claytonic

I probably have a cheek to have an opinion on Harry Potter since I've never read an HP book or seen an HP movie despite the fact a friend put them all on an external USB drive for me. However, I do wonder why they didn't use animation so that there would be no issue with the children playing the roles, aging in RL. Animation assisted by technology is now so brilliant ... I just can't believe it. There is something special about the animated classics, they remain 'current' for future generations.

So I understand, just don't accept that giving a negative review before someone opens their mouth is just all part of doing business.

No argument there, couchie, my point is that they may choose to make some notes from the rehearsal performance they saw and use them for the performance that goes to air, so they have their "rehearsed" comments ready and at hand, and that would be totally acceptable if both performances were similar. However, Pawler made a mistake by commenting on the contestant's SECOND song from her notes when, as far as the TV audience was concerned, it was yet to be performed. Pawler obviously had a senior moment, and that's putting it kindly. They could have taken it out but I guess they thought it would create discussion about Idol, which it did. So it wasn't intentional on Pawler's part to give a premature critique .. I am not sticking up for her, just saying that it wasn't meant to happen, well at least I don't think it did!

Thanks to whoever posted that link to the "Bacon " clip. I had heard of Jim Gaffigan but did not really "get" him. I now have him on my list of YT clips to look at when time allows. I love the bolded part above. Good for him that he is who he is and plans to just be that way .(sounds a bit like someone else....)

I admire comedians who can "keep it clean" and also not belittle other specific celebs. Although, there are some who work "blue" who are still v.v. funny but not meanspirited

Hey,ausdon, DITTO to all that!

Like you, I was planning to do some YouTubing as I always do when someone here mentions something that is unfamiliar to me. Also agree, nothing beats a good clean joke that isn't unkind to specific celebrities. For that reason, I find what's-her-name, the skinny b*tch with all the cosmetic surgeries... uncomfortable to watch.

clayzycoffin, have a wonderful time!

I can understand a lot of things but critiquing a performance the person hasn't given is proof positive the woman is on drugs. And why are you taking notes at a rehearsal to use as comments when the live performance can be completely different? There is something intrinsically wrong in that IMO. Maybe she needs a crutch and has a hard time talking off the cuff but it was just so wrong.

I totally agree with you in principle but the thing is, couchie, television is all about illusion and very, very little is left to chance. Live television is made to look spontaneous but that is so far from reality. In fact, speaking of reality ... even reality TV such as Big Brother is manipulated ... what is shown is often out of context to the bigger picture and so viewers make judgments on something that amounts to borderline fiction. They would do anything to hold on to viewers because that means they hold on to their advertizers, and therefore their jobs.

ETA: And YES, Pawler has appeared weird too many times for something to not be awry, be it her medication for a fingernail infection or whatever her manicurist did to her or someone slipped something into her cup of Coke. I have seen videos of her vehemently denying ever being under the influence of drugs or alcohol but don't believe her. I saw one interview she did where it was so OTT that I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for her.

Paula giving a critique for a song somebody didn't even sing is proof positive of that to me among other things.

Didn't that happen because the judges had already seen the performances beforehand, and wrote notes to comment on later. That is why sometimes the comments don't fit the performance, because the performance that goes to air may be better or worse than the one the judges saw initially. I am not saying it is right but I can understand how something like what happened with Pawler could happen.

As for Simon...I don't hate him..he's kinda funny IMO but I wouldn't mind the landscape being different in the music world today LOL.

I wouldn't want it to be without the likes of Clay Aiken and a few others that 'graduated' from the Idol, XFactor or ? Got Talent boot camps. Of course I can't deny the dark side of these shows but essentially, it has given talented unknowns an opportunity that they would NEVER have otherwise come across. Many of them tried desperately to get their music heard and had doors close on them, e.g. Kelly Clarkson. Tons of artists, internationally, who didn't win were able to capitalize on the exposure they got and create a career for themselves... it may not be a big recording career but it means actually being able to earn a living from live gigs and privately produce and release a 4 song CD to sell on MySpace because they had picked up a following of sorts from the national exposure. This has been the case for so, so many of them. There's one who told me she is eternally grateful to Simon for the opportunity he gave her to earn a living singing, something as essential to her well-being as food, air and water.

OK, I know there are also those who had negative experiences on the franchised singing competitions but some of them really were delusional about their "talent" and couldn't accept that there was no future for them in singing. That's life.

Love the trains around the world...even liked rickshaw dude.

WOW hard to believe rickshaws still exist. I thought they would be obsolete by now, and replaced by trishaws.

You know, I do believe that Simon DID see the potential in Clay as a popular recording artist, especially towards the end when Clay's star was shining so brightly... and when he did BOTW Simon said it could win him the competition. Simon also knew that Clay had those extraordinary voting numbers and had never been in the bottom 3.

Also, (correct me if I am wrong), it was immediately announced that BOTH Ruben and Clay would release their albums at the same time, rather than the winner having his album released first, as it the way it is usually done (over here anyway). So to me, it was a huge thumbs up for Clay and they treated him "almost" as if it were a tie. Just the way I saw it, I really felt they were thrilled to potentially have two big stars come out of season 2.

FromClaygary, that reminds me... no one answered my post either, so I will post it again:

And we all have different ideas of what is attractive in a man and personally I preferred the way his face looked when he was on

ANTM

.

ANTM ? I just checked the glossary and it's not there, so someone is very slack ... :o

The alternative is to say nothing. And that would be wrong. I feel dissent with what one thinks is wrong is actually needed.

From what I see, we express ourselves with our votes, it takes a while, bit complaining does further the dialogue. And a lot of the complaints I see do express alternatives.

For the first time in my life, for instance, I have no idea how I want to vote next time.

And politicians do take note of widespread complaints - if only because they want desperately to be reelected.

I am mainly referring to the kinds of emails I get which are full of hate for Obama, they hated him before he was elected and they hate him more now that he is in office. They sit and wait to pounce on every little error he may make or utter. I don't mind constructive criticism because if it can identify errors and offer solutions, that's fantastic. But criticism for the sake of it from extremists who have never held a responsible position in their lives, that's what I am talking about.

But - everybody doesn't agree or disagree en masse - you can see that just by reading this page. I don't really think there is a "isn't cool" factor any more, that is a straw man. There is no "we all" - just look how many Clay fans seem to find more happiness in pointing out what they perceive as flaws.

Actually, I wasn't necessarily talking about the fandom, I just happen to come across too many people who seem to go out of their way to disagree with Simon. And they are entitled to their opinion ... some of them remind me of people who are full of criticism of the government, yet they have no ideas on how to fix the problems faced by politicians.

Plus I find Il Divo boring, like a barbershop quartet that lasts all day. Very pretty, not distinctive. Yes it is popular with a lot of people, but Simon has nothing to do with why I don't care for it. That charge gets flung around quite a bit, as if music being subjective is a thing of the past. Makes the people saying that seem silly, really.

Of COURSE music is subjective!!! I personally don't know a single person who would disagree with that.

Well, the example given (Il Divo) wasn't to prove anything except that Simon has an instinct for what works commercially. I can never forget how he predicted that not only would Carrie Underwood win season #4 but that she would outsell everyone else. I didn't think Carrie could beat Bo Bice, so I was amazed when she won, and now it seems she could pass Kelly Clarkson. I don't think Simon particularly liked country either, but that didn't get in the way of his vision for commercial success. That is all I am saying.

I should probably be a little clearer. Because of the job I previously had, I came to the conclusion that all music was good if it was uplifting and moved people. I knew a few closet ABBA fans who felt it was not cool to admit they liked ABBA. (ABBA was huge in Oz) At that time, I had some friends who were ONLY into classical music and looked down on any other forms of music. I found the whole thing ridiculous, I was never ashamed to state what I liked. While I have always like classical music, there is some classical stuff that I just can't listen to because it is depressing and/or jarring to me.

Well I don't get to decide what's cool for you or anyone else...but if you agree with Simon and choose to say so, more power to you. But we all form our own opinions based on our own experiences and we may also choose to share them.

That's stating the obvious.

I don't understand why it isn't cool to agree with Simon. Sure there are times when he is off target but the guy is no idjit (who did I steal this word from? I love it....) he has uncanny instinct when it comes to what will "work" in the music industry. Just look at the success of the ".... " Got Talent, Idol and XFactor franchises plus a load of other projects he has been involved in; look at his brainchild, Il Divo.

I know we all love to hate Simon, but without Simon, the music landscape, as it is today, would look very different. I may not always like him, but I always respect his professional opinion.

I think most people assumed Simon meant "gay" when he said "Broadway". Season 2 was still in the We Are Only Looking for a Pop Star stage of American Idol, plus Ruben was so much the judges' favorite that anything Simon said to Clay seemed like something that was meant to discourage votes for him.

Broadway of itself is not a pejorative, but that is how Simon seemed to use it - it is all in the delivery and intention.

It never occurred to me that Simon was implying "gay" with his Broadway remark, not even when I watched the whole series properly for the first time, several years later when I already knew the rumors, not once did I think there was any gay implication about Clay in any of his performances. Call me naive but truly I didn't. It did occur to me that Ruben was favored but by the final stages of the show, I am sure TPTB would have been just as happy with a Clay victory, after all the bottom line was always about money and they KNEW that Clay had been receiving remarkable numbers in viewer votes and reaction of the public during his home town visit was indeed, as a radio station guy said, akin to "Elvis is in the building" (or something like that). Having watched Simon making controversial-type comments in numerous shows (Idol, XFactor, Britain's Got Talent), I have come to the conclusion Simon is first about creating a buzz, and buzz means ATTENTION. Australian Idol has a similar judge who, although lacking Simon's extraordinary persona, also liked to create controversy and attention for the show by, for example, telling a popular female contestant (who came 4th in the first series) that she needed to lose a couple of pounds or wear something more suitable. The audience was SHOCKED, and the media went into a frenzy the next day, with most TV channels covering the incident and women's groups snarling at the judge. I have no doubt in my mind that the judge himself didn't for one moment intend to hurt the contestant over an issue such as weight, he himself had two teenage daughters at the time. His only intention was to create attention for the show, and it worked, and the 'incident' even became an ongoing gag during the Idol tour for that year.

As I said, the bottom line was always about $$$, and Simon had already been through the Pop Idol experience, the first Idol show in the UK, where the winner was gay and a huge success. Simon himself has always shrugged his shoulders at gay implications, reminding people this wasn't the 'dark ages' (my term, not his, but the context is the same).

The idea of the show is to "discover talent"...well, you'd think that showcasing Clay would be a way to blow their own horns.

Simon seems to look down his nose at Broadway

but broadway doesn't put people on stage unless they really are talented and can sing...so it's a compliment to be recruited to perform on Broadway.

I honestly don't think Simon looks down on Broadway, he's too entertainment-biz-savvy to not acknowledge what it takes to be able to play a lead role on Broadway where the artist has to be able to sing/act/dance, often all at the same time. In fact, just as some purists think only opera singers really can sing, there are purists who think that a true actor is one that can do live theater because film and television is easy-peasy when you can do retake after retake until you get it right.

What I think is that Idol was initially about finding a pop singer who had the potential to sell multi-platinum albums. Simon is great friends with Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose name is synonymous with some of the most successful productions on Broadway and West End. Many artists would "kill" to be cast in a lead role on Broadway or the West End. Simon's remark to Clay about "being Broadway" (not sure the exact words) may have sounded like a back-handed compliment, but it was most definitely a substantial compliment to be told that if he (Simon) was casting Phantom of the Opera, Clay would get the role. I always saw it as a compliment and simply took Simon's remark as typical of Simon wanting to shake things up to create 'controversy' and giving something for people to talk about. The more people talked about Idol, the better. There was no other reason for them to show those hideous auditions of people who couldn't sing a single note.... except to get viewers to talk about the show and create a buzz.

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:

If anyone is a testament to the wild-card rule, it's Clay.

What would "Idol" be without Clay?

I mean, really? The geeky camp counselor from North Carolina went through a transformation that started when he walked into the audition room and, in some ways, hasn't really ended. Hit albums and a critically acclaimed run in "Spamalot" on Broadway could still just be the start of

what will likely be a long career

.

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.

ETA: Never mind, found it

http://www.comcast.net/slideshow/tv-eyeoni...teidolrankings/

Geesh, Michael Johns deserves better than #42. Is Daughtry more successful than Clay? keepingfaith The current season 8 is not included in the list. I was looking for Adam and he is not listed....

Michael Jackson 'has skin cancer'

If this is true, I hope he can get the best possible outcome. He's still a supreme artist, and he has young children.

Can't wait for the clack to be available for those of us living in "Neverland"....

Cha Cha, have a great time but here's a warning about the Irish:

An American Lawyer is on vacation in Ireland. He runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a Dublin copper.

He thinks that he is smarter than the cop because he is an American Lawyer from New York and is certain that he has a better education then any Mick dressed as a cop. He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Irish cop’s expense.

Irish cop says, ' Licence and registration, please.'

New York Lawyer says, 'What for?'

Irish cop says, 'Ye didnae come to a complete stop at the stop sign.'

New York Lawyer says, 'I slowed down, and no one was coming.'

Irish cop says, 'Ye still didnae come to a complete stop. Licence and registration, please.'

New York Lawyer says, 'What's the difference?'

Irish cop says, 'The difference is, ye huvte to come to complete stop, that's the law, Licence and registration, please!'

New York Lawyer says, 'If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I'll give you my licence and registration; and you give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket.'

Irish cop says, 'Sounds fair. Exit your vehicle, sir.'

The New York Lawyer exits his vehicle.

The Irish cop takes out his baton and starts beating the tripe out of the lawyer and says 'Dae ye want me to stop, or just slow doon?

And we all have different ideas of what is attractive in a man and personally I preferred the way his face looked when he was on

ANTM

.

ANTM ? I just checked the glossary and it's not there, so someone is very slack ... :o

solo,

Hm, it's showing that it is your 13th birthday... so here's a quote for you....

Same here, the posey pics are beautiful but 'gayish' and unnatural (with make-up?). I love those stolen shots, especially where he was walking with Mystery Man (seems to me he's a friend or neighbor). He looks very manly, very handsome; those are the best photos for me.

Exactly, the best pics are the ones when the subject isn't aware he is being 'shot'. I just don't like fake poses and plastic smiles.

ETA: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showb...icle2430156.ece

THEATRE guru Andrew Lloyd Webber is to make Susan Boyle’s dreams come true by giving her a part in a West End musical.

When someone has a career that requires them to be in the public eye, most especially in the entertainment business where it's pretty much a "visual art", if you get what I mean, I think having a nip and tuck or whatever is part and parcel of it.

I think there is a big difference between wanting to look one's best (isn't that why we go to the hairdressers and wear make-up?), and being obsessed about one's appearance. I know a few of the latter and it is something I find annoying in women and particularly hate it in men, and I mean men who spend more time in front of the mirror than women.

I know those pics are posted to reveal the shoes but can I say that i don't like those "posey" pics of Clay? I don't like men in those kinds of poses. PLEASE don't shoot me for not liking SOME Clay pics!!

I personally think there are people who buy the NE strictly for laughs.

I also believe there are people who buy it and believe every damn word of it. As much as I want people to think about what they are reading, it just doesn't happen. And unfortunately, even as a librarian, whose job it is to help people study the reliability of sources, this just doesn't happen as much as I'd like.

This really bothers me because it means people are financially supporting the exploitation of others, others who have families and children who would more than likely suffer the brunt of that kind of exploitation in terms of ridicule and humiliation. No matter how ridiculous a rumor or story is, there are always people who WANT to believe it. And those people need their heads checked, truly.

If Clay weren't important, the tabloids wouldn't bother with him

.

No truer words have ever been uttered in respect of the media, and most especially the sleaze media.

Sadly, it is a reflection of society, i.e. "us", that the tabloids have existed at all. I know someone in the USA who takes turns with her family members... they buy the National Enquirer and pass it around. I mean, this is a woman who is well-qualified in her career, she is intelligent; why would she waste her time reading this kind of fiction when there is far better quality fiction in books, where the writers are, at the very least, talented. Another woman was obsessed with the whole Anna Nicole baby thing, who the father was etc. SHE told me Clay was gay long before he said so... I asked her how she knew, and she said it was all over the internet. I have been scratching my head over this, why would she (who wasn't even interested in Clay), make assumptions about a celebrity just from internet tabloids.

Bookwhore

It's okay if you don't get Charice, it only matters that we get Clay..., right?

(but hey David Foster, Oprah, Ellen, Celine, Bocelli et al seem to get Charice... and I was a fan before any of them.... so

New Montage by SueRue...Beautiful Boy Revisited:

http://www.youshare.com/SueReu/4bc37c0edd7a2f1c.flv.html

(no need to download; just watch the video!)

Kim

aikim... Thank you... that was beautiful to watch!

I loved his answer about teens using a rubber (how old are you, Clay???

). Someone said that he was getting away from being family friendly... to me teaching teens that if you can't abstain, then having safe, protected sex is a must is pretty dang family friendly!

I read somewhere that 80% of people in prisons were from unwanted pregnancies.

When I was in high school, I happened to sit in front of the only American girl in my class. She always giggled when I asked to borrow her rubber. Then I found out why. (I needed her ERASER!)

Interesting about the 80% of unwanted pregnancies. If only more adoptions were encouraged, being adopted and wanted and loved is better than being with biological parents that don't have a clue.

By the way, a belated "thank you" to Scarlett, for the great clack of Clay at David Foster's concert. Yours was THE best, at showing Clay as the handsome, funny, talented man that he is!

How about a list of the best brands of Clack, so that when there is a choice, we can select the superior brand.

Obviously, #1 brand is the Scarlett brand.

For the benefit of those relatively new to the fandom, what others should we earmark?

Susan Boyle was given subtitles when she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show — so US viewers could understand her.

Heeee......That is done for Last Restaurant Standing on BBCA and a few other shows, too.

For Last Restaurant Standing, the opening narration actually mentions the subtitles, because not even the English restauranteurs could understand the French chef who was the judge.

WOW that is one brilliant video!

I guess there are no prizes for guessing WHICH pic is the final one?

ETA:

Susan Boyle was given subtitles when she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show — so US viewers could understand her.

Cher is 63 (on May 20)

Personally, I never liked her outfits unless they were part of her concert, i.e. when she was performing, but that's my conservative side. But there's no one quite like Cher, I guess.

OMG How did you get those pics of me?

I stole them from another forum that had nothing to do with you, I mean Cher, so I figured they belonged in this one as well.

ETA: annabear I think with a face like that, your baby can get away with anything...

Cher is 63 (on May 20)

Personally, I never liked her outfits unless they were part of her concert, i.e. when she was performing, but that's my conservative side. But there's no one quite like Cher, I guess.