treenuts

OMFG laughn, I - LOVE - YOU :F_05BL17blowkiss: The only other part of the story I recall was when the women who won got to board the bus but told Clay she didn't want to shake his hand because she may have come in contact with something he was allergic to that evening. So he asked if she would like to wash her hands and stood by the sink with her and talked to her while she did so. I think he even handed her a paper towel to dry with. I dunno exactly why this whole thing strikes me so fondly......but it just does. It all seems so surreal and it is stories like this that make me want to be a fan for life. NO MATTER WHAT CRAP IS SPEWED!! EVER......nope, no matter. I can't wait for new tour stories to start to unfurl. There is so much to be excited about right now :TourExcite:

Couchie, WAKE UP WAKE UP cindi, that's a pretty generous offer! Careful or I just might take you up on it clazor, I loved your gifs.......escpecially the "shoes & laces" one. I think that one pic has always said more about who clay is than most might think. --------------------------- I have a favor to ask. I have searched hi and low for a bus-cert from Jnat 06 but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Actually it's probably more like an "at the bus report". Anyway, it was a story posted by a fan who waited with a small group outside the bus late one night when Jerome came out and said "Clay wants to play"! And from there a trivia game/contest proceeded with the winner getting to go aboard the bus. It was fascinating to me that this celebrity was such "a down to earth guy" and the story made me love him all the more. I love me some Teacher Clay! I would like to post that story for all to read but alas, I can't remember which venue, board or fan...... If anybody here should recall any the three options above please let me know. It may help!!! In the meantime ---> 4 DAYS iEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE iTour

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes anyway.... The Greek Has anyone else heard rumors or such about a possible taping for dvd or tv at the Greek? I have read some mentions of this on various boards/blogs and such but nothing much about it other than speculation. Has anybody here heard, read anything on this?

Since I am not a member at the OFC I brought this over courtesy of corabeth at the CH: A poster at OFC is noting that Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul will contain 15 fan stories and 3 of them are about Clay. They also interviewed Clay who provided his own story. (Probably the overweight girl who told him in Atlanta how the Invisible video made her feel so good.) Partial proceeds from the book are going to TBAF. ETA ~ Oh great! I just finished reading a ton of "heavy discussion" regarding this very subject and am ETA "I am just the messenger so please don't shoot me".

Of course, because dorks ARE cool in clayworld! luckiest, I want to play but can only come up with opening & closing guesses due to limited brain power on only one cuppa. Oh hell, I'm just lazy Opening - ATD or Because You Loved Me as a shout out to the faithful & devoted! weeping now Closer - Lover All Alone (oh dear god let it be so) more weeping still I want to publically acknowledge cindilu2 for her valiant efforts to creat my gif/avi per my special request. She did an amazing job! Unfortunately we are both in agreement that it does not translate so well as an avi without the sound. But I love it and will keep it in my PB. I wonder if I can use it as a sigi or something. Ideas are welcome!! Isn't he just too cute - cindilu2 :F_05BL17blowkiss:

So it occurs to me that anyone who wins a Meet & Greet and can coughafforditcough should take an iPhone for Clay to sign! Imagine the con.nec.tion and the natural, exuberant conversation that will flow. You might even get a hug! iEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE iTour :Tour3:

So let me see if I've got this straight He has blogged twice today and three times since yesterday? Is that right? Geeeezzzzz It's a bumber not being a member at the OFC But on the brighter side I got an avi/gif to work thanks to Ansa the enabler and ysrn the provider. Still keeping my fingers crossed cindilu chacha, loved your montages and your site!! And on a whole other note - I was sitting in my chiropractor's office today and suddenly I hear a song I use to LOVE and haven't heard in ages. I thought immediately of how it would sound if BF were to rework the arrangement and sing the schizznits out of it. It's "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House.

Ms. non-techie here. How do we know this and what did he say?? Inguiring minds.....

Quote: "Shall I post more later?? Or is everyone tired of seeing our guy rock out in concert?" ------------------------------- Eehhmmm! Excuse me Gibby, but I seem to recall you have yet to cough up/put out over in the members only thread! More!! *waiting waiting waiting* Ansa, thanks a million for your help!! Yahoo for J4Clay's "podcast" scoop & her 6 degrees of separation encounter. Oh yah, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all who I don't really know but whatthehell I'm sure I'd like ya if I did so ----> :me0: rock on whitchyo badself bitches

keepingfaith, we just recently switched over to Comcast a few weeks back and thus far NO problems. In fact it has been a bit faster. Ansa, I've been thinking (shut-up) and what if? someone whose trying to register is mistaken for a spam bot? Ala Blade Runner, you know where the "replecants" sometimes weren't aware they were not human. Maybe they can't respond like a regular person and somehow can't get through the process. OMG then..... panic sets in 'cause ya know "Clay is just days away and I NEEDTA talk about him... and... and" ....... well, now I have officially lost my mind. Just 5 days eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee As for a producer I read somewhere, maybe not on this board, the name Jack White came up. Wow, now there's a reach but it does make for an interesting thought to digest. He does have a grammy and he IS CERTAINLY ECLECTIC enough. I just get little goosie bumps thinking of what he might do with someone like Clay. *suddenly hears the twilight zone theme in her head do do do do do do do do* A huge THANK YOU to all who provided some great avi's/gifs. They are all "must haves"! Except I, being the so not techie that I am, spent about an hour late last night trying to load one of those babies into my avi space and (to no surprise to me) had zero success. Another WAHHHHH!! So can someone take pity on me and give me the ABC's of what I should be dooing. Thanks mucho in advance......hey, I speak Clay Oh and cindilu if you are santa clays and love doing those avi/gif thingamaboobsbobs would you consider my avi request? Would ya? Huh huh? :F_05BL17blowkiss:

hey....thats a very intriguing and specific scene...I will be curious to see it too. Too bad I don't know how to do one but now I want watch that piece of clack...hope you get your avatar, About cellcert...we don;t set up cellcerts since we are not big enough and frankly I don't know how... but we do a chat during the whole concert...I will put up the link to the thread. What happens is...I get a cellcert so I report on the board everything that I hear. We also go to CB, CH and CV to quote their reports..that is why we get an interesting mix of reactions. If someone here has the CV cellcert and would like to report on it ....it will be appreciated. So we invite all FCAers that won't be attending the concerts to join us on the concert threads to EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE together. We have done this for every concert since we opened and its great fun. Thanks, Ansa. I'm hoping somebody has a clue how to capture that one scene for me. It would be like X-mas in July!! And I will be here for the board cert/chatter for sure. I'm starting to feel like CG & keepingfaith, the craziness enthusiasm is mounting. Ooohhh...just had an image of BF mounting and yowza! Hang tough ladies, we have a long way to go still. WAAAHHH.....I can't see it!! ITA I like to think of us as a flock following our shepherd. I luv ewe Mr. Aiken. Is that a staff in your pocket or are you just......

Personally I would kill for ANY avitar with Clay in it. I'm, frankly, a bit non-techie when it comes to this stuff. I usually just stand with my nose pressed against the glass from the outside looking in. But if there is a santa clays out there somewhere dying to put their artistic ability to good use may I put in a request on bended knee? I have watched clack of boy friend in Red bank (over & over & over) where he is trying to get the spotlight turned off/down making the eheheheh sound with his hand over his eyes saying "that one must be really hard to turn off". K, begging with specifics is really humiliating..... but if it works BTW, will there be any cellcerting taking place on this board? I've looked in the 2007 SST thread and didn't see anything. 6 days 2 hours 47 min.EEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Hehe, I wanna meat meet Clay too! But I'm a skeered he would meat meet my eyes and I'll pass out cold in his lap. Hmmmmm.....(begins concocting evil plan #1) :TourExcite:

This ought to have a few of you scratchin' yer heads - My daughter and I just watched Charlie Chan and the Secret Service this weekend. I love the old Charlie Chan flicks. My dad got me into them when I was little and I have done the same with my daughter. I have nearly all of them, both Warner Oland and Sidney Tolar (no laughter from the peanut gallery please) but this is one I had never seen before. Thank god for TCM & Retroplex.! Yes, I know I'm weird but I like it that way

AMEN would love him to be a pain in my ass couchie, thanks for linking. Uhm, did someone mention Donovan?! Yikes, that would sure bring back some memories BUT I would have to admit to being alive wayyyy back then........so no. They call me mellow yellow.....that's right What?

First off I want to send my prayers out to the citizens of two extremely "close to my heart" disaster areas, the fire ravaged South Lake Tahoe and flooded central Texas. Now, I wanted to bring something over I posted in The News thread cause I have some thoughts on a portion of it. You can read the entire article there since it's a long ass one so I won't copy it over again here. But I thought it interesting that I have read sooo many comments across the boards in the recent and not so recent past regarding Clay's style/appearance. Such as hair choices & whose to blame sheesh (you name it), clothing choices (color of his vest on JKL, patterns in suits like that he wore at the most recent awards ceremony in NYC, etc) and let's not forget the great debate over the "TEETH" for crying out loud! There is a lot in the article to remind us all that "this was and is Clay". It's who he has always been. It is what makes him unique and perfectly suited to show business. He's a showman; a quirky and somewhat flamboyant in personality individual. I wish I could say the fans need to embrace him for who he is and what he brings to the table but then I guess we would never have any " diverse discussions" and where's the fun in that!

Courtesy of the CB: Quote Clay or Ruben? Who will be crowned? The Herald-Sun May 18, 2003 : 10:59 pm ET DURHAM -- Clay Aiken’s grandmother still remembers when the little boy would sing while playing in the back yard at her home in Bahama. "When he was little, he was real thoughtful," said Catherine Aiken, his maternal grandmother. "He never has liked sports. And he would come out here and his granddaddy would have a swing out there in the back yard. And he’d sit out there and swing and sing." The grandmother estimates that her now 24-year-old grandson, who is on the cusp of winning the popular TV singing competition "American Idol," started singing by age 2. "Almost when he started talking, he started singing," she said in an interview at the house she shares with husband Alvia Aiken. The walls behind their television, where they watch their grandson on the top-rated FOX TV show every week, are filled with family photos. Among them is a picture of Clayton -- the name his friends and family call him -- as a young boy, wearing his signature glasses and his chop-shop auburn hair. Aiken’s grandmother is happy to see the clunky glasses replaced by contacts, though it has taken a while to get used to his new look. "I like him without his glasses," she said. "I don’t particularly like his hair." Aiken knows he has gone through a transformation on the TV show, one likened by some to a moth becoming a butterfly. The powerful voice was always present, bowling people over with its sheer crispness and intensity. But the "Clay" look -- the one that has young girls and middle-aged women thinking he’s a hottie and led to a stack of fan mail 5 feet high sitting at the "American Idol" offices waiting for his reply -- well, that took some work. "I was kind of a khaki person," Aiken said of his pre-"Idol" duds. "Kind of khaki, and tacky, too. Boy-next-door, quiet with the glasses. [The "American Idol" stylist] said, ‘You need to get classier, more GQ. He helps pick out my clothes. ... I trust him at this point." Because of the metamorphosis, Aiken understands and expects some of the cracks. And he has heard lots of them this year, especially from judge Simon Cowell, who repeatedly has said Aiken doesn’t look like an "American Idol" and then said a week or so later that that is what makes him so memorable. Aiken’s read just as many comments in news articles. "It doesn’t really bother me that much. I came in with a sense of understanding that you got to be ready for criticism," he said during a teleconference late in the week leading up to the final showdown Tuesday between Ruben Studdard and himself. "On top of that, the press is going to be mean. I’ve been called troll and a whole bunch of different things. ... I’ve gotten to the point where I’m going to go out and sing my song, have fun and expect Simon to say something mean. I think it is kind of sweet justice that I’m still here." That sweet justice will be highlighted when he and Studdard square off Tuesday at 8 p.m. Viewers will choose the next idol by casting their votes from 9 p.m. until midnight, and the winner will be announced Wednesday night. Though Aiken’s appearance has changed during his "American Idol" run, those close to him say the inner-Clay -- the humble young man who would help anyone -- has remained. Nancy Cooke, one of Aiken’s professors of special education at UNC-Charlotte, where he attended before landing on "Idol," describes the person she sees on the television as the same student she has known for the past two years. "The same qualities that I saw in him when I knew him prior [to "American Idol"] I see on ‘American Idol,’" she said in a phone interview from her office. "He is a very caring and genuine person. And he’s quick. He can think of things to say on the spot." Humble is a word those around him often bring up. Cooke said he is so humble about his singing that she had no idea of his talent until he decided to go to the "Idol" auditions in Atlanta late last year. "I did not know he could sing until last November," she said. "He wanted to take a couple of days off to go to Atlanta. I didn’t even know what ‘American Idol’ was. Then when he explained that it was singing, I didn’t know he could sing." Luckily for America, Diane Bubel knew Aiken had some pipes. Aiken worked with Bubel’s 12-year-old autistic son, Matt, for two years during his time in Charlotte. It was Bubel who convinced Aiken to try out for "Idol." "He also writes music," Bubel said during a phone interview from her house in Huntersville. "And he’d come in and say ‘Hey Diane, Emma (Bubel’s daughter), I wrote a song, what do you think about it?’ And then he’d bring in his laptop and play it for us. We’d say, ‘Why don’t you just sing it to us live?’" When she brought up the idea of trying out for the show, Aiken was cautious, believing he did not have the right image. But image isn’t all "American Idol" is about this year, Aiken has discovered, especially when he and pals Ruben Studdard and Kimberley Locke made it to the final three. All three have appearance deficiencies, from Aiken’s elfen look to Ruben’s doughboy physique to Locke’s not-quite-Shakira frame. "It’s justice that the three of us were all there. I don’t think any of us would have been in the top 32 based on the way they were doing things last year," Aiken said. "It was a big image thing last year. They let a lot of people through on how they looked." This year, "They went for talent over image. I think that’s a lot of the reason I’m here." Aiken may seem quiet on stage, listening to the judges’ critiques and basking in the applause. But those close to him know he is not afraid to speak his mind, something that endeared him to Bubel, especially when her son Mike had problems in public. "There were moments, and I like to call them ‘autism moments,’ when Mike would have a meltdown in public like he was a 2-year-old toddler, but he’s 12," she said. "When he melts down in public it’s really kind of an ugly scene. Clay was never at all bothered, worried, embarrassed, nothing. Sometimes he’d actually tell the people ‘You need to go about your business. You should understand that there’s something different about this child and it’s not helping that you’re standing there, staring at us.’" Aiken said he was happy with his life before "Idol," when he planned on becoming a special-education teacher. "I was very content, I’m really a person who likes stability," he said. "I like knowing what I’m going to be doing next. That’s probably why I never pursued music, because there are no guarantees when it comes to music. Where your next paycheck is going to be. I really appreciate the stability of working in special ed." So Wednesday night, whether it’s Aiken’s name or Studdard’s that is announced as the "American Idol," Aiken said he’ll be OK with it. "I don’t feel like I’m going up against Ruben. Ruben and I have been close for a long time. It’s not a competition about who is better anymore. We’re both here because we are good at what we do," he said. Earlier he said he’d put everything in God’s hands. "I totally rely on Him to put me where He wants to put me. I never would have auditioned for something like this. He told me to do it. ... I never in my life would have put myself in the Top 10, much less the finals. If He wants me to win, I’ll win. If He wants me in second place, I’ll come in second place." Aiken’s friend, Amanda Ward, 23, said the young man was a little dorky before his "Idol" experience. The two met in high school, when they shared the same group of friends. She describes Aiken, whom she talks to several times a week, as "The life of every party." "You never knew what color hair Clayton was going to have," Ward said of her closest friend in a phone interview. "He always dyed his hair. You never knew what he was going to wear. He had these bright green tennis shoes, just crazy clothes." His clothing habits were nothing compared to his choice of companion, however. "He had a pet goat that he would bring around," she said. "It was a miniature goat named Zoey. Most people would have pet dogs, I just remember he had this pet goat. He would bring it everywhere he went. He would take it to my house. He walked it on a leash, and it was the craziest thing in the world. It wasn’t that crazy coming from him because we expected things like that." Suzanne Lyczkowsi, 23, knows Aiken as a fellow counselor at A.E. Finley YMCA in Raleigh who would do anything for the kids he worked with. "He was definitely one of the favorite counselors," she said in a phone interview. "If he asked them to do anything, they would do it because they just loved him." Aiken could even get the kids do something almost unheard of -- be nice to each other. "Every summer, with his kids he would do a gender competition with his kids," she said. "Who could be nicer to each other. ... At the end of the week he would let the kindest group duct tape him to the wall. gish

Just a drive by to shout out to boy friend: "Hey, Clay, over here. I want to remind you of something you may have learned in geography class back in the day. The west coast (specifically Northern California) has some pretty damn nice weather around November/December. In fact, it's awesome weather for sandals and cargo shorts and such. So GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE THIS WINTER!!!! Bring that tight tushy, those lanky limbs and that Clay Aiken Magical whatever your callin' it over to the left and up a bit please & thank you I still say that hand is a gesture of affectionate erm..stroking and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks jmh for the info. It certainly does shed a different light on things!

Wow. I do apologize, IDY. I guess I know nothing about it then and perhaps I'd be better served going back to lurkdom. Thanks for that feedback though, now I know.

WIKIPEDIA rOcKs!! :me0: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_Aiken

"Idol: The Musical" I brought over a few quotes from some folks who saw the play in Syracuse. I will link the site also, but unsure how I feel about giving this idiot hits. Although anyone can give feedback. Quote: 2. I saw IDOL: the musical in the Syracuse Premiere and i was happily impressed. It was nothing like i had expected. The book was amzingly witty and the music was not only catchy but it also was beautiful. The story is also really good. I don't think the main meaning of this show is that "Clay is going to save the world", as the last comment hinted to. And i agree that clay "makes our corner of [the world] a better place" and that's what the musical says too. I honestly believe that if you see no other musicals you should see IDOL: the musical because it is really good! Rita at 12:55AM on Jun 24th 2007 Quote: 4. you can get tickets at smarttix.com its totally worth it! i went to go see it in syracuse- and the jokes are hilarious! its one of my favorite new shows! i already bought tickets for the shows in NYC and i cant wait to see it again!! sarah at 7:49PM on Jun 24th 2007 If you wish to read in full go here: http://www.spinner.com/2007/06/21/clay-aik...dway-treatment/

luckiest1, WORD! Muski, that's side splitting funny, girl! Oh yah, btw I'm curious as to what IWDC girlie's hand is doing in that there emote? I mean, erm, is she waving or suggesting a little hand action for our fella? Never mind, I will just go with the latter for my own personal reasons I was gonna pipe in on the whole "Clay sighting" post at the OFC but thought nah, I'm better off waiting to read/hear some controversy involving something more than a glass of chardonnay & a male friend. I guess if I were to get pissed off about anything it would be the fact that they reported he didn't tip!! That's where I went ouch! But the Marge Champion comment was hysterical. You go, Marge!! who the hell cares Here's a pretty of the pretty and his pretty song. Enjoy And BIG CLAY HUGS to all those who need it!! And even those who don't Who is this stranger trying to hug me.....treenuts? what kinda name is that?should we be skeered guys? ahk

Oh, very cute. Now which scene is it that we get to watch Clay carefully lick each and every slender finger slowly clean?? :medium-smiley-070:

I see this one statement as a recurring theme throughout this "crazy Clay world" and it has become a common thread thru all topics Clay. I have never seen a fandom or a celebrity as unique and polarizing as this one. And yet, somehow, I can't seem to get off this damn merry-go-round! (need a psycho emote here) cindilu, I love the new banner. Thanks to everyone for being good sports about my rant earlier Is it August yet?! :me0: