ballads and Christmas songs."
~Fountaindawg
"I am totally out of
the loop with whatever "crap" is happening lately, but I want to share
this. I am a very skeptical person who has a hard time believing anything
unless I hear it for myself. Well, this I heard first hand, with my own
ears. At the Englewood concert, this man came over and started talking
to the women next to me. (I was not eavesdropping, I couldn't help but
hear, he was standing right in front of me. Honest. LOL!) Well, it turns
out he was the Director of the theater and was telling these women all
about Clay at rehearsal that afternoon. He said that Clay was the most
genuinely nice guy....he was saying that he was taking pictures and signing
autographs all afternoon and that Clay was so nice to everyone about all
of it.
He said that he would
never believe anything bad he read about Clay because "He is just too nice
of a guy!"
~Claydoh
Clay has made me smile,
giggle, jump for joy, groan, moan, cringe, tingle, desolve into tears,
laugh like a lunatic and act like a kid... All of which made me happy to
be alive!"
~ForeverYoung
"Twas the night before
xmas and all is quiet here at my family's house. Cookies have been made,
Santa notes written, all the children are in bed wondering when the big
guy will arrive, we have played Santa, arranged the presents, ate the cookies
and drank the milk. Everyone has gone to bed and left me down here in the
quiet of the house with the twinkling lights. There is lots to be thankful
for including all the friends I have made though this crazy ride over the
last 3 years and seven tours. Here's to many more, all serenaded by the
beautiful voice of that lovely southern man. Off to listen to AIW one more
time and then to bed to catch some sleep before the thunder of little steps
come running down the stairs. All is well indeed."
~CiperBIF
"Clay Aiken,the popular
young singer who was runner-up on American Idol several years ago, has
become a true advocate for the disabled, especially handicapped kids.
He has a foundation which helps the disabled, has been named to the President's
Board on Disabled Issues, and was once on the road to becoming a special
education teacher before fame and a singing career came his way.
But despite his wealth
and popularity, his devotion to the disabled has only increased. For instance,
Clay recently did a holiday concert in Easton, Pa. While there, he visited
a third-grade class that included disabled students, and even provided
limo rides to and from school for the kids.
Good to see someone so
young and popular hasn't forgotten his roots, morals and what is truly
important in life."
~GREG SMITH, Phoenixvillejournal.com
"The UNC Charlotte graduate
and 'American Idol' Season 2 runner-up returns for his annual Christmas
concert tonight at Belk Theater, where he'll perform with the Charlotte
Symphony.
"What to Expect: Aiken's
current show is more intimate than his Joyful Noise holiday tours of 2004
and 2005. Teaming with the Charlotte Symphony, Aiken will perform traditional
Christmas classics, many from his 'Merry Christmas with Love' album. Carols
should include 'The Christmas Song' and 'The First Noel.'
"Public Image: Aiken is
no stranger to controversy: He took flack after unveiling his bold new
look on the 'American Idol' Season 5 finale and more recently was criticized
for shoosh-ing talk show host Kelly Ripa. But the Raleigh native still
comes off as the down-home boy next door that mothers love on stage --
and dismisses the incident with Ripa as overblown."
~Charlotte Observer
"Clay is the only person
who has maintained his cool (and sense of humor) throughout the whole media
frenzy. Rosie looks like a big-mouth. Kelly looks like a shrew and homophobe.
Howard Stern is always the same, just more visible and more disgusting.
Now Donald Trump, who despite his millions and high lifestyle, never learned
anything about real class, is groveling for attention in the gossip realm.
Do these people have any idea how bad they look to the rest of the population?
They seem so petty and self-absorbed in their silly little spats blown
into big media events. Donald has always had an ego the size of New York.
Clay looks like the class-act
he is. I am glad I am on his team."
~Barnett2
"Easy listening music
is not exactly my scene, so I was pretty deadset about not liking him,
but in all honesty, the guy is adorable. Really. It's not that I think
his features are particularly attractive, but you just can't not like him.
He's so damn personable, and he cracks stupid jokes at the expense of everyone,
himself included, and you feel like you've known each other forever."
~LiveJournal post
"When we got to rehearsal
and tape, Clay asked if he needed to stick to the script because he would
"never remember the lines.” I told him I had tweaked my lines around a
bit and we could just play and not worry about the script. He was happy
to improvise with me. In this situation, Clay just being himself worked
well and it didn’t have that staid feeling of something scripted. Kudos
to our director, Roger Inman, for always being there to get the shots.
The song was very sweet and quite apropos for Steve to offer Kayla. All
in all, I think the day was a success. (You can see all photos at http://stephennichols.net.)
"
~Stephen
Nichols ("Patch" on 'Days of Our Lives')
"Clay Aiken was here the
other night too... again, not my cup of tea, but um.. he was HILARIOUS.
seriously we were not expecting him to be so so so funny. he should have
his own talk show or something. just like, the unscripted stuff and banter
between him and the audience was so great. [He] improvised one-liners all
night and had everyone dying laughing between songs. <snip>. Anyway,
he was a riot. not into the songs that much (although he's very talented
and belted out ballad after ballad after ballad), but in between stuff
was spot-on.
~from the blog of a
Rebank Employee
Re: West Point and
Redbank concerts:
"I saw an amazing man
- a beautiful, radiant, fascinating man. An incredible voice in magnificent
wrapping. A dorky, funny, bawdy, smutty, witty, silly guy. A courageous,
fearless, tenacious person. A craftsman, a virtuoso. A painter with his
voice. A valient being. A mystery."
~Nanjeanne
"CLAY'S THANK YOU TO US
"No.......thank you,
Clay.
BTW, it is my firm belief
that this gesture was a general thank you to the entire audience for their
forebearance and support. It came well after the end of DSIAFCD. It was
NOT in thanks for those "helpful" fans who decided to wave GLOWSTICKS back
and forth during the song!!! No, unfortunately, I'm not kidding.
I'm sorry, what were these
IDIOTS thinking???? At that point, the man was sitting frequently, and
holding on to the stool for balance the rest of the time. He stated SEVERAL
times that he was dizzy...that he had a headache....asked to kill the spotlight....STEVIE
WONDER could see that he was really struggling to maintain his equilibrium.
So who in their right
mind would think it appropriate to wave brightly colored light sticks back
and forth, back and forth, back and forth in front of the guy???
While we are putting in
prayer requests to help Clay heal quickly, I would like to add a special
request to smite these women. Smite them severely. Before the next concert.
Thank you."
~Permaswooned
"Just back from Tilles
and West Point and I gotta say, girls, these were the crowning Clay shows
of my life. Such grit, such hotness, such tones, such vocal purity, such
wit and such drama! The rollercoaster ride that is the Aikenator with steep,
steep climbs, dizzying descents and very sharp turns! Hands in the air
and scream, folks! He is here to stay and the audience is eating out of
his hand. We are his happy trained seals waiting for our next cue. Last
night in WP , there was the greatest , smoothest audience interaction I
have ever seen. He is funnier and smoother already than a lot of so-called
established acts.
Those Paul Smith suits
fit him like sensuous gloves, caressing his finely turned thighs when he
crosses them in that open way he does. The soft , expressive and graceful
hands lightly brushed with fine copper hair are to die for. He is made
for love. He looks very much the young English gentleman. And can he do
accents or what? This bawn New Yawkah was stunned by the Nawtheaste'n sounds
comin' outta his mouth. "
~Divayenta
"I have never in my life
seen such grit, such stubbornness, such endurance and showmanship. This
man is totally amazing! He came out walking very very slowly and we wondered
what was wrong. He sat on the stool for the first two songs. Then he said
that probably all the message boards would be typing that he was sitting
on the stool, that he had no tie on. Then he explained about his ear and
his dizziness and asked the people in the first row to watch out in case
he falls on his face on the stage.
And he proceeded to give
the show of his life. Occasionally he would grab onto the stool and hold
on for dear life. And yet, he still had time to joke with the audience,
to give the mic to a girl who got engaged last night at the top of the
Empire State Building.
When it came to DSIAFCD,
he held that note and it was just as powerful as when he was standing.
He moved the mic away for the last sentence as usual, and it was wonderful.
And then he tried to stand
and almost went over. He walked oh so slowly to the side of the stage,
and Jamie met him there and walked him out.
The house lights went
up, but my sister said “Wait- the orchestra people are looking to the side”
And sure enough, Jamie
escorted this wonderful wonderful man back to the front- he sat down, and
the pure notes of All is Well drifted out over the audience. And the last
note, he took a breath---and held it for longer than I ever heard him do
it before.
He stood, wavered a lot,
and Jamie came and got him and took him offstage.
Everyone in the audience
gave him a huge standing ovation, their mouths open in awe. He is so freaking
unbelievable. That man is capable of anything!!
I hope that he rests and
takes something to clear that up. I have vertigo and there are antivertigo
pills that are available (with prescription) but if he has an ear infection
too, that would need antibiotics.
I believe he will be there
tomorrow night. What a man, I am awed at his perseverance. Totally."
~Marilyn
***
"Tonight I watched Clay
seemingly "saunter" out to the mike, arriving a bit late for the first
few words of CW and then sit squarely on the stool. After a few moments,
I watched him grab for the side of the stool and hang on, and I said to
myself OMG, he's got vertigo. Wow. What a moment of deja vu. I used to
sing in a huge choral group, and I had to get permission to sit on a stool
for the concerts, but it had to have a back and arms. It wasn't enough
to just have a seat. Otherwise, I was going to fall off the risers, and
I usually had to hold on to the person next to me with one hand from time
to time.
Here's a little medical
aside (hey...medicine is my life!). We know our position in space because
our brain integrates signals from our inner ears, what we are seeing, and
where our body is touching something solid. Because Clay was on a stool
with no back, and because he closes his eyes so much when he sings, and
has a spotlight in his eyes when they're open, he was truly working without
a net tonight.
If you haven't had vertigo
yourself, it is impossible to describe what it is like. Can you just imagine
how hard it was for Mr. Control Freak to discover that no matter how hard
he concentrated, or how strongly he willed it, he absolutely could not
walk in a straight line, or stand without being in danger of falling? There
are no words to describe it.
Just so you know, in general,
it is not a painful condition. Except of course for the falling, staggering,
frequently extremely nauseous thing. That's not fun.
There is no way for me
to describe to you all the unbelievable amount of awe, admiration and respect
I have tonight for that stubborn, gallant, big-hearted, professional, beautiful
man. From my wonderful front row seats, I watched him hang on to that stool
with one hand, the other hand, two hands, grip the microphone like death,
and try to keep from turning very much in order to keep his precarious
seat. That has been me, and I cannot possibly tell you how hard it was
for him to do that.
The tremendous effort
wore him out, but you couldn't see it until he tried to walk offstage,
and then return for the encore. He was so pale, and he looked like he was
fighting really losing it and getting sick as the song drew to a close.
Several deep breaths and then he had to gesture for Jamie to come and get
him. He couldn't let go of the stool.
Tears were standing in
my eyes, as I watched that gorgeous, determined man as he attempted to
navigate a stage that must have suddenly seemed to him like the deck of
a ship in a storm (more deja vu). Wow. This whole evening was delivered
from the gut level. No words.
So, did his "medical affliction"
(tm Clay) mean that the audience got short-changed tonight?
No. Oh no. No, Mr. Titanium
was chattier than ever. He was funny and witty and quick...as much so or
more than any other concert night. He sang beautiful versions of every
song. Very tender, nuanced, yet with power and glory when called for. He
didn't prowl the stage. And he didn't lean out over the audience to chat.
Otherwise, it was a spectacular show. If you hadn't seen him before, you
wouldn't know the difference. And he explained the problem in a humourous
way throughout the night for those who had seen the show before and DID
know the difference.
I am so honored to be
a fan of this man. I feel so honored to have been one of the fans there
for him tonight. Mr. Webcat is right. The lady next to me and I were chanting
our prayers for him out loud as he struggled to finish that last song.
On any audio version, no one would ever know what it cost him to perform
it. Sheer determination and a will of iron. Unbelievable.
I took approximately a
kabillion pictures tonight. Clay was really gorgeous, dizzy or not. However,
I don't have any of Clay being helped on or off the stage. He was not happy
to have had to ask for that help.
Plus, I was too busy applauding
and yelling out "Thank You Clay!!!" Thank you for that magnificent effort.
Thank you for a beautiful evening in every way.
BTW, I talked to Jesse
Vargas after the concert. I told him that I worked in the medical field,
and that I had had the exact same problem as Clay in the past, including
being on stage.
I told him that Clay's
problem got worse as the concert progressed, partially because he keeps
closing his eyes. It's difficult not to try to minimize the spinning, but
it makes it worse. I told him it would help Clay a great deal if they could
give him a focal point. Keeping that focus diminishes the spinning. I told
him a stool with a back, and if possible arms, would help as well.
At that point (gathering
music onstage) Jesse said Clay was getting treatment right away. That he
didn't see how Clay was going to be able to do that (Tilles) show, but
that Clay felt sure he could pull it off. However, Jesse wasn't sure how
he could do that again, since Clay was obviously in trouble at the end.
However, it seems that
by the time the bus crowd heard from him, the word was that Clay was getting
treatment, and that it couldn't be any worse tomorrow night, and would
most likely be better.
If that's the case, then
I'll probably be able to see that amazing, professional, gutsy entertainer
again in West Point. If not, we'll plan other activities and hope to see
him Saturday at Red Bank. He already gave us more than 200% tonight. If
he doesn't have enough left for tomorrow, we'll more than understand. "
~Permaswooned
" Clay Aiken had the mostly
female audience in the convention center ballroom in the palm of his hands.
Between holiday songs,
Aiken, in a blue suit and really big shoes, joked with the audience, including
a third-row fan who brought binoculars sporting a Christmas motif, and
made fun of himself by bringing up several times the whole "hand-over-the-mouth"
controversy that occurred when he was a guest host on the "Live With Regis
and Kelly" morning show a few weeks ago.
"Just call me Mr. Controversy,"
he said jokingly. "I'm a scandalous person." Performing with the Hartford
Symphony, Aiken's performance marked the first time the convention center
has been used for a concert.
"When you do something
the first time you don't know what to expect," said symphony music director
Edward Cumming. "But sometimes doing something new works out well. We think
this did."
~Hartford
Courant
"After all,
it was never just us".
~berkeley
"No, Berk...it never
was, and certainly will never be again.
I'm missing him myself
this time, and the ache is deep.
But the stars are brightly
shining. And his outshines them all.
Sending warmth to you...and
all who dwell here. And everywhere else...where he will be discovered again
and again and again...for the first time or, simply, again. It's a rebirth
that redefines...and alters.
Mind, heart, life.
Ah, the glory. It knows
no end."
~calliek
Had a conversation with
the [Williamsport] banquet manager as he watched the room quickly fill
up. He told me that Williamsport has not had that kind of excitement in
14 years. They have had other acts like Barry Manilow there, but none has
sold so well. He was not just talking about the theater. What he told me
was:
CLAY SOLD OUT THE TOWN!!!!
His hotel and others were
thoroughly booked because of Clay. Restaurants were filled because of Clay's
fans. He seemed genuinely pleased to be a part of it. Add this to the stories
about them not seeing activity like that at the bus after the show, and
concert goers who said they would see him again whenever he came back to
the area, and I think he really made an impression on Williamsport!!!"
~clayzedover
"Heaven help us all if
he ever uses his power for evil."
~drmchaser614
"Being in Hollywood makes
it a lot different than being in North Carolina or in most anywhere," said
Clay Aiken, who moved home after a stint in Los Angeles. "It's just a different
beast, and I kinda wanted to be back with people who knew me and didn't
think of me as Clay Aiken the singer but, you know, Clay Aiken the dork.
I needed to be close to family, and I just kinda liked the stability of
that." "
~Clay Aiken
"From the moment I saw
Clay perform Mack The Knife on AI2, I knew I was watching a true "oldtime"
entertainer. There was something about that performance that made me take
notice. I have never wavered in that knowledge. While many talked about
genre and rock star/pop star I kept thinking uh uh, Clay can not be defined.
It's really hard to define a person who keeps growing and integrating more
and more into his being and that is who Clay is, IMO. His birthchart, with
5 planets in Sag. bears that out as well. This Man of Fire will not be
contained, defined and held back by anyone but himself. No matter what
anyone wants him to do, Clay will continue to do it his way and he will,
IMO, continue to discover his way as he expresses his amazing talent and
gets feedback. He thrives on the give and take and I don't believe it is
ever too much for him to be himself. He's a delight, a sight for sore eyes
and a man of magic. His voice is sublime, his artistry totally unique and
his growth and maturity is, to me, exciting and astounding. I wouldn't
change a thing about this man. Clay, continue to just be who you are. He's
a refreshing drink of cool, clear water after a long journey in the desert.
He is a star and he will be a greater star as time goes on. I believe he
has found his center and he is living from it. "
~skybar
"Not only is he comfortable
with 'us', I believe it goes a bit deeper. I think he now trusts 'us'.
I think Clay finally knows that 'we're' not going anywhere, that 'we' finally
know him, not performer Clay, but the man that he truly is, with all his
foibles and goofiness and kindness and dorkiness and baggage, and we like
him just as he is. No subterfuge, no artifice, just Clay."
~Shadylil
"The process that is Clay."
He will redefine entertainment with his downhome , yet razorsharp wit and
then slay with his music. I want Disney to write for him as well backing
him with the finest symphonic orchestras . He needs to be heard in the
best concert halls, theaters-he is our national treasure. I can't say this
enough. He will construct his own shows . THey will evolve."
~Divayenta
"He told us the newest
controversy coming to our newstands would be that he'd fathered some lovechild
with some woman he'd never met in college. He was telling us so we didn't
have to buy the smut. He was totally laughing the whole notion off."
~LyricAKP
"it hit me tonight as
I was listening to yet another cellcert where he had the audience alternately
splitting their sides with laughter and holding their breath at the sheer
power and beauty of his voice. And I was thinking about how he's getting
funnier every night and talking more, and finding ways to engage the audience
and always finding a comeback and somehow still managing to sound stronger-voiced
every night... he's honing his craft. This is who he is as an artist. Singing,
chatting, joke-telling, audience-teasing.... he's finding himself as an
entertainer. This is who he is. It has zero to do with genres or radio
play. And it's what's going to propel him from big star to legend one day."
~GBB
"People who become genuine
stars are slightly odd in some way, and then the world changes around them."
~Bill Condon
"I think he [Clay] is
just as "high profile" now as he was then, [three years ago] but he's in
a different category. Then, he was just off the highest-rated TV show in
America, a hot commodity, and, with Ruben, part of one of the most talked-about
rivalries of the year. He was new, he was different, he was undeniably
talented, but I also think it was taken for granted in a lot of people's
minds, possibly even his own (but NOT mine!), that he was a flavor of the
moment, and would fade when the next big thing (heh) came along.
Obviously, that didn't
happen. Three and a half years is a long time in the entertainment biz,
and other celebs have come and gone, but Clay is still there. There is
something about him, apart from his phenomenal talent, that has held people's
interest. And continues to hold it. His engaging personality? His philanthropic
causes? His distinctive look and sound? His skills as a raconteur? His
enigmatic qualities? The tabloid crap? All or some of the above? No idea.
But now, when all he has
to do is walk out of the house with a new haircut or hit a clunker onstage
or decide to open his front door to a local news crew or attempt to take
a cohosting job seriously, the entertainment shows feverishly cover every
second of it, blathering about it for a week afterward, referring to him
by first name only. Websites and blogs throw his name in there, however
gratuitously, just to get hits. To me, that reads as "established star"
rather than "flavor of the moment." Both equally "high profile," but a
very big difference in perception between the two."
~ Pink Armchair
"in my view, this isn't
a fandom that subsists on performance perfection and perfection alone,
but a fandom that subsists on the emotional resonance of Clay's every performance,
and the spirit, challenges, ambition and progress that each of his performances
embodies."
~43dudleyvillas
"There is something deep
and focused about him that comes forth when he misses the mark. It makes
him all the more determined to prevail. He is getting better and better
with this song after the missed note. He has such a strong, "I will show
the world" attitude."
~Barnett2
Corabeth wrote
[at The Conclayve]:
"Now this is a killer
note. It is a high A and he holds it for 8 seconds. It's been a long time
since I read music but to me it sounds as high or higher than the note
from his stunning performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water on the American
Idol season 2 finale.
spotlightloverresponded:
First, the issue of the
high pitches. Yes, the last note is an A. But Clay actually hits that same
pitch eight separate times in the last verse of the song.
Moreover, he hits a B-flat - a half tone higher than A, and the same note
that ends BOTW - three times in that last verse. So it's not just all about
the last note. It's that he's singing at the top of his range for the entire
last verse, which goes on (according to my Merrillville video) for a total
of 40 seconds, two-thirds of a full minute.
And in Merrillville, he
held the final A for a total of 13 seconds.
The stamina and control
required to do this is really amazing, especially after singing an hour's
worth of other songs. It's very much like trying to balance on a tightwire
only millimeters thick after running a marathon."
Code:
F# F#
A A D E F#
G F# G A A
Bb A F# G
Born is now Em- ma- nu-
el, born is our Lord and Sa- a- a- vior,
G A
Bb A F# G G
A Bb A F# G
E G A
Si- ing Al- le-
lu- ia, Si- ing Al- le- lu- ia, All is Well
The lowest note in AIW
is a low C, which is the lowest note we've heard him sing. Previously it
was a low D-flat in "Here You Come Again" on ATDW.
The range of this song
is almost a full two octaves, from the low C to a high B-flat. That's an
incredible range in a single song for a pop singer. Many pop songs are
less than an octave range, and 1 1/2 octaves is unusual for most singers
who aren't Mariah Carey.
Offhand, I don't know
the exact ranges of all Clay's songs. He has sung higher in other songs,
but only briefly. The high note on "smart-est" in Invisible is a high C,
but he barely hits it, and as we know he eliminated that in concert after
the IT. IIRC there was a high D in "The Girl is Mine" from the AI2 tour.
AFAIK the highest note we've ever heard him sing is a falsetto high G above
high C, in SSD on the Solo Tour. None of these songs has the low, low range
that we hear in AIW. So from a low C to the high falsetto G, that's a full
2 1/2 octave range that we've heard him sing at various times. "
~spotlightlover
"It really doesn't matter
how many times he hits or misses that note for the rest of the tour. He
has 18 shows in 23 days. He'll probably miss it again. But most wouldn't
even try it.
The look on his face tonight
is what I will hold in my heart..."
~The
Conclayve
"This Clay was the one
I missed seeing last year -- the one you travel to see and spend money
on and root for and cherish and commiserate about and defend and celebrate.
The VOX is one thing -- and it is QUITE a thing! -- but his comfortable
embrace of us, the fans, was just as special. It was, finally, a complete
lovefest on both sides (and you know it's true, because you only tease
the ones you love)."
~Pink Armchair
"He planted his feet,
gripped the microphone stand and let it rip. Everyone all around me was
leaning forward, afraid to breathe, almost willing him through it, and
you could tell that he knew it. And when the time came, he grabbed the
mic stand, planted his feet, squeezed his eyes shut and it just...came
out. Wow. It was so gorgeous and so powerful. I heard a lot of gasps, and
then everyone simultaneously jumped to their feet, screaming and applauding
and jumping up and down."
~Writer at The
Conclayve
" ...anyone who wasn't
charmed by his whole personality must have fallen asleep and missed most
of the show. The man's mind just never stops. Yes, he has pre-planned banter,
but he can go spontaneously in any direction when something ... anything
... catches his attention. I remember Ryan Seacrest making a comment one
time when the whole Ruben-Clay comparison was still at a high point. He
mentioned that it wasn't just enough any more to just sing well. The whole
ability to *present yourself* well and engage the audience plays a huuuuuge
part in making a 'star' out of a performer. I agree totally! With talent,
Clay earned his shot at the brass ring. With intelligence, wit, charm,
personality and all the personal attributes that allow him to turn from
goofy to 'gah' in the turn of a head ... he just is on a whole other level
than most performers today. He simply cannot be conveniently 'boxed', whether
it be by print media, [TV] radio, though an aging record exec might
try damn hard to do so. I think (and hope!) that he will always push whatever
limits are set before him.
~Fountaindawg
"I
wish I could describe "it". . . . Sometimes I've seen/felt a kind of golden
energy around Clay Aiken, during an appearance or concert. Those times
when the fans agree he was "just glowing". That's one thing I think Clay
brings to his singing that others don't or can't. It doesn't always come
through, but when it does, there's nothing like it anywhere. When he really
pours that golden essence of himself into a song, freely giving himself
over to "it" and letting it flow from him, I feel that glow in his voice.
When I close my eyes, I can almost see it. I want to wear it. I want to
put it on and wrap it around me because it's already in and over and through
me. It's as if the sounds and words are bigger somehow, wrapped in this
wonderful soft or bright or hot or radiant "it"...lifted up higher, pushed
into form and substance with such great joy or longing or pain or sensual
pleasure...His voice is all warm and love and Clay.
I
don't know how to explain those sensations of relaxed elation, of joy,
of sorrow...how to describe the slow twist in my chest and the thick ache
in my throat when he breaks my heart yet again with his voice. How to describe
the idiotic grin that comes from nowhere and lingers long after the song
is finished. . . . Whatever "it" is, it's sure working for me. So, if anyone
else even half-way feels the same way, then we'll just agree ahead of time
that neither of us is really crazy. Okay? It'll be our secret. :) "
~00Isee
"Clay Aiken's voice is
distinctive, stylish, flamboyant, subtle, gracious, inventive, unpretentious,
amazing, memorable and flawless."
~Steel
Kaleidoscopes
"It ['Everything I Have']
has a lovely, haunting melody. The lyrics are poignant and open to several
interpretations. And I love his voice on it. It caresses you, tickles the
soft spots and makes you hold your breath a little. It's the kind of song
a room quiets to hear when an artist is singing it. The kind of song that
makes you turn up the radio."
~AgingHippie
"Sometimes I feel Clay
is a celebrity scapegoat in the pop culture. It's the easy and cheap laugh.
It's also because he refuses to engage and is determined to be true to
himself. I find this powerfully moving. In a business of smoke and mirrors,
illusion and false fronts, this man is an affront. Having lots of empowered,
older women as his fans also goes against the patriarchal cultural set-up.
He and we are changing the culture for the better. As the fabulous Kathy
Bates suggested, we have insurance."
~Divayenta
"I didn't memorize my
lines at all; I kind of made them up as I went along", he confesses. "I'm
not very good at memorizing and so I thought I would just say what came
naturally and fortunately they were willing to let me do that. Stephen
and Mary Beth were just really phenomenal to work with. I can't remember
the words to my own songs much less words they write in the script for
me".
~Clay Aiken in
Soap Opera Digest regarding the Days Of Our Lives shoot
I think Karma is still
at work here. Clay got a lot of buzz just when Christmas shopping is around
the corner...Rosie probably got a slight ratings boost the next day...and
Kelly will have a hard time erasing the diva shrew hypocrite image she
showed her audience and thats a gift that will keep on giving. more...
~samtaycai
"The irony kills me.
The American Music Awards.
Clay Aiken is a fantastic
singer. He's on the show for a few seconds. He doesn't GET an award, he
doesn't SING. He's being ignored, shoved aside, as if he's a nobody. THey
give him a small insignificant part. No singing - He reads a cue card.
The next day, who is everyone
talking about? Not the winners, not the performers. They're talking about
the guy who read a cue card."
~Judy
"It's been blown way out
of proportion. I wasn't there, he was pinchhitting for me, what's his name
again? He got a little nervous, it is kind of a spontaneous show and he
reached out and wanted to say something. It's not a big deal really."
~Regis Philbin
"Tomorrow, Aiken will
be filling in for Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News."
~Keith Olberman
"So in Kelly's bazarro
world Howard Stern is the standard bearer for honoring womankind, and Clay
Aiken is disrespectful of women. The sky must be green there, too."
~Proqfreq
"Who would have ever thought
3 years ago that Jimmy Kimmel would have more CLASS than Kelly Rippa???"
~kalekona
"I still believe the evidence
of my own eyes and ears. Bottom line: Clay Aiken strode into the television
studio and made. me. laugh.
Whatever distorted thinking
was happening beneath Kelly Ripa's smiling mask and why remains a mystery.
To my eyes, he meant no harm and did no lasting harm...so whatever spiteful
damage she tries to serve him will inevitably return to her. That's the
way of the universe.
Love wins."
~00Isee
"She set herself up by
her past dissing (in her mind "funning") of Clay. Be prepared to take a
little ribbing yourself, honey!"
~Divayenta
Re: The UNICEF Snowflake
Lighting:
"Great fun, great friends
and then the chance to see Clay in something other than an entertainment
element, where he was still a star but this time in an industry that looks
at his soul as much as his hair (which looked FABULOUS)."
~Corabeth
"Clay Aiken is still out
there, using his fame to support worthy causes and sell Christmas albums.
In that respect, Clay Aiken is the Bono of "American Idol."
~Miami
Poetry Review
Hmmm.. differences of
the guy in the picture on our
banner vs. the one at the CH: The guy on the CH
banner would pick you up for a date, at the door, walk you to the car
and open it for you, hold your hand while you get in and maybe kiss you
on the cheek as he closed the door. The
guy in our banner, would be waiting by the car (in this pose) would
turn to open the door for you, but not before he backed you up against
the car and kissed you till your socks came off. I pick door number two,
but wouldnt walk away from door number one!
~kwhite1022:
RE: Being named 2006 Ourstanding
Young Alumnus from UNC CHARLOTTE:
"I suspect Clay said,
"Formal? Well, give me mah GLASSES then!"
Photo
Here
~WinkyDink
"I love that he blogged
but I also love how he blogged. He made the comment on LKL about not wanting
to give the haters the attention they crave. I think his latest blog is
a perfect example of how he is able to address the situation but not give
any attention or power to the person who caused it. He's quite a remarkable
young man, IMO. He has been given the beautiful gift of his singing voice
but his gifts extend so far beyond that. He continues to amaze and impress
me with how he lives his life and handles adversity."
~Beagle2
"Clay has so many gifts
to give. His beautiful voice, his compassionate heart, his caring attitude
towards others, especially those with disabilities, both inside and out,
his humor, his intellect. I really do love the way he's going about being
a celebrity. It hasn't turned his head and he takes every opportunity to
learn from all his activities."
~Shadylil
"In everyone's life,
at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into
flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all
be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."
Clay rekindled my inner
spirit."
~ER
"Why do we love him? Has
anyone ever figured out why a person loves another? What is curious to
me, is why it is such a "group" lovefest. Why do so many people with varied
backgrounds and interests love this one man? There must be one common denominator,
a connecting emotion felt by all. The voice is one thing, but I believe
it is the way Clay can connect to his audience emotionally. I think he
made that connection on AI, when he would reach through space and time
and touch each viewer in an individual way. It was as if he was looking
and singing "just to you." In concert, he does the same thing only more
so. He is spellbinding and a mass hypnotist. He tries to share the stage,
but it never works. All eyes are focused on this one man."
Heck, it is just magic."
~Barnett2
Re:
the CD Sneak Preview of 'A Thousand Different Ways'
"This album is exquisite.
We are treated to Clay's voice in ways that I've never heard. Upon
my many listens, I heard growls, groans, heavy breathing, low notes, high
notes, oohs, aahs, babys, unbridled sexiness, sensitivity, vulnerability,
beautiful arrangements, incredible harmonies, stunning instrumentation,
well articulated verses, catchy beats, maturity, pain, vocal ability like
no other and that's just naming a few things. This album has EVERYTHING,
and I do mean everything. I can't get enough of it. It's truly
the one most beautiful thing I've ever had the pleasure of listening to
and I couldn't be any happier with the end result. I have NO complaints...
only a sincere amount of gratitude for Clay and everyone involved
with making this album a reality. What Clay has given to us in this album...
it is EVERY BIT HIM!! Jaymes [Jaymes Levy- the executive Producer
of the album] captured the true beauty of Clay's voice and he delivered
it to us... boy did he ever!! ATDW, IMO... is truly a masterpiece
and it deserves industry recognition. I pray that everyone gives
this beautiful work of art, a chance.y It truly is... a work of art!
"
~Lori Tambellini
"This is what I have
been hearing...and now I understand why. THIS is what cannot be described,
only experienced. THIS is what we know, what others will soon discover.
But the buzz has been building. It's about to explode.
Believe it.
It's just starting.
There are just no words.
Clay needs a new dictionary for what he has created. There are just no
words. But there is a place somewhere in the heavens for where this will
send us.
It's called ecstasy."
~calliek
"Get ready to swoon when
CLAY AIKEN sings "Without You" from his platinum-in-waiting disc, A Thousand
Different Ways".
~The
Tonight Show site
"I've been on a roller
coaster ride with my emotions over the promotion of Clay's CD -- however,
for me, the one abiding feeling that won't let go -- is -- it's Clay. It's
Clay singing. It's songs I've not heard or seen him sing before I.cannot.wait.
I know he is going to amaze everyone (well, maybe not "everyone" since
there are some who will never like his music and those who pick apart everything
he does -- sadly it's the way of world today it seems).
Clay deserves better,
no doubt in my mind, but it is what it is. I cannot believe that the time
is almost nigh when we will see him again. That beautiful man with his
amazing voice is soon to be on my TV. If I could wave a magic wand and
have it all for him, I would. However, I think there are powers working
behind the scenes -- working for him. I feel so sure in my heart about
that.
I think this CD is one
that will "grow" the numbers -- as more and more people will hear Clay
sing these songs. JT, Beyonce', Christina will have their successes --
but Clay will also have his -- I believe it's in the stars. "
~ClaySTO
"Mr. Clayton Aiken of
North Carolina will not be in the Bush administration. He will be advising
the administration and I hope sincerely that they would listen.
Congratulations, Clay,
for being empowered more and more to make a difference.
Now that I've been completely
and utterly exonerated from propounding the Shock-and-Awe CD PR, I'd reveal
my belief, from the beginning, that Clay would definitely awe people into
supporting him in his commercial and altruistic endeavors. Shock is easy
and cheap, as attempted by many everyday everywhere just for its sake,
but "Awe" takes substance, against people's will and resistance. So Clay's
label does not pay for radio plays, nor has he been linked timely and romantically
with another celebrity needing publicity, but no hype or money can buy
the kind of PR Clay can generate or garner. Who else dropping an album
gets a presidential appointment to a national advisory committee? Who could
generate such buzz with just a brief TV appearance, with a new hairdo?
Who is turning hard-nosed critics around with the sheer beauty of his voice?
I have always believed that Clay is respected by those who really count,
those with real knowledge and power in the industry, and the main media,
all of whom never give any credence to any of the persistent filthy smear
campaigns against him. (A prissily dressed hypocrite must be smacking herself
right now.)
The world will be awed,
because Clayton Aiken is awesome. Resistance is futile."
~ propounder
"...Clay has devoted considerable
charitable efforts to this cause, so it's not a random celebrity appointment.
Interesting ...
~USA
TODAY
-------
From
Comments:
"Clay also has a degree
in Special Education, completed AFTER he was on AI and during the time
he was touring and recording an album. He also founded the Bubel Aiken
Foundation during this same time period.
So
Clay being appointed to this position is in no way just a celebrity appointment.
He has been to Capital Hill several times, the first being in July 2003,
to lobby on behalf of Special Education issues.
While some AI alum are
out hacking this product or that, Clay has been making a "real" difference."
"Sometimes worrying about
CD sales or endorsement deals become very unimportant when you look at
the larger picture. UNICEF ambassador and now Presidential Appointee. Well
done Mr. Aiken. Making a difference, indeed. He truly has set the standard
and set the bar high for Idol success. His Plan A will always be a viable
option for him, just on a much high level."
"American Idol" Coordinating
Producer Patrick Lynn said producers are always judging auditioners.
~cindilu2s
"It takes us five to 30
seconds (to decide who's going on to the next round)," Lynn said. "It took
me two seconds to know (season two runner up) Clay Aiken would go on."
~Many
try, few prevail
"I think only those who
have attended Clay's concerts personally or vicariously. like myself, know
what a great entertainer he is. The AI watchers and the general public
know him as a singer and fans who follow his career and life know him also
as a humanitarian. His career move and challenge may well be to let it
be known that he is a great entertainer as well. He may still have his
five or more Midas years(tm Elton John) as a singer to come but longevity
will be his as an entertainer, and even as a public personality, the opposite
kind to Paris Hilton, with real talent, big heart and irresistible charisma.
He will learn to garner and capitalize on the power and his life may continue
to be a great story that people are interested in."
~propounder
Regarding new album sales
(First posted in 2005--
still holds true)
"...Naturally, I can't
know what the future holds for Clay Aiken's sophomore album...but I sincerely
believe in the power of projecting positive thoughts about it into the
cosmos. So, whatever fears may wash over me upon reading dubious or cautious
speculation about his continued success, I will still be busily countering
these painful vibes with as much hopeful energy as I can muster. It's all
I can do to lift him up right now, so I do it.
I have total confidence
in Clay...He's smart and talented and has surrounded himself with smart
and talented people. I also think the mysterious, shimmering fabric of
popular culture has snagged its threads on Clay Aiken and has woven him
firmly in.
So when I think of Clay
Aiken: Back for More (or whatever he chooses to call it), I focus and imagine
words like "Power", "Persuasion", "Beauty", "Truth", "Growth", "Legs",
and most passionately of all, I think "Hits"..."Hits"..."HITS"...I think
this word so fervently sometimes I can almost smell it...
There.
Did you feel that? That
electric tingle at the nape of your neck? The skittering gooseflesh up
your arms? The growing sense of anticipation quivering in your throat?
The wild, sweet surge of joy? I'm feeling it. I'm living and breathing
it!
Life is too short for
me to dream small. For Clay, I'm dreaming BIG. Where Clay is concerned,
I'm going for broke! Completely, whole-heartedly committed to the promise
I see in this man, whatever comes. Fear? Dread? Worry? No. I don't have
the energy to spare, so I reject them. Rational? Logical? Practical? I
shake my head rebelliously...I'll face facts later, only if I have to.
Looking up from the spreadsheets and what-ifs, I instead fix eager eyes
on that glowing horizon and smile. Clouds? They dare not rain on my hopes.
Until that unknown future "someday" becomes "now", I'll be running toward
it...full out, risking top speed on unfamiliar terrain, my arms flung wide
open...Willing to be reckless...even if I fall or fail.
~00Isee
Read
Here
~00Isee
Quote:
Entertainment
Weekly Interviewer Dianne Austin: Benji, you know I’m kind of re-living
an experience. And I’ve gotta tell you what it is. I’m a big Clay Aiken
fan and I don’t know if you know it or not but a lot of people are reminded
of Clay when they watch you. Ironically, so much of what you’re talking
about is what Clay went through on his season of American Idol.
Benji:
Really?
EW:
Oh
sure, with Ruben (Studdard.) And he was roommates with Kim Locke, and oh
my gosh, it’s just amazing—it’s like history repeating itself. But you
have a huge fan base from his fan base!
Benji:
(Laughing) That’s interesting. A lot of the fan girls that talk
about me online—there’s sometimes a picture of me standing next to Clay
Aiken—which I don’t know how that happened because I’ve never met the guy
in my life—but the comparison is always being made. If that’s true—I’m
really flattered. I mean, 30 million people really like Clay Aiken! It’s
actually quite an honor to be compared to him."
~Entertainment
Weekly
"Presales
are going around the world with Amazon.com. Did you know that there are
hundreds of Clay Aiken blogs (lots are new) set up by fans? Did you know
that there is a Clay Aiken fan Club in almost every state for local fans
and that some states have 2 and 3 clubs. Yesterday - I tried to go through
and research the amount of Clay Aiken fan sites and Message boards with
fan memberships that were still active. I found 476 fan sites and I came
across 62 active message boards and haven't counted dozens more that I
couldn't view because you had to be a member with a password. The smallest
board had only 38 members and one of the largest had well over 15,000 members.
I couldn't count a lot of the Yahoo groups, nor a lot of the MSN groups
because again - you had to have a password to view. I knew that several
had large fan memberships. I didn't count the international fan sites but
did look at a few - in Singapore, philippines, and a Korean fan club with
over 10,000 members. Did you know that the Neurox Idol Forum has 53,941
registered members and that Clay Aiken has the largest amount of active
users? His site has 45,602 topics with 989,855 replies, and had 764 active
users within 20 minutes this evening at 11:30! The next highest membership
participation group is for Carrie Underwood with 8708 topics and 135,941
replies. I thought this interesting. Also something else I found to be
interesting was on a fan site in the Philippines where a young girl was
discussing that she was a brand new fan of Clay's and had never seen him
before his performance on the American Idol finale in May. There were quite
a number of new fans. ..."
~Unknown
I
asked her [RCA Markenting] about the promotion and she said you're going
to start seeing stuff over the next couple of weeks. She said for this
type of album we want to concentrate promo as we get near album drop. I
said for this type of album as in love song covers? She said no, for a
superstar artist.
~Corabeth
"I
have to say after hearing ['Without You'] over and over, this voice is
spectacular it is the best we have ever heard. He hits every single note
to perfection. There is no drag, no hesitation, no dropped notes and his
melisma is absolute perfection. Now knowing you I have to ask is it Clay
Aiken. If it is and I think it is, he is one to be reckoned with in the
music industry."
~Music
director of an unnamed university ( after being sent the song without
being told who the singer was)
"I
forgot to mention before that I love the new hair. Makes him look darker
and more brooding. Of course, that'll go out the window when he shows up
giggling on Leno, talking about how Eastern Europe is colder than mess,
but for now, he's sort of mysterious."
~PiddlyPink
"Living
at the edge of a forest, dusk is my favorite time of day. Before the changing
of the guard the world grows quiet and the air is heavy with a woodsy fragrance.
All during the day I’m serenaded by all different kinds of birds with lovely
voices but as it darkens one by one fall silent. Suddenly on a rare occasion
an oriole will grace me with a glorious rhapsody, like a flute of an angle,
bidding farewell to the day. Takes my breath away! I become elevated in
spirit.
There
are moments like this for me in Clay’s voice. When he hits those pure tones,
when I hear a rhapsody, he too elevates me to a new plane.
I
hear promise of many of these moments on this CD listening to this one
song, I will have my nirvana at the edge of the forest whenever I want,
and I only have to push play."
~Kupkake
""Wow.
I still have a hard time relating how he looked early on with the voice
that comes out of him. I know he's good, but I still always expect the
shallow kind of pop stuff you hear on the radio to come out of him because
that's all you hear from pop stars, but he sings with SO many layers and
richness and depth...it's like nothing else you've ever heard. When he
sings that song, it's not like anyone has ever sung it before...it's just
his and sounds like he's owned it forever."
~Unknown-
posted by "CantDecide"
"I
wavered about posting...it's tough to share things when you know every
syllable will be scrutinized and analyzed.
But
after listening to Without You for the innumerable time...
One
of the persons whose comments I have shared had hinted early on that this
would be the leader. He's been around a long time and has worked, in different
capacities, with both Nilsson and Mariah. He told me that, for him, there
could never be another version of WY, to stand up to Nilsson's. He was
impressed with Mariah's, but he said Nilsson owned the song as far as he
was concerned. Until he heard Clay.
"I
was utterly blown away. He pulls you in immediately, and it's like you
know your heart is about to be ripped open but you're pleading for it to
happen. And then it does and he just fills it until it bursts again. There
is something in his vocal prowess. I can't explain it. I just know I am
experiencing something phenomenal. I have never been a fan of covered songs.
Obviously. But this is an altering experience."
And...this
is coming from a guy.
Radio?
"Radio
should be all over this. But you know what? The power of him is going to
get him everywhere he needs to be."
There
are major things coming for Clay, he's not going to be short-shifted as
many have feared. It's coming, and it will be a torrent. Just listen to
the passionate crescendo in that voice. The power of him is going to get
him everywhere he needs to be. That...pretty much says it all.
Clay
is, after all, an altering experience. He is about to alter the daylights
out of an awful lot of people."
~calliek
"I
go from his voice washing over me to wanting to crawl inside that voice
and just curl up -- from feeling those low notes reverberating inside me
-- to riding and soaring as his voice lifts me to the heavens .... "
~ClaySTO
"I
can't explain what I'm feeling, or how, or why...I only know that I truly
do have confidence that whatever was/might be/is coming, however long it
takes, or whatever form it takes, Clay will triumph."
~00Isee
Since
AI2, Clay has been under minute scrutiny, and we have found no contradictions
in him. As we fans continue to read one another’s articles and blogs,
we reconfirm what each one of us has individually observed in Clay and
considers to be the absolute truth.
We
are not a fan base chasing after an “image”. We are dedicated to
flesh and blood, to a very real human being with flaws and who can make
mistakes and who can fail. We know Clay in more depth than we know
many of our friends and acquaintances because he has invited us in.
When
Clay takes the stage, he is really selling himself, using his music as
the vehicle. He is straight forward and unpretentious.
He
lives by what he says and makes his time count for purposes beyond himself.
He gives much more than he receives, often without his being aware of it.
If what he is doing involves satisfying only himself, he moves on.
I
believe one of the things that most impressed Clay’s audiences early on
in the AI competition was a portion of one of his bio clips. Clay
grabbed his ears and demonstrated his self-abasing sense of humor by stating,
“I will always have these; I don’t mind.” Later he commented, “I
am happy with my style and comfortable with who I am.” How many of
us can honestly say that?
I
believe this incident led people to look past Clay’s obvious vocal talent
to determine just what he possessed that produced such confidence and joy.
In examining him more closely, they discovered and adopted many of the
ideals and goals Clay has set for himself. They became dedicated
fans, and they have become better individuals in the process.
The
truth in Clay is his driving force. It is why we stay with this man.
It is what we have experienced and what has changed us. It has brought
us new horizons and has renewed our inner strength. It has finally
compelled us to pass along this truth to others. Indeed, truth can
make us free.
~Mitzi
Gill
"I
have instructed my attorneys to not only vigorously dispute the claims
that have been made but to also pursue all possible remedies against those
involved in the perpetration of these untruths."
"As
a so-called `celebrity' I have become used to scurrilous allegations and
untruths being made about me and my work. I have always taken the path
of not reacting to these matters and have accepted them as, somehow, coming
with the `job.' However, I cannot, and will not, stand by when these
attacks are made on my family."
~Clay
Aiken in a statement released by RCA
"It
was indeed a forceful and elegant response, although it saddens me that
he had to make a statement at all. Someone found his Achilles heel and
exploited it, and Clay felt compelled to respond.
Yes,
he's angry, but he has to be hurting, too. No one wants their family's
dignity {messed] with. Clay is not a litigious man, but he is a loyal man.
But my heart breaks a little bit to know that someone was able to provoke
a response from him. I know he'll prevail in court, but even the victor
loses a little bit of himself: faith, momentum, energy, time, focus.
I'm
saddened he has to deal with this. Having said that, I do hope his attorneys
go all Clay Aiken fan on her."
~Jemock
[In
reference to Clay's recording of 'Broken Wings' on his upcoming CD 'A Thousand
Different Ways']
"I'm
a little biased, but I think it's AWESOME. In fact, Richard Page, from
Mr. Mister, heard it and said that it's his favorite arrangement that he's
ever heard, and he's heard the song recorded 100's of times?!
I'm
so excited! My brother also worked on Clay's last Christmas record. It
was a nice compliment for him to want to work with my brother again...."
~
From a Non-Clay message board-posted by the sister of Eman, who worked
with Clay on the song
"This
past week, and most probably after viewing the new and very yummy pictures
of boyfriend, I developed an irregular heartbeat and ended up in the hospital.
While there I was taken for a battery of tests, some of which rivaled the
tortures of the Dark Ages, and in each case had a medical transport team
who would "drive" me to my next torture. One of those trips included a
really cute young guy in his early twenties who entertained me singing
some of the current popular songs as we discussed our lives. He told me
how cool I was for a middle aged old lady. Then he asked who my favorite
singer was. Without losing a beat I exclaimed "Clay Aiken". "Oh no", he
exclaimed, "You just lost some of your cool points dude". (Why are women
dudes these days?) Of course, he got the standard Clay fan diatribe about
if only you had seen him in concert, and then there was "When Doves Cry
and Elvis and even Ricky Martin". At that point he was laughing hysterically
saying it was hard to believe, but if I was there. He then told me his
sister, his mother and every other female he knows on earth was in love
with Clay and maybe he had better take another look. And here is the really
funny part, as we continued down the hall toward my torture chamber, he
suddenly broke out in song again and warbled, quite admirably I might add,
the entire song "Invisible".
Lastly,
the first day in this Catholic hospital they sent a chaplain to pray over
me. In this case, it was a little African American nun with a very heavy
accent. I learned long ago that prayers, blessings, wishings, spells, healings,
and love from any person are good things and not to be avoided no matter
your personal feelings. So I let her go on with her heartfelt wishes for
me. When she had finished I asked her where she was from. She said, "A
place in Africa called Uganda, do you know it". Well I don't have to tell
any of you what followed next from my mouth, always eager to make more
points for our collective boyfriend. As I talked about Clay and his trip
to Uganda and the support of the fandom and all I had learned about the
situation from him she smiled broadly. She then said, "Yes I know all about
him from my sisters back in Uganda. He is a blessing to this world and
you are blessed to know him". "
~Ananka
"My
mailroom guy, all excited, came running into my office today waving the
press release from PR Newswire, which he had pulled off the main fax machine
just for me. Awwww. My boss was in the room, and asked what it was. I read
it to her, including the song list. and her reaction was hilarious:
Me:
"Right Here Waiting..."
Her:
Oooh, I love that song...
Me:
"When I See You Smile..."
Her:
What? Really? Oooh! Oooh!
Me:
"Without You..."
Her:
OMG! OMG!
Me:
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word..."
Her:
Get outta here! No way! That's...wow!
Me:
"Because You Loved Me..."
Her:
Yesss! Yesss! Yesss!
Me:
"Everytime You Go Away..."
Her:
I love that! I can't wait! EEEEEEEEEE!
...well,
you get the idea. By the end, I wanted what SHE was having. *g*
Then
I printed off a copy of the [ photo of Clay leaning against the books with
his hand in his pocket ] and...
...well,
let's just say that I think the Clayversion is complete, given her disappointed
expression at the release date. I think she wants that release...right...NOW.
"
~Pink
Armchair
"I
just heard a GREAT DJ mention about Clay, and I raced back to my office
to tell y'all. I was in Staples (NO, not buying a router!) and they have
a radio station playing and its Breakaway (Kelly). When the song finished,
she says that is Kelly Clarkson there, and then she she says ...
"Speaking
of another Idol alumn, did you see that picture of Clay Aiken in USA Today
yesterday?" She is now speaking to the female traffic reporter who's about
to do an update. "He looked so cute."
The
traffic reporter says "No, he wasn't cute... he was HOT!"
The
DJ then says to her "Uh oh you have a new crush? Well you know Clay's new
album "A Thousand Different Ways" is set to be released on September 19th
and...."
The
Traffic reporter kinda cuts her off and says kinda in a dry and blunt manner
"thousand different ways I could get down with Mr. Aiken..."
There
is laughing and some cross- talk I can't understand...mind you I am frozen
in the store staring up at the speakers looking completely moronic at this
point.
The
DJ then says something about the album being a lot of 80's covers, and
I hear her mention the Celine song, Mr. Mister song, and the Bon Jovi written
song.
The
traffic reporter then says something like "mmmmmm, yep. When's that album
released again?"
DJ
says September 19th again, and then says something about her giving up
Josh Holloway from Lost for Clay... "
~lylekira
"I'm
ready for another wild ride with Clay. He has yet to disappoint me. There
seems to be a pattern with what he does. Some love it all and others are
really disappointed but in the end, most of us find our happy place again.
For those who don't or can't then hopefully they will stick around for
what is next. If not, there will be others who come aboard. I wouldn't
miss anything Clay does. Life is, for me, too fleeting, too short, to miss
the beauty of this man and his talent. I'm going to take in all that he
does and savor it. I doubt I'll ever find anyone like him again, in my
life. I'm old enough to know that the rarity of Clay Aiken is not coming
around again in my lifetime, if ever."
~skybar
Said
Clay: [Re: New Album]
"These
are songs I heard growing up. I loved them then and I still love them today,
but we decided to do them a little differently. They have new arrangements,
and we put our own style on some of them."
He
expounded further: "This is an album of love songs, but they are about
all different kinds of love. Romantic love, friendship, unconditional love.
There are a thousand different kinds of love; a thousand different ways
to tell someone you love them. And, on top of that, since so many of these
songs are covers, it's realistic to say that many of them have been or
could be sung a thousand different ways."
Clay,
as you can see, is also sporting the same basic coiffure he showed off
on the Idol finale, though I must say he looks quite dashing here.
~USA
Today
"He
hasn't done anything yet that hasn't made me feel something. There's that
indescribable quality in his voice that just does things to me and it does
transcend the song and the lyrics for me. I can't say that about any other
artist. I've been studying energy therapy this past year and I'm a believer
in the heart chakra theory someone posted a long time ago. I believe that,
for me, when he sings my heart chakra opens up wide and accepts whatever
he offers right into my core."
~beagle2
"As
an artist and creator myself, I want to say...
With
everything Clay does, he is putting not only a product out there, but himself...an
extension of his very inner self. I know this, acutely. It is exciting...it
is nerve-racking...it is painful...it is as raw as it gets. It's the very
core of your being laid bare for the world. Sure, you have had to succumb
to the visions of others...or their visions of your visions. But it's still...YOU.
You
want everyone to like it. You know some will hate it. You know there will
be a lot who will be all over the place. But...you really, really want
acceptance. You crave the passion of just one...then maybe two...or three...or
a few...or several...or many. You just want people to "get" you. To know
what you feel, who you are, what brought you to where you are...what makes
you create. You want to be seen and heard and felt. And yes...you really,
really want to be embraced.
You
know it won't happen universally. But you just hope so much.
I
believe Clay, like any artist, is putting himself out there.
For
that alone, I love him."
~calliek
"...I
was sitting here in the Clayden with WY blasting on the stero.. when I
thought I heard the door buzzer.. ran to the office without turning down
the stereo and sure enought there stood a couple ..in the mid twenties..
well he was 25 according to his drivers license..any way Clay was blaring
so I said please excuse me while I go turn the volumn down.. and the guy
say WAIT.. who is that!!.. I turned around and just looked at him..he said
..who is that .. My God that is beautiful.. then the girl said.. I have
never heard that song what is it.. I said Without You.. and he again asked
who is singing that it's magnificant.. giving me chills..I said Clay Aiken..and
he said no way.. no way.. I said yes way..that is a song on his new CD
coming out 9-19....he turned to the girl and said good lord we have to
get that..she said I absolutely love it.. it gives me chills and makes
me want to cry at the same time..needless to say I rented the room :laugh
they left and before I could get back to the clayden they were back in
the office and he asked if I minded if I could give them a copy.. I told
him I couldnt but he sure could barrow this one for the night... he thanked
me .. and right now I can hear Clay singing in the parking lot."
I
went to the office about 20 minutes ago and checked in another guest..
and looked out side .. and [saw] the young couple still sitting in the
car .. I could still hear Clay singing..and they were kissing..."
Clay
is magic.."
~ClayPerfect
"This
is just the beginning. And yes, it HAS started. Rumors, speculations, timelines...it's
here.
Yes,
there will be some who don't like one thing or another. But it's what he
has lived and breathed and believed in for many months. It's what he has
created. He is excited. I am excited.
While
I would never make judgments based on snippets and the limited quality
of their sound, I can hear--and feel--the radiance of the VOICE. That is
all I need. He will take me again...only this time, to places I have never
been. He will command and control.
Believe
me...this is just a tease. Be tickled, be tantalized, be intrigued...we
haven't seen--or heard--anything yet.
Even
if I'd heard nothing...months ago or recently...even if I knew nothing
but what I read from Clay...it would be enough. I feel his giddiness, his
pride, and his presence. He's been ready...we've been ready.
And
now...it's time...to savor him again."
~calliek
"I'll
just say that I am filled with joy tonight. Clay is still here, still making
music, growing as an artist.
He
seems so happy, with his work and with his fans.
There's
little I can tell from the fifty or so seconds of the two song snippets
that I heard today, other than to think that I might just love the duet
(which logic dictates will be balanced, I believe) and I have accepted
that Clay lurves him some ATD. [1000 Days] Good --- I love seeing him passionate
about his music.
Are
two songs representative of twelve or more? Are they simply two of many
different ways to express love? Will Clay kick it up a dozen notches on
other numbers and rock out? Will his beautiful and breathtaking voice shine
out on an acoustic number that will bring me to tears?
Will
he growl?
Will
he wail?
Will
he show the world more than they know of him?
I
don't need to know the answers tonight, because now, at long last, I know
when I will have the answer.
Fifty
days.
September
19, 2006 - Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways.
I
am ready to celebrate.
If
you're not celebrating tonight, I hope that in fifty days, you will be."
~berkeley
"I
commend Clay for believing in a cause that helps children who need it...pure
and simple.
Obviously,
politics is a sticky wicket...which is why UNICEF states absolutely they
are apolitical. I am certain that when the need presents itself in ANY
country where children need help, UNICEF will try to allocate resources.
Yet, I'm also certain they need to prioritize those who need it most at
any particular time. It's not an endless pot of money.
Giving
money to UNICEF now means not only helping children in Lebanon, but helping
build a resource base that will be there for the next tragedy...be it a
tsunami in Asia or a hurricane in New Orleans.
Btw...I
would bet that there were people around the world who thought that UNICEF
shouldn't spend it's resources helping the "richest country in the world"
after Katrina, or disagreed with U.S. political leaders as well. I'm just
happy UNICEF looks past those things and honestly does help children who
need it most.
He
really does give us a thousand different ways to love him, doesn't he?"
~CantDecide
"Clay
is a man of acceptance and welcoming. He prefers to look at the positive
rather than the negative. He
does
not criticize, judge, or exclude. Instead of tearing down or throwing
away, he restores."
~Mitzi
Gill
"That
Clay Aiken --- I wouldn't kick him out of bed. OOPS I mean, I admire and
respect his talent and am glad to be a member of the human race. Y'know.
And the bed part."
~Erin
"I
know nothing about how the music industry works - but I would think that
there's a very definite timeline of PR planned and every thing is done
for a specific reason. I just can't imagine that RCA is telling Clay -
let's tell your fans all about your album and Clay's saying - nah, it's
too much fun to tease them unmercifully. I would imagine that the press
release date is set and up to that date, there will be a leaking of a little
information. Today I think Clay gave us what he thought was a bit of a
gift - some information at the fan club prior to the actual release. He
and Jaymes confirmed the title. Jaymes confirmed that she heard the fans
when they said that they wanted Clay's voice to be front and center. After
MOAM that was one of the things many fans expressed. She said they heard.
Do I wish I knew more? Sure. Do I wish I had a track list? You bet. Do
I wish they leaked a bit of the first single? Oh my yes! But I think all
those things are forthcoming. They just aren't coming all on the same day.
Some people's patience is wearing thin and I can certainly understand that.
There are days when I just want a single sooooo badly. But I don't think
Clay or Jaymes are trying to torture us. I think they are telling us whatever
they can within the PR guidelines that are being set by RCA. I'm prepared
to sit back and see where this ride takes me. I can't wait."
~NanJeanne
NOTE:
Below applies to Clay, as many already know.
"There
are people who look extremely manly, but are not. And people who don't
look manly, but are. Fred Rogers, with his silly puppets and cardigan sweaters,
was at the opposite end of the spectrum from Russell Crowe, Jesse Ventura
and The Arnold. But he was confident of his belief in the power of love,
and he had the courage to extend respect and appreciation to all, despite
the risk of ridicule. The moral force of this soft, gentle man was fearsome.
Indeed,
a manly man can be a gentleman--"a manly man with polish and perfection,"
Mansfield writes, gentle "out of policy, not weakness."
Bravery
in battle is manly, but it's not necessary to make war to be manly. Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr. was manly. So was Nelson Mandela. So, for that matter,
was Jesus. In the face of physical risk and hostility, they demonstrated
manliness by seeking peace.
In
showing greatness of soul, they became better than manly men. They became
heroes."
~Art
Carey in the Chicago Tribune
"...until
I know specifically what he actually wants, I will continue wanting what
I want for him. Big, exciting things. Lasting, wonderful things. Beauty,
love, energy, life, music."
~00Isee
"Clay
Aiken proved you don't have to be the winner."
~Gina
Serpe
"I
miss him. I miss his tugs and his growls and his snark and
his smile and his wonderful dancing and those lucious green eyes and looking
at him in jeans and his voice (that really goes without saying) and his
freckles and his walk and his teasing nature and his laugh and his "town
forum talks" on stage and his, his, his...well, you get the picture.
I just really miss him!"
~Phillyb-daymom1
"It
seems like a long time. In so many ways, it has been. AI...the Raleigh
hometown connections...the tug...the Rolling Stone cover...the TITN video
that never was...kind of...
But
it's only a laser of light from a very bright meteor. We have so much to
see. He's constantly firing off sparks, you know? Some tiny, almost infinitesimal...others
wild and flaring, hot and explosive. But he's always firing...he is right
this very moment.
I
heard hot July. I believed it and I still do.
The
calendar really is inconsequential. He's firing and the flames will reach.
They're licking now. We feel them and so does he.
I
feel the heat. Do you?"
~calliek
"I
have intimate experience with Sagittarius. They are the master of the Big
Tease. But make no mistake. There is always something serious at the root
of it all. There is a goal. And they will achieve it. But they will have
a lot of fun--at your expense--along the way.
They
are adventure personified...the grittier the better.
Moral
to the story? This is just the beginning of the Clay most would never expect.
There's a LOT more where this comes from. I have shared what I heard about
expecting the unexpected...about the unconventional...just throw out everything
that swims in your mind and think about a swimming hole bathed in a ray
of moonlight that seems to keep changing hue. But it's growing steadier
and it has a strange glow.
Hear
the cackle. Yeah, he knows...more than just our words. He knows what we're
waiting for. He knows what he has to give. He knows.
And
he's enjoying it.
Eyes...lips...wisp
of hair...cheeks...chin...neck...shoulders...smirk...wit.
He
knows. But he's toying with us. It's something we will come to expect and
revel in.
It's
all part of the love affair. Even if he's a goof...and he is. He can draw
up into the sophisticate he really is in a millisecond. And cast a look,
say a word...open his mouth...and become that lean lothario that knows
what we want, what we need, what we will give.
Today,
letters...tomorrow our hearts. Again."
~calliek
"One
of my errands today included stopping at the hardware store and when I
went through the check out the young man at the register had hair like
Clay's new look. I told him I liked his hair and he responded with " I
watched American Idol". I then asked him how come you didn't have
your hair cut like the winner?
He
answered: "I did! "
~Aikeheart
(Sharon)
"Where
American Idol and The Amateur Hour are and were serious ventures where
winners actually do become recording stars (Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, Kelly
Clarkson, Clay Aiken), America’s Got Talent seems to be Simon Cowell trying
to exploit his power and influence and adding one more reality show that
we really don’t need."
~
Rich Burlingham -In
the Fray
"Clay
Aiken, as himself, has countless real life women pining after him but he
chooses not to exploit them. As far as I'm concerned, that's a real man:
irresistibly and innately sexy yet disciplined, honorable and respectful
of women. No wonder women love him."
~propounder
"Not
only do I still wonder "where that voice is coming from" but I marvel at
how this man's spirit is so extraordinarily compelling and how he is able
to awaken so many positive aspects in the lives of others. He is
not perfect, but he is REAL."
~Mitzi
Gill
"To
me[if] the delay of the album release [is] being instigated by Clay [it]
is a really good thing. It means he is supremely confident, in his fans
and, more significantly, in his music. He knows it's good, he's happy with
it and he's sure others, fans and industry, will be too. So good that waiting
wouldn't hurt its sales, but is worth it and will whip up a feeding frenzy.
He's made this album the way he wanted it and now he wants it promoted
the way he wants it. This is going to be a Clay Aiken's album."
~propounder
"They
talk about me all the time. I'm in the tabloids everyday! I mean I'm having
a 3-headed alien baby with somebody or something. Seriously! I don't ever
want anybody to mistake my silence for agreement with that, but you know
what I think? I think that what I do and who I am in the pattern of my
life speaks a lot louder than standing up and responding to every gossip
story that's out there. You can't do that. You can't respond to that stuff.
You are not going to be able to control what people say about you. You
can't control that stuff."
~Dr.
Phil
"Until
Clay, I never thought I had a void to fill. I never realized I had
such an emptiness. I don't know how I managed not to feel it before
him. Did we all have such a place that we were unaware of?
I say "did" because now we know that its reality. We have it. And it is
so hard to fill up. The void just seems to get bigger and bigger.
We fill it up with news and articles, spotlight quotes, tidbits from posters,
blogs from Clay, videos, montages, mp3's, tours and yet it never is enough.
When will we ever feel satiated? Young or old, single or married, we have
to keep coming "back for more". It's un a "void"able."
~Rachel
"I
know.
The
speculation is maddening. The wait is excruciating.
The
hopes, the dreams, are expansive.
Believe
me...okay, some will, some won't, some will fall in between...but we're
on the verge of a major shift. And a huge HUGE outbreak.
I
wish I could put into words why I know this. But all I can do for now is
echo the vestiges of that night.
And
again, tell you...compel you...to look into those eyes. They really tell
the story of what's to come.
Don't
you see the fireworks? They're there.
Don't
you see the confidence? He's not worried.
Don't
you see the deliverance? It's done.
Now
it's all about the timing.
We
want it NOW. We'll get it when it's all just right.
There's
something comforting in the knowledge that a bigger plan is at play and
he's at the wheel. Those who live and breathe this have seen and known
and spoken. We only need to listen. And experience.
It
will be hot and soon and pack a wallop that will resound. In astonishing
numbers. In pretty pages. On amazing stages. It's coming. The next wave
is rolling toward us. Better brace."
~calliek
"Clay
worked hard to create a family-friendly image, yet, it only took a couple
of lying famewhores to tarnish it. So, with his halo now truly, crooked,
I think Clay realizes that a halo and wings ain't gonna buy him respect.
Methinks the altruistic humanitarian man remains, but with a much harder
edge. Without even consciously trying Clay is now edgier and perhaps more
mainstream. Time will only tell. And I can hardly wait... "
~Remedial
A
lot of movie people won awards. But nobody cares about that, right? Although
it was funny when Spike Lee got an award for a socially conscious movie
he made seventeen years ago. “How much progress have we made?,” Lee asked,
referring to the fact that Flavor Flav is still famous. It was also funny
to see Jim Carrey’s new Clay Aiken hair (don’t let the sun go down on him!),
and the Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly NASCAR sketch, and Justin’s goofy-dad
sweater.
From
rollingstone.com
Too
funny! The new haircut has already been dubbed the Clay Aiken hair. Boyfriend
is a pop culture icon, y'all!
"I
have seen him in charge. I have seen him "run" a concert. I have seen him
say "stay standing" and thought, "why should I?", but I do, and so does
a concert hall full of others. I have heard him say "shhh" and the whole
room quiets. I have seen him take charge easily and with confidence.
Many
people judge him by his first AI appearances. He was a boy. He was dwarfed
by Ruben. He chattered endlessly and had a giggle. Now he stands alone.
He has grown into a man. He is tall and stands straight. The giggle is
still there, but is a part of him that I hope will never go away.
He
is intelligent and well read. He faces adversity with courage. He stands
behind the things he believes in. Why is he perceived as other than manly?
Does
one have to play football or ride a motorcycle to be manly? Not in my opinion."
~Tessy
"With
Clay, you either GET IT or you don't. There doesn't seem to be much in
between with Clay. For me, manliness is in strength of character and willingless
to stand up for what you believe in during all circumstances. Manliess
is in the mind, not the body. One of the gutsiest things Clay did was right
out of the gate naming his album "Measure of a Man." He fought for the
name and won. I think that said a lot about him and the words to the song
even more. The biggest cliche in the world is, never judge a book by its
cover, but in Clay's case the title of the CD really does tell us a lot
about the man."
~Barnett2
"Some
of the highlights of the show that took place on May 24th, was when Clay
Aiken walked on stage, sporting a jaw-dropping new look. Clay, as you know
was runner-up for season two, and his CD sales have topped Ruben Studdard
with his "Measure of a Man" CD. Aiken, 27, is by far the only runner-up
to achieve success, second only to Kelly Clarkson. "
~www.canyon-news.com/artman/publish/article_4400.php
"American
Idol" star Clay Aiken, who made a surprise appearance May 24 on the show's
season finale, was first on Google Zeitgeist's list of gaining queries
for the week ending May 29."
~cool.comand
Google
"Most
of the contestants on Idol will fade back into everyday life in a few months,
while winning the whole thing doesn’t secure anything but a record deal
that could very well fail. A few years ago a very large man by the name
of Ruben Studdard beat Clay Aiken in the annual competition. That didn’t
stop Ruben from fading, and Clay from ultimately excelling."
~Andrew
Perna
"CLAY'S
MOD MAKEOVER
Clay
Aiken set Idol fans buzzing when he turned up at the May 24 finale without
his usual spiky do. "He looks sharp and very cool," says Aiken's hairstylist
Steeve Daviault. Maybe too cool. "People would recognize his entourage
and ask, "Where's Clay?" He'd be standing right there." '
~PEOPLE
Magazine- June 12th issue
"I
just showed my daughter "the clip". She laughed and laughed at Michael.
Then Clay walked out. She looked at him, looked at me and said, "Who is
THAT?"
I
said, "That's Clay". "He's HAWT!", she screamed, "The hair, the hair, he's
hawt, he's hawt."
Then
she looked at me and said, "Did you know he was HAWT?"
I
did."
~Tesssy
"I
just want to say that I BELIEVE!
All
you have to do is listen to the crowd on AI. Even though they have the
audience noise turned down, you can hear the roar that happens...
Not
when Clay walks in because the audience was probably like us trying to
make our brain comprehend what the eyes see,
Not
when Michael jumps back, even though you hear the laughter,
It's
that roar of recognition once he hits the first clear lines "Although I
search myself..."
It's
primal, it's a recognition, a calling out that goes right to your core,
that despite the new wrapping, it's that voice, the once in a lifetime
voice.
The
roar that builds so much even Paula has to stand, place her hand on her
heart and look around in amazement at the intensity of the crowd, all for
that voice.
That's
it for me. Something is just around the corner and I BELIEVE!"
~CipherBIF
"Clay's
very smart.
He
orchestrated his most recent step into the spotlight brilliantly. A mere
singing stint would not have drawn the kind of attention he garnered for
himself last week.
He
managed to perform a remarkable hat trick; he took part in a comic skit
in which both he and Michael Sandecki were to some extent mocked; however,
his own demeanor, body language, facial expressions and everything else
connected wth the performance gave off a vibe that was so good-natured
and warm that the entire skit stopped being about teasing either of them
for being dorky; instead, it became just about Michael's hero-worship,
Clay's generosity, and ultimately, Clay's patience as Michael kept singing.
By
reprising one of his greatest triumphs, he reminded EVERYBODY of just incredibly
well he sings, and for one brief moment, it was all about the Vox, and
everybody remembered.
And
by using that singular moment to emerge with a radically different haircut,
he cemented the occasion as one that nobody could possibly forget. Years
after this season passes, after we've forgotten about Toni Braxton pawing
Taylor, Meatloaf's tremulous terror, and Kellie Pickler's dinner choices,
folks are going to remember how Clay made Michael's day, and that of everybody
else as well."
~abrahammy
"That
fake Clay kid who couldn't sing even after a second chance is singing "Don't
Let The Sun Go Down On Me." Who's that behind him...Clay Aiken!!! He's
almost hot. Did you hear that, Claymates? I said he was hot! Did you hear
me? Are you happy now?"
~Leslie
Gray Streeter at the Palm Beach Post
"Okay,
gotta say I hated Clay's hair at first, but it's growing on me. He sounded
so great singing DLTSGDOM, I admit I've watched that tape over and over.
Now I like the hair. Teen Sally is all in love with him again. Inservice
the next day the girls I teach with were all aflutter, even my grandmother
had something to say. Only she is lighting candles praying it was a wig.
Can't please everyone."
~Sally
Spectra
"People
who never even knew who he was before, others who had nothing to say about
him, or even avoided me at work [ that crazy who has a toy-boy ] have been
pestering me for two days now. They pester, I stand there saying " I told
you all along, but did you listen?" They' re asking if he has a CD out.
They want to hear him again."
~Nageea
"...It
is obvious from the manner in which Clay carried himself and sang that
he is in charge of his integrity and that no scandal from liars is going
to bring him down.
He
sang well, handled a wacko Michael with kindness and professionalism, and
made no attempt to upstage the idol contestants.
The
fact that the buzz about Clay’s performance hit the radar screen as it
did gives credit to his true star quality. He is and always has been amazing.
His voice is superb. His performance skills go beyond any I have seen in
a long, long time. He can handle any situation. He does so humbly and kindly."
~
Lynn
May
19th
Asked
of Katharine McPhee: Does it really matter if she wins?
"I've
had a few people ask me that. Of course, you want to win. Definitely, I'd
love to win. I think it depends on the person. Look at Clay Aiken. He's
done really well for himself and he didn't win. I don't know if it really
matters. When you're in the top two…. Taylor and I looked at each other
and said, 'Oh my God it doesn't matter.'… I'm going to be obviously ecstatic
if I win, but I will have nothing to complain about if I don't."
~From
USA TODAY: Katharine,
Taylor speak up
May
19th
"History
has proven there is no guarantee of future fame for an “American Idol”
contestant. Nikki McKibbin, anyone?
So
what will become of the final six contestants this season? Will they be
the next Clay Aiken? Or the next John Stevens?"
~Boston
Herald
"Although
very different in style, Daughtry draws comparisons to Clay Aiken in how
much of a buzz he creates. In Season 2, Aiken was the reason to watch the
show. Every night he gave a brilliant performance, his next one seemingly
better than the one the week before.
In
Season 2, you didn't want to miss Clay Aiken. In Season 5, you didn't want
to miss Chris Daughtry."
~Steel
Kaleidoscopes
"I
just used it for this last promotional run with Clay Aiken, I’m not sure
if you get the American Idol shows played where you are but he’s like our
rags to riches story, America’s sweetheart, you should check him out!"
~1501ART
Academic Essay
"I
have been thinking today that waiting for Clay's new album is kind of like
being pregnant!
In
the beginning everyone is so excited about the news and there are all sorts
of questions asked like...When's it due? Do you know what it is? Do you
have a name picked out? You wonder what it is going to look like and you
know you will love it because it is just perfect! Then you get sick and
have a little bit of trouble along the way..nothing major just some minor
annoyances. You then get to a point where you think that this baby will
never come, you are uncomfortable and just plain tired of waiting! Lo and
behold the day finally does arrive and you are sick with excitement and
so nervous about the future. But it all come out right in the end and you
just have to tell everyone you know how wonderful this baby is!
I
just hope that the gestation period for this baby [album] <snip> is
measured in human terms and not in an elephant's!"
~merrieeee
You
know what was great about the Today show [May 4, 2006] mention? It was
the "Best Week Ever" guys who are soooo snarky and funny and they attack
everyone pretty much and there was no diss. 1st guy said "I don't know
who's gonna win" (after dissing the current top 4) "I need a Clay to vote
for, I need a Clay Aiken" and the second guy says "I'm voting for him anyway.
I'm still voting Clay Aiken' First guy responds, nodding "Still voting
for Clay" Third guy just smiling and listening.
~Aging
hippie
"OKAY,
"American Idol", before you crown a winner who's going to be saddled with
the latest drippy variation on "A Moment Like This" as their first single,
how about we get a few moments like these ... <snip>
Clay
Aiken singing "Solitaire" with such authority that songwriter Neil Sedaka
admitted he had just lost ownership of the tune"
~The
Star Ledger
"And
as for Clay... he has found a way to reach into the music of iconic singers
and songwriters and convey their essence while never imitating them for
a moment. Listening to the first cellcert, as he went from song to song,
I kept saying, "Is that Clay?" There was all of his range and power and
expressiveness, but there was something else. It was the heart of the song,
the heart of the artist.
It
is not so much that he sounds like Elvis, for instance, but that Clay evokes
him. Combined with the image (and it is so much more than the way he is
dressed), the songs are familiar to the times, but absolutely fresh.
Clay
has invited the essential Sam Cooke, the essential Jerry Lee Lewis, the
essential sound of the 60s, the essential Motown, the essential Manilow,
the essential Prince, the essential Rzeznik and Martin to jam with him,
and every night he communes with their shadows. Clay's is the voice that
we hear, but they are all there."
~berkeleylovesourclay
"I
have been thinking a lot about this new album, and have come to the conclusion
that at the end of it all, I don't really care. Not that I don't care about
Clay and his career, but this one thing doesn't much concern me. I don't
care that it is not original songs, I just want to hear him sing. I don't
care that the songs might be covers, I just want to hear him sing them,
because they will be sung for the first time by Clay, and they will be
new. I don't care if the album sells a million kajillion quadrillion units
or not, I will buy mine, and I will have it to listen to. [snip]
All
I care about is whether Clay sings purdy, that he has a good album, that
it sells enough to make another/s, that he goes on a tour so I can hear
the clack and read the recaps of the [people] who get to go see him. I
care that he has a career that makes him happy, I care that he is loved
and has peace in his heart. I care that he feels like laughing, and has
excitement, and gives love. And I care that at the end of each day he can
say 'it is good'. 'Cause right now, even if I never hear another new song,
or even a cover song, I can say that it is enough. What I have already
heard from Clay has satisfied my soul. Of course, I want more, but if there
is never more, then that is o.k. too, I have much more than I ever had
before Clay came in to my life. So.. in the words of the ancient turtle
in Never Ending Story..'I don't care. And I don't care that I don't care.'
Clay's all good, that is all that matters."
~MamaClass
"The
song writers of this time are in transition. They are having to learn
