#4-Everything is mucho-good-o

[bottlecap]

I want to be like Clay and say, "Oh my goodness! I need to go to Paris. Mary! Get me a first class ticket at exactly 9 am from THIS airport only. And please make a reservation at the Ritz. I'll need a driver to pick me up at the airport. Thank you."

"And don't forget, I need someone assigned to pick me up off the floor of whatever foreign McDonald's I happen to be in when the percocet hits."

[muskifest]

saw this from one of my favorite posters in all Clay Nation, berkleylovesclay...so true re the asshat who tried to be Clay on OFC chat last night:

Sorry for everyone who experienced the tsuris, but isn't there something deliciously appropriate about where Clay was at the time some tiny... foot tried to step into his size 13 shoes?

Clay Aiken, UNCC Outstanding Young Alumnus, Class of 2003.

I'd say Clay's the class act of any year.

yeah.

[FearofH2O]

JennaZ said

Yeah, what happened on the OFC chat room was pretty sick, but kind of funny, too. I was amazed that nearly 600 people showed up so quickly, and actually impressed that the board could take that kind of volume without crashing. Some people are surprisingly upset about it, though.

I have to admit I was laughing. The hacker didn't say anything really believable or harmful to the younguns. I guess Clay takes it pretty seriously as he should. Due to misinterpretation and all. It was probably a good lesson for those who disclose personal information on the internet.

OOps, had to take a break to release our twenty-third mouse in the last three weeks. We are using the have a heart traps. I told my husband that we should start putting a mark on the mice as they may be the same two coming back in. And what are our three cats doing for a living? Just the usual--eating and sleeping.

Claygasm from what I understand, everyone has Faye's email- except for me. I have never met the woman. On the other hand, I don't think too many have Clay's email. I know I don't.

I don't think it's Clay's place to monitor the chat room or message board. What does he pay Clique for? So I can't blame Faye for not interrupting Clay at this event. Look like he was the only one working last night.

[ldyjocelyn]

Barry Manilow comments on Clay from TV Guide channel

You can watch, and then download. (I've never seen this website before download sharing, it looks interesting...)

Very nice mention, and it shows Clay too!

More later, after dinner, but I gotta offer condolences to bottlecap. That sucks about your laptop.

[muskifest]

I seem to remember Barry saying much the same thing soon after AI, too. IN some tv interview...he said Clay sings MUCH better than he does and is an amazing talent or some such. He also said something about how 'grounded' and mature Clay is regarding the fame and celebrity and all---much moreso than he was at his age.

And remember when Merv Griffin was on Ryan Seacrest and just gushed over Clay and his talent? He said that Clay's voice is similar to Streisand and maybe Sinatra (?) in that it's immediately recognizable as his---unique.

yeah. It's true. sigh

[playbiller]

Barry said that Clay's voice was much better on Oprah, If you want, I will digthat Clip up.

[Claygasm]

I just got off the phone with an old friend. She's out in LA now and is a sometimes working screenwriter (her best known credit was for the animated "Anastasia" from awhile back). Anyway, I have never admitted my Clay obsession to her. So we were chatting and we were talking about music. Now I have known her since my hippy days in high school and I told her I sill like a lot of the indie artists but that my taste is very eclectic, that I like some who are popular and some who are considered very uncool. She asked like who. I said like Clay Aiken. I expected her to say "Who?" because she never watched AI. But she knew who he was. She laughed and said "Yeah, he's definitely not too cool for school!" And then I said, yeah, but he has an amazing voice and she said yes, he really does. Then I said I felt bad for him, though, because so many of his fans are older, like me, and I so wished he could look out into the audience and see some pretty young things. So she laughed and said "I doubt he would notice the pretty young things" - of course implying he's gay. I said "He's not gay." She said "How do you know. Have you slept with him?" I stifled an "I wish!" but said no, he said he wasn't gay. I told her about the Rolling Stone article and what he had said on Primetime about being raised by women and being from the south. She said exactly what Diane Sawyer said - "Its like being British - they just assume you are gay!". So then I said "Look, I can see why people might think he's gay. He has said he's not. And trust me, if you ever see him in concert, you will know he's not gay!" I said he said if you're not a womanizer people assume then you must be gay. She agreed with me about the womanizer part and then said "You know, Its a shame that we assume people are gay based on how they look or act even when the person says he's not gay. And it shouldn't matter anyway." So now that she knows he has said he isn't gay, she believes he's not gay.

What a refreshing response!

I have to admit, I didn't admit the extent of my obsession. I am not sure she's ready for that yet!

[Ansamcw]

Claygasm from what I understand, everyone has Faye's email- except for me. I have never met the woman. On the other hand, I don't think too many have Clay's email. I know I don't.

I don't think it's Clay's place to monitor the chat room or message board. What does he pay Clique for? So I can't blame Faye for not interrupting Clay at this event. Look like he was the only one working last night.

Hmmm if this was an award for Clay then his mother must;ve been with him. She probably got home...got a message from a friend...went on line to check it out and decided to email Clay about it. She probably called him too..thats why it was only at 3am when he was able to post about it. I also like to imagine that his mom went home right after the event while clay partied a bit with friends...hee I like the thought of Clay having fun...

(((bottlecap))) That happened to me once. I get home and turn on the internet and all this porn pop up came on...I couldn;t understand what happened. So I looked at history and see a boyz.com...and I figured one of my kids checked it out...and sure enough a friend of theirs was playing around my computer without permission and ended up in this site...my girls were pretty scared about it all. Thank God my hubby ...the computer whiz knew what to do.

Claygasm that was pretty much my experience with a cousin of mine who liked him on AI but lost touch with him. She asked if its true he was gay.., I said...he says he is not...from my observation he is not...and really wouldn't matter to me. She agreed that she didn't really see gay but nerdy...

[KAndre]

I want to be like Clay and say, "Oh my goodness! I need to go to Paris. Mary! Get me a first class ticket at exactly 9 am from THIS airport only. And please make a reservation at the Ritz. I'll need a driver to pick me up at the airport. Thank you."

"And don't forget, I need someone assigned to pick me up off the floor of whatever foreign McDonald's I happen to be in when the percocet hits."

As the person for my boss who not only gets him the first class tickets on the frickin' sold out airline at THIS airport and at THIS time and THIS EXACT SEAT BECAUSE IT IS SHAPED LIKE MY ASS AND I LIKE IT and of course he has to stay at the freakin' Dorchester even though it's not an approved company hotel anymore because the only room available is £675 a night (and the limit is £200 during this time a year) and the French car company is the snottiest in the world...I look forward when I can do that too! And I will already know all the names my assistant will call me...that will be among their perks.

Barry is sa-weet!

[KCCAFan4Ever]

I want to be like Clay and say, "Oh my goodness! I need to go to Paris. Mary! Get me a first class ticket at exactly 9 am from THIS airport only. And please make a reservation at the Ritz. I'll need a driver to pick me up at the airport. Thank you."

"And don't forget, I need someone assigned to pick me up off the floor of whatever foreign McDonald's I happen to be in when the percocet hits."

You guys are funny!

[playbiller]

I thought things were to quiet on all the boards, so I kicked the CTers to see if they were still around.

On the otherhand, I remembered to watch TAR tonight, and am really foot dragging at getting my autions out there on e-bay.

Clay, is there anything I can say about Clay? I am listening to Clay radio.

In the other idol news, JPL has come out wiht a new Christmas song.

Edited November 13, 2006 by playbiller

[JennaZ]

Many (including myself) may cringe at the Manilow comparisons, but I have to give the guy credit for giving props to Clay. He's always been very complimentary.

I thought things were to quiet on all the boards, so I kicked the CTers to see if they were still around.

Playbiller, I saw that! You wrote:

I am getting confused. I have been reading people's concerns about Clay's promotion and I have been reading about Chris Daughtry being Claive's golden boy, but... I have yet to hear Chris's single (oops, I forgot, .. the band's single) being played, I don't see ahole bunch of promotion lined up for him. I don't think I am going to dread this release and any potential accompanying Clay Fan angst, I don't think there will be any.

Then I look at how late that Taylor's album is being released and, whoa, Fantasia's second album is being dropped the same time = this does not look like a great time to drop an album, is it just the rush to get it out before a new year begins? I know they will get promotion, but it will be while everyine is rushing around for the holidays and not watching TV (at least not me).

So does this mean that BMG is dropping balls left and right or that they are not getting any breaks?

I'll admit, I expected much more of a media blitz for their promotion. When Clay's first album came out, he seemed to be everywhere. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I do wonder whether RCA or retailers will put up American Idol displays. Earlier in the year, I saw one such display at Borders. It almost seems that some of the bundling of release dates is intentional.

[Ansamcw]

Many (including myself) may cringe at the Manilow comparisons, but I have to give the guy credit for giving props to Clay. He's always been very complimentary.

I thought things were to quiet on all the boards, so I kicked the CTers to see if they were still around.

Playbiller, I saw that! You wrote:

I am getting confused. I have been reading people's concerns about Clay's promotion and I have been reading about Chris Daughtry being Claive's golden boy, but... I have yet to hear Chris's single (oops, I forgot, .. the band's single) being played, I don't see ahole bunch of promotion lined up for him. I don't think I am going to dread this release and any potential accompanying Clay Fan angst, I don't think there will be any.

Then I look at how late that Taylor's album is being released and, whoa, Fantasia's second album is being dropped the same time = this does not look like a great time to drop an album, is it just the rush to get it out before a new year begins? I know they will get promotion, but it will be while everyine is rushing around for the holidays and not watching TV (at least not me).

So does this mean that BMG is dropping balls left and right or that they are not getting any breaks?

I'll admit, I expected much more of a media blitz for their promotion. When Clay's first album came out, he seemed to be everywhere. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I do wonder whether RCA or retailers will put up American Idol displays. Earlier in the year, I saw one such display at Borders. It almost seems that some of the bundling of release dates is intentional.

Well of course they are now saying that Daughtry's CD single is now on radio and is getting spin on multiple formats and getting a music video...WELL OF COURSE...they need to do promotions. Chris' single fits multiple formats so they will push it to multiple formats...WY only fit AC so why would they waste money pop radio. BUT...two weeks lead for a new guy that hasn;t been heard from on a national level since last May is not a very good move IMO. I can see they are also cutting corners on him. They are hoping that his AI exposure would be enough of a pre-release promo. He got a real video because his songs fit the MTV market...so they push a video for him. Again, I do beleive the promo is dictated by the type of music and the target market that an artist have.

I am really going to be curious about what they will be doing for Taylor. What single will they choose? What formats will the push this? I believe the Christmas sale and the AI winner will give him a boost. But if he does not have tons of pre-orders now...the guy will be in trouble. Thats several xmas shopping weeks he won't be able to take advantage of. Does anybody know how Taylors CD stand on Amazon? that is usually a good indication of how strong an opening he can expect.

[bottlecap]

demeter at the CV post the relevant Amazon numbers every morning. Here are today's for the AI crew:

110. A Thousand Different Ways ~ Clay Aiken

American Idol Related New & Future Releases

#40 Daughtry (Due 11/21)

#75 Taylor Hicks (Due 12/12)

#112 Kellie Pickler

#230 Katherine McPhee (Due 12/19)

#831 Ruben Studdard

#1,350 Mario Vazquez

#1,829 Ayla Brown

#2,111 Fantasia (Due 12/12)

Again, the disclaimer that Amazon numbers, particularly at a specific point in time, are not the end-all and be-all of album sales predictors. However, being at #40, the week before your CD gets released? Probably not the best position to be in.

Yes, I know intellectually that "It's not a competition", but in my gut it still is, and I don't want to see any of the current crop do significantly better than Clay did. Expect more shallow, hopefully gloating posts from me on the subject in the future, as in this particular instance I'm not even 12. More like 8...

Nyah Nyah nah boo boo!

[txflwrgrl]

Does anybody know how Taylors CD stand on Amazon? that is usually a good indication of how strong an opening he can expect.

Taylor's Cd was listed as #76 on Amazon. It's there, but way down the list.

[ldyjocelyn]

I'll admit, I expected much more of a media blitz for their promotion. When Clay's first album came out, he seemed to be everywhere. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I've always wondered if Clay "seeming to be everywhere" was a product of our obsession. As devout fans, we were pretty overzealous about finding each and every little detail of promotion. While I agree that it sure seems Clay had a hell of a lot more promotion than DAUGHTRY! or Taylor are having right now, could it be that at least some of us aren't looking all that hard?

Nah, probably not. *g*

But I do think the record/album/CD business has changed enough in the past three years that promotion is just simply DIFFERENT. Record companies will cut corners to maximize profit as much as possible, and then sometimes just hope for the best. That's why I really believe that what Clay had (and is still having, as far as that goes) with this round of promotion was quite quite good. To know that he's still got a major appearance on R&K this week (EEEEEEEEEEE), plus an EP to tie sales to all his albums together, I think, is pretty gosh darn good.

Does anyone have an inside track to know if Clay's gonna be in the People Sexiest Men issue this week? Sure seems like it, with all the polls, and the picture in that 100 men online thing.

Who would you most like to be serenaded by?

BTW, I loved Barry back in the day, still think he's a talented songwriter, and love that he's kind to Clay. I also love that he's still got a major career going (selling that amount of albums in the first week still is pretty darn good). But I'm sad that he looks terrible, and he just simply seems to be coasting now in some ways.

[atinal]

Good Morining everyone, I have to admit to not following the goings on of this years crop of Idols. I just wasn't that interested. I watched a video of Chris someone posted from one of the first Idol tour stops. to me there was nothing special there. Taylor, even if I liked him, the constant playing of that Ford commercial would have done me in. I guess I'm not too objective, to me, there is one Idol that stands above the rest. It simply doesn't matter to me if he plays an instrument, his voice is instrument enough for me. I don't care really if he writes songs, his blogs are music to me. I will be a proud fan when he sits down at the piano, or when he writes more of his songs, but it's not necessary for me cause I'm alread a proud fan. That's my morning musing, now I'm off to go paint again.

[Couch Tomato]

Well I expect the AI folks from this year to do fine and I will be comparing them to what Clay did coming off idol. I know things have changed but tough. heee. Dec 12 is kinda late for an album to take full advantage of Xmas though, it seems to me, but what do I know. I firmly believe that Clay and Ruben were cultural phenomenoms in 2003. They were huge and I'm pretty sure nobody had to work too hard to book them for anything. I believe Roger just had to pick up the phone much of the time and say yes or no. There are people who live in that constant state of celebrity.. the Brad Pitts of the world, but most mere mortals can't stay at that level. I know I'm gonna be sick of the idol barrage before it's all over with though only because the competition will be dredged up again.

Atinal, I didn't watch Idol this year at all after the first episode. I don't plan to watch next year either.

[muskifest]

Mornin'

HOme at least for the morning with a sick Carrie. She had a bad cold and was feverish yesterday so I'm hanging here at least until I know she'll be okay alone.

I will not be surprised in the least if Chris DAUGHTRY! has his fifteen minutes as a true rocker dude. He's as good or better than other so-called rock stars out there, IMO. Thing is...I don't care. Certainly don't see him and Clay as in competition for anything. (And Chris would win by a landslide in the goat-vibrato category.)...don't really know much about him personally so I don't have an opinion one way or the other. Hey, all rocker dudes and dudettes get real videos. The MTV crowd would wither and die without another screaming, gyratin' video.

Meh. is my main feeling about DAUGHTRY! (My Carrie, however, thinks he's 'all that'...)

Have no idea what's going on with Taylor. And yeah---the Ford commercials made me cringe. Maybe one day decades from now we'll hear "Invisible" as a background song to some commercial, but GAWD! ---I'm so glad Clay wasn't selling cars right out of the AI gate.

You know, with so many 'Idols" out there flooding the market with their awesome selves , it's no wonder that the media takes pot shots at any of them. Whereas in the first seasons it was only the winners and runners up that 'made it' (or in JG's case, didn't)...now we hear reports about people who didn't even make it to the finals making videos and gettings spins and...

I mean...Kellie Pickler's CD got more 'stars' in the entertainment mags than ATDW did!

Whatevah. I do agree with you, ldyjocelyn, about the skewed perspective. I know more about Clay Aiken than I've ever WANTED to know about anybody I don't really know....you know? I guess there are those out there who know such things about ....

ewwww

DAUGHTRY! too.

[JennaZ]

I've always wondered if Clay "seeming to be everywhere" was a product of our obsession. As devout fans, we were pretty overzealous about finding each and every little detail of promotion. While I agree that it sure seems Clay had a hell of a lot more promotion than DAUGHTRY! or Taylor are having right now, could it be that at least some of us aren't looking all that hard?

I think there could be some truth in this. I know I haven't exactly been searching for promotional activity for the other idols.

But I do think the record/album/CD business has changed enough in the past three years that promotion is just simply DIFFERENT. Record companies will cut corners to maximize profit as much as possible, and then sometimes just hope for the best. That's why I really believe that what Clay had (and is still having, as far as that goes) with this round of promotion was quite quite good. To know that he's still got a major appearance on R&K this week (EEEEEEEEEEE), plus an EP to tie sales to all his albums together, I think, is pretty gosh darn good.

Agreed. We've seen countless articles stating that there just isn't as much money to go around as there used to be. I'm actually impressed that he's still getting promotional opportunities, especially as Ruben, Kellie, Chris, Taylor, Fantasia and Katherine will all have albums out around the same time. Seems to me that if RCA really wasn't interested in him, they would keep him off the air so he wouldn't compete with others.

Chris' single fits multiple formats so they will push it to multiple formats...WY only fit AC so why would they waste money pop radio. BUT...two weeks lead for a new guy that hasn;t been heard from on a national level since last May is not a very good move IMO. I can see they are also cutting corners on him. They are hoping that his AI exposure would be enough of a pre-release promo. He got a real video because his songs fit the MTV market...so they push a video for him.

Makes sense to me. This idea that Clay has been abandoned because he doesn't have a video on MTV seems improbable to me. WY is just not the kind of song you see on MTV these days, so it probably would have been a waste. My guess is they spent that they money on things like Oprah commercials.

[playbiller]

I do haveto laugh about people thinking that if Clay does not have everything that anyone else has, he is being shorted. The fact that most of them do not have what Clay has does not matter. It is deliberate myopia to fit a theory.

Ruben gets more promotion because he has an album, but his fans are upset because his schedule is impossible to find, he just appears on some shows without fanfare. His appearances are short. His album is hard to impossible to find in the stores.

Now Chris is getting a kick off and has radio support, but hardly any TV appearances. Excuse me, this was a guy who was supposed to get everything, right? I may be wrong, but I expect a burn bright flame out thing, but that is just me. He has fans, but there are so many others out there in the same genre.

When Taylor kicks off he will be lost in the Christmas stuff, when people are off doing other things. Good luck. He will sell well the first few weeks, but after that? Who knows.

Fantasia's marketing will be interesting, will she be sold to the general public or just urban?

Kat, being delayed again leaves her little time to make a mark.

Is Clay everywhere or do we just think that? I think Clay is mentioned a lot, everywhere. he has had all the expected TV apperances, plus. he seems to have sold himself into better coverage - Ellen, Dancing with the stars, what ever. He does not need to be everywhere - I would kind of like to know how DOOL came about, that is certainly interesting marketing.

I was going to list everything that was causing issues in the fandom, but that would be pretentious of me, so I won't.

[muskifest]

Being the shallow, one-trick smut pony that I am, this..er...poked out at me..

Clay does not have everything that anyone else has, he is being shorted.

1. Clay has MORE than most other men have...and

2. No way. No WAY Clay has been 'shorted' in any sense of the word.

And with that juvenile attempt at naughty humor...I'm off to work.

[JennaZ]

1. Clay has MORE than most other men have...and

2. No way. No WAY Clay has been 'shorted' in any sense of the word.

Heh, heh!

I do haveto laugh about people thinking that if Clay does not have everything that anyone else has, he is being shorted. The fact that most of them do not have what Clay has does not matter. It is deliberate myopia to fit a theory.

So true. Is it that terrible that he's not on Ellen or Rachel Ray, if he is Regis & Kelly (as a co-host), Tyra (for most of the hour), GMA, The View, Martha Stewart, and Megan Mullalley..not to mention Leno and Kimmel? Who else is on DOOL? Clay cannot and probably should not be on every.single.show.

And when he is on a show, he's typically on for quite a while. I don't think any other idol has received so much "couch time." Most just sing and get a few quick comments before their segment ends.

I'll admit, I was one of those who thought Chris would be RCA's "golden child." He is getting a prime release date, and it seems as if there was some attempt to distance him from the release dates of the other idols. He was somewhat popular. I do know people who, during the AI season, wanted to buy his CD. However, it will be interesting to see whether he will be fully accepted into the "rock" community. The fact that his "band" is not even on the album strikes me as a little fake. Will real bands see that and look at him as some kind of poser? Or will that even matter?

[ldyjocelyn]

If you hate MSNBC, do not click on the following link....

Are "Idol" Finalists Quickly Forgotten?

However, I think it is a very interesting article, and it ties in with the discussion at hand. It mentions Clay as the true anomaly regarding the finalists, not the winners, as well as the crowding of the field.

UNC - Charlotte honors alumni

Very cool! A little surprised he's in jeans for something like this...I guess he considers it his "down time." *g* But it certainly is nice to see this, and him, again. Love the hair too...and is he wearing his glasses? I LURVE glasses Clay!

[bottlecap]

MSNBC article - written by a regular American Idol poster at TWoP (spacecitymarc), so it could have been a lot snarkier (or just plain nasty, i.e. the Linda Holmes / Miss Alli articles on MSNBC).

UNCC picture - almost made me wet myself. What a dork! I know somebody has the picture from when Clay was in high school, sporting the exact same hair style. HA! (Shallow hair post - please get it cut before DOOL and R&K this week. )