playbiller

Never mind

never mind

never mind

never mind

never mind

/

That was one Roomba - this is two. You can give one as a gift.

Quick someone call Scarlett - there is a two pack of refurbished Roombas on sale at woot for $150

Well, if you want to fight with people about this over and over, you too can watch the fan base just disappear. It seems like only perfect people should be allowed to stay for some.

What amazes me is the ignorance on both sides where no one is listening to what the others say. This whole issue seems to ignite into unreasonable and angry posts, for what? Most people agree on the whole but have little minor differences and apparently they rankle so, that people would just as soon end Clay's career by fighting amongst themselves, rather than just let it go? Trust me ignorance is rampant on both sides. Like people who think they will get a tour after they drive out most of the fans. And this fighting is going to be so attractive that there will be new fans, or will they just turn around and leave? Clay's last blog got 130 replies - fewer and fewer all the time, maybe if you throw out a few more fans, you can be the only reply.

I was coming to post something that would make people happy, but forget that, I have already been judged by a few here and don't need to go through all that crap again. Sorry I even tried.

Paypal is easy - look at my board name, add an @verizon.net and that is my cash only fee-less account.

Look at my board name, add a 2 then an @verizon.net and you have my fee paypal.

To change the topic......I am packing bracelets and flyers tonight - I need the address of Spikesmom and Liney. Merrieee is going to get a personal delivery. I have the other addresses. If anyone else wants one, I have about 10 bracelets left. I should check Paypal,. I probably have the addresses there.

The cost is 1.17 for shipping in the US, 1.18 for shipping to Canada. Bracelets are $2, but if you send $5, I will donate the difference.

No photos, Clay is not supposed to do the stage door until after 12/7. I will be in NYC that day because I will be at Broadway cares Gypsy of the Year. I will try and carry the signs with me to the stage door and get pictures then. If not, I try and have him sign them, but it might be one at a time and may not all get done. Now I will sit back and watch you guys fight it out to see who's sign I should present first. Remember no closed fists are to be used and no hair pulling.

Back and very tired after rushing last night and this morning to get the signs and pictures done (damn, that Scarlett is a perfectionist, You don't want to know how many software packages and fonts that were used). Unfortunately no BC ...... but Scarlett is determined to take those signs to every stage door to get Clay to pose with them, and if she doesn't get it, I will take them in next week. Those who ordered bracelets are in luck I committed to so many people I went after them like a dog, heh. So those who had the forsight to order the bracelets, autographed playbills and posters and CDs - I got the who shebang. I think I got the signed posters and playbills only because I told them about the people ordering from overseas, wanting to support the show, but not being able to attend.They only charged me $2 for the bracelets. Let me know if you only want to pay the $2, because I expect to be donate the $3 for each to to Spamalot tomorrow.

Scarlett is seeing if she can get some more bracelets, if anyone else wants one.

Scarlett here just saying *burp* What a great Thanksgiving dinner! I love it when Play's plans come through!

Also, I figured out today how to take gobs and gobs of gel-like substances on a plane -- put them in a pie crust. I took 2 pies from Houston to Newark on the plane and never got stopped. *winks*

Hope everyone had a Great Thanksgiving, including the cute guy in the v. warm jacket!!!

ETA: What an adorable bear, anna!

Clay's Thanksgiving Parade on CBS did not air in Houston. They had the nerve to show the local parade instead. Rats! If anybody captured it and can share, I would appreciate it. I hope it appears on CU soon. Thanks.

Off to get Scarlett. And Clay is on, She won't mind if I am a little late, right?

Happy thanksgiving or what ever.

Off to get Scarlett. And Clay is on, She won't mind if I am a little late, right?

Happy thanksgiving or what ever.

Whew. plumbing problen will be solved, or is closer, and printer was a big help

it is 25 for a 18X24 and 7.50 for two 7X11s matched and glued to poster board. you choice, but they want a PDF or a JPG, if I givethem a word doc, they will charge $15 conversion fee.

Apparently buying stuff for all you guys made me an angel for BC/EFA and I got their limited edition newsletter.

here are all the Clay mentions

A beautiful day in Shubert Alley!! 22nd Annual Flea market and Grand Auction Raises $496,380!

<snip>

A special Spamalot package, which included a chance to meet Clay Aiken backstage after a performance, was the top auction lot, selling for $10,000. The 2009 Tony Awards Experience = featuring tickets to the noinations perss conference, rehearsals, and VIP seats to the show at Radio City and Gala sold for $5, 250.

There is a picture, but the dog eats my mail it, so not worth trying to get up here.

The 22nd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition Breaks Its Own Record and Raises $3,734,129!!!

<snip>

Highlights included

<snip>

Spamalot juxtaposing a stirring duet between stars Clay Aiken and Hannah Waddington with a roller-skating nun, Spamalot's Lee wilkins, scuttling back and forth across the stage in accompaniment.

<skip>

The other Broadway fundraising champs were" 1st runner up/Spamalot (264,900), 2nd runner up/Wicked ($197,889); 3rd runner up/The Phantom of the Opera ($151, 267): 4th runner up.The Lion King ($147,283)

In the list of donors who made a non-event or merchandise related donation, I see what might be the clackhouse or another Clay board - who made an anonymous donation there is listed Anoanymous in honor of the Spamalot cast and Clay Aiken. in the 2000 - 4999 donation amount.

NOTE: if you want Spam BC/EFA stuff - jelly bracelet, poster, playbill or CD, PM me before Thanksgiving. I wonder if they are going to have enough Jelly bracelets from the number I have to get already! - the bracelet is sold at different prices of $2 or $5 depending when you get it. If my PM box is full, be patient and try again the next day, I am trying to keep it empty, but failing. I will add you to the spreadsheet, and get back to you after I have the item, since they don't always have everything every time.

talk back with Clay aiken

Now listed on ebay

Ever wonder what goes on backstage or onstage at a Broadway Show that you may never have known about? Ever have a question for one of the stars of one of Broadway's biggest hit shows and could not corner them at the stage door to ask? Well, one of Broadway's newest stars is none other than Clay Aiken who soared to fame following a very successful run on American Idol during one of the show's earlier seasons. The very talented star continues to shine on Broadway at The Shubert Theatre every night where he is currently reprising his role as the dashing Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot. The generous Mr. Aiken has agreed during one of his busiest 2-show Saturdays to conduct a talk-back: "Conversation With Clay" at the Shubert Theatre where the public may pay to come in and sit and chat with him as a group and ask all the questions that time allows.

The date is Saturday November 29th, between Clay's matinee and evening performance of Spamalot (4:30 - 5:00PM to be exact.) Attendees who have just seen the 2pm matinee performance will be asked to join other members of this special audience in a designated line outside the theatre. Proof of payment is required in the form of a Paypal confirmation that has been printed out in order to gain entry to the theatre for this very special half hour of coffee talk with Clay. There is no photography or use of video cameras of any kind permitted. Happy bidding.

starts at 200

ldyj, I think Word'll be fine. Just in case, I will also take a .jpg conversion. We're going to try to print this at playbiller's Fedex branch and so I can't ask before hand. Play? As for the design, maybe the ones who have theirs could share them with you for ideas.

There is a Fedex, a kinko's and a Staples. Maybe you should send it to me, so I can have it made up ahead of time. I will price shop them for you. I know the guys at kinkos played around with a photo of mine to change the setting to get what they wanted. It was an Adobe document, so I think pretty much any format would be OK.

The question is - hard signs. or ones that can be rolled and carried and then straightened out? I have lots of cardboard, so I can make hard edges for any sign to be attatched at the show with tape in the back.

If you want you can send it to me, and it can be done ahead of time. - if you ever paypaled me anything, you know my e-mail. Or PM me if you don't remember, but it is pretty darn easy to remember.

So are you going to put a photo of your head on the sign, so it almost looks like you are there?

Need to know if you got my e-mail, Scarlett, I have to pay up front for the dinner, so it is a need to know if the restaurant is OK. They also need to know which sitting.

If you want you can send it to me, and it can be done ahead of time.

Am I disappointed after the election, no. I was disappointed in the heavy handedness of the primaries. Years ago, I thought Obama would be a good Presidential candidiate, my regret is that he ran so soon. I wanted him to be a seasoned politician before he ran, eight years in the future with political connections cemented in the party and with opposition colleages. I fear he will be learning some hard lessons on the job as others before him had done, Carter and Kennedy.

I can see where he saw his chance and grabbed it and it worked. I do believe that the economy was what really swung this election and I can't help but wonder if TPTB RNC didn't want to win because they wanted to hand off this economic mess. Right now we need an economic visionary and there was not one running at any point, so that was not going to happen anyway. So far we have an interesting person picked for the transition team, lets see what happens, choosing good people for advisors will make me a happy person.

Earlier this year, I was given serious beat downs by friends who supported Obama and I really had a hard time overcoming their annoying rudeness, Iadmit it really turned me off. See, I was supposed to swear fealty to Obama if he won the primary, but they would vote republican if anyone else won the democratic primary and they said the nastiest stuff about the other candidates, way over the line kind of stuff. It was so out of character for these people, my friends tend to be low key, I did start believing in Koolaid.

Oh, that would be me, Clayzorback - I rarely believe anything I read on the internet and on message boards without some background knowledge or sources. I would be shocked if you believed anything I said without a source, unless it was just a trivial thing. This is the INTERNET - we can say ANYTHING! Questioning things is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only people who have seen it really know if I have a place at the beach, I may not have one but just like to pretend I do.

When it comes to politics, I don't believe the candidates or anyone else bringing information. I check their records. I suppose I could have searched the internet to see if you had talked about Faye e-mailing you before since I didn't remember you mentioning it, but it did not seem all that important. If you think that questioning that was a big deal, you really don't want to know about some of my other political conversations. The people who know me are used to it, I guess other people don't understand that mindset.

Heh, I have been avoiding this section likethe plague until DJS encouraged me to see her brilliant posts - J/K she thought I would be interested in the discussion.

Since I am hung up on reality being different for everyone just because someone writes something on the internet does not make it true. I.e. Faye e-mail. maybe she did, maybe she didn't. It seems a good targeted introduction to people posting on a Clay board.

Small quote for DJS about sending jobs overseas. I have quoted this for years without a source, yet I am pretty sure this is accurate about someone that I was taught to dislike because he had no problem releasing thugs on young organizers which included my father in Dertoit in the 30's. He was a visionary in many ways and just shows how personal ownership of a company differs from corporations and easily traded stock which reduced your interest in a company to just the next quarter.

Henry Ford: Raising A Nation

n 1914, 13,000 workers at Ford made 260,720 cars. By comparison, in the rest of the industry, it took 66,350 workers to make 286,770. Critics charged that the division of the assembly process into mindless, repetitive tasks turned most of Ford's employees into unthinking automatons, and that manipulation of the pace of the line was tantamount to slave driving by remote control. The men who made cars no longer had to be mechanically inclined, as in the earlier days; they were just day laborers. Ford chose to see the bigger picture of the employment he offered. "I have heard it said, in fact, I believe it's quite a current thought, that we have taken skill out of work," he said. "We have not. We have put a higher skill into planning, management, and tool building, and the results of that skill are enjoyed by the man who is not skilled."

But the unskilled workers, many of them foreign born, didn't enjoy their work, earning a mediocre $2.38 for a nine-hour day. Indeed, the simplification of the jobs created a treacherous backlash: high turnover. Over the course of 1913, the company had to hire 963 workers for every 100 it needed to maintain on the payroll. To keep a workforce of 13,600 employees in the factory, Ford continually spent money on short-term training. Even though the company introduced a program of bonuses and generous benefits, including a medical clinic, athletic fields, and playgrounds for the families of workers, the problem persisted. The rest of the industry reluctantly accepted high turnover as part of the assembly-line system and passed the increasing labor costs into the prices of their cars. Henry Ford, however, did not want anything in the price of a Model T except good value. His solution was a bold stroke that reverberated through the entire nation.

On January 5, 1914, Henry Ford announced a new minimum wage of five dollars per eight-hour day, in addition to a profit-sharing plan. It was the talk of towns across the country; Ford was hailed as the friend of the worker, as an outright socialist, or as a madman bent on bankrupting his company. Many businessmen -- including most of the remaining stockholders in the Ford Motor Company -- regarded his solution as reckless. But he shrugged off all the criticism: "Well, you know when you pay men well you can talk to them," he said. Recognizing the human element in mass production, Ford knew that retaining more employees would lower costs, and that a happier work force would inevitably lead to greater productivity. The numbers bore him out. Between 1914 and 1916, the company's profits doubled from $30 million to $60 million. "The payment of five dollars a day for an eight-hour day was one of the finest cost-cutting moves we ever made," he later said.

There were other ramifications, as well. A budding effort to unionize the Ford factory dissolved in the face of the Five-Dollar Day. Most cunning of all, Ford's new wage scale turned autoworkers into auto customers. The purchases they made returned at least some of those five dollars to Henry Ford, and helped raise production, which invariably helped to lower per-car costs.

Dropping off a review

I looked at the bright side of life this afternoon. Meeting with a San Francisco crew and Austenfan and RVZ lady. So many of them had the Aiken fog after the show, it was hard to talk to them. Ha!

Yup, everyone was back and the show was pretty good - guess Rick likes his Palin line so much we will have to wait to after the election for it to change. Tom go so excited in his scene as Prince Herbert, he did not do the body C curl, but collapsed to the floor (laughing a bit) when his father shook him. ClayisSunshine pointed out that Ruben and Frenchie were sitting in the box on the right side (more comfortable seats than orchestra) and he smiled and waved to CiS when she waved at him.

Poor Clay, no touching the Camelot girl, the LOTL did not touch him when entering Camelot and he did not even catch the arm. He did get to ogle all the girls though.

I thought Clay had a more serious look today when he was doing the bottle dance, no tongue wagging. Everyone in the bottle line was serious except the female musician who was grinning like mad.

The house was very filled for a matinée on a beau-ti-ful day in NYC - I didn't even need my jacket. There were fans, but not as much as spring, and you may remember I went with great frequency before and had a good sampling. The SD was about 3+ deep and few barriers, so it was good, but not so hard to get an autograph - I stood back and tried to get pictures - heh, not a good idea. many people got pictures with Clay - he was fast, but thorough.

The one startling moment for me was when Rick blew a like in INDY - sang the same line twice instead of reordering them. it seemed to throw him for just a moment.

Everyone really seemed responsive and the actors gave their all in return. It was a wonderful sight. The orchestra audience was standing at the end, but not the mezzanine. The bouquet was thrown so high, I thought we had a chance of catching it in the Mezzanine - close, but not quite, so it went far back.

Special thanks to Amazed in NJ for the ticket upgrades. She needs to not live so far away and be able to attend these shows for herself.

not caught up, no time to read, on the run.

OK, this is really late, and I wrote it a few days ago, but.... I have been encouraged by cough, cough some one who likes red to post this now before we run ot to see Wicked, road not taken

Recap Oct 25 - I was not planing to go to Spam on Saturday, Scarlett found out Clay was not appearing at the Saturday matinee and got a refund. At 12:55 she said - let's go to NY, I will treat you to another play, so off we went at 12:57, the attractive pulled together Scarlett and the "staying home in cleaning clothes and no make up" Playbiller.

With one hour to the show, I could not find my quicky parking space, so we took off looking for a place to park in NYC. We were flying along, confident of flying into the city with time to spare, but... then we found the traffic jam on 8th avenue. As we sat watching the time tick away, Scarlett brought out her phone and made a quick call to the box office of Speed the Plow to find a parking garage near the theater. We made it with about 2 minutes to the show! A very interesting show about the music business with Raul Esparza, Jeremy Priven and Elizabeth Moss. So we are backing Raul for a Tony now.

We got out and wandered over to Spamalot to see if there was any word on Clay appearing. As we headed for the box office we ran into AnnTherese and Big Apple for Clay who had just checked the box office. Since they didn't know what the result would be yet, we headed off to dinner and some fun conversation and company after 6 we headed back in sections to the Shubert and sat outside where BigAppleFor Clay noticed Jerome - and ran! She found out Clay was appearing and under the no standing or stopping at any time was Clay's Car and driver. We then sat for about 2 hours watching the SUV. We took photos with the SUV in the background and made jokes about who was sitting in there as the rain drizzled down. Of course, the SUV did not show up in any of the photos. Just before we got on-line, BA4C saw the driver run in with a baby seat.

As we sat around, Anntherese had an extra ticket, with some scrambling around, we all managed to upgrade to a great seat with out any financial loss. And on to the show!

There was the usual laughs for Finland, not much of a reaction to the historian.Then we heard the cloppng coconuts and the king appeared ....to silence.Then the dulcet tones of Clay when we REALLY knew Clay would be there!!! some applause ensued. There were subs for Rick and Tim, and Wally Dunn. So Clay got to play off someone else for the "plumage".

Then Clay comes down for the not Dead Yet scene and is just a bit careful. When he does the "dressing up and Dancing" he lifted his leg just a little. While the Lancelot was not Rick, he was better than the usual sub and he and Clay did very well playing off each other. I couldn't figure out if Clay had a bandage on his leg or not before the scene, but he did start stomping /marching toward the end. When singing knights come out and sing and they bounce up and down, I noticed Clay kept his flat feet on the ground, rather than go up on his toes as usual. (such a foot based report!)

Moving along. Camelot - I noticed before the Screen raised so they could enter Camelot - Clay seemed very enthralled by the line of the panties on the Camelot girl in the white outfit. Then the drink lady shimmed Clay and kissed Galahad.

Clay seemed quite active running around and dropping to the floor and getting up in the Camelot scene. The girl near the dice backside shimmied Clay - seems to be a popular thing now!

the thunder and the grail scene. ..... Yes, Clay said the most enthusiastic "Quail' ever heard on the stage up to that point, I am sure! It was joyous and celeberatory.

INTERMISSION!!! For the first time I noticed some of the animation on the screen as intermission was ending. I guess you do have to watch this show 45 times before you see everything. I notcied that the wooden rabbit was lifted and shaken, probably to see if any chocolate fell out. Following that, way high up on the screen two swallows fly by with a coconut on a creeper, tucked under their wings.

In the Sir Robin meets the black night, it was pretty funny and good as usual, his faces are getting more interesting.

YWSOB - I wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but When he got up from the piano and stomped, he was serious! What is interesting is to see all the faces of all the people in the bottle dance line. This show they were all serious and Clay did not do the tongue thing until the very end. He did quite a rear exposure before sitting at he piano to a very few hoots (you could tell there were only reserved fans there, heh.)

He got very nice applause, but not a standing ovation, that was pretty rare.

As the guard, he seemed to add some Schick back into it since Tuesday. There was more "life" and more to frustrate the king added to the act. He went back to ribbon admiring of the single green ribbon on the spear and even started sniffing it before he was cut down in his prime. He did seem to break his fall a bit better than he did before.

Another big "he was fine" moment was coming out to do the coconut dance - he seemed to be flirting with the audience as a whole during the dance, intense flirting.

His Amen as Brother Maynard was really beautiful. So different than I had heard it before. Maybe it just had to come out of him after he had sung at the gala. I wish he would do that way it all the time, it rang out so clear.

On to the finale.....

Clay burst out of the doors grinning the biggest grin ever on his face and did his dance and held his note until he was off to the side of the stage. he does not always do that, must have really been in a singing mood Saturday.

He was just smiling and flirting with everyone! As they rotated to my side, the three guys tried to do a dance, but I do believe substitute Belvadere was doing such a pelvic thrust dance maybe David and Clay gave it up rather than follow him. Someone could have had an eye poked out if Clay did it!

So the curtain came down and everyone comes out on stage to sing and the whole time Clay is singing, the dancer girl behind him is turning around and swirling her skirt against his backside. He keeps swatting behind him, but never manages to hit or catch her. No salute as he is backing up, but he did show his socks instead and I had to wonder if he was showing that there was no cast on his foot or showing off that his socks matched that day?

Intermission report from Scarlett

Clay is frisky and showing off that he is fine

Danced a bit at Lance's Scottish army

When they did "Sing and dance" - kicked again, kicked pretty high

At the sart of Camelot scene Clay reached for the top of the fgirl in white's panties, close but no cigar

The girl serving drinks reached under his tabard between his legs

Once again, Clay did a very enthusiastic "Quail" wth both arms in the air and louldy and clearly saying it

When the knights were "riding" looking forthe grail, CLay had lots if tongue, deep knee bends and very funny faces

He had a "look at me, I'm cute" smile afterwards

The can can dancer attacked Clay with her skirt to his cheek, yes, the upper ones

At the taunter's castle, on the burn your "bottoms burners", Clay slowly reached back and pinched his own behind

There are more clay fans today than yesterday and there is more energy on stage and in the audience. Although, the "Idol of the age" did not get drowned out.

As I read the dictation back, I think how sad is this we know every line in this play, yet so few know all the countries of the world (and their main exports - geography 6th grade!)

Quick interuption/totally off topic, still not caught up.

Playbills spoken for.