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

[muskifest]

Here ya go, bottle! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

An Idol Who Really Gives Back

05/07/2007 7:00 PM, Yahoo! Music

Laura Hertzfeld

Before charming the hearts of American Idol fans in 2003, singer Clay Aiken was a teacher, focusing on special education in his native North Carolina. Today, in addition to performing and recording, Clay acts as an education ambassador for UNICEF, most recently in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Still jetlagged, Clay told Yahoo! Music in his smooth drawl why Idol Gives Back won't solve the poverty problem, what it was like to grow a beard and wear long robes, and why he never sings when visiting schools abroad.

YAHOO! MUSIC: What were your overall impressions of Afghanistan?

CLAY: I think, more than anything, the trip to me was a stereotype-breaker because there are so many times in the U.S. that we see in the news the negative things that happen in Afghanistan. We see the headcoverings and we think Muslim, we hear about suicide bombings and terrorists, and we think "Middle East." Afghanistan's not in the Middle East, it's in South Asia, and it's not a desert. My friends were all, "It must have been so hot there!" But you can see in some of the pictures the snow-capped mountains. There are many parts of Afghanistan that are really quite a lush landscape. I had a lot of misconceptions about the country and about the people there.

YAHOO! MUSIC: Why education?

CLAY: Well you know, I was a teacher, so education is kind of important to me. I focus on education mainly with UNICEF on every trip that I take. A number of schools [in Afghanistan] were destroyed during the Taliban era. The schools that were around only housed male students--girls were not allowed to go to school. So now there are twice the number of students and there's just not enough room to hold these kids. They are sitting outside on the ground all day.

YAHOO! MUSIC: The Idol Gives Back charity event raised more than $70 million. Could you relate to what you saw your fellow idols doing in Africa and other places?

CLAY: I think there's definitely a problem--and I'll point to recent charity events--when people go and they talk about the need in an area or a country and they don't have the information. If you come back and you talk about the need in a country and don't know what's going on in the country, then you're completely remiss. There's always a greater cause [to poverty] than throwing money at the issue, and I think the strongest solution, the strongest weapon we have against poverty and hunger is education. When you take a look at something like Idol Gives Back and you realize that the main piece of information we got is that people are hungry in Africa, but we didn't find out why they are hungry in Africa and we didn't out where in Africa they are hungry, nor did we find out the major causes. Without the education about what's going on in the country, we're doing no service except for perpetuating that same stereotype that Africa, or any other country in the world, is lesser than the U.S., and we're in the role that we have to give to them.

YAHOO! MUSIC: Did you perform for the kids you met in Afghanistan? How did they like your music?

CLAY: [Laughing] I made the mistake in Uganda of performing for some kids who were in a night commuter center, and they were singing a song and they were clapping. It was kind of a joyful, cheerful song. They didn't know me, but they had heard that I was a singer, and so they asked me to sing a song, and I couldn't think of what to sing. And someone whispered to me, "Sing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water.'" And so I got through maybe a line of the song before the kids started laughing at me so hard. They'd never heard any music like that before in their lives. So I've made it a point when I take these trips to never sing.

YAHOO! MUSIC: Maybe someday you'll get a request.

CLAY: Maybe next time I take a trip I'll make it a point to learn a native song.

YAHOO! MUSIC: Do you have a favorite story of any of the people you met in Afghanistan or a moment during your trip that touched you the most?

CLAY: One of the things that stuck with me more than anything else was just the hunger, the thirst for education. I mean, these kids wanted to go to school. My social studies teacher [who accompanied me on the trip]--she was quite jealous. She's been teaching for 30 years and she's never had a class full of students who wanted to be there as much as these kids in Afghanistan wanted to be there.

YAHOO! MUSIC: How has your work with UNICEF influenced your music? What do you take back with you?

CLAY: Every time I come back from these situations, you take a look at what's important to you, and how privileged we are, and it's easy to take that back. But it's important to remember that we have to be a proactive society. It's interesting to me to look at Afghanistan and realize that there are countries all around the world that we haven't looked at because they haven't affected us and yet, one of these days it's possible that one of them could affect us. Had we taken a hard look at the needs of women and children in Afghanistan in 1996, it's possible that we could have prevented September 11, 2001.

YAHOO! MUSIC: How did it feel to be an American in Afghanistan? Were you welcomed in the towns you visited?

CLAY: One of the main things to remember is that people in Afghanistan did not like the Taliban, either. I was worried going in, imagining what I was going to be involved with and what I was going to find myself running into. But, it was quite different. The people were nothing but hospitable, they were completely welcoming and so wonderful. We really just had nothing but a warm welcome everywhere. I thought [Kabul] was going to be a lot more antiquated. It's a bustling metropolis. There was wireless internet in our hotel, glass elevators, it was right inside a shopping mall like we'd see in the U.S. It's not some sort of deprived and destitute city like I expected to see.

YAHOO! MUSIC: I saw in pictures of you that you'd changed your looks a bit to fit in there.

CLAY: I wanted to be culturally respectful to the country and the people there. It's kind of part of their culture to be bearded and to be dressed appropriately. But that again is kind of part of the stereotype about Afghanistan, but there's quite a bit of what I guess we'd call "Western" attire in the country.

YAHOO! MUSIC: How can young people get involved?

CLAY: Learn about the things! You have to be educated about what's going on in your world. You have to know the problems. Poverty and hunger are only the effects of larger problems.

YAHOO! MUSIC: Why is it important for celebrities to be the face of UNICEF?

CLAY: I haven't necessarily heard too much negative, but I think the main problem is the media's attention. We are a society that only pays attention to in the media. We put too much emphasis on celebrities. And even though I am one and I don't mind the attention every once in a while, it's sad that you have to have a celebrity to bring attention to these causes.

YAHOO! MUSIC: Do you still watch American Idol, and do you have an opinion on who's going to win this season?

CLAY: No comment.

[Claygasm]

From the Yahoo Music interview:

YAHOO! MUSIC: The Idol Gives Back charity event raised more than $70 million. Could you relate to what you saw your fellow idols doing in Africa and other places?

CLAY: I think there's definitely a problem--and I'll point to recent charity events--when people go and they talk about the need in an area or a country and they don't have the information. If you come back and you talk about the need in a country and don't know what's going on in the country, then you're completely remiss. There's always a greater cause [to poverty] than throwing money at the issue, and I think the strongest solution, the strongest weapon we have against poverty and hunger is education. When you take a look at something like Idol Gives Back and you realize that the main piece of information we got is that people are hungry in Africa, but we didn't find out why they are hungry in Africa and we didn't out where in Africa they are hungry, nor did we find out the major causes. Without the education about what's going on in the country, we're doing no service except for perpetuating that same stereotype that Africa, or any other country in the world, is lesser than the U.S., and we're in the role that we have to give to them.

I have to say I agree and disagree with Clay on this. Yes, in theory, education as to the cause is VERY important, BUT, in order to obtain education your must make people aware that problems exist. I think maybe even more so than the money raised, that is what IGB did. Sure, many who gave money may not think about what they saw anymore after they pledged, but many will. They will seek out more information and by doing that they will become educated. Step one is make people aware the problems exist.

Also I think his comment about the other countries being lesser than the US and we're in the role to have to give to them is wrong. First, in regard to IGB, they also focused on poverty right here in the US and I thought that was very smart on their part. People in this country do have a tendency to think that kind of poverty and hunger doesn't exist here - and it does. IGB made that clear. Secondly, this is the richest nation on earth. Because of that I think we do have a moral obligation to help where help is needed.

And I have to ask, who cares when you raise $70 million! I doubt the organizations like UNICEF will care when they can do so much good with all that money!

I think Clay's answer to this question was a bit naive and simplistic, but I'll forgive him. He was jet-lagged after all!

[playbiller]

Really? I actually agree that crisis will continue to happen until people care more about he world than how many days Paris Hilton serves in prison.

Not a parent but spend a lot of time with young people and am always shocked at their narrow vision (and the ignorance of their parents! <- think family here). When I do speak about the world and what is happening, I always find them interested (unless they are just trying to be nice - I don't think so though, because they usually come back with more questions).

I have also had many people from other countries shocked that I actually knew what was happening in their countries - like the many Indian people I worked with were shocked to know I knew about the burnt temple and the railway murders years ago in the religious wars. It was big news, but no one else seemed to talk to them about it, I was absolutely curious about their take on it and was quite amazed by the different viewpoints from this one group of people.

[Claygasm]

Really? I actually agree that crisis will continue to happen until people care more about he world than how many days Paris Hilton serves in prison.

Not a parent but spend a lot of time with young people and am always shocked at their narrow vision (and the ignorance of their parents! <- think family here). When I do speak about the world and what is happening, I always find them interested (unless they are just trying to be nice - I don't think so though, because they usually come back with more questions).

I have also had many people from other countries shocked that I actually knew what was happening in their countries - like the many Indian people I worked with were shocked to know I knew about the burnt temple and the railway murders years ago in the religious wars. It was big news, but no one else seemed to talk to them about it, I was absolutely curious about their take on it and was quite amazed by the different viewpoints from this one group of people.

I did say I agreed that education was important but the first step is awareness. You can't learn about something until you know it exists! We do hear much more about Paris Hilton than the various human crisises around the world. And that is where I think IGB scored big - making people aware.

And raising money too because no matter how you spin it, its hard to argue that raising $70 million is a bad thing!

[ldyjocelyn]

I think, for me...the education aspect on WHY these things happen add a layer of resonance to me, and may influence me more than just showing me the problem in the first place. Yes, the awareness aspect was great for IGB, and I'm sure there are people who went to their libraries or the internet to find out more. But for some people, adding that extra layer of why the problem exists when they are talking about the problem itself gives a new and different reason for giving. So, I'm thinking Clay may have mentally skipped a few steps -- IGB provided step one while Clay was already on step 3 or 4.

It does sound like IGB did focus on the problems in the US too, and I agree that this is very cool. I firmly believe that the U.S. could do more at home and around the world. However, I kinda took Clay's comments this way (and I know for a fact that these words are totally filtered through my own viewpoint): I sometimes feel that Americans can get a "we're better than you" mentality, and yes, even when it comes to charitable giving. Again, we do have the resources -- but should the US then lord that over other countries? In my mind, every single person on the planet is a HUMAN BEING, first and foremost. Anyway, I just wonder if that is where Clay is coming from in this regard?

I also agree that UNICEF will not complain about the money raised, nor should they. I'm glad it was a wildly successful fundraiser. I don't think Clay would disagree with that.

Sorry about the political rant here.

[playbiller]

Ok, but there is a lot of people who feel opening a wallet is just enough and no more is needed - there was no why, just that people were dying - was the causes mentioned or just the starvation? - you know the old saying about give someone a fish and they eat for a day - teach them to fish and they eat forever.

Yes, raisingthe money was good - I can appreciate that - but I can also appreciate a little more depth (not too much, most people don't like too much).

This makes me remember being a small child and actually seeing news programs with one sponsor of crisis like this or even science shows explaing the theory of relativity (brought to you by general electric) and aimed at children. You don't see that anymore - just scripted reality shows. God forbid television present something educational now - some of the specials are cultural (hallmark) but few are real news specials that are not just out for the dramatic - i.e. VT.

[KAndre]

I'll have to disagree a little with you, 'gasm and scooch a little closer to Clay (a sacrifice, but I'm willing to do it). $70 million is a good bit of money and a lot can be done with it - but it isn't enough for prevention. As hopefully one day I'll finish my degree in public health, I sincerely believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And making people aware of the problem is a part of the education - I totally understand that we have to start somewhere but I think he's right in saying that we have to move past the initial "sending money to starving children" to find a way to prevent the war that caused the famine that caused the children to starve. And will continue to cause the children to starve. So I guess I'm saying that I think Clay wants to emphasize what the real problems are - starving children (both here and abroad) are just a symptom. A terrible symptom, that needs to be treated, but a symptom nonetheless.

And I have to agree with him that there is an almost paternalistic attitude toward the recipients of charities (not just internationally, but domestically as well) along with the "crisis of the week" mindset that things like IGB sort of encourages.

I see Clay's answer as more idealistic than naive (or simplistic). Idealism tends to give way to pragmatism, but I see it as necessary to change.

[Clayzorback]

Condolences to you, kandre for your loss.

Welcome to geekette. I recognize your name from the boards.

Best tickets I ever had were front row in Omaha and 7th row in Kansas City. Actually I've never had a bad seat, really. Farthest away I ever had was row 12 or 15, can't remember which for sure. However, as soon as Kelly's fans left after her opening act (hee, that's what it really was IMHO) then i was able to move up. Once I had first row in the side section right next to the stage. It was also a great seat. It would of been on Clay's right facing the audience. He came over to the side often. Didn't need binoculars,either. That was for the AI2 tour. Where I was fortunate enough to talk Jerome into a meet and greet. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I love me some Jerome. He is one big, tall, strapping, good looking, man. I think he cares deeply for Clay and their friendship. He is always so gracious to take my gifts I bring for Clay and give to him. Yeah, I know, silly, but he is going to continue to get one from me every time. Whether he leaves it, donates it, or whatever.

merrieeee, I hope your eye surgery went well. The ordeal with my husband is over. He's home and recovering well. He discovered Percocet and is now in LaLa land. That is after having multiple home made shakes. The last couple of weeks have been very emotionally draining for the both of us. It was not purdy but had to be done and we are glad it is over. He has never been put to sleep or had surgery before so he was very nervous. Thanks for all the Pm's and well wishes.

I loved that interview by Clay and I pretty much agree with what he said. However, Claygasm has a good point. No matter how you feel about Idol, 70 million dollars is 70 million dollars these charities wouldn't have, without IGB. Even though, IMHO, it was more about Idol tooting their own horn, for their show, than it was the charities themselves. But, it's all good in the end.

cha cha trusty I love that Claymobile picture. Who is sitting in the car? LOL

I also got a kick out of the "Hissy Fit" Clay story.

I love me some pissy Clay. Is it wrong for me to love to imagine him swearing and get turned on? Too bad, cause it does turn me on. Hee.

[luckiest1]

From Notacanuck at CH:

Kalamazoo Gazette

2007-08 SEASON Demand helps set Miller's lineup

The big performer is Clay Aiken, the most successful singer out of TV's ``American Idol,'' who will present a Christmas concert with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

This is Friday, November 30th, Clay's birthday. And it's only 4 hours from meeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

[Claygasm]

I do agree that people have to be educated about what the cause of a problem is in order to try and eradicate the problem, BUT, you have to remember that IGB was essentially an entertainment show with the purpose of raising awareness and lots of money. If they had spent a great deal of time educating the audience the sad fact is people would have likely tuned out. They attracted the viewers, and thereby the money, they did by offering up entertainment with the reality check. It was the opening of the door. I think I agree with ldyj when she said that IGB provided step 1 and Clay was already on step 3 or 4. I suspect coming from where he's coming from he may have forgotten that you have to open that door before people can come in.

I suspect that the charities involved are very much hoping now that the door has been open people will come in and learn about the problems and what can be done not only to alleviate the problems but to also maybe one day solve the problems.

And yes, KAndre, maybe naive was the wrong choice of words. I think maybe idealistic is a better choice. I think I used naive because I think maybe he lost sight of the fact that IGB was only effective because its entertainment value and to expect them to lecture on the subject would just not have been very effective.

ETA:

From Notacanuck at CH:

Kalamazoo Gazette

2007-08 SEASON Demand helps set Miller's lineup

The big performer is Clay Aiken, the most successful singer out of TV's ``American Idol,'' who will present a Christmas concert with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

This is Friday, November 30th, Clay's birthday. And it's only 4 hours from meeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Oooo! I used to live in Kalamazoo!! I haven't been back in many years and I always promised myself if he ever did a concert there I would go!

But Kalamazoo in the winter??? That might not be good. I remember trick or treating in the snow! We used to ice skate to McDonalds! There was snow piled up higher than me!

Edited May 8, 2007 by Claygasm

[ldyjocelyn]

Well shoot -- that's only 4 1/2 hours away for me as well! But then, there's that pesky weather thing to worry about. I wish Clay could guarantee good, sunny weather for his birthday celebration, but alas....

Let me think about it....

Looks as if we're going to need a "Clay Christmas Tour 2007" emoticon already! Hee. I love that TC is planning this tour out at practically the same time as the summer tour. Same basic resources (needed: one orchestra), but knowing that in some cities, the orchestras take the summer off -- but they sure don't at Christmas!

Hey Team Clay -- Peoria has a great orchestra, and a great place to hold a concert! Talk to me!

[muskifest]

I love me some pissy Clay. Is it wrong for me to love to imagine him swearing and get turned on? Too bad, cause it does turn me on. Hee.

This IS a rhetorical question, right? And CG, remind me about just what words you thought he might've been saying that his mama wouldn't want to hear?

Loving the discussion. I have to say that the 'shock 'n shame' pictures of crying babies, dying mothers, etc., aren't the best way to get ME to donate to a cause. I remember those Save the Children television pieces that consisted of one atrocious image after another; after the first show, I know I avoided the rest.

And although that might sound harsh, it doesn't mean that I did NOT donate; it only means that seeing that kind of presentation made me feel uncomfortable for pretty much the reason Clay described---it seemed to demean the people needing help, rather than educate about their situation. And that made me feel yucky. I do agree that IGB is an awareness vehicle, although I'd love to know what kind of long-lasting effect it will have on people with celebrity and financial means to really make a difference. Not everyone can be a Clay AIken, I realize; certainly, I'm not in that I'm not making my life about 'making a difference'. I just hope that the rich influential people who so publicly 'were moved' by what they experienced in Africa and New Orleans and elsewhere, and who have the celebrity and $$$$$ to do something OTHER than signing a check will in fact do it.

When Clay talks about education being at the root of a series of steps toward addressing the symptoms of poverty, once again I'm reminded of Greg Mortenson and his Central Asia non-profit's mission of getting schools built and teachers trained, etc., in previously impoverished and isolated places as the way to prevent fanaticism and susceptibility to tyrants. These two men really do have so much in common, it seems to me. Hope they meet some day.

And that is my contribution to the serious stuff for the day.

Speaking of the Clyra, I got a bug in my brain to write a quickie about this NYC dinner that those two had recently....just a 'what-if' type thing---nothing porny, just some muskimusings......gotta do some real work now, though....but I'll leave you with this: wonder if, when dinner was over, there was a little peck on the cheek as one or both of them got into taxis toward separate destinations...OR perhaps there was some flirtatious mention of their last 'kiss' and how unsatisfying it had been....OR....

INSERT DAMNED WHISTLING EMOTICON HERE THAT STILL IS NOT HERE! :angry22:

[ldyjocelyn]

Now I just gotta talk to the other admins and find out how to load it to our many, many emoticons....

ETA: Hee! I did it! Thanks couchie! And yay for muski, because it's even part of the emoticons on the side of the reply screen!

[Couch Tomato]

:eusa_whistle: :eusa_whistle: :eusa_whistle:

Are you happy now..geesh. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[muskifest]

ldyjocelyn....you're a peach.. :F_05BL17blowkiss: .could you please make THIS our whistling emoticon? The expression on the face is what I'm after....the one on the side now looks like he's just trying to whistle rather than pretending to be innocent while he knows he's not....like sorta...

ETA: BWAH! Evidently, not, couchie dear! BWAH!

Edited May 8, 2007 by muskifest

[ldyjocelyn]

*grumble, grumble, grumble*

But I'll do it, because I really like muski and want to know more details of this Clyra dinner!

[cha cha trusty]

cha cha trusty I love that Claymobile picture. Who is sitting in the car? LOL

Clayzor - that is my friend wuzie and myself. I am in the driver's seat.

This was right before the first time I ever saw Clay which was at the NCC Basketball

game when he sang the NA and then performed at halftime. HERE is the BEVR

(Broad's Eye View Report) I wrote about it.

Someone told me before we went in, "you think you love him now?

Just WAIT till you hear him LIVE!"

And that's what all this :Tour4: is all about, isn't it???????? LOL

Except when it's ALL ABOUT LOVE!!!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: :Tour3: :F_05BL17blowkiss: :Tour3: :F_05BL17blowkiss:

ChaChaTrusty..oh I remember that Delaware concert and the pouring rain. How could you stand it?

OMG - it was awful. I was wearing a poncho and trying to keep my camera dry,

and take a few photos, and a little surreptitious video (for which I got busted!!!).

My daughter (same age as Clay) was sitting beside me, not wearing a poncho,

not wearing much of anything, actually... she had one of those diamond-shaped

tops that ties around the neck and has no back. I think her look was up there

with a wet t-shirt look only more glamourous! She said she thought Clay was

checking her out all night! I had hoped they would meet and fall in love, but

alas, it was not to be!! The concert was great but my god, were we cold and wet!!

And also, I couldn't see either with or without my glasses, because of the rain!

That was simultaneously, my best and worst seat to date!

eta: 'gasm - which concert was that Solitaire hissy fit in?? I tried to look back for your post,

but I really have to go finish packing for Houston!!

LOVE the yahoo interview!

Edited May 8, 2007 by cha cha trusty

[Claygasm]

eta: 'gasm - which concert was that Solitaire hissy fit in?? I tried to look back for your post,

but I really have to go finish packing for Houston!!

cha cha, it was at the York State Fair for the NAT.

[bottlecap]

Yeah for the Kalamazoo date, more for what it says about the Christmas Tour than because it's reachable for me (wrong side of Michigan, I think). Anyway, I would think that it means the Spur of the Moment 2006 Christmas Symphony / Comedy was well enough received that they're going with the same format this year. Since the announced date is at the end of November, it should allow for a longer tour, and maybe Clay will be able to cover a bigger geographical area than he did in 2006.

[playbiller]

I am sorry, this is just too funny - someone posted "if RCA is still Clay's label"??? They just added his tour information to their main page, have his videos up and and and - Where does this stuff come from? ANd yet, someone describes me as a person in denial. It is just not worth it to post back on this any more - there is nothing that wouln't be redundant.

I did post CLay's (and Josh's) To Love Somebody on IDF though, hehe. Something about a poster describing him as so yesterday - hillary duffed me into doing it.

[cha cha trusty]

eta: 'gasm - which concert was that Solitaire hissy fit in?? I tried to look back for your post,

but I really have to go finish packing for Houston!!

cha cha, it was at the York State Fair for the NAT.

RATS - it doesn't look like anyone got good clack from that one!!

Do you know of any? (I was in the nosebleed seats... ) Thanks Claygasm!!

eta: I found some at CV! downloading now.......

:laola0:

I just listened to what I had, it sounds like he repeated the "every road

that takes him..." lines. LOL! I would love to have seen him stomp his feet!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: :Tour3: :F_05BL17blowkiss: :Tour3: :F_05BL17blowkiss:

eata: whistling smileys for muski!! They are the very bottom of the list -

just type

eusa_whistle (with a : on either end) for :eusa_whistle:

and

whistling-1 (with a : on either end) for

Edited May 8, 2007 by cha cha trusty

[Claygasm]

I'm so glad this little guy is here!!

cha cha - unless someone was sitting right where I was sitting with a video camera, there would be no clack of foot stomping, cussing Clay, and that is truly a shame!

Oh, and the words I lip-read were at least one f*uck and one shit! NO KIDDING!! My friend saw the same thing, as did an unknown person next to her! We were all looking through binoculars and after we all looked at each other and said "Did he really use those words?" We compared notes and we all thought exactly the same thing! Three sets of eyes couldn't be wrong!

[muskifest]

Hee! whistling smileys everywhere!

By the way...I was reading all about the four remaining American Idol contestants in USA Today while sipping my latte this morning. Seems that tonight it's BeeGees night with Barry Gibb...AND

Jordin is going to sing "To Love Somebody"...AND

then tomorrow night Barry Gibb is going to sing "To Love Somebody".

I'm shocked and appalled. How DARE they?!?!?!? I hope they both paid Clay AIken lots of license fees for the use of HIS song.

Huh?

That's not HIS song?

Oh...

OH JOY! it really is my wonderful whistling guy!

Thanks for all the enablers..... :F_05BL17blowkiss: Now off to a meeting. It's so beautiful outside; I think we're going to find cafe with an outside area for our tete a tete....

Oh, and the words I lip-read were at least one f*uck and one shit!

Oh, be still my heart...and other throbbing body parts.

[luckiest1]

Well shoot -- that's only 4 1/2 hours away for me as well! But then, there's that pesky weather thing to worry about. I wish Clay could guarantee good, sunny weather for his birthday celebration, but alas....

<snip>

Hey Team Clay -- Peoria has a great orchestra, and a great place to hold a concert! Talk to me!

Heh. We have great orchestras here in Canada, too. Just sayin'. No matter where he tours in winter, I am gonna have to drive through the snow to get there. C'est la vie. See ya there, ldyjocelyn?

When Clay talks about education being at the root of a series of steps toward addressing the symptoms of poverty, once again I'm reminded of Greg Mortenson and his Central Asia non-profit's mission of getting schools built and teachers trained, etc., in previously impoverished and isolated places as the way to prevent fanaticism and susceptibility to tyrants. These two men really do have so much in common, it seems to me. Hope they meet some day.

You read my mind. That book had such a profound impact on me, too. I really hope others will read it if they do take Clay's words in the interview this morning to heart. Three Cups of Tea. I'd be amazed if Clay hasn't read it.

[Claygasm]

By the way...I was reading all about the four remaining American Idol contestants in USA Today while sipping my latte this morning. Seems that tonight it's BeeGees night with Barry Gibb...AND

Jordin is going to sing "To Love Somebody"...AND

then tomorrow night Barry Gibb is going to sing "To Love Somebody".

I'm shocked and appalled. How DARE they?!?!?!? I hope they both paid Clay AIken lots of license fees for the use of HIS song.

Huh?

That's not HIS song?

Oh...

Oh dear! Now if they all don't pay homage to Clay it will be taken as a diss - PROOF that AI hates Clay! I guess there are some that will think when Ryan announces Jordin he should say "And here is Jordin singing "To Love Somebody" which was sung by Clay Aiken four years ago and could never possibly be sung better ever..." and when the judges critique her they should say "Jordin that was good but never could it be as good as the way Clay sang it 4 years ago!" and then when Barry Gibb sings it tomorrow he should say "I chose to sing this song because even though Clay Aiken sang it better than I ever have or ever will four years ago, I want to attempt to sing it even half as well. I have been practicing it ever since!".

Only then would some be satisfied.