JennaZ

I like that imagery, muskifest! Sorry you're having such an exasperating event.

And that photo, ldyjocelyn, an oldie but a goodie!

Any word from the MM crowd?

ETA: Ventured into CH to get this as reported by ellenpoppy:

nicegurrrrl reporting in...

Black jeans (very nice fitting, and he found reason to bend over a couple of times, apparently), black shoes, "velvet" black jacket (narrow stripes?), can't remember color shirt.

"Had audience eating in the palm of his hand." And he knew it. He told Megan his fans do as he says... he raised his hand to indicate "shush", and audience became instantly quiet.

more...

Sang "Silver Bells". Problems with sound on first one, had to do again (audience not complaining).

Sang A Thousand Days, asked audience to applaud and scream over high note to cover him, because he wasn't sure he could reach it.

"Two other guests on, not that they were important."

Audience coordinator said the fans were "amazing". nicegurrrrl: "The media may hate us, but audience coordinators love us."

Disco balls again! Suddenly, they started to lower from ceiling... first one, then another... Clay said, "Megan's balls are dropping." The audience coordinator said, "I've been wanting to say that, but I need to keep my job."

Clay said, "You're all going to buy my album, right?" He asked Megan (among others) if she had bought it, and she said yes. Audience members called her out on it! They called her on it--and said "You said you only bought Ruben's!" So Megan CAME OUT DURING THE BREAK and said, "I have to talk with you guys! They GAVE me Ruben's CD--what was I supposed to tell the guy! But I DID buy Clay's!"

And while we're on the subject, let me ask you another Santa Monica question: Do they really have parking meters in residential areas? In my midwestern mid-sized city, we only have parking meters in the downtown business district. There are some apartments and loft-type condos springing up downtown here, but they normally include parking facilities for the residents. Why yes, I have spent entirely too much time trying to figure out the logistics of this probably bogus blurb, tankqueberrymuss.

If the apartment is on a main street, or near a main street, there may be parking meters. You would think there would be enough parking for residents and guests, but in this area, parking is not always a given. Many apartments have only one assigned spot per unit, so if more than one person lives there, someone has to park on the street. Guests have to find their own way. However, a more expensive complex/condo would have enough assigned parking and some sort of guest parking.

Your question raises an interesting point. If this were Clay's apartment, chances are, he would not have to use a parking meter. If the story is true, the fact that he did have to use a meter makes it much more likely that he was just visiting someone, but perhaps, not a celebrity.

Why do I get a kick out of that In Touch blurb? I think it's the reference to him running barefoot. Hmm.... As for the ticket, poor Clay. I must say, I've received more parking tickets in the LA area in the six years I've lived here than I had my entire life before. Parking enforcement is swift and merciless. If the report is true, it's interesting that he'd have his Volvo out here. Assuming it's his (and not a rental), it would suggest that he's spending quite a bit of time in the area.

I wouldn't be surprised if Clay does have a place in LA...he is there often enough I would think it may be a good investment. But of course that is not quite as much fun as imagining him visiting a "friend"...

So, true! I could at least see him having some sort of short term lease. But I do like the idea of a special visit! Maybe I should hang around Santa Monica a little more... Santa Monica is, like, 6 miles from where I work....

Musikfest, good luck with the event!

I could see a Valentines Day promotional drive, perhaps in conjunction with tour promotion. I do find it quite intriguing that Clay would have a special Wal-Mart Christmas CD available. Why go through the effort if Clay were simply to be "abandoned"?

Thanks for bringing over the number, Ansamcw. Now I don't have to wade through the doom and gloom to find them!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Clyra stories! From the shoes to the flowers, Clay certainly seems to have made an impression.

Yep, I do think it's possible that a decision was made to extend the promotion through the Christmas buying season, at the very least. Makes sense. What's also interesting is that most of these appearances are not just performances with a minute or two of interview. Leno, Kimmel, The View... of course. But he did a cooking segment with Martha, a full hour (or two) with Tyra, and a full hour on KTLA. There's the co-hosting possibility for R&K, and well, we'll see what's in store for MM. Even the DOOL appearance seems to be more than just a performance and cameo. It seems as if TC is really trying to give Clay the opportunity to showcase his personality. I've often thought that Clay's sense of humor could be his key to broader acceptance. Hopefully, people start to notice.

Here's a random theory: What if TC always planned a two-wave promotional strategy? Wave 1 created album awareness and addressed the rumors, Paxil, and other personal questions, to satisfy the public's curiosity after a long absence. GMA, People, Larry King -- balanced by fun appearances like Leno, The View and Kimmel. Let a little time pass. The public's memory is short, so by the time you start a second round of appearances (Martha, MM, Tyra, R&K, DOOL) the focus is no longer on his personal life. Now, as you start heading into the holiday buying season, you try harder to sell his personality, his charm, and of course, his voice. By late November and December, people are no longer thinking about his personal life. They're thinking about how cute and funny he is. And perhaps, if he makes a big enough impression, that could open up more opportunities for the next year.

I know, some would say that these November appearances are second tier, and it still doesn't quite explain radio. I'm not claiming it to be comprehensive. It's just an idea...

Did I mention that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Clyra stories?

One thing I'm sure of...there is no real expert in this fandom when it comes to Clay's career. It does not matter what magazines a person reads...or symposium a person attends or industry friends a person has, as long as they never directly talked to clay and know what he wants from his own lips...no one will know more than TC.

Amen. We are all at the periphery looking in, and I doubt that even those who have talked to Roger, Michael Orland, or Fred Bronson really know the full story. Roger is just a publicist, and may be unaware of or unable to reveal many significant details. Orland seems to be a friend, and Bronson a friendly industry acquaintance, but I'm not sure they're really "inner circle." They may know bits and pieces, but not necessarily everything. Or, quite frankly, they may be discreet enough not to reveal everything they do know to a fan base that can be rather reactionary.

Looks like this place is still safe from the invasion of the Pod People. How refreshing to read sane posts!! Just wanted to say hello--I'll look around a bit and get my feet wet before I jump in.

Welcome, jmh123! Yes, this is a pleasant little corner of sanity. Nice to have you here!

I am so sick of so many KNOWING how Clay's career should be run. And they express their opinions as absolute fact and if you disagree, you're an idiot.

I know what you mean. There is a tone, not just of condescension, but of something close to anger, as if they are emotionally invested in the idea that Clay is being screwed by RCA.

I understand what ya'll are saying which is why I'm pretty much hiding over in my little corner of the world and I think I've finally separated the fandom from my being a clay fan.

Well, this board is a very cozy corner of the world! I can't tell you how nice it is to have a place to express these feelings.

So, tomorrow is MM's show? We have Tyra already taped, with the possibility of him being on two shows because they shot so much material. We have Days of Our Lives to look forward to, and possibly Regis & Kelly. Before long, the concerts will start and we'll once again have cellcerts and frequent Clack infusions. We have quite a few things to be excited about in the near future.

And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I've seen fans who have been fortunate enough to meet Clay more than once, state such dislike for this album, that they would only download the few songs on the CD that they like. They want to send a message to RCA that this is not the type of album they want. I understand that that is their right and I'm not trying to get into a good fan/bad fan scenario, but do they really think that it is RCA that gets hurt by that.

I know what you mean. The only message not buying his CD gives is that Clay is no longer popular. I undertand that people have different expectations, but it saddens me that some seem to have forgotten the bigger picture. The more he sells, the more leverage he has eventually.

Something else I see lately, is that fans who I've always considered knowlegeable and voices of reason, seem to be jumping on the RCA/Clive hate/ sales/promotion sucks bandwagon and that has a tendency to send some regular posters into a tail spin.

This has been one of the most difficult things for me to see. It's made it harder for me to go back to the main boards.

I guess I feel better when I think of what Clay/Clive/RCA have given rather than dwelling on what might have been. I'm not an insider, I'm just one fan, who has discovered that, yes, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

I totally relate to this, atinal. I have longed believe that most people have the ability to control their own happiness. We can choose to look for the joy, or choose to focus on the sorrow. I prefer to enjoy what I can, when I can.

I always enjoyed YWT and GN because of the purity and beauty of his voice. Maybe it's because I grew up with friends who were Southern Baptist, but I've never been uncomfortable witnessing someone publicly expressing his faith, even in the context of a pop concert.

There has been a lot of great Clack, hasn't there? That AOL MOAM session really was a gem, because there was such nuance and delicacy in his performance. One almost felt as if one were peering into his soul.

LOL! Playbiller, that's brilliant!

No matter how much Clack I've seen, the truth is, I don't know him well enough to judge his unspoken feelings. Watching him on television or in concert is not the same as understanding him on a personal level.

I remember times when fans used to talk about how Kimberley Locke was a bad friend because of something she said, or more often, did not say. They'd act as if Clay was merely too good-hearted to realize this. They'd somehow gloss over the fact that unlike the fans, Clay actually KNEW her. He spent months with her on AI, shared a house with her, spent real time with her. He was in a far better position to judge her friendship with him than fans who only saw a few minutes of her on some talk show. However, many believed that, well, they knew the truth.

Sometimes I think that because fans spend so much time on the boards, there is a false sense of intimacy. Some seem to spend more time thinking about Clay than they do thinking about people they actually know. However, I doubt any of us really know him as well as we think we do. Even if we watch Clack all day, we only see a very tiny sliver of his life. I think we need to keep that in perspective when we presume to understand "what's really going on."

Aparently someone we don't want to see there has posted videos there for his ugh web site, I did not like the comentary, so I reported him for copyright infringement. Notlikethey are going to check, even thought it was. They have the attitude of delete first, don't look back.

how come no one mentioned it or got him deleted before? He had this up for a month.

I saw that too, and thought the same thing. It's very obvious. Glad you reported it.

Isn't the youtube dealie all in the tagging? If you don't actually label something as "American Idol", is it likely to be caught?

I believe you're right. With so many videos on the site, their legal team may not have the time to assiduously hunt down every video by searching the name of every former contestant. They may have done it closer to airdate, when they may have thought there would be a greater likelihood of uploads. However, with Idol off the air since May, it's probably not top of mind.

Thanks for the Clack, ladies! Choice stuff, indeed!

And congratulations on Alex's victory!

Wilkes Barre MOAM is my favorite piece of Clack, too. It's just one of those perfect, unscripted moments between an artist and his fans.

As for two more... I can't limit it to just two. There are so many electric performances, so many hilarious television appearances.

But this is the damn musical business, a business where a large portion of the artists in it are 'failures' when it comes to sales. That tells me that it's not some dastardly plan to ruin Clay but just business as usual. If they wanted to ruin him, there are much cheaper ways to do it.

So true. I find it strange that there is this pervasive belief that RCA is out to sabotage or devalue Clay. While I can believe that the label may not feel the need to expand his fan base (perhaps out of fear of alienating those they perceive to be his profitable core audience--older women), I do think that if they really wanted him out of the business, they simply would not have released an album. RCA has actually spent quite a bit on promotion. All those commercials and appearances (with a string section, no less), are costly. However, it seems that many fans, who view Clay's career in such a deeply emotional way, can only imagine RCA acting in a similarly emotional way--out of hatred or spite. I know the record industry is not the most noble of enterprises, but I just can't see a major corporation acting with the motivations of a child.

On a personal note, my mom had like her worst night last night. I whined on Ansa's shoulder on AIM...but I was just at my wit's end. And then today, she had one of her best days. My sister and her family were over and her sister came by to see her as well. I'm starting to think she's just allergic to me.

I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time, Couch Tomato. It must be so difficult.

Things people could agree upon if only they did not panic and extrapolate -

Sure, I agree that it was Clive's idea to do covers - Clay told me that. The promotion was not promotion as usual. Then we get to the great divide

6) insider information - sure a lot of people have insider information, heck, even I have insider information. The key here is keeping to your self. Each piece of information validity is dependent on who they talked to and how that person interpeted what they saw/heard and leave us not forget CONTEXT. Yes, Clay may have said something about the meeting with Clay, but it has been through how many ears and mouths in the game of telephone?

I loved your entire post, playbiller. I do believe that in many cases, the fandom is like the blind men with the elephant. Various people have access to extremely limited bits of information regarding Clay's life and career, and from that, they extrapolate in ways that may be completely inaccurate because they lack the entire context.

It's amazing that despite any real evidence that Clay is unhappy with his situation, so many fans are angry, bitter and miserable. And because they are angry, bitter and miserable, they project that Clay MUST be angry, bitter and miserable, and is simply acting like "All is Well." But THEY know the truth, because THEY know Clay.

Yeah, right.

It seems to me that for many, there has always been a need to see Clay as the perpetual victim who can only be "saved" by the fans who love him. On Idol, people forgot the positive comments and believed only that AI was out to screw Clay so that Ruben could win. Then, it was 19/Fox who had to crush Clay so the runner-up wouldn't outshine the winner, despite the fact that Clay has been, in many ways, treated more like the winner than the loser (where was Ruben in the AI finale?). Now, it's RCA that is the Evil Empire out to ruin him. Again, the fandom stands as his lone defender. It's a very seductive POV, because it makes people feel needed and important. It becomes Us against Them.

Many seem to need an Enemy upon whom they can focus their frustrations. I may not like everything I've seen of RCA's promotional plan, but I don't think they're the devil many would like them to be. I think they're a business, comprised of people who may, or may not, make the best decisions. Incompetent, short-sighted, and unimaginative? Possibly. Vengeful and malicious, probably not.

Welcome, Aspiegirl!

Yes, it does seem the learning curve has been slow...in fact, I think it's actually taken a bit of a backwards step. Instead of getting desensitized, it seems there's MORE sensitization to bad stories about Clay, or even just indifferent stories about Clay. Why is that? I sure wish I knew the answer.

So true. Every mildly disapproving reference in even the most obscure internet blog is treated as if Clay were being physically crucified. Sometimes, just the fact that a media figure expresses a preference for an idol other than Clay is enough to enrage people. It's a little scary, sometimes.

thanks for the link to the song play...lol at the title..how long before the conspiracy theorists say it's a message from Clay to us. I so know this fandom.... every thing Clay does is a damn message.

Absolutely. Every song he sings is a personal message to us. Because it's ALL about us, really.

There seems to be a lot of projection in the fandom. Many imagine that Clay thinks about us the same way they think about him, because they want their relationship with him to be reciprocal. I believe he appreciates his fans, but I seriously doubt he's as obsessed with us as we are with him. In fact, I'd really worry about him if he were.

Right now, I am not sure he "has" everyone who posts, I think there are lots of agendas out there and that is not a good thing. I think way to many fans are addicted to their "fame" and like to bat around influence.

This something I've often thought but have been too afraid to mention. Thank you.

Then I have long thought some people need the emootional high of angst. This fandom ws born in it and some people have never stopped since day one. My attitude is that Clay should worry more about me, than I worry about him. He is young, rich and talented. I am not.

How the heck can you angst for 3 years?

Interesting point. The fandom grew up out of anxiety (Will he get voted off? Will he sell more singles than Ruben?) and it rarely seems to cease. I have a feeling that even if Clay had an album that went ten times platinum, swept every Grammy, and made him a major international superstar, there would be angst. ("Why isn't it eleven times platinum?")

Claygasm, you're right in saying that fan expections can be unreal. We want the world for him but rarely ask if he wants the world. Or what the world even means.

Playbiller, terrific post regarding fan base "fracturing." You make a lot of valid points.

What I find interesting about the division of viewpoints is how emotional it is becoming, even with posters who normally seem quite dispassionate. There is such fury at RCA, that it sometimes gets directed not only against the label, but against anyone who isn't willing to rage with everyone else.

I do think there is a lot of fear in the fandom--fear that without great success, Clay will be taken away from us, that there will be no more CD's, concerts, or appearances from him. For fans who have invested so much in him, emotionally as well as financially, this may be a terrifying idea. Perhaps some of the responses come out of that emotion. There may be those who are trying to manage their feelings of disappointment by writing him off now, because they're too afraid to have any remaining hopes dashed. They may feel it emotionally safer to declare the album a failure at this time than to dare dream of a holiday surge or growing overseas popularity.

It's not an easy time for the fandom. I'm hoping, though, people begin to regain a sense of perspective. His numbers are not a disaster, he has quite a few appearances ahead of him, and most importantly, he's fantastically talented and remarkably intelligent. It's far too early to count him out.

Love your attitude, musikfest. And yes, I'm on the West Coast. LA (well, technically Sherman Oaks).

So Clay is singing Christmas songs he's sung before? Yay! He sings them so beautifully, it doesn't disappoint me in the least. And without the structure of a play or program, he'll be free to do what he does best -- ad lib! I miss his clever concert banter. I'll just bet that those moments between songs will be as deliciously charming as ever.

And thanks for the yummy thumbnail!

Great points, Ansamcw!

Yes, I suspect there will be the usual rants on the boards in the next few days, but we do have a lot to look forward to. And November is just around the corner!

Alas, no Christmas shows for me on the West Coast. However, I have full confidence in the ingenuity of our Clack gatherers.

I was posting on another board that I will wait a while and see what happens. Numbers gho up and numbers go down. I thinkthe hardest thing for this album to overcome is the elements of the fandom badmouthing the album. The not just us's can be the only saving grace.

Numbers day is usually a good day to skip the boards entirely. The roller coaster just simply moves too fast, and then it seems everyone throws up at the end, regardless.

Such an apt description! I've been avoiding the boards on HDD days and peeking on Thursdays to see if the things look "safe." It's nice, however, to have a place of relative peace on days like this.

I enjoy "Right Here Waiting," too. In fact, I found that I enjoyed the entire album even more once I took a little break from other boards. Away from the disparaging comments about certain songs, from the constant reminders about the critical reception to the covers concept, and from the general mood of bitterness over promotion, I could actually savor these gorgeous songs for what they are.

Hey, GeorgiaClay! LOVE Six Feet Under. Absolutely brilliant show.

Why would Clay go on TAR? The interesting thing about him is that even though he claims to prefer stability and routine, every few years, he seems to make a kind of radical change. At 19, he changed his name. I understand why he did it, but it's still a huge thing. He made a big decision to go on Idol, despite being deep into his education degree. Later, despite his music career and interest in television, he made a decision to move to Raleigh -- not just buy a house as a part-time residence -- but as a real home.

My point is not that he is flaky or indecisive. I think he had good reasons for doing these things. It's more that he doesn't seem to be afraid to "take the big plunge." I also wonder whether, even with a satisfying and promising education career ahead of him, Clay wanted a little bit more out of life than he had at the time. I've no doubt that he enjoyed teaching. However, maybe there was a part of him that wanted to live life a little bigger, and a little different.

Because while I believe that he doesn't like surprises and wouldn't want big changes imposed upon him without his consent, I'm not sure he really would be content with strict routine. His concerts may have had the same general structure, but no two were ever identical, and that was typically because of him. He changed things up. The Christmas shows showed less variation, but even in those, sometimes he'd sing a song one way, sometimes he'd sing them another. You'd never know quite what you'd get.

I think that after a while, Clay gets bored with sameness, and that occasionally, he feels compelled to shake things up a bit. TAR may have been one attempt to shake up his life a bit, at the time. I wouldn't be shocked if we see similar surprises from him in the future.

This is one thing that always makes me wonder about Clay...its not like he is not familiar with the show...he knows the type of challenges they have and how often they travel on water... how much food challenges there are...YET he wanted to go...seriously considering it. That is really amaaaazing to me...either he is delusional or very brave.

Yeah, I think about that, too. I can see him wanting to experience different cultures, but so many of the tasks involve situations that could make him uncomfortable--activities on water, crowds, exotic foods. Then, there's the fact that he's never been the most athletic of individuals. TAR wouldn't seem to be the kind of show he'd be drawn to, yet he claims he even filled out the application. He had to know it wouldn't be easy, but maybe he wanted to face his fears? Perhaps he was looking for a life-changing experience? Who knows?

I remember finding the Clay message boards almost exactly 3 years ago, I know it was a couple of weeks after MOAM was released. The mood of the boards was exciting and fun. Now when I log on, I kind of do it with one eye closed.

You and me, both, atinal. Nice to see you here!

watching TAR...and one team just did this really cool thing to help another team...I think Clay would also be that generous ...But I wonder if he would be the one climbing...

I love the Cho brothers! And the outcome of today's race!

Aww, thanks for welcome and the drink offer. A Cosmo would be nice, actually!

Love the photos!