CLAY MENTIONS

11/26/07
From a message board:
"There's been a story for the past couple of weeks about a guy who had a rare and priceless violin stolen from his car in a store parking lot. Today, the cops located it and he got it back. They showed the guy practicing in his home, and the newscaster said with a big cheesy grin, "He'll be playing it Wednesday in South Bend at the Clay Aiken concert." 

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11/25/07
Asheville Citiizen Times Chooses MCWL No. 1 Christmas CD
"1 "Merry Christmas With Love" - Clay Aiken. North Carolina's "American Idol" superstar dishes the holiday delights, including "O Holy Night" and "Winter Wonderland."

Did you know: His concert this past summer at Biltmore Estate was a quick sell-out, pulling more than 3,000 fans."

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11/23/07
Dec. 6
Clay Aiken to Carol "With Love," with Chelsea Symphony Orchestra

"You know you've enjoyed molding young Clay since his first nervous nights on "American Idol." Backed by the 45-piece Chelsea Symphony Orchestra, Aiken will be crooning the holiday classics featuring selections from the best-selling "Merry Christmas with Love." This show is one of the final chances to see him in concert before he makes his Broadway debut in January as Sir Robin in "Monty Python's Spamalot." State Theater, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, $65 to $100."

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11/22/07
The cast of Spamalot performed on CBS for the Macy's Parade and the commentator mentioned that Clay Aiken would be joining the cast in January.

Below is video of Clay mention only:

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11/22/07
Books to honor Clay Aiken's Birthday
"Clay Aiken, the runner-up for the 2003 American Idol, is coming to Miller Auditorium to present a Clay Aiken Christmas with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. The concert is scheduled for Friday, November 30 – Clay Aiken’s 29th birthday.

To honor his birthday, fans are donating children’s books to Kalamazoo Communities In Schools. This gift combines Clay’s commitment to children with the resources of KCIS and its strong involvement in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. Clay graduated with a degree in special education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and has created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation –“which supports the integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of their non-disabled peers.”

For those interested in donating books to celebrate Clay Aiken’s birthday, please link to the Kalamazoo Public Library’s website at www.kpl.gov. Click on Services and then look at the books listed under Children’s or the books listed under Buzzworthy in the Teen section. Any of these books would be appropriate and be welcomed by the school children.

Books collected will help support KCIS’s literacy events in the schools, such as “Bagels and Books” and “Cider and Stories.” If you would like to learn more, please give us a call at (269) 337-1601."

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11/21/07
Interview with Ruben Studdard:
In recent weeks, he's had a chance to relive that 2003 season of "Idol" when he and Clay Aiken ended up in the first and second slots. The syndicated "American Idol Rewind" is replaying that season, and stirring up memories of the biggest event of his life.

"I see Clay a lot, I see Kim Locke a lot. Pretty much everybody," he says of that sophomore "Idol" class. "We were the best of friends then, and we're the best of friends now. You have to understand with all of us being from the South. We're pretty much all raised the same, same church-going background. It was really a family."

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11/17/07 
E.Online
Q:"Who are the most rabid, most passionate, most loyal fans in Hollywood? Is it the Trekkies? Claymates? Brangelina followers?"

A:"Depends on what you mean by most rabid. If you mean cougaring around on the Internet for any scrap of information about a not-gay crooner who knows his way around a flat iron, then the Claymates have that arena bagged and tagged. And yes, I just turned cougar into a verb.

"There's no comparison whatsoever!" exclaims Lycos spokesperson Kathy O'Reilly. "No other male celeb, band or movie star receives the amount of search activity that Clay generates."

11/17/07  Clay Aikennbsp Morris Performing Arts Center

"American Idol favorite Clay Aiken will be celebrating the holidays in style at the Morris with “A Clay Aiken Christmas with Symphony.” Multi platinum recording artist Clay Aiken emerged from his 2003 American Idol experience with a recording contract, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly magazine covers, and legions of loyal fans. Those fans voted him the Fan’s Choice winner at the 2003 American Music Awards as well as TV Guide’s Fan’s Favorite Reality Star that same year. His first single, “This is the Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water” won the Billboard Music Award for best selling single of 2003…and that was just the beginning. Clay then hit the charts with the popular single “Invisible,” off his debut CD “Measure of a Man,” followed that up with his first Christmas CD – “Merry Christmas with Love,” and the book Learning to Sing: Hearing The Music In Your Life and his latest CD – “A Thousand Different Ways.” This is one very special concert you won't want to miss. Join us for a night of holiday classics! "

11/17/07 
Radio Station Goes All Christmas, All The Time
Hits Starting Monday

By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer 

Huntington, WV (HNN) – No matter the weather report between November 19 and Christmas, it will sound a lot like Christmas 24/7. 

Magic 97.9 will be switching to an all Christmas music format, according to J.B. Miller, program director, and B.J. Nielsen, general manager. 

Andy Williams and Johnny Mathis will be joined by artists like the Eagles, Whitney Houston, Amy Grant, John Lennon, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Clay Aiken, and many other favorite artists of yesterday and today, Miller said. 
 

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11/16/07 
"Concert Artists of Baltimore to back up Clay Aiken
The Concert Artists of Baltimore, the fine orchestral and choral ensemble founded and directed by Ed Polochick, will branch out this holiday season -- providing the accompaniment for singer (and, for many, heartthrob) Clay Aiken in a Washington concert of Christmas favorites. Aiken, who shot to fame as an American Idol finalist in 2003 and will join the Broadway cast of Spamalot in January, will include on this program songs from his 2004 bestselling CD, Merry Christmas With Love.

The concert is at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. N.W., Washington. Tickets are $57 to $127, available through ticketmaster.com or from the box office (202-783-4000)."

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11/15/07 
RediffNews.com
Do you really remember who won American Idol 2? Neither do we, but we do remember a guy named Clay. He was the runner up to winner Ruben Studdard. Clay Aiken seamlessly shot to fame without the help of the juggernaut that is the American Idol crown.

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11/12/07 
Clay Speaks at Special Education Conference in NC

A teacher who addended the conferemce at which Clay spoke writes:
"I must say, seeing Clay Aiken was not on my agenda. It was a shock to us all that Clay came to talk about the Bubel Aiken Foundation. But the audience of I guess a thousand or two special educators was quite appreciative. Clay spoke about the mission of the foundation and then showed a videotape on inclusion that had us in tears. The whole thing, speech and video was about 30 minutes long. 

As far as the glasses/hair/clothes report: There were no glasses that I could tell. The hair was not particularly styled, a little flat. He had on jeans, a jacket and either a shirt with tie or a colorful shirt. It was a very large room and having not known the attendees, I sat woefully in the back. That's all I remember, that and my cell phone was dead so I couldn't take a picture. 

As I came back to this board to post, I thought the thread title was interesting. [A quality human being, and a man of character]
Clay does show a lot of character and his passion for special needs children was very evident today."

"At the end, Clay was trying to tell us how to find the Bubel Aiken Booth so we could purchase the Mikalah book...he stumbled around with directions and then just gave up saying, "I'm not sure how to tell you to get there, I haven't come through the front door of a building in 5 years!" He got a big laugh with that. Then he was off....out the back door.

"There was an audible gasp when Clay was introduced, then heavy applause and about half of the audience gave him a standing ovation. He was very charming and funny and there were lots of laughs, then a lot of tears during the videotape. He rushed out at the end, otherwise I think he would have had a full standing ovation at the end."
 

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Rosie's For All kids Foundation

"VIP Tickets and Meet and Greet with Clay Aiken" 

Description:
Includes: 4 Tickets to see Clay Aiken at the concert of your choice (between the dates of 12/6-12/22) with meet and greet. 

"As the first runner-up on FOX TV's second season of American Idol, Clay Aiken wowed television audiences with his sweet Southern charm and glorious voice. His debut album went to No. 1 on Billboard's "Top 200" during its first week of release and then hit triple platinum status. His first holiday recording, Merry Christmas with Love, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's "Top Holiday Albums" chart. Now, joined by the Minnesota Orchestra, he'll bring you Christmas favorites like "Winter Wonderland," "Sleigh Ride" and "The Christmas Song." '

Donated by: Clay Aiken

Terms: Includes: 4 Tickets to see Clay Aiken at the concert of their choice (between the dates of 12/6-12/22) with meet and greet. 

 ClayScience21 writes:
"This is the charity which benefits: Rosie's Gala: building dreams for kids. It's focused on helping children, so obviously Clay shares that interest with his efforts for TBAF and Unicef."

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11/12/07 
Josh Auer's Music Blog 
"Well, it's 10:30pm and my wife Amanda and I are in the studio tracking some vocals for a song written by the uber talented and fabulous Eve Nelson. She's sending the song over to Clay Aiken for consideration for his new album and his team wanted to hear a male vocal on it... so it came my way."
 

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11/11/07
TheFutonCritic.com

"On Thursday, [Oct 21st] two celebrity episodes of ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER aired back to back. The 8p telecast of ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER posted its highest delivery among Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 so far this season and outperformed its prior season average by +13% among Adults 18-49, +21% among Adults 18-34 and +5% in Total Viewers. 

The 8pm broadcast of AYSTAFG is Clay's episode. A nice boost in the coveted demo for the series. Mark Burnett must be VERY pleased."

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11/08/07 
RockonTV.com 

Show: Capital One Holiday Celebration on Ice 
Network: (NBC) NBC Television Network 
Date: Tuesday - December 25, 2007 
Time: 3/2c PM 
Duration: 2:00 
~~~ 
"About: Capital One Holiday Celebration on Ice Olympic and world figure skating champions offer a holiday treat of spectacular skating to a musical lineup with performances by double platinum recording artist and 2003 "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken."

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11/08/07 
Greg Critchley - songwriter 
from his MySpace Bio: 

"Cuts so far in 2007 include Clay Aiken ("Forget I Ever Knew You"), Brett Ryan, ("She's Beautiful" CAPITOL USA), Stradio ("Stay" UNIVERSAL), One Life To Live ("A Night To Remember") "

from his MySpace blog date 8/7/07:nbsp

I took "FORGET I EVER KNEW YOU" down because it is now officially on hold with Clay Aiken, who just finished recording it. This is amazing news for me, and it's also positive feedback on my journey, since it was written entirely alone.
 

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11/07/07
Skaters Aren't the Only Stars on Ice 

"Tickets for 2007 fall ice shows are on sale, and the rosters are unbelievably star-studded -- with Clay Aiken and many entertainers and sports heroes."
"Elite figure skaters perform to the Christmas classics Christmas Day from 2:30pm-4:30pm on NBC and the day after on the Style Network from 5:00pm-7:00pm. There’s also a third chance to stay in the holiday spirit on Style December 30th, from 10:00am-12:00pm. You may just want to see all three shows since Clay Aiken is performing!"

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11/06/07 
"TONIGHTS TIPS 
November 6th, 2007 
Clay Aiken sings “’Tis the Season” and skates into a Holiday Celebration on Ice at the Orleans. 
by Robin Leach

It’s a one-night spectacle being taped by NBC-TV for airing on Christmas Day. Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen will give Clay skating lessons with some help from former world champions, Todd Eldredge and Yuka Sato and world medalist Surya Bonaly. In all, Clay will sing eight songs for the TV special-– and hopefully its not “thin ice,” because the former American Idol hero has to don his gay-apparel to play my namesake, “Sir Robin” in the Broadway version of Spamalot come January. Can the WYNN version of the Monty Python show be far behind?"

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11/06/07 
Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul 

First there was the book "Chicken Soup For The Soul." Then "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul," and for the cat lover's soul, and for the golfer's soul.

Would you believe "Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul?" It just came out. 

The Amazon.com description states that the book celebrates "the triumph of spirit over adversity, the fulfillment of dreams coming true, and the power of love." 

One example is of a girl who told Clay Aiken how much his "Invisible" video meant to her. Aiken was confused, because it just shows him singing in front of a cheering crowd. The girl told him she had weighed 200 pounds and she saw Aiken put his arm around an overweight girl in the video, accepting her as she was, and that changed her life. 

Paula Abdul writes the foreword for "Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul."

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11/05/07 
What drives Google HotTrends - the missing piece:
"Or it could be what you know. Here's an example - last Thursday, November 1st, it so happened that the term "federalist papers" was #3 on Google HotTrends and it peaked at about 8:30 PM EST time (no location was given - sometimes, Google HotTrends gives us a location).

Looking at the search results and news citations actually did nothing to tell me why Federalist papers was peaking on November 1st around 8:30 PM. Not one listing in news articles (left), blog posts (right) or web results (bottom half of page) gave the actual reason.

The reason = Clay Aiken Was Great on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" - turns out the question was asked to Clay Aiken while he was on the "Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader" show and his fans and TV/Internet audience did a query on Google to find out about federalist papers since he had a lot of money riding on the answer - which I think he got correct (but I didn't watch the show)."

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11/05/07 
From a Message Board:
"We took the Grand Canyon West Rim tour out of Vegas yesterday. It included going to the Skywalk. http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/ It was so exciting to walk it! There is a helicoptor service right there that you can pay to ride in. The pilot was in the gift shop talking to people. I had my fan club t-shirt on. He saw the back of my shirt and said "I flew him up from Phoenix. He's a nice guy!" I said "are you sure - Clay Aiken? He said yes and repeated "he's a nice guy!" I said "did Clay walk on the Skywalk?" The guy said yes. I was so surprised that I never asked him when this was! I'm assuming it was within the last couple days and Clay was probably on his way to Vegas. Of course, that's just a guess. I'm sure it must be true because the helicopter pilot would have no reason to bring Clay's name up if he hadn't seen my t-shirt. "

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11/02/07
FOX NEWS REPORT:
Clay talked to Connecticut teachers about geography and that kids don't know enough about it. They mentioned that Clay was a teacher and a UNICEF ambassador. Clay joked about Fifth Grader show. 

CLICK PHOTOS TO VIEW FULL-SIZED

 
11/01/07 
New York Daily News 
'5th Grader' scares away Presidential candidates 

Hillary Clinton isn't ready to admit she's not smarter than a fifth-grader.

The 2008 presidential hopeful, along with running mates Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani, all turned down the opportunity to appear on a celebrity version of Fox's hit show, "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader." 

"We thought it would be great to get at least one or two candidates that are running for President and see how they would do," "5th Grader" executive producer Barry Poznick told the Daily News. 

"We thought this would be an awesome way for them to endear themselves to young families," said Poznick. "Hillary said no. Rudy said no. Obama said no. I mean, they were all scared, which I get. You don't want to come on and say I'm not smarter than a fifth-grader, but I want to be your President. But I kind of feel that if they did, it would humanize them." 

Luckily for viewers, Hollywood celebrities aren't as cautious as White House hopefuls. So Regis Philbin, Clay Aiken, "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush, Tony Hawk, Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson and "American Idol's" Kelly Pickler are all ready to prove they know a thing or two about math and science. " 

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11/01/07 
From BroadwayWorld.com
Michael Dale's Martini Talk

"Break a leg to Clay Aiken as he prepares to join the Broadway company of Spamalot. Actually, I hear that putting new actors into Spamalot is quite easy. They just push them on stage and tell them to just repeat everything the audience yells out."

*Does this mean we get to hear our boyfriend [Clay] screaming "I love you Claaaaay!" ?*
~sugrbugr

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11/01/07 
USA TODAY
Carrie Underwood’s second album is the number one album in the country, and is now the second-most popular first-week American Idol release ever; only Clay Aiken sold more records his first week.
Carnival Ride sold 527,000 copies, “the second-best initial sales week for an American Idol, behind Clay Aiken’s Measure of a Man, which bowed with 613,000,” 

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11/01/07 
Thursday's Highlights
Regis and Clay: Regis Philbin and Clay Aiken play for charity on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" (8 p.m. Fox).

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10/30/07 
http://www.captainandtennille.net/tonis-take_blog_01.htm 

"Now.... for all of you “Claymates” out there who might happen to read this..... I never saw Clay Aiken backstage. He wasn’t there for the finale, THAT’S WHEN THE MUSIC TAKES ME, and he didn’t attend the afterparty. In fact, I never saw him at all!!! He drifted in and out of the proceedings like a ghost... almost like he was “beamed” in and out of the theatre. Becky and I sneaked out into the stage right balcony to hear him sing SOLITAIRE, and he sang the heck out of it! And I got such a kick out of the screams of excitement when he appeared on stage, and when he held that four-measure, fortissimo note (“Sol-i-TAIRE!!!!!”) in the middle of the song..... the audience went bananas just like all the young girls who screamed for Sinatra and the Beatles! His fans, who appear to be mostly female, absolutely adore him. What a phenomenon. I’m so out of it, I had no idea how huge he is."
 

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10/30/07 
Sabrina Goes Home in 'Dancing's Shocking Elimination

Quote: 
When producers let viewers vote, shocking eliminations happen. And that's just how the networks want it. Would you watch the same predictable show every week? Probably not. Shows like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars are nothing more than big, fat popularity contests. The best contestant or star doesn't always win, but the most popular one usually does. 

Except if your name is Clay Aiken. 

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10/30/07 
November 1: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Fox, 8 ET/PT

"The sweeps are scheduled to kick off with a special two-hour Grader featuring special celebrity contestants Clay Aiken and Regis Philbin."

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10/29/07
Forbes.com Opinions 
"Or you could just come in No. 2. Do you really remember who won American Idol 2? Neither do we, but we do remember a guy named Clay. He was the runner up to winner Ruben Studdard. Clay Aiken seamlessly shot to fame without the help of the juggernaut that is the American Idol crown."

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Low tide in October for album sales
"True, this marks the same frame in which Limp Bizkit's "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" surpassed 1 million copies in 2000, Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" opened with 613,000 in 2003 and Faith Hill's "Cry" landed with 472,000 in 2002."

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10/27/07 
Petition to get Neil Sedaka inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame:
Many international artists - including several already inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - have covered his songs: Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Tony Christie, American Idol Winner Clay Aiken...."

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10/26/07 
From a message board:
"CBS DJ just said that he has the great honor of introducing Clay Aiken on stage tonight at the Neil Sedaka tribute. "I get to meet the great Clay Aiken." 

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10/25/07
Ken Barnes in Idol Chatter:
"It continues to be encouraging to see these random threads booming -- I hope everyone settles any Clay issues that have come up -- he's a unique case in Idol annals, with a large and extremely loyal fan base, a career that is thriving but seems beset by issues with less-than-ideal guidance (and maybe regard) from his record label -- and he seems to polarize people, arguably more (and on a larger scale) than any other Idol. Without jumping into anything specific, I'll just toss in that I'd love to see him make a really good record someday. (Some will immediately respond that he already has, but not yet in my estimation.)"
 

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10/25/07 
Yahoo Alert:
"Do You Hear What I Hear? 
Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 3:15AM 
Holiday tours continue to pile up like post-Christmas credit card statements. The latest round of treks designed to add to the holiday festivities include Clay Aiken, Mannheim Steamroller, and Sister Hazel."

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10/25/07 
"Look for Neil Sedaka on CBS Sunday Morning this Sunday AM: 

"(CBS) For 50 years, Neil Sedaka has been writing, playing, and singing his music though it's not always been easy. Sedaka was a megastar in the '50s, a veritable has-been in the '60s and a remarkable comeback kid by the mid-'70s. 

Now his achievements are being honored by his fellow musicians with tribute concert in New York, "Neil Sedaka 50 Years of Hits." The show, featuring Clay Aiken, Connie Francis, Natalie Cole and more benefits the Elton John AIDS Foundation."

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10/25/07
From MTV:
"Long-off-the-radar "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken is getting into the holiday spirit with an upcoming Christmas in the Heartland tour. Before hitting the road, he'll perform at the Neil Sedaka: 50 Years of Hits show on Friday in New York — the event will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. After that, Aiken will hit the rink November 6 in Las Vegas for a guest spot at the Capital One Holiday Celebration on Ice, which features a host of champion skaters and will air on NBC on Christmas Day. His tour launches on November 26 in Wichita, Kansas, and stops in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Minnesota before winding up at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana, on December 22. And of course in January, he joins the Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning show "Monty Python's Spamalot," playing one of the leads, Sir Robin. ... "

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10/25/07 
From The Futon Critic: 
"In four all-new, all-star November Sweeps hours of ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?, host Jeff Foxworthy welcomes new students to the class celebrity contestants Clay Aiken and Regis Philbin during a two-hour episode (Thursday, Nov. 1, 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT)**; Tony Hawk (Thursday, Nov. 8, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT); and Billy Bush and Kellie Pickler (Thursday, Nov. 15, 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) as the celebs try to prove their smarts, competing for their favorite charities. In this atypical game show that tests these celebs' lack of knowledge as revealed by how much they've forgotten since grammar school they find themselves revisiting the classroom, tackling subjects they've already been taught, from art to geography and math to social studies. When the questions prove to be challenging, the celebrity contestants are not alone; there is a way to "cheat" in this classroom. They can get some elementary help by using a "peek," "copy" or "save" from actual 5th grade classmates to determine the correct a-n-s-w-e-r and graduate toward the top prize."

**EDITOR'S NOTE: If World Series Game #7 is necessary, the baseball game will air live starting at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT, replacing ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?, and local programming will air in primetime on the West Coast. 

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10/24/07 
Randy Newman's Blog
[No link available at time of this posting]

"I wrote some lyrics today. Tell me what you think: 

Give me all 
Or nothing at all 
Give me nothing 
Or all at all
I learned to love you 
Then I forgot 
Teach me 
With your body

It's a pop ditty in the vein of Aaron Neville. I'm thinking about selling it to Clay Aiken."
 

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10/24/07
Ticket News
"Spamalot moves up two positions in the Top Theatre rankings; yet with the news that Clay Aiken is to join the Broadway cast as brave Sir Robin in January, the show surprisingly retreats one spot in the NYC Theatre rankings."

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THE EVENTS OF OCTOBER 22nd 
MTV
"In 2003...American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken topped the album chart with his debut Measure of a Man. It sold a whopping 613-thousand copies in its first week."

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Clay Aiken replacing Moran in "Spamalot"

"George Washington High grad Martin Moran, who has played Sir Robin in Broadway's "Spamalot" since April 2006, will be succeeded by "American Idol" crooner Clay Aiken beginning Jan. 18. 

Moran had been asked to stay through June, but he declined. He's been chosen for a month-long writing residency at The MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire (that's the oldest artist colony in the country). And opening Jan. 28, he will perform his play, "The Tricky Part," at The Signature Theater in Washington, D.C. 

"It was a great run, but it's time to go," Moran said. "I wish Clay well. He really seems like a sweet guy." 

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10/19/07
Celebs and Causes Go Way Back
[Article begins with Paris Hilton, but contains much by and about Clay]

"Celebrities' association with humanitarian aid organizations is nothing new. Danny Kaye was one of the first actors to join a charitable organization when he was named a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) in 1954. The comedian paved the way for other entertainers, among them Audrey Hepburn, Sarah Jessica Parker, David Beckham and Clay Aiken."
""Celebrities have the ear and attention of the public," said Szarkowski. "They tend to command more attention than talking heads from our organization." 
It's not easy to be selected as a Unicef ambassador. The group sets high standards for celebrities to live up to. 

"In terms of becoming an ambassador, it's definitely a process," said Szarkowski. "We like to work with people who are committed to the cause and the mission and to align themselves with us for the long term." 

Aiken made the cut when he was named a Unicef ambassador in 2004. The organization approached Aiken after hearing of his involvement with his own charity, the Bubel/Aiken foundation that helps young people with special needs. 

Aiken said he felt obligated to help those in need. 

"One of the most important responsibilities that you have if you're answering to the public is that you try to use that position in a way that serves the people you're trying to entertain," said Aiken. "I think you have a responsibility when you realize you have kids watching you. ... You can set an example to have kids doing drugs, or you can set an example to have kids helping their communities or their world." 
 

Preparing for a Trip

"Despite some common misconceptions, celebrity representatives don't just jet set off for a photo-op; they prepare for months before taking a trip. 

"We prepare them pretty well," said Szarkowski. "People don't become ambassadors or supporters of ours unless they go through a process of learning about us and engaging with us." 

Celebrities sit through classes to learn about Unicef and all the various issues that threaten children's survival around the world.

"We study as much as we possibly can before we go," said Aiken. "And I study after I go, because I want to be an expert on it. I think it's a disservice to the country you're going to and the children you're trying to help if you don't know what's going on and can't speak knowledgably about your experience.' 
Aiken said the preparation is necessary in order to meet with health ministers and other officials on these trips. 

"It wouldn't behoove anyone if we just went in to take pictures and came back," said Aiken. "The goal of all these visits and the reason we sit through extremely long sessions sometimes is so when we come back we know what we're talking about." 
Aiken didn't know what to expect during his first visit to Uganda. He walked into the minimalist community center, where he expected nobody to know his name. Suddenly, he was greeted with bows from the crowd. 

"When we walked in, they kept calling me your excellency," laughed Aiken. "I think both visits we've been on there have been misconceptions about how important I am." 

All joking aside, no matter how famous -- or infamous -- a celebrity is, celebrity support is essential. 

But with so many problem areas across the globe, how do celebrities decide which country they want to visit? For most, the decision is made based on where the greatest need is at that time. 

"The celebrities we work with want to go where they can be most helpful," said Szarkowski. "We're fortunate to have that caliber of people who basically say to us, 'Tell me where you want me to go.'"

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE (It begins with Paris Hilton, but there is much about Clay.)
 

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Ken Barnes at USA Today 'Idol Chatter": 
Quote: 
Life after Idol: More Idols onstage 

"I was sure you'd be able to add the names of more Idols treading the boards in various stage productions, jumping off from the news about Clay joining Spamalot, where I'm sure he'll be a knight to remember. 

And you came through, mentioning the following: 

LaKisha, who's joining The Color Purple on Broadway as The Church Soloist in January. (The Purple/Idol circuit is certainly flourishing.)

Constantine, whose stage stints have included a role in Broadway's The Wedding Singer. 

Anthony, who appeared off-Broadway in The Fantasticks. 

Tamyra, in the Broadway cast of Rent.

Anwar, in the touring cast of Rent.

The theater is definitely turning into a fruitful field for former Idols. If you know of more examples, let me know. " 
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10/17/07
Clay posted on his Official Fan Club Message board today, in response to a fan's encouraging and supportive post about his joining the cast of
'Spamalot'. We can't tell you verbatim what he wrote because it is against the OFC rules, but he indicated he was touched by her post and he added that he is no longer taking he antidepressant medication 'Paxil'.
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10/17/07
Clay Nation News:
Clay Tells Fanclub Album is Still on Track!
"We can't quote him directly as Clay's blog is part of the paying members perks for joining the fanclub....BUT when Clay announced the Spamalot news, he noted that this does not impact the work on his fourth album which is expected next year. He indicated he is in the studio working with producers this week!! Fan club members can read his blog at http://www.clayonline.com."

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10/16/07
"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." 

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10/15/07
Bands, fear The Moby Equation...
"Gosh, there are some real Moby-haters out there in this world, aren't there? And rightly so, I might add. The folk at The Washington Post are so outraged by his sell-out nature, they've published the "Moby Equation', a formula which 'determines the degree to which artists besmirch their reputations when they lend their music to hawk products or companies".

There's several factors within the formula, such as 'the sacredness of the song involved in the shilling', with John Lennon's 'Imagine' at number 10, and 'Disco Duck' at number one, and 'the artist's underground, nonconformist or punk origins', showing the Rolling Stones at number 10, and American Idol-darling, Clay Aiken, at number one. "
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10/15/07
FSU student crowned Miss Tallahassee 

"Florida State University freshman Sydney Keister was crowned Miss Tallahassee during the Miss Tallahassee Scholarship Pageant held Saturday evening at Lee Hall Auditorium on the campus of Florida A&M University. 
The 18 year-old was among 10 young women who competed for the crown, which now allows her to represent the Tallahassee area at the Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant in June in St. Petersburg. 

Earlier in the day, Keister was interviewed by a panel of judges about her current and future life goals, and knowledge of local, statewide, national and international current events. She performed a lyrical jazz dance during the talent portion of the competition to Clay Aiken's “This is the Night”. 
 
 

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10/15/07
Scott Alan's Debut CD 'Dreaming Wide Awake' Now Available
Broadway World - New York,NY,USA
"The CD was arranged and musically directed by Jesse Vargas (Bare; Clay Aiken tour) and was produced by Alan and Vargas at Track 9 studios, New York City. ..."

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"FROM ROCK ON TV:
Show: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? 
Episode: (AYS-205/206) - 2007/11/01
Network: (FOX) FOX 
Date: Thursday - November 1, 2007 
Time: 8/7c PM 
Duration: 2:00

About: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?: (AYS-205/206) - 2007/11/01 
The 5th graders extend a helping hand to American Idol's Clay Aiken and talk show host Regis Philbin, who will put on their thinking caps on and play for big bucks with proceeds going to their favorite charities on a special two-hour edition." 

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Jimmy Kimmel mentions Clay's fans to Anne Heche on Oct.12 show: 

"Jimmy: You know what Claymates are? 

Anne: I don't. What are they? 

Jimmy: They are a certain breed of super-human beings that follow Clay Aiken around everywhere he goes. And they will kill for him. I mean literally they would stab somebody through heart for him. Much like your fans. 

Anne: Really? I need those people. I need them. 

Jimmy: Well you have rabid fans, right? 

Anne: Yes but they're all loving and kind and generous and sweet. 

Jimmy: Oh so are the Claymates.

Anne: Oh they... What about the... (confused)

Jimmy: ...but if you cross them may God have mercy on your soul. 

Anne: Oh, I see. 

Jimmy: That's how they are.

Anne: I think I'm gonna have to talk to my fans about that."

Download video clip here by right-clicking 
on link and choosing "Save target".
 

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MTV'S The Weekend Fix
"On Oct. 13th in 2003...American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken released his debut album, Measure of a Man."

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 A bit more from OFC:
Janwhatever reports that Clay posted on the OFC message board in the thread entitled "Spamalot".  The discussion there includes much speculation about whether or not Clay will be appearing in that Broadway production. Clay's  post indicated that he was quite amused by the speculation there, but he neither confirmed or denied that he will be appearing in that play.

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An anonymous contributor has this information about the American Idol 2 Rewind show:
"About AI Rewind Atlanta: 
Unfortunately, there is no lost footage of Clay from the audition. His audition is exactly the same as aired 5 years ago. The edits are the same, even the part where he spins Kristin Holt around while everyone cheers. So that's a disappointment. 

He is sooooooooo cute in his new interview bits. (sorry had to be a little fangirly there) 

He is first seen doing a stand-up intro. He is acting as the "host" of the episode, in that while most of the intro is voiceover, you see him standing saying "This is American Idol Rewind". 

Then there's a bump going into commercial, where he says "Simon learns he can't judge a book by its cover" over video of his audition. 

Leading into his audition piece, he says something about having confidence in saying "I'm the American Idol" and then "But this guy got the gooooooods" with a low growl. ooooo

And at the end, he wraps up by telling the audience about being cut in Charlotte, and he was mad and went to Atlanta out of stubbornness. Then found that the process was too addicting to quit, and pretends to stick a needle into his arm. Like Idol was a drug.

His onscreen credits are the same. 

We also see Vanessa Oliverez, Chip Days, the rocker Patrick Lake, and of course, Keith. Vanessa looks so different today. Chip is wearing a military shirt (I'm really bad at identifying the military branches from clothing). I'm guessing he's in the Marine Corps."

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Dallas Morning News
"And Jenna Bush isn't the only one who's working with UNICEF. We have seen a rise of celebrities like Alicia Keys, Alyssa Milano, Katie Couric and Clay Aiken; organizations, individuals; and churches making impacts to help and support people in third-world countries. "

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"I got an email from a friend of mine in Raleigh who met Clay last night. She went to an event at NC Theater. It was a fund raiser called Dinner on Stage.

Quiana was there performing. She sang three songs and brought the house down. Clay introduced her. He talked about how he met her during the AI auditions. My friend sent me a VERY blurry picture. She told Clay she has a friend near Fayetteville who will just die when she sees a picture of her with him. He said "Well we don't want her to DIE!!" He's such a sweety. He doesn't want me to die. She isn't really a fan of his. I'm glad she got to meet him. I don't know what she expected, but she said he was just a sweet southern kid.

He didn't seem at all like some big celebrity who you couldn't get close to. She said he was very nice. She said he stayed and mingled after the event and seemed to have a nice time."
[HERE is the blurry picture...]

~cesperry

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From the slideshow: In Pictures

"What he can do for you: Davis can make or break a musician's career. He discovered and/or guided careers for such stars as Bruce Springsteen, Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston, Patti Smith and Carlos Santana. Davis also put his platinum touch on albums made by American Idol talents like Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken. "

"There aren't that many cutting-edge artists today. The last revolution we had in music was the hip-hop revolution, and that's lost steam in the last few years."

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Scan from November issue of Disney Magazine in the 'Calendar' Section:

 
The First Book

"Clay Aiken, the “American Idol” star, and now a UNICEF ambassador, was hiding in a corner. “I read it on the plane to Afghanistan,” he said of the book. “I was quite impressed. I remember thinking she must have had a ghostwriter, but she didn’t. She did it herself.” (Even the First Lady, during her toast, conceded the unlikeliness of her daughter’s literary début: “A lot of my friends have asked, ‘Would you ever have expected that Jenna, at age twenty-five, would write this book?’ ”) 

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E! Online
"As I first wrote a few years ago, sometimes the perks of fame just run out for a celebrity—and no assistant can help. 

That is the case with driver's licenses, at least in California. You have to go to a DMV office in person, get your picture taken and maybe take a test—no matter who you are."
<snip>
"A few years ago, a Santa Monica-area DMV office let Madonna come in through the back to avoid, in the words of a spokesman, a "mob scene." Other stars, such asClay Aiken, have been known to walk in the front door of their local DMVs. 

Then again, Aiken also has been allowed to cut to the front of the line on at least one occasion."

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ESPN
"There are some clichés that persist despite often being untrue. 
"To the victor goes the spoils" comes to mind. 

Neither Clay Aiken nor Chris Daughtry won "American Idol," and yet I'd say platinum records are pretty good spoils. If I could score that kind of spoilage by finishing second (or fifth) in my main league, I'd be rich by now."

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Anchorage Daily News
California voices visit for a cappella festival 

"Me me me me me. Ahem. 

Harmony is the word of the day for A Cappella Festivella 14, an evening of vocal gymnastics featuring two singing groups from California. 

Hollywood's Vybration is a sextet formed as a house act for Disneyland in 2001. The group's repertoire includes everything from "California Dreamin' " to Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin.' " 

Vybration will be joined by the SoCal VoCals from the University of Southern California, whose contemporary pop slate includes songs by Maroon 5, Clay Aiken and Michael Buble."

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"We just got home from the Carolina Hurricanes Season Opener. This is the Canes' 10th anniversary year in North Carolina and they're doing a lot of special things all season to commemorate the anniversary. Tonight on the Jumbotron they showed a montage of the best highlights from the past 10 years. They showed scenes from the 2002 Stanley Cup finals when the Canes played the Detroit Red Wings (they didn't win the Cup), scenes from the first years, the first goal, the first game actually played in the RBC Center (the first 2 years were played in Greensboro while the RBC Center was being built), and of course they showed lots of scenes from the 2006 Stanley Cup Run, including photos of the Stanley Cup and the guys who won it. 

And in the middle of all these wonderful memories of the MOST SPECIAL moments in the history of the Carolina Hurricanes in North Carolina, guess what they showed? 

The most glorious wonderful fantastic photo, filling up the Jumbotron, of CLAY AIKEN singing the National Anthem. In all the moments that the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team thought were the most special, they included our guy."

~RaleighLady

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'America's most popular "American Idol" runner-up, Clay Aiken, may be in talks to join the cast of "Spamalot," reports "Entertainment Tonight."

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No Loser 

"As the records show, you don't need to be a winner on "American Idol" to make it big. In fact, it's even better if you lose. Take Clay Aikenand Jennifer Hudson as prime examples that losing makes you an even bigger star."

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CLAY AIKEN, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29, Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Tickets: $68-$83.

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For American Idol Rewind in your area, enter your zip code here, and select your TV provider.
update! It's true that Clay is the narrator, [of American Idol 2 Rewind] that he gets onscreen credit as "Narrated By". 
His voice is heard throughout the bulk of the episode.
It's Season 2 of 'American Idol' all over again 
American Idol fan alert: Saturday is the premiere of syndicated series American Idol Rewind. This year, the show will highlight Season 2 of American Idol. Rewind is hosted by Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard and narrated by runner-upClay Aiken. It will feature new interviews with more than 30 contestants, including Frenchie Davis and Julia DeMato, and will highlight new footage and clips from the season. Check local listings for air time.
Here is the original American Idol 2 website

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The word is that after 13 years at RCA Records, starting as an intern and rising to VP, Roger Widynowski will oversee U.S. publicity for 19 Entertainment, starting next Monday (10/1). He will be involved with Annie Lennox’s upcoming tour, work with American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis and the Spice Girls reunion tour, among others. He’ll also handle stateside publicity for American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and the new The Next Great American Band Show, debuting in Oct. 9"
[This means that Clay will be getting a new publicist.]

More Clay Mentions

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WGN Promo
Sep 29- (WGN SUPERSTATION) 
Thanks to geekette for the clip
right-click on photo below and "save target"

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Chicken Soup for the Soul Proceeds to go to Bubel/Aiken Foundation "The book is an inspiring compilation of incredible and loving stories - and one of them is written by Kristy Barnes. [Director Marketing and Operations of TBAF] It's called 'The Dance' and is an absolutely beautiful portrayal of inclusion at  work in the summer camps." ~NYmom4Clay

Minneapolis Star-Tribune:  Babies on board 

"A new batch of Claymates?
While we're on the subject of Mr. [Elvis]  Costello -- he of the amazing pipes, which sounded even richer when coddled by Orchestra Hall's acoustics and the Minnesota Orchestra as his band -- he encouraged the Saturday-night crowd to come back and try another, more traditional concert by the orchestra. He also charmingly signaled fans unaccustomed to classical-performance etiquette to hold the clapping and hound-dog howls until the orchestra had stopped playing. While the orchestra performed with its usual grace and professionalism, we noticed more than a few pained expressions among the players as the audience failed time and time again to contain those premature war whoops. On the other hand, smiling cellist Mina Fisher and many others looked to be having a good old time. We bet they can hardly wait until they get to back up Clay Aiken, who's coming to town on his Magical Holiday Tour Dec. 19-20. ~~ KRISTIN TILLOTSON "

F.M. Kirby Center 
71 Public Square 
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 

"Just wanted to check and see if you got your Clay tickets? We just got an updated rider today with change in the program. Clay will be doing two sets with an intermission, the orchestra will not be doing any opening segment…so it is all Clay…."
[The same info was given to a caller to the Count Basie Theater in 
Redbank, NJ]

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"TVGuide.com: What was Simon Cowell like — evil incarnate or simply misunderstood?
Burgess: [Laughs] He was nothing but nice to me. Really! I appreciate his honesty. I even made him laugh when I told him I secretly wanted to marry Clay Aiken! 
American Idol contestant Sarah Burgess

TVGuide.com: Your husband will be thrilled to hear that. So, in retrospect, are you disappointed that you didn't go further on Idol or relieved that you won't have to be "Idol this" and "Idol that" for the rest of your life?
Burgess: I don't know how to answer that. I mean, I'm disappointed because I would have liked to have stayed on the show to see how far America would've voted to keep me on. But I'm also relieved because so much is happening for me now. I mean, I just opened for Daughtry — I can't be too sad!

TVGuide.com: Do you keep up with any of the other contestants?
Burgess: Yes! Ian Bernardo.

TVGuide.com: Super-freak Ian Bernardo? You've got to be kidding.
Burgess: He definitely is one of a kind, but he's such a nice and sweet guy.

TVGuide.com: He's quite a… um, diva. What will you be like when you make it? Will you insist on having your M&Ms separated for you by color? 
Burgess: No. [Laughs] But I am a shopaholic, so I figure the more famous I get, the more shopping I can do! And I'd really love to meet Christina Aguilera, Stevie Nicks and Clay Aiken."

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