JennaZ

Great post, Zena. Yeah, you described my feelings perfectly. I, too, am amazed by my emotional responses to things I read on message boards. Sometimes, I just get so angry. Sometimes, I get so depressed. I try not to post when I'm upset, because I worry I'll write something I'll regret later. When I'm mad, I may log off the board and do something else to dissipate those feelings before composing a post. When I'm disheartened by what I see online, I often just slink away and concentrate on real life. What these breaks give me is a sense of perspective. I realize that the dramas of the fandom are really, in the grand scheme of things, fairly minor blips compared to what else is going on in the world. But still, it's so easy get pulled in...

My theory: He actually narrated this quite a while ago, perhaps several months ago, and he simply didn't realize it was already on. My guess is that he may be busy with other things, perhaps in New York, and the Idol Rewind gig may not be top of mind. I know it's a big deal to fans, but it may not be blogworthy to him at the moment. I could imagine him preoccupied with plans for the Christmas tour, which may be why he blogged about the stories. It's entirely possible that he's been meeting with his producer, going through songs and perhaps even recording. He could be working with NBC network executives on plans for the skating special which will be taped in just a few weeks. Maybe he really is in discussions with Spamalot. He may simply be thinking of other things. And I think we've seen that he doesn't always keep up with message board discussions. This idea that he was contractually obligated to do the program, and that he somehow resents his involvement, is something I personally find highly implausible. Idol Rewind was not even contemplated when he signed his Idol contract five years ago, and his very excellent attorneys, who were able to negotiate a departure from 19, would undoubtedly have been able to free him from any such possible obligation should one have existed in the first place. If 19/Fremantle had some kind of contractual authority over Clay, you would have seen him on American Idol Extra, the Fox Reality show which has had interviews with nearly every ex-Idol, but not, thus far, with Clay. (BTW, you may notice that AI Extra and AI Rewind share the same EIC). Kelly Clarkson's involvement with the first season of Idol Rewind was apparently minimal, if non-existent. If they could force Clay to narrate, they probably could have forced her to participate more fully as well. BTW, legally, one cannot obtain specific performance of a personal service contract, anyway. That is to say, you cannot physically make someone perform against their will. You can sue them for breach of contract, and try for money damages, but you cannot make them actually work. But again, there is absolutely zero proof that Clay ever signed a contract with a provision for narration services on a program like American Idol Rewind. Of course, I also like saltwaterdog's explaination: And I like Spam too!

I think this is a fabulous story, keepingfaith! You should submit this one. Who knows, maybe he could use it as a nice introduction to the Christmas version of the song. Clay in Spamalot? Though he might get bored with the routine, honestly, this is one production that might allow him a little bit of improvisation from time to time, because it would be a comedic role. I can totally see him loving the humor of the show. And after all the Broadway shows he's seen (The Color Purple, The Jersey Boys, Wicked, etc.), it would not surprise me if he were seriously interested in trying it out. I'd love to see him in something like this. Would it affect an album? Maybe, maybe not. The actual recording doesn't take that long. This might garner some public attention, as Fantasia's performance has for her. And it would allow him to grow and add new things to his resume. It could be pure rumor, so I'm not investing anything into the idea. However, IMHO, I would not be shocked to see it happen.

WORD, Ansa! Personally, all that matters to me is that the story is a good one, regardless who tells it or how accurate it may be. And with all the entries that are likely to come in, my guess is that he'll be able to find ones that really bring something to the concert experience, whether it's a funny little anecdote or a quick, but touching tale. I've been fortunate enough to have great Christmas memories. My family (including aunts, uncles and cousins) typically went to Mass on Christmas Eve (at 4:00 or 6:00 pm). Afterward, everyone would bring food to our house, and before dinner, we'd draw the name of someone else there. After we ate, we'd relax for a while, but around 9:00 or 10:00 pm, we'd meet in the living room. At that time, everyone would go around the room and say something about the person whose name we'd drawn. One year, you had to say something you respected about that person. Another year, it was a good memory you had of them. The person you drew could be anyone in the family. A son might get his mother. A brother might get his sister. A nephew might get an aunt. It was a great opportunity for people to say the things that were in their hearts, and it was not uncommon for tears to be shed. After that, the adults would do their Secret Santa exchange, then the older kids would do a Secret Santa exchange. Everyone would have to guess who theirs was, which was always part of the fun. The youngest kids just got gifts from everyone. We'd all wait for midnight, Christmas, and then everyone would open their gifts to great joy. Hugs all around. A lot of picture taking. Then clean-up and good-byes. The next day, we'd meet again for a lunch of leftovers. The adults would watch football or play mah-jong, while we kids would go off to see a movie together. Maybe some might find this corny or contrived. However, for me, it was always about family, and I felt very, very lucky to have the experiences I did. I do think Clay can make this concept work. I have no worries that the stories will be boring, fake or offensive. The only thing that may concern me is that some who share their personal experiences may be ridiculed or slammed on the boards, because some will find them unworthy of Clay's attention. I hope that whoever wins gets to enjoy the experience. I do believe there are many great personal holiday stories out there. I've seen many on this board already. I wouldn't mind hearing more.

Bwah! I think that IS funny, and I'd bet Clay would get a kick out of it. See, I think this is all he's looking for, great little anecdotes taking place around the holidays. It's funny how much press his appearance at the Jenna Bush book signing has received. Just goes to show that he's still a very relevant celebrity.

WORD! Why am I not surprised to hear people already complaining? Is it any wonder that he doesn't blog more often, when the responses are often so angry and insulting? I don't have any worries about his concept. He knows how to run a show, and I seriously doubt he's going to pick stories that will bore or offend the majority of the audience. My guess is that the winners will be those that are simple and either touching or funny. If they're not short, they'll probably be significantly edited. I just don't see this as some sort of elaborate storytime. I think he's looking more for quick anecdotes than long, flowery tales. But I can already see the potential for rabid jealousy. If someone's story is chosen, others will tear it down because theirs wasn't picked. People will claim the story isn't true, or that whoever wrote it is a famewhore. They'll nitpick the writing, or denounce the delivery. I think that all Clay is asking is for people to share their holiday memories. IMHO, that's not a bad thing, and it's done on boards all the time without bitterness or accusation. However, I fear that the prize (Clay's attention) may bring out the worst in people.

Accents can fluctuate, depending on environment. Clay definitely has one, but I think he sometimes exaggerates it for comic effect. However, in a professional situation in which clarity is imperative, it makes sense that he'd dial it down significantly. I found his narration pleasantly expressive, with just the right measure of wry amusement in his tone. I absolutely believe he read to script, but I still think there's also lot of his personality in his inflection. My sense is that the producers want his narration to give the show a more personal, "insider" feel to it. I believe that's why they highlight his credit so prominently in the beginning. It will be interesting to see how his involvement develops over the season.

Except for sports programming, weekend viewership levels are generally low. However, Rewind seems to do well compared to other non-sports programming available, which is probably why so many stations not only ran the first cycle several times, they picked it up for the second cycle. It's never going to achieve Oprah-level ratings, but I do think there's a good chance that many casual viewers have, and will, catch at least part of the show during the season, especially as many stations are running it more than once per weekend. True, not everyone will see the opening chyron showing that Clay is narrating, but I do think his voice is distinctive enough that those who don't immediately recognize it may wonder who it belongs to. And it will be interesting to see how he will be incorporated into episodes in which he was actively involved (i.e., Atlanta auditions). My guess is that we'll hear even more of his perspective and personality. BTW: I like watching golf, especially when Tiger's playing. I'll admit, I don't watch every hole of every tournament (and I missed most of the President's Cup), but I do try to catch at least some of the Majors. I find it compelling, and I've never picked up a golf club in my life. Very true. Being a part of the online fandom and being a fan of Clay are two very different things. There have been times when I've been happier being the latter, rather than the former. In all honesty, there are still times when I question whether being an online fan is the right thing for me. However, I still enjoy talking about Clay with people who have a similar appreciation. My real life doesn't offer me enough of those opportunities, so I keep getting pulled back in...

So true, Couch Tomato. Fans tend to see the world through Clay-colored glasses--everything is about Clay, every minor slight is a catastrophe. He needs someone with perspective, an awareness of the political realities in this world, and yes, meaningful contacts within the entertainment industry. Yes, it is ideal that a publicist would actually like and appreciate Clay as a person and as an artist. But for that person to be a fan, with the emotional investment and message board influence attached? Not a good idea. As for Rewind, I don't think they would ask Clay to narrate if they didn't feel he brought anything specific to the program. If all they wanted was generic descriptions or introductions, it would be far cheaper and easier to hire some nameless voice-over specialist. I tend to believe that what they want is his perspective and personality. I'm guessing that it could be like those commentaries you get on DVD's, where you have the director and/or actors discuss the film as it plays. If so, even if we don't see Clay as he talks (and we'll still see him as a performer on the show), what we could get could be interesting and potentially far more pervasive.

I haven't checked the othr boardsN but I can just imagineM. So many seem emotionally invested in the notion that Clay hates AI and AI hates Clay that his participation in Rewind must be causing heads to spin like tops. I'll bet that someone has already declared that Clive is forcing Clay to do the show (under the watchful eye of Roger) to ensure his devaluation and freefal into oblivion. I'm looking forward to Rewind. I suspect we'll get a lot of funny, insightful, and interesing comments about the Idol experience.

I know Clay has good people around him, but I sometimes wonder if he takes his voice for granted, just a bit. I just get this sense that vocally, he's always been able to do easily what others have had to work hard for, and so perhaps, he doesn't pamper his voice as much as he should. In all likelihood, he probably shouldn't talk too much before concerts, but I have a feeling, he always does. It is interesting that Kelly seemed to warm up more, but has had more vocal problems, despite shows that are often considerably shorter than his. It may be that she's toured longer, but her throat may just not be as strong as Clay's. I think he's been able to get away with what he does, because he is young and talented. However, can he continue to do that forever? I don't know.

I just thought I'd post here what I posted at CH. If you're looking for American Idol Rewind, keep in mind the following: American Idol is on Fox, but American Idol Rewind is distributed by Tribune Entertainment, a sister company to Tribune Broadcasting, which owns many stations including: New York City WPIX 11 CW Los Angeles KTLA 5 CW Chicago WGN-TV 9 CW Philadelphia WPHL-TV 17 MyNetworkTV Dallas - Fort Worth KDAF 33 CW Washington, D.C. WDCW 50 CW Houston KHCW 39 CW Tacoma - Seattle KCPQ 13 Fox Miami - Fort Lauderdale WSFL-TV 39 CW Denver KWGN-TV 2 CW Sacramento - Stockton - Modesto KTXL 40 Fox St. Louis KPLR-TV 11 CW Portland, Oregon KRCW-TV 32 CW Bloomington, Indiana WTTV 4 CW Indianapolis WXIN 59 Fox Kokomo, Indiana WTTK 29 San Diego KSWB 69 CW Hartford - New Haven, CT WTIC-TV 61 Fox Waterbury, Connecticut WTXX 20 CW Kalamazoo, MI WXMI 17 Fox Lancaster - Lebanon, PA WPMT 43 Fox New Orleans WGNO-TV 26 ABC You'll note that many of the stations that we know that aired this (WGN, KTLA, KCPQ) are on this list. Some are Fox affiliates, some are CW affiliates, and at least one is ABC. (BTW: I did a spot check of the New York, Washington DC, St. Louis, Denver, Houston and Dallas web sites. They all show a banner for American Idol Rewind Season 2). Interestingly, I did not see Rewind on the non-CW sites I checked [New Orleans, Hartford, Indianapolis, but I didn't check them all. Idol Rewind is syndicated, so it can be licensed by any station. However, I think there's a good chance that the stations above may carry it due to corporate synergy. But check local listings.

Ansa, I can't stand Bobby Flay, either. Like you, I enjoy watching him lose on Throwdown! I do enjoy Paula Deen and her sons, too. Fun personalities, although her food can be a little rich. With Top Chef, I don't think the goal is to find the chef who can best run a restaurant. It seems to be more about who can cook well, and at most, run a kitchen. The reward isn't a restaurant position, it's money and a few other professional perks. I've never seen Casey referred to as a nanny. Perhaps you're thinking of Bonnie, the finalist on Hell's Kitchen, who was a personal chef and nanny. It would be interesting to see what Casey or Hung would be like in a leadership situation. Hung is not well-liked, but the others do seem to respect his cooking skills, which is worth something. Casey is probably more popular, but we'll have to see if she can oversee multiple dishes at once. The US version of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, IMHO, is as good in the US as it was in the UK. They don't revisit the restaurant months later, but you still see Gordon providing interesting and constructive advice to the restaurant staff.

I think Clay chooses songs that he believes will showcase Angela and Quiana's vocal gifts. It's possible that he relates to the songs lyrically, but my suspicion is that he just thinks they're beautiful, expressive songs that allow the women to demonstrate their vocal and dramatic range. The fact that he not only shares the stage with them so generously, but chooses material that brings out their best qualities, tells me that he really wants the best for them. I know some fans would rather have more Clay, but honestly, his affection and respect for them is something I really love about him. And personally, I'd rather have him travel with people he's happy with than have a couple of extra songs.

I actually kind of like Hung. Yes, he's a bit arrogant and aggressive, but as Playbiller noted, he does seem to get along with others better than Marcel did. The only thing is that I'm not sure how creative he is. He always seems to want to do the "classic" version of foods, which is OK, but not what you'd expect of a Top Chef. I like Casey, too, and I suspect it will go down to the two of them in the final. She has less training, but seems to have a good sense of flavor and proportion. She seems to keep her head under pressure, which in my opinion, gives her a distinct advantage over Brian and Dale. Who wins is entirely up to the judges, and I do think they put a lot of genuine thought into their decisions. Keep in mind, we only see a fraction of their deliberations. The editors may try to balance the comments in order to create suspense or uncertainty in the minds of the viewers. However, ultimately, they're the ones who actually taste the food. As home viewers, we can only speculate as to how good the food actually is. Food Network -- As television personalities, I like Alton Brown, Mario Batali, and Giada de Laurentis. However, I don't really like Alton's recipes (I hate his reliance on measuring food by weight rather than volume), and Mario's are a little too involved. I've had a lot of success with Giada's recipes, which are simple but flavorful. Rachel Ray, I like in her $40 a Day show, but her recipes don't really excite me. I've tried a few, and they were just OK. Emeril is one of those guys who's just OK for me to watch, but I must say, every recipe I've tried of his has been exceptional. Is he overexposed? Maybe, but the same could be said of Alton, Rachel or Giada. BTW: If you like food, you might like this book:The United States of Arugula by David Camp Description: It includes chapters on the creation of The Food Network and its most popular chefs.

It seems to me that so many people in Clay's life have been the subject of fan accusation. Faye has been demonized as either a bad mother who let her son be victimized by her husband, or a smothering woman who imposes undue influence upon him. Kelly has been accused of being a phony friend by people who have never met her. Angela and Quiana are occasionally targeted as being too presumptuous in their interactions with Clay. Suzanne, Jaymes, even Jerome have been the subject of nasty fan posts. If these people can be treated with such disrespect, I can only imagine what it would be like for someone with a romantic relationship with him.

WORD! I sense that some are trying too hard to prove that he has a girlfriend. They seem invested in the idea that he must be seeing someone, so they find relationships with any female who happens to be within a 30 mile radius. However, if he were with someone, I would actually hope that he could keep it a secret for a while, because the fans would be brutal. As much as people want him to happy, I think jealousy would make it very hard on whoever he was with, no matter how perfect she might be.

Shipping Clay? I just can't get into it. I know why people do it. I'm not going to interfere. It just feels...oh... a bit intrusive to me, especially if he confirmed that there was someone in his life. The fan fic, with people like Tyra or Kelly, doesn't bother me. What bothers me is when people try to ferret out the personal details of people in his inner circle, or worse, when they start making judgements about women on the assumption that Clay's involved with them.

Hey, CG! I vote occasionally, but only in polls that have some kind of significant mainstream exposure -- like on the USA Today web site. These rinky dink polls on random idol fan sites don't interest me. Blowtorched puppy? If I ever found out that his concern for children with disabilities (or from struggling economies) was faked for purely PR purposes -- that would do it for me. But somehow, I can't even imagine that being the case.

Your part in the fandom: how has it evolved? Do you consider it a hobby or an addicition? How much time do you spend on your fandom? In the beginning, I was online constantly, checking between multiple boards, refreshing every few seconds. I almost had this fear that if I wasn't on a board, I would miss something of a time-sensitive nature. Of course, back then, I wasn't married, and my job was kind of low-level, so I had a lot more time. My life is different now. I have a husband and a job with far more responsibilities. However, I think my attitude has changed a lot. There have been times when I found it very painful to be the boards, and so I withdrew. Now, I don't post as often anymore. I like a smaller board like this one because it's easier to keep up with. I still have a need to know what's going on, but I don't require the constant stimulus or "clack hit" that I needed in the early days.

"Claymate" never had any negative connotations for me. I can see that some might view it as a feminine term, so perhaps it isn't as inclusive as say, "Clay Nation," but personally, I find the "Playboy Playmate" association is a rather strained one that scarcely anyone outside the fandom really thinks about. My guess is that for most, it's just a play on words. I suppose a "Claymate" might be perceived as more die-hard than a mere "Clay fan," just as a "Trekker/ie" might be perceived as more committed than a basic "Star Trek fan." However, to me, other terms like "Clay Nation," or "Clayniac" also carry such impact, but one rarely sees anyone rail against those uses. And honestly, any derision directed at someone for being a "Claymate" would be the same if they identified themselves as a "Clayniac," a member of "Clay Nation," or even just a "Clay fan." I guess I've never completely understood the fury some have with the word "Claymate." I've seen posters who wrote e-mails to the press condemning its use in articles, and even seen anger at Clay for using it in interviews, as if it's an insulting or even dangerous term. IMHO, of all the things in the world one can get upset about, why waste energy on that?

I'll admit, my feelings were extremely mixed last night. To escape, I ploughed through my Tivo listings, watching one "Top Chef," two "Mad Men"s, two "Kyle XY"s, and a "Greek" back to back. (((lovethatguy))) I'm glad you posted again. I have a lot of respect for your attitude and thoughtfulness about this issue. Your post is anything but judgemental or disrespectful. And I'm so thrilled you got great seats in Indiana. Congratulations! It's easy to avoid major disagreements when a board is small. As the board grows, we have a broader diversity of opinions and reactions, which means a greater potential for conflict. I hope we can continue to find a way to keep things from getting personal.

There is a lot we don't know. We don't know the state of their relationship. We weren't there when the idea of the tour came up. We don't know why Kim seemed to believe Clay agreed to the tour or why he seemed to think otherwise. Kim says Clay hadn't returned her calls in two months. That's her side of the story. Clay said neither he nor his management ever committed to the project. That's his side of the story. Who do you believe? Personally, I'm trying to give both the benefit of the doubt. However, if I have to choose a side, I'm sorry, but I'm choosing Clay's. I do suspect Clay blogged before calling Kim because he may have been so taken aback by the harsh, angry statements appearing in response to his first blog. People were so wrong, and so unfair, that is it any wonder that his first impulse would be to set the record straight? And then fans grabbed those words and threw them in Kim's face, probably with accusations that she was a liar. So maybe her first impulse was to defend herself, using words she probably shouldn't have. I hope that both have talked, and resolved whatever misunderstandings may have occurred. I hope that fans, regardless of their position, can get over this. And I hope this whole issue dies a quick and quiet death.

See, I can imagine Kim talking about details (title, tour structure) while Clay and Ruben nod politely, thinking this is just some sort of casual fantasy talk, and not a serious career discussion. Although I tend to feel that she jumped the gun in announcing the tour on her own, it is possible she genuinely believed it would happen. I'm beginning to think this was all just a horrible misunderstanding. I'll admit, I have lost respect for her. Announcing that Clay didn't return her calls was not a smart or diplomatic thing to do. However, I'm not yet willing to conclude that she deliberately lied in an effort to force the issue or garner publicity.

I'm thinking about the phone call his sister made to him, the one he didn't return because he thought she would talk to him about his name change. He ended up regretting it deeply. I do think it's possible that he didn't answer her calls because he didn't want to tell her "no." She seems to have been deeply invested in this tour, and he might not have wanted to deal with her disappointment. Realistically, he had to know that this may have been been her one chance to do a real tour in 2008. I suspect they both blogged in anger. Hopefully, they get past all this.