ldyjocelyn

Via playbiller:

The board of easy women

Heh.

And we could add to it from the emoticon she posted with it:

You ain't seen nothin' yet!

I just finished watching the episode on the DVR. As much as Mirna and Schmirna annoy me, they are funny too, and they are proving to be decent racers. I totally love Danny and Oswald -- so much fun. I'm gonna miss Teri and Ian, even if I thought it was their time to go.

Eric is a first class prick.

I'm very glad Uchenna and Joyce are still in this thing, and was really surprised that their 3rd place held up. The BQ's must have gotten lost....again.

As for Mirna and Schmirna leaving when Guidos were arriving -- I'm betting on it. This is the most I've ever seen a group spread out, except for the Guidos again, during their first race. I'm wondering if they were having flashbacks.

Now that my heart is back in the proper place after this morning's ticket buying frenzy (can I just say that I want to marry KAndre?), and I've got some time after actually doing some real "work" in my office, I'm gonna go back and quote some of my favorite things from the past 24 hours or so...

Poddie Folsom Prison

(Sung to the tune of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison song)

<snip>

Now there's Poddies eating crow

in a fancy dining car

they're still wanting to drink the kool-aid

and looking for the bar

Well we know they had it coming,

and we know we can't be free

'Cause those people keep a staying here'

and that's what tortures me...

This? Bloody brilliant! Thank you so very much

I wouldn't feel right if I didn't leave you all with a little eye candy! You can thank me later!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for both the pretty picture and rcknrllmom's great montage! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Clay is touring for the money? No shit Kojak! So isn't it also great that touring is something he loves and nobody can ever convince me otherwise. Clay always keeps his audience in mind when putting together his shows yet he also does what he loves and is comfortable with. He loves all kinds of music...from what he has chosen to perform on Idol and at his tours I get a pretty good idea of Clay. He leans toward the ballad - he loves his cheese, but he also loves uptempo stuff. Maybe my memory is wrong...looks like a project..an easy one since I just need to pull it over the from website.

No, I don't think your memory is faulty at all. Sure, Clay's in the business to earn money, and it seems like he does a pretty darn good job of it too. But I really believe that much more important to HIM is him sharing his talent with his fans. AND -- he's gonna share with them what he likes, with maybe some stretching on his part. You know, "pick a lane and stay in it, but don't be afraid to swerve a little." I also think he knows that there is no pleasing each and every fan he has...so what to do? Do stuff that pleases HIM. Very simple, really -- IMO.

There's no celebration, no joy -- only when Clay blogs, or good news goes up, or an hour or two after a concert.

I know keepingfaith was writing about the OFC here. (I salute those of you who try to keep the sanity and rationality to that place. You're braver people than I am...) But, I've discovered that this also holds true at many of the other fanboards as well. It's like atinal talked about a few days ago -- the "drug" high only lasts a few hours at most, and then things settle back into quagmire. If I could chuck my job today and do something different, I'd study this fandom as an academic persuit (I know, not good when I'm also PART of the fandom, but work with me, OK?) and try to figure out why exactly this phenomenon happens. Clay makes me happy, and I'm usually smiling for a few days after a good appearance, or even just a decent article. So why is it different for others?

Before every tour, fans have always seemed to predict disappointment.

<snip>

Yet, despite all this, fans rushed to buy tickets--upgrading, buying from brokers, joining subscriptions and memberships. The clack demand never ceased, and despite all the complaints, fans kept coming.

Why?

Because the guy delivers. Brilliantly. Beautifully. No matter what. Through illness and inclement weather. For the full value of the ticket price. Other artists may sing for an hour on stage, but Clay gives much more, never holding anything back, singing some of the most difficult songs at the very end of the show.

<snip>

So, I read some of these negative posts and think, "Yeah, they say this now." But wait until they're actually looking up at him on stage. Wait until those lights go on, when he strides on to the stage, flashes a rakish grin, and opens his mouth. Wait until the music pours out and engulfs us all.

That's why he continues to sell tickets, despite all the bitching and moaning. He is irresistible, and we know it.

jenna, this entire post was magnificent. Bravo.

The one thing I'd add to it is that people will bitch/moan/complain like crazy before their show. Then they go -- and have the time of their lives. But then something very interesting happens, IMO -- they seem to forget the glow and immediately go back into their routine of bitching/moaning/complaining. Again, WHY? I think it is like playbiller said with the JNT2005 -- Clay's really not cool enough for them. These are supposed to be "hip, with-it" women, and yet they believe the media's representation of Clay as being "not cool" and deride CLAY for that. Honestly -- I don't care about "cool," I just really, really, really like Clay.

Some people believe my fight, or what I fight for in general is to be the anti-pod. But in reality the thing that is most important to me is that people stop presenting opinion as fact. I really hate that some people start rumors or state their opinon and then repeat it so often that it is thought of as fact.

I really just want to have fun and not battle people.

The question really becomes -- who is to blame? The people who state the things over and over, or the people who believe it? As a librarian, one of the things I teach is information literacy -- thinking critically about sources before using something for a paper, for example. My biggest headache is Wikipedia. It LOOKS like an entirely credible source, and so students use it all the time (and unfortunately, many teachers let them get by with it). But -- since anyone can edit any article in it -- it's a LOUSY source, and teaching students to think about what they read there before using it is a skill they need to learn. I think of the same thing in the fandom. What's a credible "source" about Clay? Well, to me it's Clay. Yes, there are editorial licenses all around with interviews with him...but I feel better about trusting a newspaper source more than a fan source. *shrug*

Why is everything always a battle? Why have so many put aside the idea that we can just "agree to disagree"? And why is it that anyone takes Clay at his word is accused of trying to squash public debate or "tell people what to post"?

If you find out the answers, let me know.

It's also ironic that I prefer rocking Clay. Like I said, I just hate people presenting speculation as fact. And besides, I'm so easy when it comes to Clay. I really don't care what he sings. I think he's doing what he wants to do, and that makes me happy.

I like rocking Clay. I like ballad Clay. I like Clay, period. So yeah, I'm easy.

Did you guys see this re: the format of the concert:

From CAP121 at CV:

Quote:

Also, I had e-mailed Gayle McMasters of the Houston Symphony asking in what capacity the symphony was going to have, were they going to be accompanists to Clay or was there a time when they would be on stage and he wouldn't. This is the response I got back:

Quote:

He will be singing with the orchestra during the entire concert

EEEEEEEEEEEE! Love it!

Hugs to the Pala ticket buyers today.

OK, now I've got to do more work again. *g*

But that was the first time I really watched the sale...very interesting. And it is freaky when you get that no tickets available.

If you want to see the "other side of the coin," see the documentary "Shut Up and Sing." Toward the end of the movie, the manager of the Dixie Chicks (who also happens to be Clay's manager *g*) was with the Ticketmaster people, watching the orders try to go through. I thought it very funny, having been on the side of fighting TM trying to get tickets.

*crosses fingers for Claygasm and muski*

Man, I can't wait to see those oboes blow on WDC.

BWAH! But I was thinking that Clay will get that orchestra PUMPED during "Invisible."

Wonderful posts overnight. I'll try to post more later when I have time, and my adrenaline has gone back down after the ticket thing for Houston this morning.

georgiaclay, glad to see you among the living. Hope you feel up to getting to Texas, because I'd love to meet you! And if you can't make it -- that's OK too. We'll meet someday, and dream of Clay.

Thanks play for the AI1 episode. I remember Kelly blowing me out of the water with SLTT, and now I can relive it, along with the rest.

And cindilu2, that was a wonderful montage! Thanks!

'night all.

When you see Clay live he has such charisma it radiates throughout the audience. He glows, literally. He's mind-numbingly beautiful in person. He's incredibly charismatic, and pheromones just slough off of him as if he were going to impregnate the entire audience. He moves, oh how he moves--he feels the music in every cell in his body. He snarks, and he makes you laugh so hard you cry. He looks right at you even though you're in the balcony and your heart goes into your stomach and you blush--I'm not kidding. But the voice, the voice!! OMG. It resonates throughout the venue. It resonates into your body. It makes you vibrate all over. It makes your girly parts vibrate. You leave at the end of the concert in a daze, like you just had the best sexual experience your life, and you think, "I just have to do this again," and you do all kinds of crazy things to make sure that you can. And the joy--oh the joy. Your face will hurt from smiling so much, and you'll have that shit-eating grin on your face for hours.

OMG. I think I need a cigarette. Best. Description. Ever.

Welcome to all the newbies! I'm so loving this place today...unfortunately, I've just had to skim a bunch, becuase I'm dead tired! 6 hours total in the car to visit my Mom (she's doing well, although she's of course not happy to be in a nursing home). Dinner time was great though, because I got to eeeeee and squeeee over Clay, lament the fact that Clay hasn't played St. Louis in far too long, and roll my eyes over the poddie theories with atinal! She is a sweetheart! (Dearie, we'll see Clay this summer together, I have high hopes for that....)

This must have been FCA get-together day! Hope the NoCal girls are having a great time!

Happy birthday JennaZ!

:bday2:

Off to download the montage...

Oh, and to the newbie who posted that adorable picture of Clay after singing Mack the Knife (was is keepingfaith or lightmyfire....I'm too lazy to look at the moment)...THANK YOU. Totally cute, and I loved that performance.

EEEEEEEEEE! Newbies! Welcome keepingfaith -- we'll have to try and meet sometime during the Texas concerts! And welcome to lightmyfire too.

I can tell from both your introductory posts that I'm gonna like you guys. A lot. Looking forward to getting to know you so much more, and sharing the fun known as Clay Aiken with you!

One more thing to add before I leave for Mom's (and seeing atinal, EEE!)....

You know, Clay singing Moon River could be exactly as some are worried it to be -- lush strings, phrasing as Andy Williams would do it. Heck, he may even wear the sweater. He may also change it up, as he did with HYCA on ATDW. The thing is -- WE JUST DON'T KNOW. There's lots of worry about what COULD happen. Why do this? I mean really, it's just a song people! If someone is THAT worried about how Clay will be singing songs, I just feel that maybe, just maybe, they need to re-examine how invested they are. And I say that as someone who is pretty damn invested in Clay -- but I'm also invested in having Clay be happy, and thus, around for a long time to come.

Gotta run....

Claygasm, thanks for those YouTube links. I'm a fan of REM, and didn't realize that they'd sung Moon River! Stipe's voice really isn't quite up to singing a song like that, but the simple arrangement was outstanding, and I'd love to hear Clay sing that song like that. More on this later...

I NEED to go to bed, but before I do I have to say this. I love many different kinds of music. My taste is very eclectic. I love rock and pop rock and ballads and jazz and blues and R&B and folk - not so much country and rap. I love many of the old standards and I love hearing old standards updated.

Put SOME country back into the mix, and you're me. I love stuff like the soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Clay is a great singer.

Could we add this as the tag line to our next thread?

But Clay - you never know what he'll sing next. After all, this is the man who can make somewhat bawdy comments one minute and sing a song to his God the next.

So very true. And I think that's why I love him so -- I love him messing with my head like that. He likes curve balls, designed to make people say "HUH?" And I frequently get whiplash from the way he changes gears, especially in his shows. But that's OK, I have good insurance.

Whatever Clay wants to sing, I want to hear it.

This would be a great tagline too....because I think it sums up the feelings of a great number of people here.

So bring it on Clay. Sing to me whatever you want. I'll be there. I haven't been disappointed yet.

Fantastic rant. And this series of sentences is perfect.

I'm happy Clay is touring, I'm happy with ATDW, I'll be really happy if he gets that tour somewhere where I'll be able to see it. I'm sure I'll be happy with whatever he sings. It seems like so much more fun to be happy. :TourExcite:

As is this series of sentences. Do I get in trouble if I just follow people around and WORD them? Oh wait, I'm an admin. I suppose I could get by with that. *g*

:TourExcite: :TourExcite: :TourExcite: :TourExcite: :TourExcite:

Ha...that's too funny. I really don't want to hear For Once in My Life or Moon River but knowing Clay he'll have me singing it along with him and putting it on my ipod. When I said that boy was born in the wrong time I truly meant it. But I actually won't believe any song list until opening night but this should make things pop for awhile. You don't want to hear ATDW songs..well how about songs from the 40s. Opening night is going to be interesting. .

Yes, I agree with you that the man seems to be an "old soul." (I think that's diva's line..) He's said time and time again that he likes to sing songs with good melodies. Well, Moon River certainly qualifies to that definition for me. Are there "rock" songs that fit that definition too? Sure...but not this time, it sounds like to me.

Hey! Maybe this will discourage people from planning to go and we can all get better seats!!

:TourExcite: :Tour3:

I'd love for this, but sadly, I think that is not to be. I think there are plenty of people who are buying up tickets to as many shows as they can, and with certain expectations. If those expectations are not met -- they'll still go to the shows, but they'll also piss and moan a lot too. Unfortunately, as Jenna said the other day, the addiction to Clay Aiken is just too strong for some people.

Off to bed. Visit with Mom tomorrow and then I get to have an early dinner with atinal! EEEEEEEEEEE!

ETA: Claygasm, your post immediately above this one of mine

Going through his blog for thread title suggestions...

How about "Best friends of a pasty white boy." couchie and KAndre will probably vote for that one.

Here's another one: "Anyone got a Stetson or surfboard we could borrow?"

muski got her laptop!! EEEEEE!

Ladies, have a great time tomorrow.

j4clay, welcome, and thanks for pointing out that I have a terrible time keeping dates straight! I've made the correction.

Thanks as well for hotel information!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE! Those sound like some good deals!

Claygasm, I emailed the lady at Jones Hall in Houston, and just now got a very nice reply from stating that she "would input my information for Monday." So I'd say email to at least get yourself into the system!

:Tour4: :Tour4: :Tour4:

Congrats playbiller on the job, even if the timing SUCKS what with Clay and such. It's gotta feel nice to be needed.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I'm doing the Texas two-fer!!!!!!! I just bought my flight -- arrive on the 5th of July, come back on the 8th. Arriving in and departing from Houston at Bush International (it was cheaper for me), and then driving to Dallas for that show. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! So, is the eHP ready to party with HeidiHo and I on the 5th? And then we'll be meeting up with muski and Claygasm on the 6th! eHP -- suggestions of hotels would be mucho appreciated.

I know. It's a bit disheartening to see how many seem to be actively campaigning for the album's failure, as if the quicker it disappears, the faster the next album will come out. I really don't think it works that way. I do think this tour will be used to help support ATDW in a moderate way. I tend to doubt that concerts are really a driving force behind CD sales, but I do think this can stimulate interest in him among the orchestra crowds.

I agree with this sentiment, on all counts. It really bugs me how many are simply wishing ATDW away, because it doesn't fit into their own "box" (which I don't think they can see, per se). OTOH, I agree here that as much as I'd love for the concerts to stimulate ATDW sales (and I think it will to a point), I think he's going for awareness here. These shows really are a stroke of genius in a way, because of the aspect that so many of the shows are purchased as part of a subscription. Lots of not.just.us people.

And yay! for the Houston engagement. Jones Hall is lovely venue. Although I might have wished for a performance at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion (a great outdoor venue), the Houston heat and humidity can make it unpleasant at night. Jones is air-conditioned, and there are some great restaurants nearby. Houston is relatively cheap to get to. Part of me is sad though, because normally, I'd go to this in a flash. I grew up in the Houston area, and it does seem to be the first concert. Alas, my parents (who live in Houston) will be visiting me HERE in LA, so it might be hard for me to explain why I'd abandon them to go back there!

Oh boo. I would have loved to meet you Jenna.

And I just realized that the two shows I'm attending are NOT outdoor shows. That's actually quite funny to me, because I think seeing Clay outdoors, with the stars shining, would be cool. But at least I'll stay SOMEWHAT cool in air conditioning!

I don't know when the next album comes out, I am still enjoying my JBT album and my ATDW, so I guess it is time to get out MOAM again and prepareto hear a little of that. Imagine 'I survived you' with strings, hmmmm.

I think I mentioned this the other day -- ISY with an orchestra behind it will be freakin' awesome. I seriously hope that this happens.

I'm starting this thread, because I'm planning on attending these shows! Where should someone like me and a few friends (looks at Heid and Claygasm) stay in both Houston and Dallas?

Oh man....I didn't have a good night. I was a bit sleepless, trying to decide how to get to Texas (because I'M GOING TO TEXAS!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! :Tour3: ), so I was tossing and turning most of the night. 3:30 a.m. I awake to the sound of a boom. Sure enough, our power is out, and is out all along the block. Therefore, from that point on, I pretty much just dozed. Not good for working. Heh.

But my priorities are definitely straight...I'm going to continue to look for flights right now and see what my best deal would be! And I'll get to meet up with the eHP, muski, Claygasm and HeidiHo! Anyone else??????

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Texas!

This is what I was waiting for! As much as I'd love to do the California thing (and get to meet Ansa, *sob*), I'd really love to visit Texas in July. Truly.

So....what are the plans? Off to reread the thread here....can I share a room with someone? A car? Something?

I suppose unless Clay actively hawks the album during the concerts, like mentioning it by name at least once between each and every song, they will consider the tour NOT in support of ATDW - even if 90% of the songs he sings are from it.

I'm not even sure if that would be enough. I think he'll have to hire Jaime to stand behind him during the entire show with a sign that says "Buy "A Thousand Different Ways" today!" Oh, and he can insert that phrase at least 50 times during each song that he sings during the show -- you know, kind of like "Mr. Subliminal."

Maybe I've convinced myself,

Buy ATDW

I've really been in love...

Buy two copies

Oceans apart

Buy this album now

Day after day...

Give it to all your friends

Heh.

Hey i just noticed...we are in the 70's time to start suggesting thread titles...

ldyjocelyn...do you remember the ones you were going to suggest???

One is from cha cha trusty:

Praise the Clay and pass the cabernet!!

muski also suggested a good one, coming from the blurb for the San Diego show:

The prodigiously talented song stylist

Claygasm suggested this one from muskifest, but I think it would have to be shortened *g*:

My titanium balled, taking his life into his big hands, BLINDingly white-toothed hunka talent and heart and hawtness

So far, that's what I can find to take from this thread....

Ticket angst - yup, I have it! I swore I wouldn't and was doing well until the announcement that the Pala presale that may not be a presale but a post sale! I suspect there will be a lot of people who end up with extra tickets. Even though they can't easily be sold because of the will-call thing, if you know someone with extra tickets and its someone you trust, like say someone from your own board, it would be easy enough just to meet up with them at the venue to get the tickets (I'm looking at you, ldyj!)

But it will better once I know I have tickets!

Are you trying to twist my arm or something here? Actually, I was just chatting with Ansa a few minutes ago....and I'm now suddenly leaning heavily toward doing the California three-fer. I may also be talking with HeidiHo about this too. Hmmm....

EEEEEEKKKKKKKK! The thought of committing to this right now scares me to death. But I really really want to hang with people I know and love, like y'all. (Not to say I wouldn't be hanging with people I know and love in the Midwest too, though....)

ETA:

All pod ful people may want to avoidsome boards - some one wrote a letter to the editor about "Clay being mandated" and now it is being quoted as a news article nd proof. Some people want to believe sooooo much. At least it was removed from CB main thread - I would have jumped onthat sucker so fast.

Please tell me you're joking! Someone wrote a letter about Clay being mandated? See this is where I think his fans are actually capable of hurting his career. First off, he only used that term once, but it makes him sound disgruntled when he very well may not be. It could cause problems with RCA especially if he ever WANTS to negotiate with them on a new contract. It can also make him seem like a complainer and other labels may be more hesitant to want to deal with him.

I wish these fans would stay out of his career and let Clay handle that!

Grrrrrrr.

Thank you Claygasm for saying this -- again. :bigemo_harabe_net-24: is how I feel after reading things like what is being said elsewhere. And then I feel like doing this: :109:

Unfortunately for the televised audience, the camera tends to be on the skater more than the singer, since it's the skaters visuals that are complementing the singer's singing.

Yeah, but how much ya' wanna' bet that whatever skater is featured for Clay's singing at whatever place at whatever time---the attendance is gonna be record breaking...

AND our trusty Clackgatherers will, as usual, find a way to bring us back the REAL show----constant video of Clay's hawt gorgeousness as the VOX fills the ice rink.

Skater?

What skater?

What would be cool if a pair of clack gatherers could pair up for this. If one could be persuaded to stick with filming the skater, the other with Clay, it would be neat to a side-by-side presentation. I know, hard to convince someone to stick with the skater when Clay is there. Hee. But one of my many favorite pieces of clack really doesn't have Clay in it all that much -- someone filmed Kelly during the last IT show, when he presented her with the flowers. It's so cute to watch her turn around and almost melt when she sees the flowers.

Nope, not shipping. *g*

ETA:

Ok ...Las Vegas...that sounds like a good show!!! I wonder who he will be paired with. The only one I hope it won't be is Elvis Stojko...sorry Elvis fans, never liked him.

*prepares for the catfight between Ansa and luckiest1*

visions of Clay skating and singing

Holy crap - swoon! Ice, melted; bottlecap, kilt dead. I had no idea about the Hurricanes thing, and when I saw the footage of Clay singing and skating, I almost passed out.

:urhot:

ETA: Ansa, I know Clay will just sing, but it's nice to fantisize about the skating just a bit... :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I almost choked on my Coke when I found out that he sang and skated AT THE SAME TIME that night. To me, this was "Mr. I Can't Dance Worth a Lick," so I was pleasantly surprised when he pulled the skate/sing trick that evening. This is coming from someone who has terribly weak ankles and the thought of ice skating just terrifies me.

Clay, I'm still waiting patiently for those dates.....don't make me go all Clay Aiken on your ass. *g*

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE for the Skating TV thing. Someone emailed it to me this morning, and suggested that Clay might be part of the Kristi Yamaguchi special, because she lives in Raleigh (if I remember correctly, she's married to one of the Raleigh hockey players). Like couchie, I usually only make a concerted effort to watch during the Olympics...but if there is nothing else on TV and I'm channel scanning and find a skating show, I'll watch. That should be fun.

For some reason, I'm still not all that stressed about tickets, although I did have a bit of angst last night regarding Pala and "will call only." The California 3-fer is one I was thinking of going to -- still am, actually. But, at this point, I'm not going to make ANY decisions until I know a bit more. OK, so that might make me not decide until June. *g* But you know what? The kindness of the ClayNation will probably come through for me. If not....I'll deal. I'll still get to SOME show, I just know it.

I'm glad to hear that the AI sign last night is pretty much being ignored by the fandom, or at least less angst.

I didn't see the show, or the sign -- but can it be taken this way: The guy holding sign (Brad) was still hurt after all this time, because Clay LOST?!!?!?! That's how I'm gonna choose to take it.

If it IS the other meaning though -- I'm positive that RCA had something to do with. My fortune cookie at dinner this evening told me so.

Well, damn -- I was gonna try to buy seats for the Pala show, on the chance that this would be my "trip." Now I find out that I can't resell them. Damn it.

And frankly, I'm still floored at the people who think that Clay can't/won't acknowledge this album because he doesn't like it. Geez.

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