ldyjocelyn

Interrupting all the pretty pictures with a satire article that made me think of Clay and his beloved TV medley... Nation Suddenlyl Feels Old After Seeing "Nick at Night" Lineup I so dearly love "The Onion"....

Gibby (and everyone else too!), see this post by couchie about the chat and topics. It even gives a link to suggest other topics (deadline is TODAY!!!). It looks as if we might have to narrow the number of topics down a bit, though.... Well, when I read in other places that maybe he just doesn't want what "we" want for him, or that he is being stubborn in not listening to "us" - then I have to say I bow out of the collective fandom, and let it go at that. Maybe if every time someone spouted directives about his life, friends, family, and career, and typed "we" - and got a severe electric shock - that would make me feel better! I am more embarrassed by some of those types of comments than I could ever ever be about enthusiastic blinky ladies. Well, now THAT I totally agree with. I don't think anyone should speak for the ENTIRE fandom at all -- too many different voices. Just to clarify, with my post, I think I'm looking at it from Clay's angle -- that for him it could be easier to deal with "us" as a collective entity -- and yet, knowing full well that there many different opinions within the fandom.

I know I spend an awful lot of time on FCA (and before that, my previous home board). It's a fun way to share my love of Clay Aiken, and just jibberjabber about him. However -- I also realize that there is more to life than that. I love my husband dearly, and love to watch movies with him, play games on our Wii console with him, cook for him, stuff like that. I take walks when I feel the need to get outside, and go to the gym on a regular basis. To me, it's all about the balance in life. Clay makes me incredibly happy, but he's not my life. I bring this up because I've always wondered if some people have lost sight of that. They seem to me to be so deeply ingrained in Clay, his life, and the fandom in general that if there is nothing going on, or something happens with Clay that they don't particularly like, that they don't know how to cope. The angst that I see may be their way of trying to cope -- but instead it just creates a vicious circle of more angst, and many of us have decided "enough is enough" and went back to other joys in our lives, or figured out a way to balance everything. Or what cindilu said above me. And I'll doubly add that I'm not trying to minimize feelings -- you own them, they are yours. But some of us have different feelings too -- as long as this fandom can realize that, we can be OK! djs, I do believe there is a "collective fandom" -- it's just that there are lots of opinions IN that fandom, and it's really just in name only. However, I do know that when someone tells me more than a few times that I SHOULD do something, I'm the type that will, on occasion, do the total opposite just for spite. So yes, I have wondered if Clay, from time to time, has tried to mess with the "collective fandom's heads," just to watch the fireworks. JMO, of course. Oh for freak's sake.

Morning FCA!!! Man, I must be way toooooooo easy (as if most of you didn't know that, HA!). I really, really, really like that People photoshoot, and honestly can't see anything "wrong" with those pictures. I think the hair is great, and while it's not my normal smile pictures that I go ga-ga over, he still looks fantastic to me. *shrug* luckiest1 -- WORD. I do believe that for all the whining about this supposed tour, the same whiners will be in the front rows. And then, they'll still whine when KLo and Ruben are on stage -- possibly loudly enough that they can hear. That's just not right, IMO -- disrespect like that is incredibly distasteful to me. I don't normally ask for blogs either, but in this case, I want one too. Then people can decide to go or not without as much handwringing -- and how many can decide to burn that OFC card. *g*

It's a Star Trek (specifically Next Generation) thing. There was an episode where Captain Picard was captured and tortured by some nasty aliens (Cardassians, specifically). They stripped him (that's why Shady likes this....some nice butt shots of Patrick Stewart, yum) and forced him to stare into 4 lights -- except that they kept saying there were 5 lights and he needed to admit that. But the torture did nothing -- "There. Are. Four. Lights." It's really a powerful episode, and Amnesty International gave it some recognition, if I remember correctly. OK, out of geek mode and off to bed. ETA: Saw some of that on Keith Olbermann's show tonight. Good God, she was out of it. Clay Aiken has more talent in one hair on his head that she does. (Apologies to any Britney fans out there...all two of you....)

Christmas Crooner's CD I just sent the link to my husband...he's always looking for stocking stuffer ideas for me for Christmas. I also told him that I wanted it early.... Oh good God. I love those shoulders. That shirt should be illegal too. Don't do it playbiller! If you do this, the next time we'll see you is in 2010! Even with minimal food and bathroom breaks! :F_05BL17blowkiss: couchie and CG....and to Clayzor too..... Do I get an extra special spanking gift from Clay since I'm at the top of page 80?

Whoops....didn't notice it...sorry.... I'm gonna grab that Jefferson's dance one then....if no one else grabs it first! HANDS OFF PEOPLE!!! Whew...made that change.... I think we may need this emoticon today a LOT....

muski, thank you for my new avatar. I do need to know also where it came from, though, if anyone can answer that burning question. KAndre, you have been making me :lmaosmiley-1: all morning! IMO, Fear is a wise, wise woman. I personally believe that Clay Aiken is one of the biggest stars on the planet -- but I know that only works for ME. There are others who won't/can't see it, and that's fine. And it IS Clay's career...he can run it as he sees fit. And I totally agree that much of this could simply be him saying "I like touring. Hey kids, let's put on a show!!!" But I'll wait until we know details and such before dyeing my hair black and wearing black clothes and getting my tongue pierced in protest. Oh wait, that only affects me. Sorry -- I'll have to stop buying everything Clay Aiken related in order to teach him a lesson. [/jk] Maybe it's time to revive the "it's hard to get your panties off when they're in a bunch" thread title?

That was my first reaction as well. aikim, I respect your opinion about just not liking KLo and Ruben, that's fine. But those that think by boycotting the show, they will teach Clay a lesson...sigh. Burns my butt. When situations like this one that MAY happen....for some reason, I end up playing Devil's Advocate. For example, taking off from Scarlett's post: would reactions really be all that different if this news came from the last M&G? Would the tide turn a bit because it may sound like it's HIS idea rather than KLo's? Or -- let's say he wouldn't be touring with KLo and Ruben, but Josh Groban and Michael Buble. Or maybe John Mayer and James Blunt (two very hot people in radio)? What would the reactions be? Would they be as vocal? Would I travel for this show? Probably not. But I'd definitely drive to see it within a 5 hour radius, and I'd devour the clack -- even the Kack and the Rack! The other thing I keep thinking about is that IF this whole thing comes true...TC is going to take a drubbing. However, I can see Clay wanting to do this -- "tour with my friends? Bring it on!" Business wise it may not make a lot of sense, and I don't think he would see it as "coattails" so much as working with people he likes an awful lot. Heck, I'd add Josh Gracin to the mix too. *ducks*

But I liked Clay in 1/8th of a concert, known as the AI tour, and I actually enjoyed most of the rest of the show too. I'll wait until we get more information too, though, but I think I'll pick up some Kevlar armor tomorrow just in case.

Oh my. I think I've got a case of the vapors. Wow.

*orders two shirts that say "my favorite team is whomever is playing the Cowboys"*

I'm not a HUGE football fan, because I don't clear my schedule to watch the games every week. However, I do root for the Vikings, thanks to my husband (who is from Minnesota). Also, my former pastor at church was a HUGE Vikings fans -- so much so that if they had a noon kickoff, you could be sure that the service would be over at 11:45. *g* I'm also NOT a Bears fan. They were cool in 1985, but I've lost a lot of admiration for them. But...and I'm sure I'm going to get killed for saying this....my most hated team is the Cowboys. I think for me it's simply that it was forced down my throat that they were "America's Team." Well, thanks to the media for making that decision for me -- only NOT.

jmh, I personally would go with either "Clay on the Rocks" or "Uncle Clay." But thank you for posting all those pictures. Shady, I don't follow your reluctance for the word "uptempo." May I ask why? Oh yes, that's exactly the way I feel too. As much as I'm curious about things behind the scenes in Clay's life, and would love to know what goes through his head at certain times too, I'm finding I enjoy it just as much when I DON'T know. Maybe more so....because of the surprise factor. I also think that sometimes finding out one piece of the puzzle makes people want so much more, and more quickly...and frequently Clay can't say more than that one piece. And then, IMO....stresses in the fandom start again. But, as we know from reading Clay boards, is that no one can agree on what is good music! It's so subjective. I'm the opposite of CG in the fact that I liked most of the covers from ATDW...even BEFORE Clay gave them his stamp. In many cases, there were lots of others who did too, or else the originals wouldn't have topped music charts (including radio play). I really think the key is what CLAY thinks is good music. Will I agree with him? Dunno. but I'm willing to find out in a year or so (meaning maybe less, maybe more....). Wow. Dismal? I don't know....I think Clay had a pretty darn good 2006 -- TV appearances; an album that, when released, sold almost 300,000 in the first week; and a Christmas tour. Sure, there were some major gnats he had to deal with, but he showed me that he could deal with them with class. And I had a blast following him every step of the way. As I said earlier, CG and I don't see eye to eye on much of Clay's music. I simply adore ATDW, and some of my favorites are one she doesn't like and vice versa. Same with MOAM -- Touch is my least favorite. But I totally agree with her on what the next album will be -- ie., we just don't know. And that's FINE by me [tm Clay in Baltimore, 2006]. I'm patient, I'll wait, I may not like it....but I probably will because he's my "easy." I do that too. Download a bunch of stuff, and right now it's just sitting on my computer. *shrug* My commute is so short, I don't have time to listen to Clay during that period. And I love to listen to Clay, but I need variety too. OTOH -- my hubby is getting me a new 8 gig iPod nano!!! EEEEEEEEEEE!!! Can't wait to start figuring out how to rip my CD's and download all kinds of music onto it! I was the same way canuck, and I thought at the time that it was because of something we talked about earlier today -- expectations. People were primed that this was the "hawt" moment of the show...and then it didn't happen. Now, obviously, leeana's experience was different because this was her first show, and I can understand her feeling about it being an inside joke that didn't translate...but IMO the angst was OTT. laughn, loved your remembrance of Wolf Trap. And I totally agree that Clay's level of comfort with the fans has grown. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

I'm one that believes that seeing "something" in Clay is truly in the eyes of the beholder. For every person who saw Clay bored with the songs of ATDW during this tour, I'm sure there are just as many who thought he looked perfectly happy. I think that for those who felt that his comments about the classics medley were his way of saying "there's going to be a new me soon," there are those who saw it as his commentary that being a radio star almost means selling your soul to the devil. It's incredibly difficult for me to "see" Clay sometimes, because I read into him what I want for him. I also truly feel that Clay is a very complex man, so much so that no one in the fandom will ever KNOW what he likes to sing, or what he wants to do for a career (focus totally on music? If so, what kind? Maybe TV? Maybe stand-up comedy?). Clay singing uptempo songs truly rock -- but so does singing slooooooow songs (because IMO he's fantastic at it). One other thing -- I almost always give him the ability to change his mind. He may have said that he thinks he's good at the ballads at one point -- but that doesn't mean that tomorrow he may say "nah, gonna rock out for a while." The converse is also true -- even though he's said he likes uptempo stuff, he may change his mind and not go in that direction at this point in time. (Doesn't mean he might not change his mind again later, though....that's being human, donchaknow?) Do I want Clay's ticket sales to be good? Why, sure. Do I want Clay on the radio? Why, sure -- if he wants it. But in either case, I think Clay Aiken will be fine if they don't happen.

jmh -- all good points. I actually think we're agreeing, just in my case, I'm not doing a good job of it! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I've got to throw this one into the mix, before anyone else does (although I won't mind if it gets posted again, and again, and again....) This picture STILL takes my breath away, even after a year. The combination of his smile, that great hair, and his body language ("hey darlin', come join me....") makes me weak in the knees. I used to keep a copy of my People magazine next to my bed, and would pull it out every night to stare at it before going to bed. I think I did that for 4 months. Is that so wrong? Other two....let me think a bit.....

OMG!!!! I'm canuck! I think I like it. *g* Totally agree with all this, especially the "overexposure" part for the intense fans. Clack is fantastic, and I'm so glad for it. But I do think there is a downside....one that makes some fans extremely picky over a particular performance after seeing it more than a few times via clack. I know it's hard, but when I attend shows later in each tour, I try to watch each show with "fresh eyes." Each show has it's own charm/quirks/outstanding vocal performances, and I try not to let my expectations for each part of a show color my viewpoint of the actual show. I do believe that some fans will not (or cannot) try to do that. Fortunately, with the upcoming tour (and barring any major snowstorms, *sigh*), I'll get to see a show fairly early in the tour and then at the end of the tour. It will be interesting for me to watch the progression of his performances live. I think there's got to be a way to make this into a thread title....somehow. BTW, count me in as another Foster gala UM lover! jmh, I mostly agree with you about the "seriously done" songs. I think the one I might disagree with you is IWKWLI, mainly because that was the song where Clay didn't really know who he was going to sing with that night. And I also think that a lot of the songs you mentioned had Clay giving "goofy" looks every once in a while during a particular performance. Therefore, I wonder when those of us listening for the "best of" compilation will notice those things IF we take out the visuals. I know I'm more of a "visual" person (one of the reasons I simply can't watch Hometown Clay -- sorry to those who love that stuff), but taking away watching Clay, the voice shows through a lot more. JMO and that stuff.

FYI -- I started a thread in the photo/emoticon section for Goofy/Smiley Clay, and I look forward to seeing what other threads appear there. (Since I'm such an "organizer," I like the idea for "best clothes," "best hair," "breathtaking" and "Good Lord that thing's huge!" *g*) BUT...I personally would love for FCA members to continue to post pictures on the main thread too. I'd consider the Photo thread more of an Archive thing, actually.... OK, off I go to start my day....

While we still encourage pictures posted on the main thread, this is also a good place to put pictures of goofy/smiley Clay for posterities sake. And of course, I HAD to start this particular thread....

I'm not couchie, but if you want to start a "breathtaking Clay pictures" thread, you're more than welcome. And I might just start a "he's so goofy, I love him and his smile" thread later today myself.... *g*

Bolding mine. That really is the key to me as well, although I know it's not the same for everyone. ( :F_05BL17blowkiss: Clayzor) His spontaneity in his shows is what makes me come back again and again. I dearly love the voice, don't get me wrong -- but the memorable moments for me in his shows are almost always banter sections. BTW, someone mentioned Sterling Heights as some of the best banter from this tour, along with Fort Myers and Pala. My personal pick? Newark. I still watch his "screw it" clip over and over. Damn you for stealing that. :F_05BL17blowkiss: I'll find another one, although I hate giving up my current one too....

Good evening everyone! I'm back from a looooooooooong day of outlet shopping, followed by dinner at a Japanese tapinyaki place (along with two Japanese beers...*hic*). I found LOTS of good things. The surreal moment of the day though was in the Bali outlet....shopping for unmentionables....when I hear the strains of "Invisible." Good Lord, that was weird. Let's see, topics of the day....Buble. I like him, and would really like to see him in concert, but won't go out of my way to travel to see him. I really like the song "Home" in particular (heard that on my last day in Ireland last year, and so it has sentimental value for me), but I've liked his cover stuff too. I love music from that era in time, though...and he's reworked some 70's pop classics too that are really cool. AI performance that shook me to the bone? Easy -- BMUB *waves at playbiller*. God, he strode upon that stage and made me fall off the couch. That to me was THE performance from him -- it was fun, he was relaxed, and he sang it fantastic. I did love his UM performance, especially when he hit "the note," but that song will always be a Righteous Brothers song to me. I do think that Clay and AI will always be linked, and I'm really OK with that. I think that for the people who remember him only from AI and think of him as weird/geeky/fill in negative stereotype here, there are just as many who remember him as that guy who could sang. I also believe that even if Clay has stopped watching the show and hasn't said as many kind things about it lately, he does realize that it is the way he got to where he is today. Without the show, he very likely would be teaching in NC, and he would not be able to do things for the BAF and UNICEF, go on tour, and just SING. Epipens don't move like that. Sorry.

BWAH!!! Love me some Jesse! I know y'all are looking at the package in that avi, but I'm enthralled with the hair and glasses (sorry, CG, but I think you knew that about me....). I sometimes think I'm not programmed to smut very often.... OTOH.... That's just dirrrrrrrrrrrty..... I'm off to a daylong shopping trip today....be good ya'll! Don't smut...too much. And don't post too many pretty pictures either. *g*

When you decide, just let me know, 'k? Come to Merrillville, you know you want to...