# 9 He's a man of a 1000 faces and all of them are great to look at.

[muskifest]

I wanna hold his hand....

Sweet Jesus, look at those LONG fingers.

Oh, and this CMSU!

Lord knows, if Jamie hadn't straddled his lap when she cut them, she might have gotten them straighter

Lord knows if she was straddling his lap when she cut them, it's amazing she didn't poke an eye out with her scissors while Clay was trying to poke.......

KarenEh, the 'deeply embedded' thingy was just too obvious, you know? I'd hate to always be THAT predictable....heh.

Oh, and artquest, thanks for the perspective. I wasn't there and didn't even watch the parts where Ryan called each person's name...so I have absolutely no idea what 'really happened'. I do know that AI is not above jerking these kids around for what they consider 'good television'....

[JennaZ]

Thank you for sharing your experience, artquest. It's gratifying to hear from someone who actually was at the event.

[Claygasm]

Thanks artquest for your report from Disney Hall. I really, really loved Kelly's song last night. I have watched it on YouTube a few times and it blows me away. That girl sure can sing! I wish she sang more songs in that sort of bluesy/soulful style. I think it showcases her voice so well. And Jeff Beck playing the guitar for her - just wow!

I liked Annie Lennox's BOTW. Her voice is different and you have to like it, but I thought it was really good.

And I am glad they didn't treat Jordin as badly as that first report seemed to indicate.

I can't wait to go home and really enjoy today's clack!

[Divayenta]

Yes Karen Eh and muski, my feverish little mind has often wondered just how close Clay and cuddin Jamie are? I still think he's got a thing going with Jaymes, but I just got a vibe when I saw how he interacted with the highly attractive Jamie. Course, he's so touchy-feelie with womenfolk anyhow. How about a little vignette, Musk- "The Haircut"?

Got Knoxville tix today. Guess I"m still going to Cary and Definitely ASheville. Thinking of flying down to Raleigh the day before the show , riding with my buds to the other shows and flying out of Knoxville back home. What does one do in Cary all day without a car? And how does one get to the airport from Raleigh to Cary as it is about half an hour away? Any helpful suggestions are welcome.

Squishes to all. :TourExcite:

Oh, birding season has begun for the bejewelled migrants. Saw many species of warblers , vireos and kinglets today! Beauty!

[ldyjocelyn]

I've just got to do this -- IMO it seems to be a bit lacking from today....

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Lots of new clack!

:laola0:

:nana:

[muskifest]

How about a little vignette, Musk- "The Haircut"?

Ding dang, it Diva! I was gonna let the writing bug bite somebody else for a while!

But...you know how sometimes a stylist has to lean in to do her job...and if she happens to have a nice rack, well.....and we KNOW how Clay appreciates a fine rack....so...

[KAndre]

Cousins! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

My grandmother would make you go cut your OWN switch!

and Hey! I'm one of those functioning clack addicts!

You can't prove I'm hooked (as long as you have no access to any one of my five hard drives!)

[Kareneh]

How about a little vignette, Musk- "The Haircut"?

YES!! YES!! YES!! **Jumps up and down and claps with gleeful abandon**

Pleeeeease? No rush...or anything. I'll be here for the next few hours or so. *g*

(They're not blood cousins, KAndre, but I'll accept a reasonable facsimile like a gal from Supercuts or something.)

muski wrote:

KarenEh, the 'deeply embedded' thingy was just too obvious, you know? I'd hate to always be THAT predictable....heh.

And you know, I typed that in total innocence, too. Honest...though some would argue that there isn't a gutter my mind hasn't met.

(I forget or never knew what CMSU stands for. Could somebody refresh my memory? But if it's bad...just sent me a little note, okay?)

Thanks, artquest! I had forgotten you were going to be there last night. I didn't watch all of the show last night but was listening from another room. I think I might go check out YouTube and see what everyone is talking about.

Edited April 26, 2007 by Karen Eh?

[KAndre]

Like my grandmother would care if they are blood cousins or not...she wouldn't care if the only contact was three generations back two adopted people were married for 15 seconds with no offspring - if you have ever looked at someone and called them "cousin", they are off limits. Forever. Unto the hindermost generation.

Supercuts gal is acceptible. Sport Cuts gal is not. Visible Changes, iffy. Depends on the gal.

[bottlecap]

As I was loading this screencap into my photobucket account,

I noticed that the haircut isn't all that different the hair in this Gala picture.

Looks like maybe some minor differences in product and bang fluffing is all...

[Claygasm]

How about a little vignette, Musk- "The Haircut"?

Ding dang, it Diva! I was gonna let the writing bug bite somebody else for a while!

But...you know how sometimes a stylist has to lean in to do her job...and if she happens to have a nice rack, well.....and we KNOW how Clay appreciates a fine rack....so...

Cousins! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

My grandmother would make you go cut your OWN switch!

and Hey! I'm one of those functioning clack addicts!

You can't prove I'm hooked (as long as you have no access to any one of my five hard drives!)

How about a little vignette, Musk- "The Haircut"?

YES!! YES!! YES!! **Jumps up and down and claps with gleeful abandon**

Pleeeeease? No rush...or anything. I'll be here for the next few hours or so. *g*

(They're not blood cousins, KAndre, but I'll accept a reasonable facsimile like a gal from Supercuts or something.)

Maybe it wasn't Jaime who cut his hair. You know Tyra was in NY too.... (we really need that whistling emotion!)

As I was loading this screencap into my photobucket account,

I noticed that the haircut isn't all that different the hair in this Gala picture.

Looks like maybe some minor differences in product and bang fluffing is all...

I volunteer to do the fluffing!!

[Kareneh]

Maybe it wasn't Jaime who cut his hair. You know Tyra was in NY too.... (we really need that whistling emotion!)

BINGO! Claygasm wins the big one. And definitely, I see the work of different fluffers in those two pics. Certain elements of the two looks (like the placement of the tongue) are almost the same in those photos...but yeah, I have to concede that the difference in the bangs is likely a result of different finger stroking techniques. There's no way that the same hand is responsible for both.

[muskifest]

bang fluffing

Hmmm...which begs the question:

Which is better?

Bang Fluffing

or

Fluff Banging?

Ponder that one.

Oh, and by the way, KarenEh....CMSU is what I write for Cracks My Sh...Stuff Up. :medium-smiley-070:

[Claygasm]

Sigh.....

Ok, what talented person can make a lovely, widescreen wallpaper from this picture - with no writing on it. Just Clay is all his glorious beauty!

[luckiest1]

Got Knoxville tix today. Guess I"m still going to Cary and Definitely ASheville. Thinking of flying down to Raleigh the day before the show , riding with my buds to the other shows and flying out of Knoxville back home. What does one do in Cary all day without a car? And how does one get to the airport from Raleigh to Cary as it is about half an hour away? Any helpful suggestions are welcome.

Cary/Raleigh....in my experience they really are one and the same....at least they run into each other. We took a taxi from the airport to the place we were staying in Cary. Wasn't all that bad, but it's been a few years, so I don't really remember how much.

I finally got a chance to watch the Today show clack. Wheeeeeee! Love the bangs! And having just finished reading Three Cups Of Tea, I was sooooo thrilled to hear Clay talk about the importance of keeping the kids out of the madrassas, and getting them into real educational facilities. God I love that man.

[muskifest]

Poor Shadow! He was 'doggin' it' on the way back from our walk tonight....kept lagging behind instead of pulling ME!

You know, I keep reading snide commentary about the Idol show last night---I mean, from online articles, not just message boards. When I think of the show and then Clay's two 'appearances' today---a respected NPR station in New York, whose demographics are so vastly different (IMO) from Idol's, and The Today Show---in segment that stayed focused on the important thing he was there to discuss and that, like the radio interview, showcased his passion for and understanding of the UNICEF cause he represents so maturely and articulates so very well....

I'll take today in ClayNation, thanks.

And thank YOU, Clay. I'm so proud to love you.

[Ansamcw]

Poor Shadow! He was 'doggin' it' on the way back from our walk tonight....kept lagging behind instead of pulling ME!

You know, I keep reading snide commentary about the Idol show last night---I mean, from online articles, not just message boards. When I think of the show and then Clay's two 'appearances' today---a respected NPR station in New York, whose demographics are so vastly different (IMO) from Idol's, and The Today Show---in segment that stayed focused on the important thing he was there to discuss and that, like the radio interview, showcased his passion for and understanding of the UNICEF cause he represents so maturely and articulates so very well....

I'll take today in ClayNation, thanks.

And thank YOU, Clay. I'm so proud to love you.

WORD..

Clayzorback...I echo what others have said before...do whats best for you and we will be here anytime you want to drop by.

Artquest...thanks for sharing your experience...the theater looked great.

Nothing really much to add to the discussion except to say that I am so happy for unexpected clack. I like the look...looking like the Beatles again and yup he looked so young. I bet this is not all we will see of Clay before the tour.

[muskifest]

Looks like the mystery behind why the Frisco presale was stopped is no longer a mystery:

Tickets for Clay Aiken & Symphony begin at just $21.

Presale for Frisco residents only:

April 27, 10 a.m. - May 3rd, 10 p.m.

Password: Frisco

General ticket sales begin May 4, 2007

This is from the Pizza Hut Park site....I guess you have to have a certain zip code or something when you buy the tickets? to qualify for the presale?

[Couch Tomato]

Maximizing publicity

Before, during and after the field visit, the Celebrity Relations and Special Events Section or appropriate office will work closely with the Media Section, the Regional office and the field office to identify key messages and co-ordinate media coverage and publicity. There are several key areas of media exposure:

National Media. Depending on local circumstances, country offices are expected to mobilize national television and print media in advance of a visit. Background information about the Goodwill Ambassador, including copies of a biography, video footage and photographs, should be provided in advance to the office.

International Media. Media and Communication staff secure placement of stories and television or print interviews during the visit. For visits involving International Goodwill Ambassadors, HQ media staff will play a lead role. Depending on the scale and type of the field visit, the trip is pitched to a limited number of large publications and media outlets. The composition might include, for example, a magazine feature writer and photographer, TV crew (often it is best to arrange a newswire such as Reuters or APTN to cover the event to ensure the largest distribution) and a print journalist.

Press Conferences. If appropriate, two press conferences are arranged by the country office during the visit– one at the airport on arrival, to talk about the purpose of the visit, and the other at the end of the visit, to talk about highlights of the trip and anticipated follow-up. It is important to note that Goodwill Ambassadors are not expected to have in-depth knowledge of a country programme, and the Representative or Information/Communication officer must be on hand to answer any detailed questions. Questions about the celebrity's personal life must be discouraged. Individual interviews are welcomed.

Video Footage Any video footage taken of the Goodwill Ambassador's visit should be pitched to a newswire and go out on an international feed. Footage should also be made available to UNICEF for distribution to National Committees or field offices. For visits of International Goodwill Ambassadors, video coverage should be discussed and coordinated through HQ's DOC Broadcast Unit in consultation with the field office, and Media and Celebrity Relations Sections.

Photos. For visits of International Goodwill Ambassadors, the HQ Photo Unit can arrange for photo coverage of one or two celebrity field visits each year, covering the cost of the photographer, film, development and distribution of photos to field offices and National Committees. Additional photo coverage should be done in consultation with the Photo Unit.

All extrapolation coming

Dragged this over from CH. I found it fascinating. UNICEF has every resource in the world available to them, nationally and internationally and we've really seen it put to work IMO with this trip. I'm so impressed with them. With each successive trip Clay has done more and more. I think when Clay kept calling tirp number one a practice trip - he meant just that. It makes me happy to know they didn't just grab Clay off the street because he was the IT guy in 2004. I feel he will be with that organization for the long haul. They just don't throw their Ambassadors out there to sink or swim. They give them every tool they will need. They train them in areas I can't even fathom. They invest their resources in Clay and all of their Ambassadors. Thinking back I can remember some of the treatment some of the other Ambassadors - big spreads in magazines, Oprah visits, Anderson Cooper/Larry King. Maybe on his next trip, instead of Diane running into him "accidentally"...GMA or some other entity will be with him covering the trip every step of the way.

But what I love is that part about keeping this "job" separate from their personal lives and I'm assuming professional. These appearances aren't about Clay Aiken, pop star so chatting about tours and albums and North Carolina bbq just don't belong. No mixed messages. I'm glad Clay was not a part of IGB simply for the fact that there will be no confusion. He is no stunt. He is no Idol...despite that little Idol Ambassador under his name today. He's a man on a mission, one he has been preparing for his entire life, but on I'm sure on a much larger scale than he ever imagined. </angelwingy>

I'm very proud of him today.

Muski, Tell Shadow I'm sorry for breakdancing over the fact that I kicked his butt today. heee..And $21 is for the game, Clay and the fireworks?

[atinal]

Very well said Couchie

[Scarlett]

I triple-dared N people who have couchie's super-secrit decoder ring & said, "so when the story breaks about the award, should we go post that we knew about it all along and were just being polite/protecting his privacy"/snerk to go post over there but I've got no takers... sigh! some people have no sense of fun & too much integrity

http://www.ncld.org/

Voices of Our Children, Voices of Our Future

NCLD celebrated its 30th anniversary at its annual benefit dinner, "Voices of our Children, Voices of our Future," at New York City's Marriott Marquis. Clay Aiken, pop music star and special education activist, received the Children's Advocacy Award. Learn more about our award winners and how you can support the benefit.

Edited April 27, 2007 by Scarlett

[Couch Tomato]

I triple-dared N people who have couchie's super-secrit decoder ring & said, "so when the story breaks about the award, should we go post that we knew about it all along and were just being polite/protecting his privacy"/snerk to go post over there but I've got no takers... sigh! some people have no sense of fun & too much integrity

http://www.ncld.org/

Voices of Our Children, Voices of Our Future

NCLD celebrated its 30th anniversary at its annual benefit dinner, "Voices of our Children, Voices of our Future," at New York City's Marriott Marquis. Clay Aiken, pop music star and special education activist, received the Children's Advocacy Award. Learn more about our award winners and how you can support the benefit.

Scarlett dearie, I'm shocked.heee. KAndre keeps trying to break the sweet little princess image I have of you. But darn..great idea LOL.

And that Clay Aiken is keeping me busy today. WHoo hooo...A well deserved recipient of that award.

BTW, Clay was receiving this award at the same time IGB was going on. So hopefully people can at least stop thinking AI is the devil for not asking Clay. The bottom line there? We have no idea. We do know Clay had plans for that evening already, very important plans.

[Kareneh]

Scarlett wrote:

I triple-dared N people who have couchie's super-secrit decoder ring & said, "so when the story breaks about the award, should we go post that we knew about it all along and were just being polite/protecting his privacy"/snerk to go post over there but I've got no takers... sigh! some people have no sense of fun & too much integrity

But...but...no one will believe that you weren't there to capture it! It was kind of tempting to go say, "Gee, I wonder what's next since everything comes in threes." But you're right and fun is overrated anyhow.

I am so proud to be his fan. None of the other things matter so much.....a thought I will carry into ticket battle in the morning. Somebody remind me I said this around eleven o'clock tomorrow....m'kay?

Edited April 27, 2007 by Karen Eh?

[muskifest]

God.

I woke up an hour ago, wide awake. It is now 3:40 am. Came downstairs and looked at various airfares. (It's a sickness.) Then came here.

Oh.

So here it is in the middle of the night and I followed the link to read about yet another award being given to Clay...and ended up with tears running down my face. Here's the whole thing so that I can bold things that got the water works going, but of course, please click the link to give them hits.

Clay Aiken

Children's Advocacy Award

Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken's musical success has enabled him to fulfill his lifelong wish to support educational and children's causes. While the accolades that followed his stunningly close second-place finish on the second season of American Idol have validated him in ways that he never could have dreamed of when he was a teacher working with autistic children back in his home state of North Carolina, it is the charitable work that his musical career has enabled him to do that means more to him than anything else these days.

The singer created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation in 2003, an organization that promotes and funds educational and recreational programs for children with special needs. He also serves as a United States Fund for UNICEF National Ambassador, helping ensure that children everywhere can receive a primary education. In 2006 Mr. Aiken was appointed to the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Mr. Aiken holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The man they're talking about here is 28 years old.

I am humbled.

Clay AIken Children Advocacy Award

I want to be like Clay when I grow up.

Edited April 27, 2007 by muskifest

[luckiest1]

I am so proud of him! What an honour. And yeah, how many of us were saying "we just don't know what's going on behind the scenes" in relation to the IGB show and whether or not he was invited or would appear or had prior commitments.

Yesterday was such a great day in the fandom! Pfffffft to the people who are complaining that we weren't given advance notice. Sometimes, it's nice to be surprised. And given the fact that Clay was very diligent in downplaying any questions about his musical career, and kept both the NPR and Today Show interviews on topic, about the needs and challenges of the Afghani people, I doubt he needed a bunch of screaming, enthusiastic fans following him around NYC.

Congrats to everyone who was successful in yesterday's presales, and good luck to everyone trying today! :F_05BL17blowkiss: