keepingfaith

Some more caps ... OH GOD!!! That ecstasy provoking face of Clay's. I triple dog dare anyone to have a problem with the lipo! Triple Dog!

SOMETIMES LIFE BRINGS PAIN AND STRIFE AND ALL SEEMS WRONG THAT IS WHEN YOU FIND A FRIEND AND WRITE A SONG SO GIVE THE GIFT OF GIVING GIVE IT FAR AND GIVE IT WIDE TAKE THE LEAP REACH DOWN DEEP - INSIDE AND JUST GIVE A KIDNEY TO A FATHER OR A DAD JUST GIVE A KIDNEY WE HEAR IT DOESN'T REALLY HURT THAT BAD AND WE KNOW YOU'LL WANT TO GIVE IT TO A SUPER HUMAN BEING SO GET IT DONE - WE JUST NEED ONE FOR MILTON GREENE THIS COUNTRY HAS SIX HUNDRED MILLION KIDNEYS AND WE REALLY ONLY NEED HALF THAT LEAVES ABOUT THREE HUNDRED MILLION KIDNEYS DO THE MATH OH - MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE HE NEEDS A KIDNEY MILTON GREENE DON'T ASK WHY - HE COULD DIE IF YOU DON'T CALL TODAY THEY SAY THAT TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE BUT SOMETIMES ONE IS BETTER THAN TWO IF YOU HAD TWO HEADS YOU'D WISH YOU HAD ONE HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT? IF YOU HAD TWO DOGS ATTACKING YOU YOU'D WANT JUST ONE THERE I PROVED MY POINT! OH - MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE MILTON GREENE HE NEEDS A KIDNEY MILTON GREENE DON'T ASK WHY - HE COULD DIE IF YOU DON'T CALL TODAY HE NEEDS A KIDNEY NO HE DOESN'T NEED A HAND HE JUST NEEDS A KIDNEY A HAND WOULD BE AN EVEN HARDER THING TO GIVE WHEN YOU GIVE A KIDNEY AND WE REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD WE PASS THE CUP THEY STITCH IT UP YOU DO SOME GOOD And this is the group ID from someone in the comments section at HuffPost: Back Row: Rhett Miller, Rachael Yamagata, Moby, Jane Krakowski(Jenna), Clay Aiken, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Sara Bareilles, Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock), Talib Kweli, Mike Diamond (Mike D) Front: Wyclef Jean, Steve Earle, Michael McDonald, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Adam Levine, Robert Randolph, Cyndi Lauper http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/15/k...e_n_203926.html

I have no special apps for it other than just plain Paint, because I am graphically challenged. But here's what I do -- Freeze the video where I want it, hit PrintScreen, paste in Paint, use the crop icon to enclose what I want, save to my harddrive, and crop out the toolbar with any of the free photo apps that do that. I just had a prompt to upgrade WalmartDownloads and, when I did, I checked Clay's representation there, of course. And all his stuff is THERE -- the four albums are $9, VBOCA is $7, and SoundCheck is $3.47. ETA: What's up with me smutting? Gah!! Don't understand it! I guess Clay just extends himself there.

Ummm, yeah, they are there for me. Counting down from No. 95 to No. 1, all of Season 8 is included -- Adam, Kris, Danny, Alexis, Matt, Anoop, Lil, and so on and so on. Maybe you see something different, but 95 of them includes every finalist ever. I was almost sad for poor Taylor Hicks. He was No. 19 and finished behind three other people from his season. Nope....I was singing the song all day yesterday. I'm sure people looked at me kind of weird.... Ha! I haven't been singing Milton Greene Milton Greene Milton Green .... I've been singing: WE PASS THE CUP THEY STITCH IT UP YOU DO SOME GOOD Over and Over and Over! And Clay looks so danged cute singing that. But I love my screenshot of Clay and Elvis: fyi: HuffingtonPost did a story on the video, with a bolded "Clay Aiken" in the title, and they have a snip of video, and the complete lyrics to "He Needs A Kidney." I love the iTunes download not just for my iPod but to fill up my computer widescreen with great shots of CLAY on top!!!! All proceeds from this 99 cent video go to the Kidney Foundation.

S O L O

I click on comcast.net to check my email this afternoon and on the home page is a picture of CLAY! The story is Ultimate Idol Power Rankings and it includes every finalist from the 8 seaons, Top 10 from Season 1, Top 12 from Seasons 2-7, and Top 13 from this year -- and ranks them. It starts with #95 (Corey Clark) and ends with #1 (Kelly Clarkson). Kelly is picked #1 because "if she hadn't made it, the show would have meant nothing going forward." Clay is #4 and his blurb reads: I read this several weeks ago when it was just the Top 10, but it's been expanded and revised. Adam Lambert is #9, between Ruben and Fantasia.

I know this is tres piquiey, but Jack McBrayer on 30 Rock plays Kenneth Parcell, better known as Kenneth the Page -- but he's never ever called "Kenny". Kenneth the Page is one of the most popular characters on the show -- a sweet innocent religious Southern mama's boy in a world of cynicism and dog eat dog. I think the Kenneth character broke out in Season 2. I loved it when Alec Baldwin last hosted SNL and the set up for the faux Q&A in the monologue was that everyone asked him about Jack McBrayer or told him how Kenneth was their favorite character in the show -- and Jack was there. It was really cute. Even before there was talk of him being Clay Aiken's cousin, there was talk that Tina Fey drew up the Kenneth character based on Clay. The Kenneth the Page character was all over the news in February after Bobby Jindal gave the Republican response to Obama's speech before Congress -- and Jindal's sing-song delivery was compared to Kenneth the Page (which I always thought made Kenneth sound like Al Gore). Jack McBrayer did a famous video spoof of the Jindal speech that first aired on Jimmy Fallon and went viral. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot76AV0_YAo

I LOVE Steve Earle with a passion! America 2.0 -- Jerusalem -- Christmas in Washington. I've always thought of him as a folk-rock-country radical, but wherever he's put, he walks the walk. He's a sexy beast and getting wilder hot every time I see him lately. I'll bet you'll be able to adjust somehow if you aren't currently loving his look. Remember the Teeth! I loved his special little teeth before, but I wouldn't want to go back. I still miss the long bangs in the back of my heart, but one thing I noticed about him the night of AI5 is that his jaw was fuller than I'd remembered it. And then a couple of months later the jaw was narrower again, so he must have had some swelling in his face the night of AI5. Anyway, all that to say, I'm one who drools at the fuller jawline. It's so manly hawt! I'm totally happy for him that he looks in the mirror and sees what he sees now. I'm late to the board tonight because I had to get every second of the Rockets game and wrap-up tonight. There's no way they should be at this point after losing two centers and a point guard -- but somehow they've won seven playoff games so far, even though it can't be done. I'm proud of 'em. I did catch 30 Rock -- and of course Clay's part was too small -- but this does open the door for future appearances as Cousin Clay. I love open doors.

Clay is so out front!! I clicked on the Houston Chronicle webpage and the top left story was "Man Bangs are Back" with pictures of Tom Cruise, Jared Leto, Zac Efron and Brad Pitt. Clay did that in 2006. Then I walked through a store the other day with a display of fedoras and a sign saying "Hot for Spring" -- and Clay did that in 2004 and 2005. He's so ahead of the curve!

Now isn't that just ridiculous. Where in the world does such a thing come from? Actually, it sounds like another slam on those crazy Claymates! Wait a minute --- Brad and Angelina are breaking up AGAIN! OMG those poor kids!

I saved THIS picture because he looks too cool for the whole danged city of LA. To me, it's obviously NOT paparazzi because the paps have decent cameras and this looks like somebody snapping pictures from a cellphone in one particular spot in the building. Anyway, Clay looks so fine. Catching up from yesterday and comments about the NE -- I wonder who the heck does read NE. I think I opened one at a check-out counter once during the OJ trial in 1995, and that would be it. But all it takes now is one person in the world to carry one of their nutty stories to the internet and there it is. I read this particular story about the rumors about Clay and AI right here first -- and then picked up some links on Twitter, and those links were denouncing NE, so I really don't think this amounts to jack, but just thought it was interesting that Justin Guarini debunked the story. As to who I refer to as "Idol" -- that would be the producers of the show, The Deciders, and not the make-up people, back-up singers and technicians, et al. Those Decider people thrive on fake controversies, at least that's their track record, so I don't exclude them as culprits. I see "Idol" same as any other cold-blooded money machine. And Clay Aiken is a true class act in the business and that's just one of the many reasons why I love and respect him. CLAY on my TV tonight! And on the finale of a very popular, Emmy-winning comedy show that is very hot and connected at the hip to SNL. This is lovely.

Yeah, but hear me out. Clay's publicist can see to it that Idol is asked about this issue and actually this story is one that makes Idol look very bad. If the tabs made it up, Idol has to deny. If Idol made it up and planted it at NE, Idol has to deny. Clay taking his baby to show off to his old pals on Idol is sweet. Idol spinning it as an anti-Clay story, AS IF Clay begged to mentor those kids, is way too unbelievable in the real world. Clay would maybe be a mentor if they PAID him enough. And you know he'd have a contract, that's for sure! If Idol is overtly mean to Clay -- David Foster might not like that!!! This has been fun today .. now off to finals.

Elliott didn't sign with 19 -- Jennifer Hudson didn't sign with 19 -- and Idol is happy to have them. The difference is whether you quit them, or they quit you! I don't believe all publicity is good publicity, but I do believe publicity is essential. There's nothing worse than ... 'wonder whatever happened to so-and-so?' when so-and-so is still out there beating the bushes. The point is, whatever the publicity may consist of, it can be spun every which way -- and then someplace else -- whether deemed good or bad initially. A lot of what we may think of as "good" publicity would turn off someone else. Believe me, I know people impressed that Clay was on Broadway, and people turned off by it. Because, howeer much we love it, some people really do not like musical theater. My POV is that a show such as Idol being less than gracious to the person who put them on the map puts Clay in a power position. And that's not even considering the part of his fan base that arose as a result of him being perceived as mistreated by Idol in the first place. What's the downside? Haters? Haters don't live in the real world. But Clay does and he's HAWT! I think he did address this issue with the Mother Teresa quote. He's a much bigger man than this sort of thing, which is why you'll never hear him say a bad word about Idol. Heh, I also think he wants to keep his options open to replace Simon Cowell one day. I think Idol only really had magic when people believed the kids were truly unknowns seeking a once-in-a-lifetime lightning strike. Now people understand that most of the contestants are coming into the show with a musical career they're aiming to improve or hype -- and the show gets a more professional sheen. But I think the magic is gone now that Idol is nothing more than a showcase -- and when everyone knows you don't have to win in order to really win. Clay was the first to blow that for them.

Okay, if Time Magazine is calling Adam Lambert the only star to come out of Idol --- then Idol is really done and desperate, and Time Magazine is a bigger whore than I already considered them to be. To paraphrase Simon -- I only like Adam with my eyes closed -- and not because of his hair and makeup -- but because of that tongue hanging out. Everytime I've watched him sing, the tongue falls out of his mouth on the big notes like when someone's feeling nauseated -- and that's just nasty. As far as the whole Voice of Adam thing -- he has a rock singer range no greater than that of other rock singers who have come and gone, including Plant, Tyler, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Axl Rose in G&R days, Geoff Tate of Queensryche -- there's a lot of them -- too many to mention. He's not some unique thing. And as far as him being gay, Rob Halford is gay, big deal. I read at MSNBC or CNN a while ago that Adam sang U2's "One" last night and changed it up. I would hate the changing of a single phrase or note of that song, since "One" is about as good as a song can be, and messing with it would be a mortal, unforgiveable, and deadly musical sin, at least it would be on MY Judgment Day. And -- while I don't regularly watch Idol, my DIL does, and my sister does. One is a Danny Gokey fan, the other a Kris Allen fan. I liked Allison.

And the purported reason for that would be because .... Clay would encourage Adam not to sign a management contract with 19? Aha! Clay could be a one-man wrecking crew for draconian 19 Management contracts. I'm sure Kelly wasn't and won't be punished because she was under the wing or in the clutches of The Monster Clay! You know, soooooo many people out there just despise the very idea of Idol and have from the beginning, including the early seasons (as I did BEFORE I was forced to watch AI2Wildcard), so Clay, being the one-time fair-haired boy of the show being now locked in a WWF-style cage-match for supremacy against the Evil Music Machine -- even if it's a tabloid creation -- can be a boost for Clay's reputation. These stories at least put Clay on the same level with AmericanIdol and 19, and actually make them look ... wait for it .... THREATENED by Clay Aiken. Idol can't be loving these stories that make them look .... what's the word? .... oh yeah, CHURLISH! I think this is HILARIOUS!!! ETA: I just can't WAIT until the judges and producers begin the Finale media circus and get questioned about how they treated CLAY!!!! Personally, I don't think any of this ever happened -- but the tabloids got a story from somebody, so Yeah, Baby!

Got this off a link to an idol blog this morning on Twitter and it includes an audio of Justin Guarini: http://mjsbigidolblog.com/?p=3664

This is final exam season and I've missed every weeknight TV show for the past two weeks and this will last until -- Thursday night! (and isn't that blessedly convenient). I don't know specifically what you're referencing about the Idol judges, but I get the picture. To me, Idol will abide for a long time, but the judges and producers are in overdrive to gin up some excitement and controversy, no matter how obviously faked it is. Do they not realize we've watched them play the game for years and we're onto the scam? Never again will a genuine industry virgin take the country by storm, be the talk of the morning shows, the late shows, and the watercooler, incite an internet frenzy, and become an overnight and everlasting pop culture sensation. It's been done by the best and try as they might, it won't be repeated. Poor Idol. Glory Days aren't here again. I love Clay walking around with Mystery Man. Was Clay eating at a Panda Express, I wonder, or just passing by? I've never actually been IN one, but drive through about once or twice a month. I too am enjoying his easing of the language restrictions. He began with "Hell, naw" (which I remember well from The Color Purple) -- and proceeded on to being censored for "shit" as in "batshit insane" -- as in Rep. Virginia Fox. And then for "bitch" as in "once we're there ... we can bitch about how we are labelled." (What else could that censored word be?) Then he's talking rubbers -- which I haven't heard used for at least twenty-years. And old friend and co-worker introduced me to the term "dickbag" back in the 80's, and I do enjoy a descriptive appelation! Anyway, Clay is a grown ass man, and I for one am glad to see him stretching the boundaries of the OFC, if only just a bit. ETA: Funny, I thought Donny Osmond was hobnobbing with Clay!

ooooooo it's exciting just to contemplate the possibility of UM clack. Okay, it's going to happen. I AM keepingfaith, after all.

Regarding the finale, "America's Song" -- was the official song of the Obama inauguration, written by will.i.am and David Foster. It was made available for download on Inauguration Day, and the recording featured will.i.am, David Foster, Faith Hill, Bono, Mary J. Blige and Seal.

That's funny! But, I think she means her elfin and very talented roomie. And THANK YOU Miss Talented Elfin Roomie of Couchie's for the wonderful CLACK!!! As far as the show goes -- I think Clay would have been my only thrill of the night -- and just because it's Clay singing (and looking fabulous BTW!) But of course this isn't my kind of show (yeah since I never even heard of David Foster or most of these songs until the past few years). Brian McKnight? Never heard of him. The Chicago medley that Clay sang -- didn't know any of those songs -- and didn't see the Karate Kid movies. I liked some Chicago in the 70's, but when they moved over to ezeelite, I lost track of them. Never was on the trail of Donnie Osmond -- and didn't watch his TV show. If I ever liked Paul Anka -- and I think I may have at one time when I was 10 -- that ended when he sang that "Having My Baby" song. That constituted a lifetime disqualification. Then when he wrote that utterly self-indulgent song Sinatra sang -- and Sinatra's music was pure lounge lizard to me -- well you get the picture. If I were designing a medley of Chicago tunes it would include stuff like I've Been Searchin' So Long (To Find an Answer!) -- Free -- If You Leave Me Now. Those are songs I can deal with. I need something with at least a tiny bite to it! Sometimes I feel really out of the mainstream of this fandom -- if there is a mainstream (?). I just never liked pop unless it really POPPED! And Clay totally pops for me. He's just got it going on in a place where nobody else is in the frequency. Happy Mother's Day! We're going to my Mother's favorite restaurant for her favorite stuffed shrimp. And everyone will rave about the seafood. While I again order the chicken. Dammit!

Have to pass along my supermarket radio experience from earlier today -- I'm strolling down the aisles and have already heard Clay sing "Without You" and then there are a couple of other songs and then this music starts and I immediately, from the first two or three notes, go YAY! another Clay song -- except it didn't sound the same and then I knew it had to be a song Clay had covered, but my mind just couldn't place it until the lyrics started and I recognized it as Broken Wings, obviously the original version which I had never heard before. I don't even know who sang it, just that it was kind of an easy listening vibe. All I can tell you is that it came nowhere near Clay's amazing, dramatic version of BW -- one of my all-time favorites. I can see how people can be attached to original versions of songs when they have an emotional connection -- but having none here, I'm telling you there is NO COMPARISON!!! Clay OWNS Broken Wings for me. If you're surprised I never heard it, well I never heard Right Here Waiting or Everything I Do (I Do It For You) either before Clay. Before Clay, if it wasn't rock or alternative, or blues or soul -- it didn't penetrate into my world. I occasionaly hear the original version of RHW in a store and my ears pick it up now -- but that original version truly sucks IMO, and Clay's version is one of my favorites forever. Clay's songs are the "originals" in my world. Oh God, I can't wait to hear his voice tonight -- even over a crappy cellcert!!!

Clay said .... it won't serve the purpose that you're hoping to serve .... and then he said tulips. So I don't really think it's something like flowers in his dressing room since he told us tulips and that purpose would have been served by his answer. Maybe it has to do with color, if Clay thought this question was fishing for a color hint -- such as bluebonnets or yellow roses, or something like that? Otherwise, that preface is pretty mysterious -- unless he actually knows what purpose that questioner is hoping to serve???

This picture was taken the morning Clay was on KTLA. It's a great interview and the three parts can be found in the vaults or at Clackunlimited. It's from September 27, 2006 -- the morning after Kimmel. I don't know who that guy is -- and I don't remember exactly where I got the picture, except I think it was from MySpace. He's wearing a suit, so he's either an exec or on-air. I really, really recommend those KTLA videos because Clay looks even better than in this picture! Well ...... maybe Jaymes' mother's maiden name was Waldo, or Butts, or Schnitzelphluger? It only works when it's a name you want to give your child. That said, I have come across three different men in my life with the first name Barksdale! I'll be watching the WHCD too, but that should happen in DC before Clay perforrms in Vegas tonight; so I'll be going for the Correspondents Dinner and the CV cellcert. I'll be curious to see if Wanda keeps it semi-clean, because some of the funniest lines in her stand-up are "I don't give a fuck" and "She REALLY didn't give a fuck!" As funny as Wanda is, and I do think she's a riot, I can't believe that there will ever be anyone in the history of the WHCD that will equal, much less surpass, Colbert. I watched that performance at least 20 times the next day! He had to kick his balls out of way to walk out of the room! He confronted everybody from Justice Scalia to Gen. Pace to President Bush, and gave no quarter. I'm still in awe. Clay must stay glued to CNN. Regarding Toobin and just something that he mentioned recently, he's the son of Marlene Sanders, a pioneer woman in broadcast journalism. Marlene Sanders began her broadcast journalism career in 1955 working for Mike Wallace of CBS, as his local producer. In those days, women were usually in the newsroom solely to perform secretarial functions. Marlene Sanders is a female pioneer in broadcasting, and she has a number of firsts to her credit: the first woman to cover the Vietnam war from the field; the first woman anchor of a nightly newscast for a major network; and eventually the first woman vice president of the ABC News division. Sanders later became an Emmy Award–winning correspondent, writer, producer, and broadcast-news executive. Marlene Sanders is the mother of Jeffrey Toobin, lawyer, author, and CNN legal analyst. Take about a con.nec.tion! Jeffrey had one of the BEST!

FOUND IT!!!! To say Jaymes is Clay's babymama -- and Clay is Jaymes' babydaddy -- just doesn't fit this situation IMO. I do like and use a lot of slang, just never especially cared for the babymama/babydaddy thing. As for the name Parker -- I don't see it so much as being about Ray. In the South, people often name their firstborns after family -- in Clay's case both his grandmothers' (Aiken and Grissom) maiden names (Clayton and Holmes). Since Faye's maiden name was Aiken, and Clay changed his last name to Aiken, and Parker's last name is Aiken -- it just wouldn't do to name the baby Aiken Foster Aiken. So I think the Parker name is for Faye ... and Brett. I think the very last name on the list for little Parker would have been Vernon Ray.

Thought I found the picture but when I posted it -- I was wrong. Still lookin'! ********************** ETA: Goodness! Think these two could be related????