lilyshine

I wonder how much Clay's missing luggage would bring on eBay??

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Merry Solistice and enjoy the bonfires! Have a good Eid or whatever you decide to celebrate.

This afternoon when I first went to the UNICEF page for Clay donations the total was a little over $1K, it's now almost $7K. I wonder how quickly it'll get to $100K??? UNICEF donation page

Very smart move. Buffalo in early winter really gets dumped on with the lake effect snow. I'm 3hrs. east of Buffalo and it's a mess here. It was sleeting early and glazed the roads, now it's snowing to add a layer of slush. I think I'll light a fire & enjoy! I'm sad I missed W'port, but very happy not to have had to have driven home today. Couchie said: I hope there's no secret message here. My screen name on other boards is Granan!!!!!!!!!! Oh wait! A conn.ec.tion.

By the way, the mouse in Clay's pocket has nothing to do with epi-pens, cell phones or any other equipment he's packing. It refers to his inability to use the first person singular as in "we are going to be in Spamalot." At least that's my understanding.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that his mouse is back. It must have taken a vacation for a while! :pocketmouse: I'm grinding my teeth looking at a clearing sky and absolutely clear roads, but I know when they predict 100% chance of heavy snow, I should stay put.

I haven't even heard any rumors. I've been living under a box - a box covered with snow - recently. I'm nosey enough that I hoped someone posts what all the strum und drang is about -- or I may just have to make up my own story which would be much more lurid than the truth. What ?? Clay impregnated seven people at one M&G M&F. Bad news is that I decided to forego Williamsport. I'm pretty sure I could get down there without problems, but getting back would be a whole 'nother ball of wax. I've driven Route 15 in the winter and although they do a great job of plowing, the mountains between the NY border and Williamsport can be tough. (OK, so they aren't the kind of mountains you have in the West, but they are high and hilly and twisting enough for us.) I just can't see spending an extra night in Williamsport! Of course, now that I've decided, the storm will track further south and won't be a problem. All you brave people, take extra care on the roads Sat. night and Sunday. Hugs :F_05BL17blowkiss: to everyone. I started to say "to all who need them" but EVERYONE needs one once in a while!

Flyers, ads in the New York papers, snappy ad on TV --- and it's still more than a month till his first night! The Spamalot promotion will be interesting to watch as it unfolds.

I just have to inject this. Anyone remember, or better have a copy of, the magazine picture where Clay, Ruben and some AI types are lined up with some dogs? Clay is doing the bunny ears thing to the person next to him. Might have been Ruben. I'll have to try to track that down!

I haven't been to any Broadway shows in ages, but I do remember being very annoyed once with a mid-performance standing O. It was for Bette Davis and she had a bit part cameo in a drama. The first time she walked on the audience applauded loudly and, what I minded more, she broke the "fourth wall" and acknowledged it. As for making a part "your own", Julie Andrews always gave a little Cockney nod to 'Liza Doolittle from "My Fair Lady" when she was playing Guinevere in "Camelot". I didn't care for it, but most of the audience loved it. So, I would guess there are precedents for most anything Clay does! I believe that the cast would rather put up with Clay fans than have the show close. If it were MacBeth or To Kill a Mocking Bird, I would worry more, but come on - we're talking Monty Python here.

As soon as I saw that Spamalot flyer in Albany, I said that the marketing & publicity for Clay is going to be very interesting, and probably all over the place. As good as the Spamalot run has been, it was nearing the end. Sales had been very sluggish. That's why they were bringing in a new "celebrity". I'm hoping they are getting all they wished for with Clay. They are certainly making the marketing campaign all about him. Now if he can bring in enough sales and raise enough excitement to keep the show going, only time will tell. It'll be great if he can and no matter how his fans act (within reason, of course) they are butts in the seats!

I'll be at Williamsport also, if you don't mind a slightly Grinchy person crashing the party! I've gotten to the point where my Christmas/Hanukkah/whatever present buying consists of sitting down in front of my laptop and deciding between bees or water buffalo from Heifer, Int. and blankets, ORT or vaccinations from UNICEF with maybe some Oxfam on the side. Most people I give to have way too much "stuff" already.

I'm home from Albany and have had time to dl and listen to clack of last night's WTOW. I'm confused. I checked it three times to make sure it was from Albany and it's just not what I heard in the venue. Maybe my ears need cleaning, maybe Pookle's do also, maybe we just happened to be in a weird acoustic "dead" zone. If I were judging solely on the basis of clack, I would like it also. In the clack you can hear a melody, you can hear him signing. In the venue what I heard was a narration set to music. The clack still has some of the "spoken" quality, but not as annoying as what I heard in person. Now I'll have to find MGUCL and see if the narration became singing on clack. :8: Pookle and I had a quick bite this morning at a Bruegger's. While we were eating, we suddenly heard the words, "Clay Aiken." If we had been Irish Setters, our ears would have hit the ceiling they perked up so fast! Pookle was able to narrow it down to a man standing getting his order. No modest maiden she, as the man was leaving she calls out to him, "Excuse me, did you mention Clay Aiken." He says, "Yes, he was at the Palace Theater last night." Us: "We know, we were there." He says, "It was an estrogen love-fest." Yup, an elf for sure. I just can't wait to see the Spamalot promotion! That brochure? One side all Clay, the other a carefully photoshopped image to make it seem that Clay is the lead. Love it!!!!!

Report from Lilyshine & Pookle about Albany. I'll let Pookle go first. Well... I have to say, he looked amazingly hawt, and I lurved the hair, and I even smiled and enjoyed most of the first half of the show. But claygasm is NOT shallow, I think most of her post is spot on ..... I miss the part of Clays personality that shines. That exudes joy. That moves me to the point I have no choice but to exude giddiness and joy by proxy. And then go forth and try to infect my coworkers and family. Resistance is futile! It was not there last night. I was, for the first time ever, underwhelmed and sad by the end (This excludes All is Well- which was fantastic) Not only was the verbal interaction with the audience removed, but he was physically removed too: standing behind a piano and up on a box. I realize this was on purpose, for reverence, or what not, but it just left me.... cold. I wasn't able to connect to the emotion at all. To be fair, I'm not one that enjoys connecting to that type of 'schmoopie I love baby Jesus' emotion anyway, especially not for 2 hours straight with no break. Sits back and waits patiently to be entertained by Clay. It's what I've grown to know and love, and expect. I've taken so long, lilyshine is in the shower and will post later!. Pooks. Here I am, wet hair and all! Lilyshine speaking from now on. First set: A-/B+ Second set: B-/C I enjoyed the first half- went quickly and sounded great - with the exception of WTOW. I really, really, really didn't like the spoken version. I was so disappointed as I was looking forward to hearing this live. Sorry, no stars at all from me for this version. The second set was sloooow, sloooooower and slooooooowest. I didn't connect at all. I never thought I'd ever say this about a Clay concert, but I was getting bored. I hated the way he spoke the beginning of MGUCL. I hope that Clay is just trying out this spoken, not sung, thing and drops it fast. I'm not a fan of it at all. DSIAFCD underwhelmed me but did breathe some life back into the concert. All is Well was superb. No screams at all during the penultimate "all is well" which really worked to set up the end. First time I've heard it live without screams spoiling the flow. Loved it! Taken as a whole, I missed the joy and fun that usually radiates from Clay no matter what he is singing. At this point, I think I'll go to my second concert, but if there's snow, I might not bother. Sorry for all the spoken WTOW lovers

I really like Trillian. I've used it for 5 or 6 years now. My grand daughter and I use it more than anything else to communicate. I only used AIM once and got rid of it fast. It was a very annoying program.

Lily Route 54A??? Does nothing for me. Now to find a guy who gets turned on by numbers. ETA. Diva, if that doesn't fit the bill , nothing will!

Since we are talking about cute here, a language lesson. Cute: 1. Acute, clever, keen-witted, sharp, shrewd 1756 - "You may think as you choose, but I take him to be a very cute one." 1777 "I didn't pity the man for having such a cute answer." 1840 "He will be a cute man yet..." 2. (Obs.) a cur 1622 - "Forc'd by some yelping cute to give the greyhounds view." It's only recently that "cute" has come to mean CUTE Yes, I have an OED. Why do you ask?

I just finished listening to the concert and I am so glad there are clack gatherers like deborah who record the entire concert without editing. I may not want to listen to banter or stories all the time, but I love having them "in situ", so to speak. It really saves the whole concert experience in a way that edited versions don't. I'm not fond of Christmas. I don't celebrate it, but I don't get huffed if someone wishes me, "Merry Christmas." It is was it is. I tend to avoid Christmas events, but if I find myself there, I'll sing along - usually off-key, but I can't help that. I found the stories a bit maudlin, cheesy and amateurish, but warm, moving and heartfelt at the same time. That was fine. They segued into the music at the same level. And that, I think, was the point. Pairing everyman stories with familiar music. Christmas schoopieness at its finest. Professional stories, professional readers would have lost the immediacy and (IMHO) brought a hollowness to the experience. After hearing it a zillion times, I still smile at the JNT04 "...and Mary being great with children." Not a moment that could be manufactured. In spite of my normal avoidance of Christmas stuff, I'm glad I'm going to two shows this year. (as long as there isn't a prayer at the beginning.)

What an incredible set list! From Emmanuel to Oh Holy Night to DSIAFCD to All is Well!

I guess that's the final proof that it's definitely a Clay Aiken concert!

Long black coat and ???? tie. Away in a Manger

Emmanuel first

I could hear a tiny bit of the prayer and now there's very faint music. According to others, the fan was banned for making very serious threats against Clay.

I think they went here. I'd post the link, but it takes forever to load. This is from last year, but they are doing it again this year. Yup, here's the info on this year. Great fun at 15degrees and snowing! Just the thing! (only not). Kazoos in Rochester

Apropos of nothing, Millionaire is having TV Week and the have one question each round on TV theme songs. Every one I've heard has been something from Clay's medley! Do you think the producer is a Clay fan???