bottlecap

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FCA! I have so much to be thankful for, but for the purposes of this post, I'll just limit it to this: I'm thankful to be part of this craz-, oops, enthusiastic fandom which continues to educate, surprise, and entertain me in ways I could have never imagined. How did that happen? And I'm especially grateful for Clack, which is responsible for so many BWAHs and GAHs. Thank you!

From the OFC:

I think my mail man is a little pissed off. I came home to find three packages of pins (EEEE!), the latest edition of "American Idol The Magazine" and my two orders of JNT merchandise from Clique. For some reason, he decided to jam the package with the JNT program into my mailbox, instead of perching it on top with the other box. That sucker was wedged in there pretty tight, and I really had to work to get it out. So now I have a JNT program with seriously mangled edges. Boo! However, the program pictures are great (nice jeans!!), and I love the little JN logos scattered throughout. Clique seems to have gotten its act together, as I placed my orders on November 7th, and they were delivered today, November 21st. Much better than the JBT merchandise debacle. I kind of forgot that I had subscribed to "American Idol The Magazine" - I think I did that when I was in the throes of my brief Bo Bice infatuation at the end of AI4. (Hey, it was during the Great Drought of '05, and I thought Clay and I were on a break...) Anyway, I paged through it pretty quickly, and I didn't notice any Clay content. There is a long article on Mezhgan, the make-up chick, in case you have any interest in reading about that particular shuttle passenger.

The start of another week, and the JNT05 continues to wend its way across the country - EEEEEEE! I hope the day off gave everyone in the cast and crew a chance to re-group and recharge. It must have been a very stressful week. I am looking forward to getting more recaps from the attendees of the midwest concerts - ldyjocelyn aren't you going to Chicago? I would love to hear details from any lurkers out there too! I just have one request: Check out the socks if you can. I find the variety of stripes to be inordinately amusing, and I would love to see some more pictures of them.

Clay talks about us in this article from the Courier-Journal in Louisville: Released into the wild. Hee.

Well, the penguins are very short, and that was a tall stage.... Actually, the penguin pool is about 1/4 mile due north of the ampitheater at the Toledo Zoo. The cheetah enclosure, on the other hand, is right next to the the stage. Convenient for disposing of the screamers....

Busted! Man, you wouldn't believe how much work goes into shooting this film. The exotic foods, the groomer, the specialized wrangler... and that's just for Robin Williams! [rimshot] Actually, I was visiting Pedro and his pals at the Toledo Zoo last week-end to do a little casting. I have included a link to a few photos below. And just because I enjoy thinking of Skatejoy rolled in a ball underneath her desk in the fetal position, I have included my one lone picture from the JBT. Single use camera RULE, baby! PFFFTTTT to your fancy smancy digitals! Penguins

Geez, what a day to be off-line. I had enough time this morning to see the news that Jacob wasn't there for the second act, and then I had to leave the house without getting any other updates. And since I've come back, I see the only real news on the situation is that Clay's blog confirms that Jacob will no longer be with the tour due to a personal issue. Hummm... That must have been any interesting intermission. Anyway, I certainly wish Jacob well, and will miss his harmonies with Clay, Angela, and Quiana. I really enjoyed Jacob's dancing and wit during the JBT this summer. I was interested in checking out how "Good News" sounded without Jacob. The harmonies were a little less rich, but Clay was positively otherworldly in that performance. The Hands....... I can't even think of the words to adequately describe the expressiveness. _____________________________ On a lighter note: I saw your inquiry on the previous page, Skatejoy. Team bottlecap may be formulating a response to that. I'll keep you posted.

So with the ET Canada thing today, that's like the 3rd different show Clay has been on up there. That must have been a busy interview day, as he was wearing the same blue hoodie for all three. Ansa, we might have to ship the Aiken up your way more often, eh, if the trips to Canada keep producing these interesting bits of Clack. Ya cain't keep 'em, though!

Wow, the Standard interview was great, even though it took forever to download – lots of content. I have to admit, I was a little distracted by trying to figure out who’s reflection I could see in the window behind Clay. It didn’t seem to be one of the camera crew members, since whoever it was seemed to be moving around quite a bit. Hummm. And Raleigh has certainly learned how to play hard to get, hasn’t she? Looks she won’t come unless you have a treat in your hand. [i have to admit that when Clay made those little clicking sounds, I may have leaned in a little closer to the screen. Apparently, I’m better trained than she is.]

Eh, I'm more intrigued by the dude in the black suit with the big light saber myself. And I'm still giggling over the thought of Queen Amidala and Chewie being a couple - wonder what that baby looks like!

Skatejoy, your PR/Marketing post made a lot of sense to me. I would like to see a breakdown of the demographics of Clay's fanbase, and since Clique collects the ages, gender, and location of the fanclub members, that information is out there. Hummmm.... Also, I hope you got to check out the Salamanders take on the JNT - I think the last picture is definitely a shout-out to you, Skatejoy! ___________________________ It appears that Clay's will be on the Fox network's "Dear Santa" show for sure. A poster on the OFC (mandersmouse) put up a picture from the show. It is under The Man - Possible Appearance on Fox, page three of the thread. Even if you normally avoid the OFC message board, it is worth checking out this picture! Show Description:

I realize the “same 5,000 fans” shtick is just an easy line for Clay to throw into interviews, and still sound humble. [Apparently the other 6,077 members of the OFC are all ticket brokers.] I do wonder, though, if Clay has kind of a narrow view of his fanbase. Does he think, because he is usually seeing the same faces in the front rows of his shows, the rest of the audience that he can’t see as well are mostly the same from venue to venue, too? When the people he meets at the M & Gs have been to multiple concerts, and some have done extensive traveling, do he think that’s typical? Because only a relatively small number post on the OFC message boards, does that give another skewed view of the entire fanbase? He has to realize that each of the camera lenses he’s see focusing on him are producing images that will be seen and enjoyed by thousands of others. While I think intellectually he knows he has a huge number of non-vocal, non-road tripping, but still intense fans, emotionally it may be easier to focus on the most familiar and obvious. I don’t know….. Just babbling here, I guess.

From the Rocky Mountain News: I'd love to hear this conversation live, and whatnot. The guy is just too cute.

If, hypothetically, one had a collection of small, brightly-colored holiday-themed pins one wished to display, the following suggestion might have worked well for someone I heard of but in no way know or would be able to identify personally. Since many of the holiday pins feature red details (but no certainly no images or terms trademarked by a former reality show contestant cough, cough), a red fleece scarf might possibly serve as an appropriate background. Just theoretically, of course, one could attach the pins to the scarf and hang it on the wall as part of a festive display, and it might just possibly look very cute. Not that I have any direct knowledge of such a thing.

The Aiken really does have some astonishing cheekbones, doesn't he?

Small voice <Umm, that might be a case of the author projecting her own feelings onto the subject.> end SV ___________________________________________ So I actually watched Clack of the whole first half of the JNT, in order [Jojoct - Portland], instead of just bits and pieces. Again, it leaves me wondering just when my own personal hawt looking guardian angel is going to make an appearance. I bake cookies all the time, and my apron and pans don't mysteriously set themselves out ahead of time. I have to get the box of Christmas ornaments down from the attic myself. I've never danced with a dead guy. [Not that I particularly want to, but still.] I have been known to sing along to the radio, but I've never had an angelic voice join me in a duet. Apparently, my guardian angel is a major slacker. And another quick observation on the white suit / black suit topic: In the Clack, the boots with the black suit make Clay's feet look especially large to me. They look like flippers, I tell ya! [Although, how can you not love a guy who just happens to carry around a cookie cutter in his breast pocket?]

First of all, hugs to all those who put so much time and effort into the whole pin thing. It really has been a lot of fun, even if I'm afraid to add up what I've spent on this little hobby. I'm sorry that people are feeling bad about the situation, and the following is just my feeble attempt to find some humor in it. Second of all, this is just a silly little satire piece [cough*protected speech under the First Amendment*cough]. I can throw around some technical jargon [ipso facto, ergo, Ich bin ein Berliner], but most of my legal knowledge is based on vintage tv shows: Night Court, LA Law, Ally McBeal, etc., so don't be expecting any kind of accuracy here. ________________________________________________________ Our scene opens in an editing bay at the FCA Broadcasting Company. Special correspondent Diane S. [DS] and her Producer Dude [PD] are going over footage for a courtroom piece they are putting together for Deadline: FCA, the network's top rated news program. In an unusual move, instead of a true-life crime, the piece focuses on a civil trial - Aiken Enterprises vs. Polly Pinmaker. PD: You know Diane, the network brass was a little hesitant to let you cover this story. You do have the reputation of being a little bit fangirly over the plaintiff, and if they knew you posted on the message boards as "MoonRiverLover", they would have assigned another reporter. You know Katie C. was campaigning for this story too.... DS: Pfffft to Katie. She posts as Elf4Clay, and she's a much bigger fangirl than me..... I mean, I am a much stronger reporter than she is. Besides, Clay and I have a connection. Need I remind you who got the first big sit-down interview? PD: Okay. I've got a couple of questions about the some of the background on this case. It's unheard of for a Supreme Court Justice to hear a civil case like this. So just how did Ruth Bader-Ginsberg come to be the judge on this case? DS: First of all, she now wants to be known as Ruth Bader; she seems to have dropped the Ginsberg. And secondly, I've heard some rumors that she and Sandra Day O'Conner might have had a little argument over who was going to hear the case. I haven't been able to get a source to go on the record, but apparently there was a scuffle in the ladies locker room in the Supreme Court building. My informant swears Judge O'Conner has an unexplained gavel-shaped goose egg on the side of her head. PD: Arrgh, anonymous sources. I'm not willing to pull a Judith Miller over this story, so we won't focus on that aspect right now. Do you have the script for your opening voiceover? Three, two, one...... DS in newscaster mode: Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse, Ronald McDonald. These are iconic images in our culture, and the ownership of these images has been the subject of much litigation in the past. In our story, we look at another budding icon facing that same quandary: Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! PD: CUT! Diane, we talked about this before. You almost blasted the eardrums off the sound tech with that squeal. Fortunately, I think we can edit that out, and salvage the take. Let's start with the next line. Three, two, one... DS: Tonight, Deadline: FCA takes you inside the court room, as the lanky, red-headed pop star defends his the ownership of his image. 19E Sucks! Bite me Simon! PD: Cut! [Heavy sigh] Again, Diane, you need to keep your editorial comments to yourself if you want to appear to be impartial. Now, what do you think of this clip we have to play in the background of your intro. It's footage from Aiken's summer tour; something about a jukebox and standing on a piano.... DS: Black Leather jacket! Tight pants! EEEEEEEEEE! [Coughs] Yes, I think that would be a good choice. PD: Moving on... We need to talk about this footage your crew shot outside of the courtroom. Could you not get the defendant Polly Pinmaker to say anything other than: "But I Luurrve Him" over and over again? DS: Sorry, she just seemed to be in a haze about the whole thing. Frankly, I've seen that look before, and I think she might be a Clack addict. PD: Okay, know let's take a look at the video of your interview of Aiken on the courthouse steps. DS: Sigh. He's soooo dreamy... I mean, yes, let's review the tape. In the footage, Diane is seen greeting Clay with a lingering hug, and seems reluctant to step back until it appears Jerome might intervene. DS: "So Clay, how do you feel about this case?" Bess Rosenbud, Clay's lawyer, stops Clay from speaking, stating firmly: "Mr. Aiken can't comment on the specifics of the case." Clay: "Sorry, Diane." [Winks] Diane's knees appear to buckle at this point, and even the camera wavers a bit. The camera operator's lens [cough*spotlightlover*cough] follows the passage of the entourage up the courthouse steps, and catches some interesting footage of Aiken's back, with a strategic close-up shot. PD: Diane, stop licking the monitor - you'll electrocute yourself, and this equipment is expensive. I think we need to take a break and come back to this later. DS: He's so dreamy....Sigh. End of Part One. You can stop scrolling for the time being.

I think William Joseph threw in a little snippet of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at the end of Jingle Bells. I'll have to listen to some more Clack, and see if I missed it before, or if it's new.

From CV: Reporter says that Floor is full, mezzanine is full but she can't see balcony...venue holds 2967

Geez, diamondjake2001, your husband is not only a hawt drummer, but a Clack enabler, too? Does he have any single brothers?

That's it in a nutshell. My sisters only know the very tip of the iceberg about the whole Clack stash deal. I can image what the look on their faces would be if they are settling my estate, and come across that sheet of Clay Aiken wrapping paper. At least they'll never know how much I paid for it, even on clearance. And they also don't need to know that the poster originally came from Singapore, or about the one to keep / one to lick rule of thumb for magazines. Maybe I should amend my will to make sure my pins collection goes to someone who would adequately appreciate it.... __________________________ From the Denver Post: Well, not so much around the dinner table. How about online, with people from all over North America? Some UNICEF commentary:

Hee. Ever get a little worried about having to explain your secret Clack stash to your family? I am imaging waking out of a coma, and having to try to make up a plausible reason why I have pictures on my hard drive titled "Emmysocks", "Eugenesocks", and "LAsocks". And, crap, I hadn't even thought about trying to explain all those little slo-mo clips.....

Big hugs to bonniemeadow - what a wonderful recap! I love hearing not only the show details, but how the music and performances made you feel. Hang on to that post-Clay glow as long as you can. What an experience to remember and treasure, and how much fun is it to connect to other squealing fangirls in real life? _________________ I watched some black suit / white suit video back to back last night. The white suits definitely make a much stronger visual impact, so in my opinion, that was an excellent change. In other wardrobe news, I want Quiana's white brocade jacket and Angela's black velvet pantsuit. Both the women look terrific. And so does Jacob, in his white sweater, and then black suit with the olive tie. His shoulders are not quite Clay-caliber, but he's looking good. Nagging question: Why is Beverly the only character with the strong southern accent? Is Tommy a transplanted Yankee, and what about her son? I guess it's tough enough for John to get his speech out without trying to do an accent.

More cryptic album comments in an interview from the North County Times in San Diego: Traditonal what, exactly? Pop? Rockabilly? Bluegrass? Southern Gospel? Big Band? Barbershop? Penguin mating tunes? Somebody needs to pin this guy down a little more.