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I love all the pictures this morning, but when I saw this one, I thought:

This time, the confetti really is for HIM.

*schmoopie*

Fountaindawg posted this at the CH, titled simply "If.."

My sweet sweetie, merrieeee, just called me from Sardi's...I asked what was for dinner and she says she's having the smoked salmon...heh. Said the restaurant is packed with Clay fans. She recognizes a lot of faces and she named off some names. Everyone is very excited and all agree he was "wonderful". She thought she might have been a little too giddy during the cellcert, but I assured her that people seemed to be making positive comments about it and that her high opinion of Clay's British accent was carrying a lot of weight.

I asked about the tunic flipping comment someone made...She said it was at the piano, you know how in the cartoons the character flips up his tux coat tails to sit at the piano? That's what he did, only it was his tunic and he didn't just flip it up a little bit, he flipped it high enough to show his whole rear. Lol I can just imagine. heh She said the look on his face at the end was like a proud "Yes, I did it" face. Said the crowd at the stage door was unbelievable!

Thanks, merrieee, you made my whole day, my week, and a couple of extra Sundays with that phone call...get your ribs ready for a really big hug next time I see you! Muah!

I was not at my computer during the cellcert, so I missed the whole thing, but going back and reading all the comments has me grinning and laughing. So happy. I knew he could do it! My favorite comment posted by Nanjeanne at the Clackhouse. She wrote:

Stpteach said something that meant the world to me - she said that Clay was absolutely committed to this show. He wasn't just up on stage as Clay Aiken. He was totally committed and involved in the show and with the fellow actors. I could not be more proud of what this young man has done and how truly brave, brave, brave, brave he is!

That's what I hoped he would do. I'm happy his cast mates seem to have embraced him. That thrills my heart.

Also, I'm very glad if the "movie" I made helped some of you enjoy the night more. I have had songs from Spamalot running through my head all day long and this is one earworm I don't mind having. What a night, huh? (((Group Hug)))

ETA: Sorry, Ansamcw , I didn't see that you had already reposted the links. Thanks for that! So, yeah, here they are again! LOL

As to what happened to the Spam links, here they are again, if anyone needs them. I made a DVD for myself on two discs (let me know if you want the clips in just two parts or even in just one) and it was quite viewable, even on a big screen (or course, my opinion may be colored by the fact that I already knew what was happening in any given scene). The sound, at least, is always good. Having Spam songs drifting through my head all day long means I find myself grinning for no reason at odd times...but I think my family is getting used to it.

((((GROUP HUGS)))) to all who are not attending. I'm taking a HARD look at our finances for the first time in, oh, decades (heh) and for now, I'm unwilling to spend the money to go. But, as soon as everyone is home at the same time, I plan to say that if I have to give up Clay Aiken on Broadway due to finances, there sure as hell (yes, I said hell) are not going to be frippery, meaningless, expensive, reckless indulgences for the time being. And hubby is going to change his ways and start paying the credit cards ON TIME. Okay, so he travels a lot, but did you know if you're late a time or two, your interest rate can triple? *sigh* Yeah, stupid stuff like that is keeping me from seeing Clay on Broadway. So, yeah, I'm good and steamed about it. And sad. And remorseful (for overspending at Christmas, for example). And determined. Hm...so, looking at it that way, NOT getting to go might be the best thing to happen to our financial situation in a while. And now that I know how much hubby spends on cigars and golf clubs, I think I have a legitimate grievance.

So, yeah. It sucks (yes, I said sucks)...and I've got enough "sorry" to go around for all of you/us who will be at home, wishing you were there.

The video helps, though, at least it helps me. I can SEE Clay in my mind's eye, even though my imagination is likely to fall very far from the reality. I think high expectations are fine. Opening night might be a little "rough" just because that's how it goes in theater, but as time goes on, I think Clay is going to dazzle in that role...he's just so funny and so talented. And maybe he can wear some special ankle supports in his boots for the dancing. I don't want him to actually 'break a leg', you know!

Love y'all. Hang in there. Here are the links:

RVzlady has generously allowed me to upload the spam media to a more permanent home, this time in five, very easily digested clips.

No frills, but still much easier to watch (and download) than more than twenty youtube clips, that's for sure. Those who would prefer the set of four files, the set of two files or the single (huge!) file, please let me know if you have trouble acquiring those, as I will not be babysitting those links.

Anyway, here are the links:

part one of five

part two of five

part three of five

part four of five

part five of five

For those who like to read the end of a book first, Sir Robin's big number is at the beginning of part four.

Opinions about this "look" were bound to be varied...I mean, earlier, someone said he looked like Willy Wonka, to which I muttered, "Yeah, and I bet you'd like to wonk his willy, wouldn'tcha?"...

People are going to see what they want to see. Personally, I'm dying to see these photos in higher resolution...because the light and look in those eyes is killer, even pixelated.

EEEEEEEEEEEEE for my banner! Cool!

I am in love with this picture. No obligation to use this...I just wanted to play with him just a bit.

That picture, y'all...

When I clicked on it...and saw that sly-eyed smile, saw that costume and that confident pose...I felt joy expanding and expanding until I thought my heart was going to come through my chest. Seriously...I wanted to scream! Well, actually, I did scream, once I was alone in my car. I never scream about Clay stuff, except during concerts...this time...whoa. It's really happening, y'all! This is really happening! Seeing him in costume makes it real for me in a shocking way. I can't wait. Can't wait! CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!

And...he's beautiful. I agree with skybar that this is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen for so many reasons beyond how good he looks. It's just beautiful.

djs111

I just hope someone hits him with a large dead fish if he ever utters the word "mandate" again.

Karma(4Clay), go ahead. Tell everybody where you're going?! LOL *turns over some more potted plants...sighs*

Okay, so....I used to know how to burn a DVD so that it can play in a regular DVD player...but that was way back during the prriiiinng tour, when I made one of that tour for my friend. Now, I want to make a Spamalot DVD from the movie I made and I don't know hoooowwww!!! Can someone clue me in? I'm sure I have a DVD burner built in to my computer, but I can't find that I have software already to do this with. I assumed Windows Movie Maker would help me more than it has...but when I selected "save to DVD", it went through some kind of process and then did nothing, didn't ask me to insert a DVD or anything. So I don't know what I did wrong. Anyway, if one of you has time, help would be appreciated.

Also, has anyone seen the movie "27 Dresses"? Is it any good? My friend wants to take her daughter to see this and have us join them, but I don't want to throw good money away on a dud.

Y'all do realize, don't you, that by Friday, I will have riled myself into a perfect frenzy?

Okay, maybe a little of this, too.

skybar

To think that this icon of entertainment has chosen Clay as Sir Robin speaks to Clay's huge talent. It's so exciting.

I know! And listening to him talking so casually about these highly respected people he knows and the works he has done, I just want to swoon. I especially love it that he seems to value NICE people in the business. How wonderful it would be for Clay to fall in with some "good guys" in what can be a perilous industry. Whee!

Yay for Quiana's good review. The first of many, I hope!

In case anyone has some curiosity about Mike Nichols,

Invisible926 posted a screencap of the Insider:

Is it just me or does he look oh-so-intelligent here? Yum.

RVzlady has generously allowed me to upload the spam media to a more permanent home, this time in five, very easily digested clips.

No frills, but still much easier to watch (and download) than more than twenty youtube clips, that's for sure. Those who would prefer the set of four files, the set of two files or the single (huge!) file, please let me know if you have trouble acquiring those, as I will not be babysitting those links.

Anyway, here are the links:

part one of five

part two of five

part three of five

part four of five

part five of five

For those who like to read the end of a book first, Sir Robin's big number is at the beginning of part four.

Aw, he's so cute. Yes, his hair looks shorter and his face looks more like Skating Special Clay than it did for GFI event. He's so cute! Did I mention his cuteness?

As for new members being able to join, I guess NOT, because I tried to join and got as far as the "choose package" page...zilch. Pathetic, really. *sniffs disdainfully*

annabear

I certainly do hope & pray he gets his "click" moment this week

...as long as he doesn't have a "Clique" moment...because apparently they suck.

heh

I can't believe the fan club doesn't allow people to join when they feel like it...what kind of fan club restricts new memberships to a certain time of year?

My apologies to those who have tried to join the fanclub and have been shut out. What the heck is up with that? Anybody know?

HE BLOGGED

OK, I notice that the blog hasn't been pasted here so I guess it is against the law to do that.

Here's my question: How do I get to read it ... I am not a member of OCA and I understand they are presently closed to new members.

I don't understand...What is OCA? The blogs are posted at www.clayonline.com , which is open to anyone willing to pay a fan club membership fee. Membership to the OFC (official fan club) forum is included in the fan club package. Hope that helps.

***

So, I watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail this weekend. I was surprised at how closely Spamalot actually follows that movie, but I enjoy the musical a whole lot more. I'm glad they left out the things they left out and added what they added. And at least the musical has a real "ending"! The Broadway costumer should be commended for practically recreating the movie clothing.

Cesberry loaded out some clips of Quiana's "audition" here

The MP3s will eventually be loaded to the vault, but you can listen to them here. I love her Here and Somewhere.

Gah...THANK YOU! She sounds amazing. Piano player is also very good.

Okay, at the request of someone in dial-up hell, I cut the Spam "movie" into FOUR parts. I need to rethink the names of these files because even I have trouble keeping track of them. Part one has two parts...and part two has two parts. Clay's biggest "number" is in part four (that is, part two of part two) heh

Let me know if you have any problems or if links run out. It takes an eternity to upload these and takes much less time to download...my uploads kept getting cut off for some reason, so if anyone knows of an upload manager that works the way Getright works for downloads, please let me know.

Part one of part one:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/gnmmg3

Part two of part one

http://www.sendspace.com/file/47i2v7

Part one of part two

http://www.sendspace.com/file/d7uf0f

Part two of part two

http://www.sendspace.com/file/frylh3

I was confused about when the Quiana video was taken, too. In the movie, Jennifer is wearing a nice outfit for that number, but in the stage version Quiana is wearing some ill-fitting pants and unflattering top. I honestly thought it was taken during a rehearsal, not a dress rehearsal. I didn't think about the stage version and the film version being that much different (duh!), but of course they frequently are.

I thought her outfit was very similar to the YouTube I saw of the Holliday stage version.

jamar

I don't find Effie sympathetic at all.

My take: I found her sympathetic because she was promised a solo career...and was persuaded to put her own dreams aside "for the good of the group"...only to have "the group" toss her out later. She's this big girl with a big voice who fell in love in a big way with a small man...and she didn't see the rejection and disloyalty coming.

clay is very relaxed and was tying angelas sons tie while I was on the phone with her.

Aw, "Uncle" Clay!

Wow...watching Quiana was amazing. I was hoping she would do well and I expected her to sound good..but I didn't expect to feel my gut clenching and my hands curling into fists in my lap...and then tears in my eyes. And I don't even like this song all that much! *applause, applause*

What will people think?!

"People"? I ain't "people." (tm Lina Lamont)

Yeah, okay, but it's one of my favorite lines...any excuse to use it. heh