ldyjocelyn Posted January 2 Report Share Posted January 2 jamestownsun.com Once 'American Idol' rivals, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken to share Fargo Theatre stage Quote Once 'American Idol' rivals, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken to share Fargo Theatre stage 20 years after their historic finale, the singers will pair up for an 'Idol' encore in Fargo on Thursday, Jan. 4 Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken perform at the Fargo Theatre on Thursday. Contributed By John Lamb Today at 7:20 AM FARGO — In its 21 seasons, “American Idol” has lived up to its name, producing stars like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia Barrino and more. Still, no year could match the down-to-the-wire competition of the second season in 2003, which saw Ruben Studdard squeak out a victory over Clay Aiken. That finale episode is still the single most-watched in the show’s history, attracting 38.1 million viewers, the biggest audiences for a regularly scheduled, live, non-sporting event in the 21st Century. The singers hit the road last year celebrating the 20th anniversary of the show that made them household names. They’ll bring the tour to the Fargo Theatre on Thursday night, Jan. 4. The concert includes songs the singers performed on “American Idol,” like “Superstar,” “Open Arms” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” as well as a medley inspired by “Idol” mentors, like Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson and Olivia Newton-John. “There are songs we sang on ‘Idol’ and songs from ‘Idol’ that inspired us,” Studdard explains from his home in Alabama. “We want to give people that Ruben and Clay experience.” While Studdrad has performed regularly over the last 20 years, Aiken spent much of the last decade unsuccessfully running for Congress in his home state of North Carolina. The tour marks Aiken’s return to the road for the first time since 2012. “The only thing that’s changed in 20 years is that we’re older and now we have families,” Studdard says. “We just enjoy getting to do a job we love.” Both singers were 24 when they were on “American Idol.” While Studdard studied music in college and had decided to focus on a career as a singer, he was not prepared for what an experience like “American Idol” could mean. “I was really excited about the prospects, but didn’t know what to expect because I didn’t watch the first season. Every week was a new experience and opportunity,” he says. A big part of that experience was performing before judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. By the second season, Cowell’s sometimes sharp criticism was almost as well known as the performances, but Studdard felt his opinions were in line. “Listen, Simon was par for the course,” the singer says. “I was a music major and his critiques weren’t any different from voice teachers I had in school. You need that. The music industry is a lot tougher than Simon is on ‘Idol’ because they go over everything to make sure they’re getting a return on investment.” While the judging created some tension in the episodes, Studdard says there was little drama behind the scenes. The performers lived together in a mansion and got along, making for a cohesive environment. “The way we were in that house was all like a family because 75% of us were from the South,” he says. “It was hard to foster a spirit of competition until we were on the stage and even then it wasn’t really a competition with each other.” In a November interview in The Washington Post about the tour, Aiken said the camaraderie was genuine among that season’s contestants. “I think one of the reasons we became not only friends with each other, but friends with everyone in our group, is because we had no idea what we were getting into,” Aiken said. “In subsequent seasons, I happen to know for a fact ... the winner and runner-up had not spoken since their season ended. And we were both like, ‘What?’” In that interview, Aiken also revealed that a staffer on that season of the show was his first boyfriend. Studdard emerged victorious in the final episode, winning by 134,000 votes out of 24 million votes, a relatively slim margin that prompted some outrage from Aiken fans. Claymates, as they are known, may have felt vindicated when the singer’s first single, “This is the Night,” topped Studdard’s “Flying Without Wings” on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the best-selling single of 2003. Studdard didn’t mind. He released his full-length debut, “Soulful,” later that year and his version of “Superstar” was nominated for a Grammy. That honor put him in competition with his idol, Luther Vandross, who won the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance award for “Dance with My Father.” “It was an adjustment going from obscurity to everyone knowing who you were,” Studdard says about the attention he received following his “Idol” win. The singer has kept busy recording and touring and in 2018 released a very personal album, a tribute to Vandross who died in 2005. He’s been able to feature a couple of those songs in his tour with Aiken. “He was my mother’s favorite artist so I grew up around his music and I became a fan. To have people compare me to him is a blessing,” Studdard says, adding that he’s excited to see the new documentary on Vandross. If you go What: Ruben Studard & Clay Aiken When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4 Where: Fargo Theatre Info: Tickets from $49.50 to $69.50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted January 4 Author Report Share Posted January 4 startribune.com From 'American Idol' rivals to besties, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken explain Quote From 'American Idol' rivals to besties, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken explain Headed to Minneapolis, they discuss first impressions, pet peeves, parenting and their brotherly relationship. By Jon Bream Star Tribune JANUARY 4, 2024 — 5:00AM CASSIDY ARAIZA, FOR THE WASHINGTON POST Clay Aiken, top, and Ruben Studdard are on the concert tour “Twenty” to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their “American Idol” showdown in 2003. They seemed an unlikely couple — the teddy bear from Alabama with the gospelly R&B voice and the geeky pop singer from North Carolina. But Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken hit it off on "American Idol" in 2003, finishing as winner and runner-up, respectively — and best friends. Unlike any other "Idol" contestants, they've been forever linked. They toured together in 2010 and four years later they did a Christmas show on Broadway. They call it a brotherly relationship with divergent paths. While Studdard has had a steady career of touring and recording R&B albums, Aiken twice ran unsuccessfully for Congress in North Carolina. He hasn't released an album since 2010 or performed since 2014. Both singers ended up on reality TV: Aiken on "The Celebrity Apprentice" in 2012 and Studdard on "The Biggest Loser" in 2014. Last year, Aiken finally returned to music to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his and Studdard's "American Idol" run. Headed to the Dakota in Minneapolis, Studdard and Aiken, both 45, started talking about the Twin Cities before they entertained questions in a joint phone interview last weekend. Aiken reminisced about opening the 2003 "American Idol" tour in St. Paul, where they rehearsed for a week. Studdard has been a regular Thanksgiving visitor because his best childhood friend lives in Mendota Heights. Here are excerpts from an hourlong conversation. Q: Ruben, how did you convince Clay to return to the road after all these years? RS: We talked about it before, but I don't think he really considered it until he came to see my Luther [Vandross] show a couple years ago. CA: Ruben had been on the road for 20 years solid. I had stopped and taken an ill-advised detour into, should we call, "public service." He stayed supportive during the whole time I did that. When you see Ruben perform, it just makes you happy. Not often do I see a show that makes me want to get back onstage. Q: Why is the set list all covers? No solo hits like Clay's "Invisible" or Ruben's "Sorry 2004." RS: It's the Ruben and Clay Show, not the Ruben Studdard or Clay Aiken show. We try to give people opportunity to have fun from the perspective of where they met us, which is on "American Idol." CA: It's a celebration of that pivotal moment not only in our lives but in America's lives. Season 2 was the year the show exploded. It's not a co-headlining where we each do our own set. You still get a heavy dose of Ruben singing "Flying Without Wings" and me doing "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Q: Clay, what was your first impression of Ruben 20 years ago? CA: Omigod, I was intimidated. My first impression of him onstage was that's the dude I've got to beat. My first impression of him as a person is the same as it is today: He'll talk to anybody, can talk to anybody, he is the most sociable, friendly. He walked up to me in the restaurant at the Hilton [Hotel] and we've been barely separated since. Q: Ruben, what was your first impression of Clay? RS: I thought he was hella cool. I saw him around a bunch of ladies that had been singing. The next day I got to hear how extremely talented he was. We had this spiritual thing. When they put us in that "Idol" house, we ended up being like the brother we never had. We ate cereal together, we played video games, anything you could think of. Q: Ruben, how has Clay changed in 20 years? RS: As far as personality, he's become a lot more assertive. Which is something that concerned me at the beginning of our friendship. Because I used to not like the way he handled things. CA: Now he's concerned for the other reason. He's like: "Damn, be less assertive, please." RS: Yeah, but he's definitely come into who he is as an adult. I think we were still trying to find ourselves on that show. I think "Idol" really centered me in that vision [of who I am]. Q: Clay, how has Ruben changed in 20 years? CA: Ruben has always been sort of — sage is the wrong word to use. When we'd sit in group meetings when the top 12 had to make a decision without the producers, Ruben would be the one that people would defer to. Now Ruben has that same sage ability to guide folks and mentor others. He's a calming presence when I lose my temper. He's a mentor to the band, to the crew, to the people in Alabama who line up to be his background singers. Q: Do you share fatherhood tips? RS: I just watch [Clay]. He is the prototypical Southern father. We're different as it pertains to discipline down here. We're "yes ma'am, no sir." That stuff is paramount. The pleasantries that we have to exhibit that go a long way to get you places. I've seen him in his co-parenting role. I know he tripped and stumbled a couple of times but he does it with grace and good character. He has a good heart. I know his son appreciates that. CA: He doesn't like his dad at this moment. He's 16. The tour came through Raleigh back in the spring and after the show I had friends and family milling around. Afterward I had four different people send me a photo of Ruben and Parker [Aiken's son] together. Ruben had his hand on Parker's shoulder. They had this really serious conversation. You can just see in Parker's eyes that he was listening to what Uncle Ruben was telling him and he was taking it to heart. We have been less advisers to each other as far as parenting goes as opposed to Ruben has been an uncle figure who he can ask for advice. God help us one day Olivier [Ruben's young son] will ask me for advice. Q: How often do you text or talk when not working together? RS: I would say as often as I would text my own brother. Once every two or three weeks. CA: Ruben is better about that than I am. Sometimes we'll hop on the phone. Q: Clay, what's your biggest pet peeve about Ruben? CA: He'll answer his phone — no matter who it is even if he doesn't know who it is — in the middle of anything. It could be a blocked number and he could be in the middle of planning a funeral and he'd answer the phone and it'll be someone from Birmingham asking if he'll come to their Little League game. Studdard laughed. Q: Ruben, what's your pet peeve about Clay? RS: There's so many. Aiken laughed. CA: You don't have to be diplomatic. Just say it. RS: Clay is a lot more serious in moments when I want him to enjoy the experience. A lot of times Clay is very meticulous and focused on the minor things. That is the producer in him and the person who has run his own campaign and has to be meticulous as opposed to enjoying the fact that he's actually running for Congress. CA: You can tell Ruben would be a great politician himself. What he's saying is I'm anal and have a temper. He's saying it so nicely. He's always been extra nice. RS: We are a team. We can argue internally but no one outside of us will know we argued. Q: Why haven't "Idol" contestants had more success in the record industry? RS: We were on a television show, and it doesn't have anything to do with the record industry. It gives you a platform to recognize your talent but it doesn't give you a golden ticket to sell a million records. Truth of the matter is "Idol" doesn't have the same record machine when [legendary record executive] Clive Davis was a part of the show. Different companies have different objectives. CA: When Ruben and I and Kelly [Clarkson] and Fantasia and Carrie Underwood were on the show, "Idol" was produced by a record company, 19 Entertainment. Simon Fuller created it and the winner was signed to his label. So for the first four years, it was a motivation to make sure that each person on the show became a long-term artist. As years went on and the show became owned by Fox and later ABC and Disney, the motivation is to create a good TV show. What's important is that the overnights [ratings] come in good. Now social media is important so a lot of the show needs to be produced so there are shareable moments. The way we measure success is different now. It's followers and shares. Q: Clay, what did you learn in politics that helps you in your performing career? CA: Nothing. This tour is the first thing I've done since I finally bleached myself of that world that has made me realize how much more authentic entertainment is than politics. That's a shame. That has a lot to do with why people hate politicians. Ruben and I go onstage and we're just ourselves. We're not guarded. People have fun and enjoy it. It's so much easier. Politics, even when you try to be yourself, you have 15, 20 people telling you not to. I pushed hard not to follow that stuff but there's a constant pressure to do what the polls tell you to do. Or what your communications [staff] tell you to say. The only thing I want to learn from politics is what not to do and how not to be. Q: How much do you pay attention to "Idol" these days? RS: I watch. I'm not invested in the kids like I used to be in early seasons. CA: Without watching this last season, I strayed for several years. Megan Wolflick used to drive us around when she was 24 as a producer on our season of "Idol," now she's the showrunner. Both of us have gotten a little more interested in it. She's bringing back some of the elements that made "Idol" great 20 years ago. Q: What's next after this tour? RS: Going out to perform my new record [released in October] — "The Way I Remember It." CA: I don't know the answer. I'm enjoying performing so much that I'll probably keep on. I'm certainly not going back to politics. But I think before our 25th anniversary, there will be a Ruben & Clay project of some kind because we enjoy working together so much. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken When: 6:30 and 9 p.m. Fri. Where: The Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. Tickets: $65-$80, dakotacooks.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted January 8 Author Report Share Posted January 8 timesonline.com Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken bringing those 2003 vibes and classic music here Quote Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken bringing those 2003 vibes and classic music here Ahead of their January tour, the 'American Idol' stars discuss their tour, aspirations and motivations. Scott Tady Beaver County Times Remember when we associated the initials "AI" with amazing live performances and heart-tugging emotions, and not something so artificial and robotic? Simpler times those were, when "American Idol" ruled the television landscape, drawing 20 million viewers loyally rooting on young singers chasing lofty dreams of musical superstardom. "American Idol's" 2002 debut, which crowned Kelly Clarkson as champion, was an earth-shaker, prompting Fox to hurry up a second season just four months later. That Season Two finale drew 38 million viewers − still the most-watched "Idol" episode − as Ruben Studdard, nicknamed "The Velvet Teddy Bear" − narrowly defeated runner-up Clay Aiken. Studdard and Aiken will whisk fans back to that era when their 20th-anniversary tour continues its second leg this month. Upcoming shows include Jan. 12: Robis Theatre, Warren, Ohio; Jan. 14, Edwin J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, Ohio; Jan. 15 Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, Munhall, Pa.; Jan. 17, Plymouth Memorial Hall, Plymouth Mass.; Jan. 18, Issac Harris Cary Memorial Building, Lexington, Mass.; Jan. 19, NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, N.Y.; Jan. 21, Levoy Theatre, Millville, N.J.; Jan. 22 Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda, Md. An extra $300 scores concertgoers access to the VIP soundcheck party where they'll hear an exclusive song performed live by Studdard and Aiken, with a personal meet-and-greet photo op and a bundle of merchandise (hoodie, unscented candle, tote bag). Studdard and Aiken granted a phone interview Jan. 4 to talk about the tour and share their "Idol" perspective. Here's what they said: The Times: Greetings and happy New Year. Did either of you make any New Year's Resolutions, and if so, have you kept them? Clay: I usually don't make them, but I did this year. I made a resolution to get dressed every day. I know that sounds stupid, but ever since COVID I got to the point where I'm lazy and I'll just wear the same sweatpants. So, I made a resolution this year to get dressed every day, and I've done it so far. You can hold me accountable the rest of the month, Ruben. I usually fail by the end of the first month, so keep me honest. The setlist for your tour looks impressive, including some Motown songs, a Boy Band medley, some R&B classics. How did you craft it? Ruben: This setlist is based upon who we are as individuals. A lot of this music is music we grew up on, and we want to tell a full story of how we got to the point of being on 'American Idol' and then also the people that were a part of our journey. Get the Daily Briefing newsletter in your inbox. Start your day with the morning's top news Delivery: Daily Your Email Clay: This is our third Ruben & Clay show; we did a tour in 2010 together and we did a Broadway show in 2018, and now this one, and I'd have to say this was the easiest setlist to come together. We just started talking about things we remembered, and Ruben would tell a story, like 'Remember that time we met Lamont Dozier, the Motown songwriter?' And I was like, oh my God, we should talk about that story, and then this full setlist kind of came together on just us sitting down together and talking about 20 years ago and finding the stories we thought were worth telling and then putting the music together to go with it. It was a really natural build. What made the 20th anniversary of your 'American Idol" appearance the right time to get back on the road together? Ruben: 20 years is a real monumental moment in your life after achieving something I never thought would happen to us. I always wanted to be a part of the music industry, but I never thought in a million years it would happen the way it did, being on "American Idol." And we wanted to celebrate with the people who gave us the chance to live out both of our dreams in some ways. This is something to be proud of and celebrated and just thankful we're still here 20 years after. Clay: Yeah, not many people get that chance. I mean, how many people would love to do it for five years? And especially today in this new music and media landscape, where people are TikTok-famous or YouTube-famous. My son gets his music from TikTok. Career artists are a much rarer breed these days. And so for Ruben and I to have been able to spend 20 years doing this and be career artists in that way, we're just thrilled and honored. Twenty years is a celebration. Can "American Idol" ever be as big a phenomenon as it was 20 years ago, now that there's so much competition from TikTok, YouTube and streaming services? Ruben: I don't know. Particularly with what you said, there's so much competition. We were the only game in town, when "American Idol" was on with us. Now there's "The Voice," "America's Got Talent" and all these other shows that compete with "American Idol" for the attention of America. And America's attention span is a lot shorter than it was when we were on the show. I think we were on the show at the perfect time. People got a taste of it with Kelly and it just blew up when our season came on. Clay: We do talk about how lucky we feel that we were there with Season 2. Maybe I'm biased (laughs) but as far as your question about 'Idol's' ability to be as big, I think it really comes down to how they measure success now. When we were on the show, obviously it came in ratings – our finale was the highest-rated episode in a century or something ... it was big – so ratings were big then. And then the careers of the artists who came off the show was really important to the record label that also produced the show at the time. Now, there's so much of an emphasis on becoming shareable. While 'Idol' does not yet get the 40 million viewers it did when Ruben and I were on regular TV, they get clips that are shared by millions of people. And they get clips that become viral. And they produce the show in a way that is geared to go viral in little clips. And so they measure success in a very different way. And I think still to this day, 'Idol' is the most social media-shared show in the country. They clearly are being successful in a different way than when we were on it. When you speak with fans at meet-and-greets, what do they say about the impact watching you on "American Idol" had on their lives? Ruben: I think for people in our particular states it gave them a sense of happiness and pride. One thing about the Southern states, we are really enthusiastic about our sports teams, and this was like a sporting event for those people in North Carolina and Alabama and Tennessee and all the places we represented, and I think that is something that was really unique about the show. Clay: 2003 was the year we also went to war in Iraq. That happened two weeks after we started our live 'Idol' shows. It was a really heavy year in the U.S. We've had a lot of people talk about how the show gave them an opportunity to escape twice a week; they could get together and forget about the problems of the world and the whole family could do something together. And that's what we've really tried to recreate in many ways with this live tour, giving folks an opportunity to escape from the crap that's going on in their lives and their worlds now in 2024, and it's a show the whole family can come to, and everybody knows the music and the songs. We've really tried to create that escape that 'Idol' provided back then and we're able to provide now. What was the moment where the sheer magnitude of 'Idol' hit you? Where you realized just how colossal it was? Ruben: A lot of the moments I couldn't believe I was having was meeting the celebrity guests. The Gladys Knights and all the people who came to be on the show. It was just crazy. Every week it was somebody new. Clay: We had been sort of sequestered in our house in Los Angeles during the entire production of the show. But when we got to the top three they flew Ruben, Kimberly Locke and myself to our hometowns, and for me, it wasn't until I got home and they landed me in the baseball stadium with 20,000 people there that I was like, 'Holy crap, people actually watch this show!' We saw the 300 people in the studio every week, but I don't think I realized how big the show was until I got home. It's admirable how you both used your platform to foster community-minded work. Any current projects like that you'd want to discuss? Ruben: Being on the show gave both of us the opportunities to start foundations. I still do work with my foundation, giving young people the opportunity to go to college and major in music like I did, and have summer music camps. That's what we do with the Ruben Studdard Foundation. Clay: And the National Inclusion Project I started right after 'Idol' is still going strong. We have programs in 40 states now that we help train and accredit programs to include kids with disabilities into summer camps, like Ruben does, or into YMCA camps or after-school programs where kids with disabilities are normally left out. Any new music we might hear from you in 2024? Ruben: I have an album I released last fall called 'The Way I Remember It.' I have no idea what number album it is (laughs) but I'm excited about it. We've had two new singles come out, and one more coming this year. Clay: Ruben is so prolific. I have not recorded something like that in over 10 years. It's just not been my ministry. I don't know though, Ruben, we've had so much fun on this 20-(anniversary) tour that it's kind of encouraged me to want to do a little bit more. So I'm considering it more strongly now than I have in the last 10 years. You've both had success on the theater stage, too. Clay, you in Broadway's 'Spamalot,' and Ruben you in the national tour of 'Ain't Misbehavin'.' Any future acting plans? Ruben: Listen: Clay got me on stage doing the Ruben & Clay Christmas play, and it was a lot of work. But if my brother wants to do it again, I will do it again with him. But I don't know, we'll see. Clay: One of the things we have in common is we've been able to stick around for 20 years without always having specific aims on 'this is what I want to do next.' Reporters always ask: 'What's next?' Maybe it's because we came from a show that surprised us and we didn't expect would change our lives, but we've stayed open to other things changing our lives. Everything I've done and I think most of the things Ruben has done is because we stayed open to possibilities, and didn't become so hyper-laser-focused on this is what I want to do next. Instead, we let go, and we let God. That's been a key to longevity. We're waiting for the opportunity to come to us and be open to it. Clay, in your case that included running for Congress. Any chance you'd seek political office again? Clay: That's one opportunity the door is shut on. I'm never doing that again. (both laugh). Let's bring it back to the tour. How many band members do you have on stage? Ruben: We have five band members on stage. It's pretty similar to most traveling shows. We're having a wonderful time with these amazing musicians, especially the young lady who sings backup for us, Michelle Holloway. She helps bring this show to life in so many ways. We're thankful we continue to get to work with great people. You ever flash back to 20 years ago when you see each other singing? Clay: That's what the whole show is. We do songs we did on 'Idol.' We talk about the experience on 'Idol.' We talk about who we met. We sing songs by Lamont Dozier because we worked with him, and Lionel Richie and Gladys Knight because we got to work with them. Even the music that's played as people walk into the theater and during intermission is the hits from 2003. We try to make it 2003 in the room every night. It's all flashback. That should be the name of our next tour. More:These 14 albums shined the brightest in 2023 Your tour includes a stop here in Pittsburgh. Does that stir up any vivid thoughts or memories? Ruben: I look forward to coming back there always because one of my favorite playwrights, August Wilson, is from Pittsburgh. I'm sure the music and arts community there is alive and well. Clay: I love Pittsburgh. I've done three shows there with the Pittsburgh CLO; 'Grease,' 'A Drowsy Chaperone' and we did a tribute to their 75th anniversary on Heinz Field. So, lovely town, and if it weren't for your harsh winters, I could see myself spending a lot more time there. But your summers? I love them. Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted January 8 Author Report Share Posted January 8 mlive.com Ruben and Clay are about to deliver one of the most fun shows of January in Michigan Quote Ruben and Clay are about to deliver one of the most fun shows of January in Michigan Updated: Jan. 08, 2024, 9:25 a.m.| Published: Jan. 08, 2024, 7:47 a.m. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are going on tour together in 2024 with concerts in Metro Detroit and Kalamazoo.rubben studdard and clay aiken Subscribers can gift articles to anyone By Edward Pevos | epevos@MLive.com KALAMAZOO AND CLINTON TWP., MI - Two of the most recognizable voices in “American Idol’s” more than 20 year history have teamed up for what could be two of the most fun concerts of January in Michigan. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are coming to both Kalamazoo and Metro Detroit. The two will be at Miller Auditorium in Kalamazoo on Thursday, January 11. Tickets can be purchased here. They will also be at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township on Saturday, January 13. Tickets can be purchased here. Studdard won the second season of the hit TV singing competition while Aiken finished the runner-up. The two promise a night where they will take audience members on a musical trip through both of their “Idol” journeys. “It’s a little bit of everything. We sing both solos and on our own,” Aiken told MLive. “The whole show is kind of reliving the music, experience and the whole vibe of our time on the show in 2003. Ruben performs songs he did on the show and I do songs I performed on the show. We’re both on stage together for probably 80% of the show doing both solos and singing with each other and backup for each other.” And it’s not just about the music at this show. The singers plan to give audience members some insider info on their experiences from Season 2 of “Idol.” “We give fans a behind the scenes look at what went on with the show,” Studdard told MLive. “We try to talk about some things that people had no idea were going on when we were there, so it’s a unique opportunity to give fans some behind the scenes stories, not just musically, but production wise.” As “American Idol” continues to showcase talent from all walks of life from all over the country as it returns for another season this February, and even though the show has evolved over the years, Aiken says he believes the most important thing contestants can do is be themselves. “Being as authentic as possible is the common thread that Ruben and I have seen with people who have been successful on these shows,” Aiken added. “And not just with TV, but it seems like those who are themselves also do well on TikTok and YouTube, the people who know who they are, feel comfortable with themselves and who don’t apologize for who they are.” “We remember people would walk into the audition room dressed like they thought pop stars should look like or what a star might be like. Those folks rarely made it far. Ruben walked in with a football jersey on and I looked a mess. But we were just ourselves. Even today, the people who seem to do the best on TV and on social are the ones that are being just who they are. And that’s infectious.” This tour also has a Michigan connection. Kalamazoo’s Nashon Holloway is a backup singer. But at the Kalamazoo concert, Aiken told us she will also have the spotlight as the opener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted January 14 Author Report Share Posted January 14 mlive.comRuben and Clay do a throwback-style variety show with plenty of Motown in Motown Quote Ruben and Clay do a throwback-style variety show with plenty of Motown in Motown Updated: Jan. 13, 2024, 11:33 p.m.| Published: Jan. 13, 2024, 11:26 p.m. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are on tour together and had two stops in Michigan the week of January 8, 2024.Photo by Lindsey McCutchan Subscribers can gift articles to anyone By Edward Pevos | epevos@MLive.com CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI - They have a lot of chemistry on stage and not just with their powerful harmonies, but also with their witty banter. Rubben Studdard and Clay Aiken teamed up for a concert in Kalamazoo earlier this week and a show at the Macomb Center in Clinton Township tonight. We talked to the “American Idol” season 2 winner, Studdard, and season 2 runner-up, Aiken, last week before seeing them perform, what we can only describe as, a fun-filled variety show, of sorts. Studdard and Aiken, backed by a band, were mostly on stage together, either performing duets of popular songs, harmonies with one another, or background vocals for the other singer. Kalamazoo’s Nashon Holloway was also on backup vocals and even had a few leads throughout the night. Studdard and Aiken performed all or parts of around 40 songs with many fan favorites from their time on “Idol” through their audition process all the way to the finals with songs like “Superstar,” “Open Arms,” “To Love Somebody” and “Midnight Train To Georgia.” The two also told stories of what went on behind the scenes during their time on the show, like how Aiken dreaded finding out what the song themes were because he said he doesn’t know a lot of popular music, while Studdard, a music guru, always seemed to know what song he wanted to sing each week right away. The two talked about some of the big names they got to sing with on the show or work with over the last 20 years, legends like Babyface, Olivia Newton-John and legendary Motown writer, Lamont Dozier. The two also performed a medley of Motown hits including “I Can’t Help Myself,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Dancing In the Street” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The two also did a boy band medley and Studdard, who has an entire album of Luther Vandross songs, had a chance to do a few of the legendary singer’s hits, while Aiken did some Barry Manilow and Simon and Garfunkel. The two capped off the show with Studdard’s, “Flying Without Wings” and an encore showstopper with both of them performing “The Impossible Dream.” Ruben and Clay put on such a fun night of music, stories and comedy, they could probably record this two hour show and run it as a prime-time network or Netflix special. Or, you can check them out at a city near you as this tour continues for a few more weeks with shows all over the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are on tour together and had two stops in Michigan the week of January 8, 2024.Photo by Lindsey McCutchan
ldyjocelyn Posted January 15 Author Report Share Posted January 15 newsday.com Quote Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken Team for "American Idol" Nostalgia Show at Westbury By David J. Criblez david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez January 12, 2024 5:00 am Back in 2003, singers Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were presented as rivals on the second season of “American Idol.” But that was just on screen. The truth is these two southern gentlemen, winner Studdard and runner-up Aiken, have been the best of friends off-screen and they are currently celebrating their bond with the “Twenty Years / One Night Tour,” which comes to the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Jan. 19. “The competition between Ruben and I was hyped up for the benefit of the viewing audience,” admits Aiken, 45. “I don’t think we felt competitive against each other at all. We played it up on stage for the benefit of the joke, but we never felt that way.” Studdard, 45, adds, “It couldn’t be further from the truth. Basically, everybody was competing with themselves. On ‘American Idol,’ your job was to be better than you were the day before.” SHOW HAS LI ROOTS Surprisingly, the seed for the current tour originated on Long Island in the venue the duo are about to headline. “In 2014, I semi-left performing and wanted to try other things. I stopped singing from 2014 to the beginning of 2018,” says Aiken. “Then in early 2018 I went to see Ruben perform his ‘Ruben Sings Luther’ show in Westbury. It was at that show that I realized I wanted to perform again but only if I can do it with Ruben.” Studdard says, “We have built a friendship on the show that we have continued over the years. When I say that I mean we are like family. Our current show is the 20th anniversary of our friendship. We want to share 20 years of great memories with the public, which is why we decided to go out on tour.” TURNING BACK THE CLOCK The current show is a nostalgia fest for “American Idol” fans featuring a revue of songs both Aiken and Studdard famously knocked out of the park on “Idol” combined with behind-the-scenes stories. “The show is broken down into sections and it’s about the people that inspired us,” says Studdard, who recently released his 8th album, “The Way I Remember It.” “We tell stories about the things we did, the people that we worked with and we have songs that coincide with the people that we are talking about.” Aiken adds, “Ruben sings by himself quite a bit and I sing by myself as well. We perform medleys together and reminisce. Our goal is to recreate the magic that was 2003 because it was a pivotal moment in our lives.” What made “American Idol” stand out from other talent shows was that it was the first time people at home got to vote. “This element created an ownership and competition among the viewers because they were devoting their own time to being on the phone after every episode trying to vote,” says Aiken. “I think that’s what made the show fun and created the 21st century variety show featuring a little bit of everything from country music to disco to Broadway to pop. Our tour celebrates all of that. We touch on every genre that we hit on ‘Idol.’ ” Highlights of the show include performances of Aiken’s version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as well as Studdard belting out “Flying Without Wings.” “I love singing those big power ballads,” says Studdard. “It still makes the hair stand up on my arm when we sing those songs. I feel something special is happening.” Aiken adds, “Those are the moments when people are most pulled back to 2003. I find myself even making the same arm motions when I sing.” WHEN RUBEN MET CLAY Aiken and Studdard first met at the Hilton Hotel in Glendale, California during Hollywood Week on “Idol.” “I was holding court with a couple of people and in comes Clay,” recalls Studdard. “I saw he was the only guy around a whole bunch of girls. So I came over and introduced myself.” Aiken, who came out as gay in 2008, notes, “He thought I was a player!” (laughs) For Aiken being on “Idol” was quite an awakening because he had never been around people who shared the same musical interest as he did. “Nobody in my world sang at all,” says Aiken. “It was sort of like this interesting, cool summer camp club where everybody was into the same thing and we all had that in common to talk about.” 'IDOL' LESSONS Both men walked away from “Idol” learning some big life lessons that they still carry with them today. “It was not as easy to be proud of the skills I had or develop confidence in myself until ‘Idol.’ Being on the show taught me to like myself for who I am and celebrate the gifts God gave me,” says Aiken. “I think it does that for a lot of kids that are on the show now. That’s something that hasn’t changed in 20 plus years. It gives people a chance to shine and build confidence.” Studdard says, “The biggest lesson that I learned is that hard work and dedication pays off. The people that made it to the top 10 were extremely serious. We took pride in the work that we did and they made sure to get every ounce of energy out of us for sure.” Although Aiken and Studdard are simpatico that doesn’t mean their fans are fully on the same page. “Our fans were the ones that were competitive with one another and they continued that even after the show was over,” says Studdard. Aiken says, “There are still people who come to our shows that are primarily there for Ruben or me, but they know how much we love each other and that there’s no animosity between us. They now come and enjoy the show with both of us. We’ve all matured a little bit.” RUBEN STUDDARD & CLAY AIKEN WHEN/WHERE 8 p.m., Jan. 19; NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury INFO 516-247-5200, thetheatreatwestbury.com ADMISSION $29-$129.50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted January 19 Author Report Share Posted January 19 ajc.com INTERVIEWS: Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken reunite on stage 20 years after ‘Idol’ Quote INTERVIEWS: Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken reunite on stage 20 years after ‘Idol’ They are touring, including a stop at Buckhead Theatre Jan. 24. Credit: HANDOUT The "American Idol" season 2 winner Ruben Studdard reunited with runner-up Clay Aiken for a tour to celebrate the season's 20th anniversary and will stop at Buckhead Theatre Jan. 24, 2024. HANDOUT By Rodney Ho 48 minutes ago Twenty years ago, “American Idol” was on its way to becoming the biggest show in America, bigger than “C.S.I.,” bigger than “Friends,” bigger than “ER.” It was one of the final broadcast shows that cut across generations, before social media atomized TV viewership. And that spring of 2003, two very different 24-year-old men — Ruben Studdard of Birmingham, Alabama, and Clay Aiken of Raleigh, North Carolina — found themselves at the center of the pop culture universe, landing on magazine covers, awards shows and late-night talk shows. Aiken, a gawky teacher with an enchanting voice, made quite the visual counterpoint to Studdard, the cuddly R&B singer who picked up the nickname “Velvet Teddy Bear.” In the end, Studdard beat Aiken in a controversial finale where Aiken’s “Claymates” complained that jammed phone lines had cost their man the title. (Yes, it was so long ago, voting could only be done by calling.) data:image/svg+xml;base64,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 Credit: FOX PUBLICITY Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard during the final of season two of "American Idol" in May 2003. They are coming to the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta Jan. 24, 2024 to perform together again. FOX Two decades later, the pair decided to hit the road to celebrate that magical time period by reprising many of the classic tunes they did on the show. At the tail end of their tour, they are coming to Atlanta’s Buckhead Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Tickets are still available at livenation.com from $43 to $97.50. Studdard has toured and recorded music regularly over the past 20 years. Aiken did the same for much of the first decade before embarking on a career in politics and raising his son. Studdard is the one who came up with the idea for this reunion tour. “I put a gun to Clay’s head,” Studdard joked in a Zoom interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was the only way he could get me out of the house,” said Aiken, an admitted “hermit.” While Aiken was campaigning for a House seat in North Carolina in 2014 and 2022, Studdard would support him but say, “One of these days, you’re going to get tired of this and get back on stage.” Aiken would reply, “Okay, sure, sure.” data:image/svg+xml;base64,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 Credit: AP Clay Aiken speaks to supporters during an election night watch party in Holly Springs, N.C., Tuesday, May 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) “Lo and behold,” Aiken said, “after the last campaign, I said, ‘Yup! You’re right! I’m ready!” The setlist includes a mix of solo covers and duets from legends who showed up on “Idol” that season, like Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier and pop superstar Barry Manilow. They also tell the audience stories from their time on the show. “I remember Lamont Dozier because I’m a music nerd that way,” Studdard said. “I remember all the arguments because I’m a drama queen!” Aiken said, chuckling. Good news for fans who may not have heard either of them in awhile live: they believe their voices sound better than ever. For Aiken, going on tour was a bit scary because, except for a short stint on Broadway with Studdard in 2018, he hasn’t sung much the past decade. “I can hit high notes better than I used to,” Aiken said. “That last note on ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ has been in the past a cross-your-fingers moment, though I always got it. Now it’s just easier. The high notes are there. My range has gone up.” Overall, he said, “this tour we’ve been in fighting form the whole time.” Studdard said the fans have been a delight though “every single night, there is someone who wants to dictate how our show goes or tells us our story as we tell it on the stage.” One fan at a recent concert was actually helpful. Studdard had come on stage and forgotten to zip his pants. So the woman came to the front of the stage and quietly showed Studdard her phone. “I thought she was showing him a picture of Ruben with her,” Aiken said. But instead, she had written in big letters “ZIPPER.” Studdard appreciated the discretion. “A few months ago, my zipper was down the whole act and nobody said anything until I got offstage!” Aiken said. The Atlanta date will be a homecoming of sorts for Studdard, who has plenty of family and friends in the area and comes here often. He recorded his last album at a studio in Dunwoody. Aiken said Atlanta is where he auditioned for “Idol” in 2002 so “it will always have a special place in my heart.” While on “Idol” in 2003, they said they became quick friends. “We both realized we were barbecue aficionados,” Studdard said. “Except he likes the wrong kind,” Aiken shot back. More seriously, Aiken said he loves their differences. “We are brothers and all the good that comes with that,” he said. “We are just enough alike that we have things to talk about. But I don’t expect him to know who is going to win the Tony for best musical this year. And he doesn’t expect me to know about whatever sports ballgame is on tonight.” They bonded even more after “Idol” was over once they absorbed the intense fandom during the “Idol” tour. Aiken’s Claymates were so rabid, he felt the need to have security whenever he left the house for about seven years. But neither has regrets. Studdard felt the show came at the right time after 9/11 and as a war brewed. “We needed the comfort,” he said. “‘Idol’ was a break from what was going on in the real world.” “‘Idol’ seasons one to five were the last time everybody in the country watched the same show,” Aiken said. “We are now just fractured media wise.” Aiken has no desire to get back into politics. Even between his losing 2014 and 2022 campaigns, he saw the divisions between people grow to untenable levels. “I refuse to lie about somebody,” Aiken said. “I refuse to slander somebody because I want to win. I didn’t want it that bad.” And his own inherent shyness meant the social interactions politicians have to do took a lot out of him. When these concerts end, Aiken will scurry off the stage, jump on the tour bus and change into his pajamas before the last fan is out the door. In comparison, Studdard will be happy to hang out in the lobby and schmooze with departing fans. “He is so laid back and casual,” Aiken said. “He’d take the shirt off his back if someone wanted it.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twenty years ago, “American Idol” was on its way to becoming the biggest show in America, bigger than “C.S.I.,” bigger than “Friends,” bigger than “ER.” It was one of the final broadcast shows that cut across generations, before social media atomized TV viewership. And that spring of 2003, two very different 24-year-old men — Ruben Studdard of Birmingham, Alabama, and Clay Aiken of Raleigh, North Carolina — found themselves at the center of the pop culture universe, landing on magazine covers, awards shows and late-night talk shows. Aiken, a gawky teacher with an enchanting voice, made quite the visual counterpoint to Studdard, the cuddly R&B singer who picked up the nickname “Velvet Teddy Bear.” In the end, Studdard beat Aiken in a controversial finale where Aiken’s “Claymates” complained that jammed phone lines had cost their man the title. (Yes, it was so long ago, voting could only be done by calling.)
ldyjocelyn Posted January 24 Author Report Share Posted January 24 stpetecatalyst.com The Catalyst interview: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken Quote The Catalyst interview: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken Published 23 hours ago on January 23, 2024 By Bill DeYoung Ruben Studdard, left, and Clay Aiken are touring together to mark 20 years since their record-breaking appearances on TV's "American Idol." Publicity photo. On Wednesday night, May 21, 2003, an impressive 38 million television sets were tuned to Fox for the Season 2 finale of American Idol. It remains the most-watched live, regularly scheduled, non-sports TV episode of this century so far. Viewers cast 24 million votes and chose (by a narrow margin) Birmingham, Alabama vocalist Ruben Studdard as the winner – the Idol – with Clay Aiken, of Raleigh, North Carolina, the runner-up. Buoyed by such massive ratings numbers, both singers went on to fairly successful careers as recording and performing artists. They’ve remained good friends over the years, and have been touring the county together for several months. The show stops Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo; find tickets here. The stats: Studdard had a No. 2 single (“Flying Without Wings”), one platinum and one gold album, and earned rave reviews for his album-length salute to Luther Vandross (Studdard’s velvety-smooth voice has been compared to Vandross’ since the beginning). He lost a lot of weight on TV’s The Biggest Loser. Aiken scored two platinum albums, and his first single (“Bridge Over Troubled Water/This is the Night”) went to No. 1. His personal life took center stage in 2008, when he came out (in People) as gay. Aiken said later that he “lost” nearly half of his fan base. In 2014 and 2022, he ran , unsuccessfully, for the U.S. House of Representatives, representing his home state. Both performers have appeared on major theater stages, and in 2018 brought Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Christmas Show to Broadway. St. Pete Catalyst: Before the show, I understand, the audience as they walk in is hearing music from 2003. Is the ultimate goal here, in the broadest sense, to bring people back 20 years? To go back to that exact moment in time? Ruben Studdard: I would think so. We want people to come out and remember the spirit that time held. I can only speak for the people that I’ve met, but a lot of them will come up to me and tell me how that brought their family together. I know several church groups that told me they watched it at their church, religiously – even though it was a secular show, it was something that brought the community together. At my little church in Birmingham there were people of all races that came together to have watch parties. And for us, it’s just reliving that energy, that moment. Clay Aiken: Let me tell you, I’d be happy to live in any other time but this one! I was looking out into the audience recently, and I would argue that our show has probably the most eclectic, diverse crowds of any concert you’ll ever go to. Age, race, religion, socio-economic level, all of it. It’s beautiful to go out into the audience every night and see how everyone’s out there having fun, and dancing and singing along … one of Ruben’s philosophies is that this is their escape. This is our audience’s opportunity to escape from what’s going on in their lives, and their problems. Everyone’s enjoying the same thing – and I gotta tell you, I don’t see that happening much in the world these days. But like Ruben said, it happened in 2003. And so if we can re-create that, that’s what we’re here for. In 2003, could either of you imagine that you’d still be out on the road 20 years later, much less together? Studdard: I had no idea what the opportunity of American Idol would bring. I just knew that it would give us the opportunity to do things like we’re doing right now. I’ve done shows with other people who were on our season, and it just gives us the opportunity, for the rest of our lives, to be bonded with people that enjoy music in the same way that we do, and who want to perform it and bring joy to people’s lives. Aiken: On that last night, we realized it was even bigger than we knew the first week. We didn’t know, throughout the process, that it was this huge show. But by the last two weeks we had been taught – or learned – that it was this national phenomenon. And I think we both knew that something was going to happen after the show ended. I don’t know that either of us could have predicted that it would still be happening 20 years later! But throughout that process, Ruben and I knew that we would know each other for the rest of our lives. We knew that we would stay close and be friends forever. Even if I went back to teaching, and Ruben was doing something else, we would still be friends. A cynical journalist would hear that and go ‘He’s just saying that to plug this duo tour – friends all these years, really?’ But you guys really did bond back in those days? Studdard: We did, and we also didn’t have a choice. I don’t think that anybody can live in such close proximity as the people that we lived with and not have a bond. I still talk to the guy that lived five doors down from me in my dorm room in college. That’s just me. And Clay, myself, Joshua (Gracin), all of us, we were in the same room, basically, for six months. So to think that we would go away from that and not talk to one another is just weird, to us. Because we really made a real family there. Like these wee my real live brothers and sisters. Aiken: We both have friends from high school who we stay close with. They say you can’t make old friends, and there is something about the people who we grew up with that makes that connection stronger. And it’s because so few people know what we were like when we were in high school. And no one else except for the 10 people who were finalists with us know what we went through. I became really close with Kelly Clarkson when we toured together the next year – in large part because, at that point, no one else besides Ruben and Kelly, and Justin Guarini, knew what it was like to spend an entire season on a TV show like that. And have your lives changed overnight, almost. Because we all went through the fire together, we have that bond. What does this concert consist of? Songs you sang on the show, songs from your solo albums, your favorite classics? Studdard: We intentionally avoid singing songs that are on our albums, just because we wanted this to be The Ruben & Clay Show, not The Ruben Show and then, when Clay comes on, it’s The Clay Show. And what better way to do it than sing material that is based in the people that were a part of our American Idol journey. We sing songs from people like Gladys Knight, and Robin Gibb. We do Smokey Robinson material. Burt Bacharach. Aiken: This goes back to your first question, about trying to take people back to 2003. We do the songs in the same way we did them on Idol. There were a lot of medleys. They don’t do those any more. People have forgotten that for the first several years of the show, on Wednesday nights, all the finalists would do medleys together. We do a bunch of those. There aren’t too many songs that two guys can sing together, so we don’t sing right on top of each other all the time, but we’re onstage together the entire time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted February 3 Author Report Share Posted February 3 fortmyers.floridaweekly.com Best of Friends: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken Quote Best of Friends: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken “American Idol” finalists wind up 20-year reunion tour By Staff January 31, 2024 BY SUE WADE Florida Weekly Correspondent Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken reunite for a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debuts and triumph on “American Idol,” Season 2. LINDSEY MCCUTCHAN / COURTESY PHOTO On the surface, these “American Idol” finalists are the least likely of best friends. When Clay Aiken auditioned for the second season of the fledgling reality TV show, he was a skinny kid with a drawl, sporting sideburns and granny glasses. Ruben Studdard could’ve been a tackle for the Crimson Tide. They’ve been tagged with the joint moniker “odd couple.” But one thing they had in common was the unshakeable confidence of 24-year-olds who know they’ve got talent. Plucked from obscurity in their southern hometowns — Studdard’s in Alabama, Aiken’s in North Carolina — they became audience favorites who propelled “Idol” to the top of the Nielsens. More than 38 million viewers tuned in for the outcome of over 124 million votes cast in their finale, making it the most-watched “Idol” episode in history. In the end, the pair didn’t much care who won. (It was Studdard, by a 134,000-vote margin). Studdard and Aiken walked away from the show as lifelong celebrities and, even better, lifelong brothers. On their 20-year reunion tour, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken will sing some of the songs that made them “American Idol” favorites. LINDSEY MCCUTCHAN / COURTESY PHOTO Since then, they’ve sold millions of albums, appeared on TV shows and starred on Broadway. Between them, they’ve won four Billboard Music Awards and an American Music Award and been nominated for two Grammys. Returning to reality TV, Aiken was again a runner-up, this time on 2012’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.” In 2013, Studdard appeared on “The Biggest Loser,” where he didn’t win but still dropped 119 pounds. Aiken ran for Congress, twice, before abandoning politics. Studdard created and taught a music industry course at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Only his adult students knew who he was. Last spring — nearly 20 years after the two stood onstage together with Ryan Seacrest, waiting to hear who’d won — they set out on an 82-date 20th anniversary tour that will have its last stop in Punta Gorda. “Twenty / The Tour” features the music that made them “Idol” favorites. From Aiken’s iconic rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” to Studdard’s soulful “Flying Without Wings,” America’s favorite Idols, with a five-piece band, promise an evening of music and memories. LINDSEY MCCUTCHAN / COURTESY PHOTO At the 65th stop on their tour, Season 2’s top two took time to trade quips and mutual admiration in a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day interview with Florida Weekly. “I think we’re in Pittsburgh,” Studdard said. “And it is not hot,” Aiken chimed in. “We are very excited about the end of the tour and warm weather in Florida.” What were your first impressions of each other? RS: I honestly thought Clay was a ladies’ man! From the stage point of view, I definitely recognized his talent very early on. In any singing competition, you can pretty much tell who you’ll need to look out for. It was clear with him. CA: It was clear with Ruben, too. I was sitting at the hotel bar where we were staying for Hollywood Week, with a whole bunch of girls around me. Ruben walked up, the person everyone knew was the one to beat. I remember being intimidated by him from afar, until he walked up, said hello and introduced himself. He was this big, imposing guy, a football player who sang like Luther Vandross, but there’s this warmth about him that’s just evident. He is, as Gladys Knight described him, a “Velvet Teddy Bear.” You’ve got this “odd couple” label. How do you feel about that? RS: I mean, the obvious things are I’m straight, he’s gay; I’m Black, he’s white. But I think we have a lot more similarities than things that are opposite. We’re both church kids who sang a lot. We both had very strong parental figures in our life growing up. We both love, love our grandparents. We both have a strong affinity for barbecue. CA: There’s a marketing aspect of that that’s helpful, certainly. Still, it was nice to be around someone who had the same interests I did. I did not have that experience as much growing up as Ruben did. I didn’t know many people who knew much about music or performing. Or who loved their hometown the way I did. What we initially bonded over was picking at each other over whose home town or state was better. Now I can tell you so many people who were born in Birmingham or Alabama, like Courtney Cox and Lionel Richie. I didn’t have anybody from Raleigh back then. But the truth is, we’re willing to embrace that “odd couple” label because we hope people see that being different doesn’t keep you from loving other people, from being friends, from being close. I think our friendship is stronger because we have differences and know those differences shouldn’t make us enemies. I think that’s something the whole world could use more education in. RS: And all this is auspicious for Martin Luther King Day. What better message to share with your readers than “Love is the answer?” CA: (chuckling) Thank you, Reverend! Many of us remember that second season of “Idol.” What were you both thinking at the moment of the reveal? RS: I was just really happy that it was over. In sports, people talk about how exciting it is to win a championship, but I’d argue that most of the players are actually just excited that the season is over. So much work goes into getting to a level where you can play in a championship that, at the end of the day, you want to win, but you really don’t care what the outcome is and you’re just thankful you’ve made it to that point. That’s where my mind was at the time. We didn’t go into the show wanting to be second; we both wanted to be the winner. But at that point, we’d put so much of ourselves into that show — time away from our family — we were just happy it was about to be over. Or so we thought … CA: Correct. It was only just starting! Ruben’s right. We were both really happy. We’d found out a few commercial breaks prior that we were both getting albums, and we’d both gone into this wanting to make an album with a major label and have a music career. Winning would’ve been nice, and obviously there were financial benefits for the winner and everyone on the show who got a record deal out of it. So, for me, that was the reward. We were both excited that we were about to head into the next phase. It’s been noted that I saw the card in Ryan Seacrest’s hands before we walked out and that I knew Ruben’s name was going to be called. So, I was honestly just really happy for my friend. If you watch that last moment, I’m staring at Ruben the entire time — to the point that he was, like, “Dude, why the hell are you looking at me?” — because I wanted to see his reaction when Ryan said his name. I was excited for him. It’s not like a boxing match where you want to beat the other person, but at that point, I mean: My best friend just won “American Idol!” Clay, you ran for Congress, in 2014 and 2022. Why did you decide to leave politics? CA: Ruben knows this, because nobody was more supportive through the campaigns than he was. He was there to help both times. After our Idol run, we both tried to use that platform to do something for other people. We both started foundations (Ruben’s Foundation for the Advancement of Children in Music; Clay’s, with Diane Bubel, the National Inclusion Project for children with disabilities). We both grew up in an era when politics was more selfless, a means to do good for the people in your state and community. I kind of thought that’s what it still was, but it took me two times to learn it is not anymore. Ruben reminded me, in that last campaign, that I might make more people happy by singing than with politics. It didn’t take him much time to talk me into coming back out on the road again. RS: It being our 20th anniversary of being on the show, I thought: What better way to celebrate that than to go out and thank the people who gave us the opportunity to do the job that we both dearly love. ¦ In the KNOW Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken: Twenty / The Tour · When: 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3 · Where: Charlotte Performing Arts Center, 701 Carmalita St., Punta Gorda · Cost: $59 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted March 14 Author Report Share Posted March 14 screenrant.com The Masked Singer: Beets Identity Prediction & Clues Quote The Masked Singer: Beets Identity Prediction & Clues BYLORIANNE PALINKAS PUBLISHED 12 HOURS AGO The Masked Singer season 11 features 16 celebrities competing for the Golden Mask Trophy. Here are the clues to figure out Beets' identities. The Masked Singer season 11 features the duo Beets as one of its 16 competitors, and there are many clues to help figure out who they really are. The Masked Singer season 11 once again features longtime host Nick Cannon, along with original panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Ken Jeong. Rita Ora took Nicole Scherzinger's place on the panel for season 11, while Nicole was starring in London's West End production of Sunset Boulevard. The Masked Singer season 11 introduced Group B during The Wizard of Oz Night, which was a celebration of the 85th anniversary of the beloved film. Other season 11 theme nights will include the 40th anniversary of the classic toy Transformers, Billy Joel, Queen, Girl Group, Soundtrack of My Life, TV Theme, and Shower Anthem Nights. In addition, the panelists will once again have the option to use the Ding Dong Keep It On Bell to save contestants if they choose to. Here are all of the clues to figure out Beets' true identities. Beets’ The Wizard Of Oz Night Performance & Clues During The Masked Singer season 11 The Wizard of Oz Night, Beets sang "Home" by Michael Bublé in stunning harmony. Before the performance, Nick asked them who they were inspired by from the film. One Beet answered, "I think because of our loyalty as friends, Dorothy and Toto." Beet #1 began the clue package by saying, "There's no place like home, and wouldn't we know it. Home for us has been wherever we're together. And for a moment, we had millions of eyes on us." Beet #2 added, "Yeah, 40 million of them." At that point, an old-fashioned radio was shown. Beet #2 continued, "And even when it felt like the world was trying to pit us against each other, we've always had each other's back." He gave Beet #1 a gift, which was a book with a picture of one of the Beets on the cover with the title, "Beeting the Odds." Beet #1 said, "Of course. We're family." Beets then sat down to play cards. Beet # 1 said, "We work so well together. I mean, his big old brain." Beet #2 added, "And his unbeatable heart." Beet #1 then put down the two of hearts card on the table, and threw up his hands in victory. The Masked Singer season 11 contestants were then shown on a farm. Beet #2 said, "Guess all we need now is to find the nerve to turn up together on this stage. It'll be like going back to our roots." Beet #1 then shined an apple on himself. Beet 1 said, "Wait a second. Who's Dorothy, and who's Toto in this relationship?" Beet #2 replied, "Well, I am the feisty one, so clearly I'm Toto. Probably time for you to click your heels three times, Dorothy, and take us to stage." Beet #1 declared, "Here we go!" After their incredible performance, another clue about Beets was revealed, which was Toto from The Wizard of Oz. Beet #2 explained, "Like Toto and Dorothy, we're the best of friends." Beet #1 added, "And we're pretty good co-stars too." Beets’ Identity Predictions Custom image by César García The Masked Singer season 11 panelists had some great guesses for Beets. Rita was convinced that they were comedians. She guessed that they might be Will Arnett and Jason Bateman. Ken thought that they were a legendary duo and guessed K-Ci & JoJo. However, Robin declared that it might've been one of Ken's all-time worst guesses. He thought that Beets might be either radio personalities or television personalities, and guessed Steve Martin and Martin Short. Although The Masked Singer season 11 panelists tried their best, Beets' unmistakable vocals and clues indicate that they are a completely different duo: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. The American Idol season 2 winner and runner-up have been working together for years, from their early days in the reality singing competition to their recent tour in which they celebrated their 20th anniversary of appearing on the show. In addition, in 2018, they starred on Broadway in Ruben & Clay's First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show. The 40 million eyes on Beets referred to the American Idol audience, while the clue about pitting them against each other referred to the fact that Ruben and Clay competed in the finale. The "unbeatable heart" referenced Ruben winning American Idol. Clay came in second, which is why there was a two of hearts card. Beets wowed everyone with their outstanding performance on The Masked Singer season 11. They will next appear with the other Group B contestants during Girl Group Night. The Beets will definitely go on in the competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted March 14 Author Report Share Posted March 14 golderby.com ‘The Masked Singer 11’ episode 2 recap: Who was unmasked in ‘The Wizard of Oz Night’? [LIVE BLOG] The relevant parts: Quote 8:40 p.m. — The last performer in Group B is Beets. It’s a duo! They’re most inspired by Dorothy and Toto because of their loyalty as friends. In their clue package, Beets reveal, “There’s no place like home and wouldn’t we know it. Home for us has been wherever we’re together. And for a moment we had millions of eyes on us. Yea, 40 million of them. Even when it felt like the world was trying to pit us against each other, we’ve always had each other’s back. Of course, we’re family. We work so well together. I mean, his big ol’ brain and his unbeatable heart. I guess all we need now is to find the nerve to turn up together on this stage. It will be like going back to our roots. Wait a second, who’s Dorothy and who’s Toto in this relationship? Well, I am the feisty one so clearly I’m Toto. Probably time for you to click your heels three times, Dorothy, and take us to stage. Here we go!” Visual clues included an old radio, a book called “Beeting the Odds,” a 2 of Hearts playing card and a basket of apples. 8:45 p.m. — Beets are singing “Home” by Michael Buble. While these two seemed like they could be comedians by how they presented themselves, they’ve got incredible voices. It took me a few seconds to think about why I recognize these voices and then it hit me. I’m nearly positive this is Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard from “American Idol.” The voices are undeniable. For an additional clue, Toto brings out…himself! Beets say, “Like Toto and Dorothy, we’re the best of friends and we’re pretty good co-stars too.” This leads the panelists to guess Will Arnett & Jason Bateman (Rita), K-Ci & JoJo (Ken) and Steve Martin & Martin Short (Robin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted April 24 Author Report Share Posted April 24 screenrant.com Raven-Symoné Returns To The Masked Singer To Reveal Cryptic Clue About Beets Quote Raven-Symoné Returns To The Masked Singer To Reveal Cryptic Clue About Beets BYCHER THOMPSON PUBLISHED 15 HOURS AGO The Masked Singer season 2 star Raven-Symoné is returning to the series to give a cryptic clue about one of the newest pairs of contestants, Beets. SUMMARY Raven-Symoné returns to The Masked Singer for clues and performance, steals spotlight with upcoming rendition of "Weak" by SWV. The mysterious duo The Beets intrigues viewers with harmonious performances, sparking speculation on their possible identities. Speculations range from Jason Bateman & Will Arnett to Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken, though their true identities remain a mystery. The Masked Singer season 2 star Raven-Symoné will be returning to the series to deliver clues about The Masked Singer season 11’s duo, The Beets, with an exciting performance. Raven, originally a member of The Cheetah Girls, has been a star of stage and screen since they were just 3 years old. Their appearance on The Masked Singer season 2 as the Black Widow made waves when they were one of two Cheetah Girls to appear on the show during the season. Joining their former costar Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, who was the Flamingo on the series, Raven took tenth place. In a sneak peek from an upcoming episode of The Masked Singer season 11, Raven returns for their first visit to the series since appearing on it themselves. In a clue that doubles as a performance, Raven is returning to the series to perform “Weak” by R&B trio SWV. The Beets shared that they “made our audience weak in the knees on Broadway”, which is why they wanted Raven to sing that particular song. The Beets, a duo in the competition, have been rumored to be quite a few different pairs, but the clue simply adds to their mystery. Who Might Be Inside Beets Costume On The Masked Singer? While there has been a lot of speculation about who could be inside the Beets costume, The Masked Singer viewers haven’t been able to come to a solid conclusion about the duo yet. The duo was introduced on Wizard Of Oz night, and have been able to continue on throughout the season with some spectacular performances thus far. During their first time on stage, the duo sang “Home” by Michael Bublé in a beautiful harmony. Their harmonizing along with the clue that the pair are loyal friends pushed some to believe the pair could be an acting or comedy duo. Though the clues have led the judges to speculate of Jason Bateman & Will Arnett, K-Ci & JoJo, or Steve Martin & Martin Short, The Masked Singer season 11 viewers have been wondering if the duo is actually American Idol season 2 finalists Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken. With clues surrounding their perceived rivalry in the original singing competition to others that allude to both mens’ careers on Broadway, it’s possible that the former Idol competitors are now working together as a team on The Masked Singer. Though The Beets are still in the competition, their performances appear to lend credence to the idea. While there’s no confirmation that The Masked Singer season 11’s duo is Ruben and Clay, the clues and performances have led many fans to believe that the pair are in the extravagant Beets costume. Despite there being no confirmation yet, many believe they’ve solved the mystery and are moving on to other performances to try and see what they can figure out ahead of their exciting reveals. With The Masked Singer bringing back performers like Raven to reveal new clues about the cast, the excitement is at an all-time high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted April 25 Author Report Share Posted April 25 screenrant.com This Clue In Last Night’s The Masked Singer All But Confirmed Beets’ Identity Quote This Clue In Last Night’s The Masked Singer All But Confirmed Beets’ Identity BYLORIANNE PALINKAS PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO The Masked Singer season 11's Beets is a dynamic duo, and one of their Girl Group Night clues has most likely revealed their true identities. SUMMARY The Masked Singer season 11's Beets are most likely American Idol season 2 winner and runner-up Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken. Beets' Broadway clue all but confirmed their identities. None of The Masked Singer season 11 panelists has guessed them correctly yet. The Masked Singer season 11 Group B's Beets have been a mystery since their debut, but one of their Girl Group clues all but confirmed their true identities. Beets first performed on The Wizard of Oz Night when they blew everyone away with their stunning rendition of "Home" by Michael Bublé. They then moved on to the next round, which was Girl Group Night, and sang "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters. The Masked Singer season 11 contestants Beets have now moved on to the Group B finals, which will be Soundtrack of My Life Night. The dynamic duo has impressed everyone with their incredible vocals, and they're definitely front-runners to win. The Masked Singer panelists--Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora--have guessed a wide range of celebrities for their identities, including Will Arnett and Jason Bateman, K-Ci & JoJo, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Brooks & Dunn, Tituss Burgess and Alan Cumming, and Donald Faison and Zach Braff. However, no one has guessed Beets' identity correctly yet. The Masked Singer Season 11’s Beets Are Most Likely Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken The Masked Singer season 11's Beets, the only contestant with more than one singer, are most likely American Idol season 2 winner and runner-up Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. Not only do Beets sound exactly like the superstar singers, but the clues are pointing in their direction. Ruben and Clay aren't only singing partners, but they're very close friends as well. The Broadway Clue That Confirmed Beets’ Identity As Ruben & Clay " We made our audience weak in the knees on Broadway." During The Masked Singer Girl Group Night, The Cheetah Girls' Raven-Symoné, who was The Masked Singer season 2's Black Widow, delivered a clue about Beets. Raven sang a girl group song that was a clue to Beets' true identity, which was "Weak" by SWV. Beets explained, "We made our audience weak in the knees on Broadway." Although there were many American Idol clues that hinted at Beets being Ruben and Clay, the Broadway clue sealed the deal. In 2018, Ruben and Clay starred on Broadway in Ruben & Clay's First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show. Clay also made his Broadway debut in Monty Python's Spamalot in 2008. This also explained the Christmas holly clue, which was a nod to Ruben and Clay's individual releases of Christmas music. The American Idol Clues That Confirmed Beets’ Identity As Ruben & Clay There were also several American Idol clues that proved that Ruben and Clay are Beets. During The Wizard of Oz Night, Beets revealed that, for a moment, they had 40 million eyes on them. They also talked about how, even when it felt as though the world was trying to pit them against each other, they always had each other's backs. They even referred to each other as "family." The Beet who seems to be Clay also said that he was "the total ladies man," which is most likely a nod to Clay's heartthrob status at the time, and his fans' nickname, the Claymates. In addition, Beets played cards in their Masked Singer clue package, with one Beet winning the game by placing a two of hearts card on the table. All of these clues point to the extraordinary American Idol season 2 finale in which Ruben and Clay competed against each other for the crown. During Girl Group Night, Beets also said that they didn't try to outdo each other, and instead they teamed up. Ruben and Clay recently performed together in a 2023 tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their American Idol run. The tour was called Twenty: The Tour, with Ruben and Clay performing all around the United States. Although Beets' true identities won't be confirmed until they're unmasked, their unmistakable vocals and the obvious clues have given away that they're actually Ruben and Clay. If Beets goes all the way on The Masked Singer season 11, it'll be heartwarming to see both of them win. Whatever happens, the Beets will surely go on in the competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 mjsblog.com The Masked Singer 11: American Idol Duo ‘Beets’ All? (Video) Quote The Masked Singer 11: American Idol Duo ‘Beets’ All? (Video) 05/01/2024 mj santilli CR: Michael Becker / FOX. ©2024 FOX Media LLC. The Masked Singer 11: American Idol season 2 fan favorite duo ‘Beets’ All? The Masked Singer season 11 Group C final airs on Wednesday (May 1). TWO celebrities will be unmasked with a third moving on to the quarterfinals. And you can BET the duo pairing Beets will emerge victorious. But I say that partly out of bias as a die hard American Idol fan. Because surely SURELY y’all realize by now that Beets are season 2 winner and runner-up respectively, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken! AD (ABC/Stewart Cook) RUBEN STUDDARD, CLAY AIKEN If you weren’t convinced of Beets identities before, take a listen to a preview from the upcoming episode. The theme is “Soundtrack of My Life” and the two perform Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time.” Every American Idol coronation single–particularly those from the FOX years, which featured corny lyrics and big booming key change–owe a debt to this 1988 hit from Houston. Unsurprisingly, she performed the hit at the 1988 Olympics. Listening to the Houston classic harkens back to those confetti filled American Idol finales. Interestingly, 2020 winner, Just Sam, chose to sing “One Moment in Time” for her recent debut on the big Idol stage after Covid protocols interrupted her journey. AD But take a listen to those voices! Clay, in particular, is unmistakable. The two harmonize seamlessly, because Clay and Reuben have been singing together for years, after their 2003 run on the show. They spent a year on the road last year celebrating their 20 year American Idol anniversary. The two also performed on the 2023 American Idol finale to mark the anniversary. The CLUES fit! This week will be Beets 3rd appearance on the show. For their first performance last month, Beets covered Michael Buble’s “Home” for Wizard of Oz night. Then last week, for Girl Group night, they performed an energetic performance of Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited.” Lastly, can’t forget the clues: Here is a sampling of the clues that point to Beets identity: AD The two note their deep friendship several times. “For a moment we had millions of eyes on us. Forty million of us.” The American Idol season 2 finale had about that many viewers. “And even when the world seemed to be trying to pit us against each other, we’ve always had each other’s back.” Clay and Ruben were the front runners for the win. “Beeting the Odds” points to the fierce betting markets at the time. Ruben vs Clay was really a thing! “We work so well together, his big ole brain and his unbeatable heart” “All we need now is to find the nerve to “turnip” on that stage….It will be like going back to our roots.” Literally! Clay and Ruben performing AGAIN on a Fox competition show 21 years later. “I am the feisty one” says one, clearly Clay who is the extrovert to Ruben’s subdued introvert. “Like Dorothy and Toto we are the best of friends. And pretty good co-stars too” Which refers to them appearing together on American Idol and on stage in various tours over the years. Beets say they are “still touring hitting the town.” “We made our audience week in the knees on Broadway” The two mounted a Broadway Christmas spectacular a few years ago. Also, Clay starred in the Broadway production of Spamalot. Hilarious, ridiculous judges guesses The judges have not even come close to guessing their identities yet. Rita Ora is convinced they are comedians “pretending” to be good singers (!?!). Robin Thicke guessed Brooks & Dunn, the country duo. No. Will somebody on the panel, including Ken Jeong and Jenny McCarthy finally guess them this week? Beets competition are Gumball and Seal (rumored to be Scott Porter and Corey Feldman, respectively) It’s not even arguable–Beets are the best singers left and SHOULD advance to the next round. Tune in Wednesday, May 1 at 8 pm on FOX to find out if they make it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 ew.com Beets say being on The Masked Singer made one of them want to continue music career Quote Beets say being on The Masked Singer made one of them want to continue music career The celebrities under the masks tell EW the "TMS" experience is "not even a comparison" to "American Idol." By Lauren Huff Published on May 1, 2024 09:00PM EDT Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Masked Singer, season 11, episode 9, "Soundtrack of My Life Night." Things got personal on The Masked Singer this week. It was Soundtrack of My Life night, meaning all of the contestants sang songs that had special meaning to their lives. Compared to other theme nights this season, things were pared down — no guest stars or gimmicks, just the three Group B finalists battling it out for their chance in the quarterfinals. The performances were pretty epic, though, and provided for a great showdown. Beets kicked things off with “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston, then Seal sang "It’s Tricky” by Run-DMC, and Gumball ended the first round of songs with “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas. Seal was the first to be sent back to the ice floe, and half the panel got his identity right: Robin Thicke and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg both figured out the adorable costume was hiding The Goonies actor Corey Feldman. (The guesses from Rita Ora and Ken Jeong just missed the mark, with her guessing Feldman's Stand by Me costar Jerry O'Connell and him picking another former child star, Haley Joel Osment.) Seal's departure paved the way for an impossible Battle Royale between Beets and Gumball, who each had to sing “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. The panel all bemoaned having to choose between the two, but in the end, Gumball punched his ticket to next week's quarterfinals. This meant fan-favorite Beets had to unmask, and the panelists' guesses were all over the place, ranging from Dan + Shay; to Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet; to CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse; to K-Ci & JoJo. In the end, none of them came close, and Beets unmasked to reveal longtime friends, singers, and American Idol season 1 winner and runner-up, respectively, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. EW caught up with the duo to talk about how the show enabled them to live out their best team mascot dreams, how TMS compares to Idol, and what's next for them. Beets on 'The Masked Singer' season 11. MICHAEL BECKER/FOX ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Why did you guys want to do The Masked Singer? RUBEN STUDDARD: It's fun. It's a way to be in front of people and kind of be an alter ego, and it's just a cool thing to do. I think everybody, when we were kids, everybody used to love to be a different character, and I think that this is a fun way for grownups to kind of play with that. CLAY AIKEN: We got to be the mascot for the football team. [Laughs] Ruben always played. I wanted to be the mascot. I never had a chance to play whatsoever. I always wanted to be the school mascot, but they never let me in the costume. I don't know many singers who don't secretly want to do Masked Singer, because like Ruben said, it's fun. It is a silly show and it's something that allows us to do what we love to do, which is sing and perform, but also get to do it in a way where we don't have to take ourselves too seriously. And that was refreshing and fun for both of us. Did they approach you guys to do it separately or together? STUDDARD: I think they approached us separately. I can't remember how that process was. AIKEN: We were already touring together. So I think that helped them kind of get the idea of the two of us doing it together. And we had just done [an appearance on] Idol last year together and we'd been on the road together for a while. So I think they saw it as an interesting way to trick people a little bit, because you don't often, except for last year and the other times we've done stuff together, I think people would not have assumed that a duo could be two people who don't typically perform as a duo. You know what I mean? Someone like Brooks & Dunn who were always together. I think they figured that would be a nice way to trick people. Clearly it worked, because the panel did guess Brooks & Dunn at one point. AIKEN: I have no idea where they got that from. Ruben sounds so much like Kix Brooks. [Laughs] And with the 20th anniversary tour, whose idea was that? Did one of you take convincing to do it? STUDDARD: Well, we'd been on tour together before. We did a tour called The Timeless Tour, I think it was in 2010. AIKEN: Did our Broadway show together, too. STUDDARD: Did a Broadway show. But I had been on the road forever, and Clay hadn't been singing really since our Broadway show. AIKEN: In fact, that Broadway show, I hadn't sung before that since Timeless, frankly. I mean, it's only been Ruben who's gotten me on stage the last 10 years. STUDDARD: Yeah. I think that no matter how much Clay says that, he gets that itch to want to get on stage and sing for people. And I'm always ready to do it. So I think, and especially knowing that it was going to be the 20th anniversary of our time on American Idol, it was just the perfect timing for it. How did The Masked Singer experience compare to your time on American Idol? STUDDARD: Listen, The Masked Singer and American Idol are... it's not even a comparison. Because the only stake is to have fun and enjoy the time that you are on Masked Singer. We were competing for our livelihood on American Idol, and that's just not the case here. We were just there to have a good time. AIKEN: And we didn't have any trouble having to worry about what to pick to wear every week like we did on Idol. It was already there for us. I've heard from many other contestants that the costumes are nice in that they allow you to just be yourself in a roundabout way. AIKEN: Well, I think it's interesting because obviously not everybody who's on Masked Singer is a professional singer. Ruben and I are, we're used to being on stage. So I kind of think we both are kind of ourselves when we're on stage without the Beets on. But when we're on the show, we couldn't even see our feet. We couldn't see anything at all. It was a challenge for us. I looked several times and thought both of us were facing in the complete wrong direction. We did not have any idea where we were looking. STUDDARD: And you really don't have a lot of time to get on stage and get comfortable because there are so many other contestants. Everybody has to have time on stage to rehearse. And I think it is a way to get you off the square. It really is a challenge. And just trying to know placement. I remember trying to walk on stage and remember where in the hell is my exit? I can't see. I thought I was going to say, "I can't see" while I was walking to sing with Clay one day. AIKEN: I was worried we were both going to fall off that stage. I mean, I think we had, of all the seasons that I've watched, and especially this season, I feel like — even though I'm sure others would argue and disagree, and other people had a lot of pieces to [their costume] — but in a weird way, the Beets were probably the most cumbersome because we had no use of our arms whatsoever. We had arm holes, and we had fully outstretched arms, but we could just get our wrists through them. And you can't see anything. You can't move your knees. It was like walking around in one of those big, what are those sumo wrestling outfits that they put kids in for their birthday parties? You know what I mean? That's what it was like. Except for having an eye mask over your face, too. You couldn't see anything. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken on 'American Idol' season finale on May 21, 2023. STEWART COOK/ABC/GETTY What's next for you two? STUDDARD: My new album came out this year [The Way I Remember It, his 8th studio album] and I have a new single that is coming out in the next couple of days ["SMH (Shaking My Head)," out Friday], so I'm really, really excited about that. And yeah, just still out here doing my thing, singing. AIKEN: And I'm applying for a job to be Ruben's nanny, because he's got a new little baby girl. And I don't know, this last tour this last year that Ruben and I were out on the road, kind of got me back into performing for the first time — that and Masked Singer. And I think, I don't know, I feel like for the first time in maybe a decade I've thought about trying to do something again, whether it be record something or perform again. I feel like I've decided that I'm going to enjoy it more this time around —without having to wear the big Beets. 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ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 variety.com ‘The Masked Singer’ Reveals Identities of the Seal and Beets: Here Are the Celebrities Under the Costumes Quote ‘The Masked Singer’ Reveals Identities of the Seal and Beets: Here Are the Celebrities Under the Costumes By Michael Schneider Fox SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 9 of “The Masked Singer,” “Group B Finals: Soundtrack of My Life Night,” which aired May 1 on Fox. For years, the panelists on “The Masked Singer” have thrown out names like Corey Feldman, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken while trying to figure out what celebrities were disguised on stage. This week, those names finally became true. “The Masked Singer” revealed the latest celebrities to be revealed on Wednesday night’s Group B finale, and it was Feldman as the Seal and Studdard/Aiken together as the Beets. “For about 25 years, there was this kind of dark age where nobody really wanted to admit that my music was a real thing or that it existed or that I was doing it on a full capacity,” Feldman told Variety. “It was kind of overlooked and ignored for a long time. But now people do hear my voice and know that it’s me singing. That in itself is a compliment. The other compliment is the fact that even when it wasn’t me on the show all those years, just the fact that they were thinking about me — that’s kind of an honor. I’m very grateful that I’ve been thought of so much.” AD The timing of the “Masked Singer” appearance is serendipity for Feldman, who’s about to embark on a summer tour with Limp Biskit and also has the film “The Birthday” — which had been sitting on a shelf for two decades — finally hitting theaters this fall via Drafthouse Films. As for Studdard and Aiken, the “American Idol” alums toured last year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their landmark season on that show. Of course, “Masked Singer” was nothing like anything else they’ve ever done on stage. AD “The challenge was trying not to fall on your face,” Studdard said. “As long as Clay and I have been singing, we got the singing part down pat. It was just making sure that we didn’t stumble and trip over one another. Especially because we really couldn’t see much of anything outside of the costumes.” As for the surprise, Studdard said his 3-year-old son remains in the dark, but Aiken says it didn’t take long for his 16-year-old son to figure things out. “We watched the first week that we were on, and as soon as Ruben opened his mouth, he was like, ‘Uncle Ruben.! And then I sang and he looked at me like, ‘Wait, why did you do this?’ So, there was no surprise at all for him. He knows his Uncle Reuben’s voice immediately and mine pretty quick too. So there was no surprise for him!” AD For Seal, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg got it right with Corey Feldman. Rita Ora guessed Jerry O’Connell. Robin Thicke went with Feldman as well. Ken Jeong said it was Haley Joel Osment. As for Beets, no one figured it out. Ken Jeong thought it was K-ci and Jojo (much to host Nick Cannon’s fury). Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg named Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet. Rita Ora guessed Cee-lo Green and Dangermouse. Robin Thicke went with Dan and Shay. Feldman was first to be unveiled on Wednesday as Seal. Then came a battle royale between Gumball and Beets, with each performing their own version of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. Beets was revealed as Studdard and Aiken, while Gumball will return for the semi-finals. It was “Soundtrack of My Life Night,” and the Group B performers opened by singing “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi. Corey Feldman as Seal and Clay Aiken/Ruben Studdard as Beets join Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kate Flannery (Starfish), Charlie Wilson (Ugly Sweater), DeMarcus Ware (Koala), Colton Underwood (Love Bird), Sisqó (Lizard), Billy Bush (Sir Lion), Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs), Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound) and Kevin Hart (Book) as the celebrities unmasked on “The Masked Singer” this season. Back for Season 11 are host Nick Cannon, alongside panelists Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke, while Rita Ora has joined the desk to fill in for Nicole Scherzinger, who was in London to star on the West End’s “Sunset Boulevard.” “The Masked Singer” Season 11 features themed episodes including “The Wizard of Oz,” in celebration of the 85th anniversary of the classic film; “Transformers” (marking the brand’s 40th anniversary) and music tributes including “Billy Joel Night” and “Queen Night.” Additional themes include “Girl Groups,” “Soundtrack of My Life,” “TV Theme Night” and “Shower Anthems.” With sixteen total celebrity singers, including three “wildcards,” Season 11 features new costumes including “Gumball,” “Lizard,” “Ugly Sweater,” “Goldfish,” “Starfish,” “Book,” “Gumball,” “Miss Cleocatra,” “Afghan Hound,” “Beets,” “Poodle Moth,” “Clock,” “Spaghetti & Meatballs,” “Lizard,” “Koala,” “Seal” and “Sir Lion.” According to the show, the Season 11 contestants boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and 1.7 billion Spotify streams. This means Group B winner Gumball will face off against Group A winner Goldfish and Group C’s Poodle Moth and Clock for the quarter finals. Here were the Group B performances on Wednesday’s Episode 9, “Group B Finals: Soundtrack of My Life Night”: Gumball, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker / Fox) Gumball Song: “Carry On Wayward Son,” by Kansas Panel guesses: Jack Black, Zachary Levi, James Marsden Clue: Connection to Ken Jeong: “Kenspiration.” “Ken, one of the funniest jobs that I’ve ever been a part of, you’ve been involved as well.” Package voiceover: “I absolutely loved singing ‘Wide Open Spaces’ for my wife last time. The night before my first performance, I looked at her and said, I can’t do this. I know the immense talent that has hit this stage before, and I thought, maybe I just don’t belong here. I’ve always felt like I was pretending to be something else. My family moved around a lot as a kid, and as the perpetual new guy, I would do anything to make friends. Even when I started performing on stage, I always felt out of place. I have no formal training, no education. Despite some major successes, I still get those feelings to this day. But luckily, I have people around me to tell me to dig deep and carry on. And that’s why I’m singing ‘Carry On Wayward Son.’ It’s about not giving up and after making it to the Group B finale, I’m glad I listened to my wife. It’s the tears from the crowd that’s making the kid inside me believe that maybe I belong here.” Previous songs: “If I Only Had a Heart,” by Jack Haley; “Wide Open Spaces,” by the Chicks Previous panel guesses: Chace Crawford, Kevin Jonas, Jamie Dornan, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Derek Hough, Taran Killam The Beets, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker / Fox) Beets Song: “One Moment in Time,” by Whitney Houston Panel guesses: Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris; Josh Groban and Brian McKnight; Dan and Shay Clue: Connection to Nick Cannon: “A Wild Night.” “Nick always good seeing you, we should grab a drink together again sometime soon.” Package voiceover: “Performing on Girl Group Night was so exciting. We didn’t realize just how much we’d love becoming the Beets. And tonight, we have to become un-Beet-able in the finale. We chose a really powerful song. It’s about a single moment in your life that shows you what you’re capable of. And for us, that moment was when we each became fathers. [I always wanted to be a dad, but I wasn’t sure it would happen for me. So when I held my child for the very first time, my world changed.] Yeah, for me I suddenly realized the impact of every decision I made. But it’s not a perfect road. Right now, my kid repeats everything I say. So I have to be really careful. [You have to be careful? I’m teaching my son to drive. Though at least the hubcaps are still on.] Well now, let’s go out and make a new pivotal moment, by hitting those high notes. This one is for you, little Beets!” Previous songs: “Home,” by Michael Bublé; “I’m So Excited,” by the Pointer Sisters Previous panel guesses: Will Arnett and Jason Bateman; K-Ci and Jojo; Steve Martin and Martin Short; Brooks and Dunn; Titus Burgess and Alan Cumming; Zach Braff and Donald Faison AD Seal, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker / Fox) Seal (WILDCARD) Song: “It’s Tricky,” by Run-D.M.C. Panel guesses: Corey Feldman, Macaulay Culkin, Jerry O’Connell Clue: Connection to Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg: “House Call.” “It’s always fun hosting you for a change, because you’ve hosted me so many times. Especially when it’s at my place!” Package voiceover: “I am so digging being the sexy sassy Seal. Now, if I could just hold on for another week. I’ve chosen Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Tricky,’ because that pretty much sums up my life. See, I’ve had to navigate the chilly waters of Hollywood since I was a child. There’s a lot of misconceptions out there about me. I mean, I’ve been tagged with the ‘bad boy’ badge basically since day one, and they still keep trying to stick it on me. It’s been really tricky. I’d love nothing more than for people to learn the other sides of me. The softer, fuzzier ones. I’m actually a family guy. Sure, I can still turn on the edge when the time comes. It’s all about the balance. And that’s why being here is a blast. I get the chance to show people I may not be what they think. And trust me, your jaw is about to be on the floor when you see what this Seal has up its fin tonight.” Previous song: “Hold On,” by Wilson Phillips Previous panel guesses: Haley Joel Osment, Corey Feldman, Sean Astin Last season’s performers included Ne-Yo as Cow, John Schneider as Donut, Macy Gray as Sea Queen and Janel Parrish as Gazelle join John Oates as Anteater, Keyshia Cole as Candelabra, Sebastian Bach as Tiki, Ginuwine as Husky, Ashley Parker Angel as S’more, Metta World Peace as Cuddle Monster, Luann de Lesseps as Hibiscus, Tyler Posey as Hawk, Billie Jean King as Royal Hen, Michael Rapaport as Pickle, Tom Sandoval as Diver, Anthony Anderson as Rubber Ducky and one-time special guest Demi Lovato as Anonymouse. Fox Alternative Entertainment is behind “The Masked Singer,” which is exec produced by showrunner James Breen, Craig Plestis, and Nick Cannon. The series is based on the South Korean format created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 thewrap.com ‘The Masked Singer’ Sends Home 2 American Idols and a Beloved Child Star: The Beets and Seal Are… Quote ‘The Masked Singer’ Sends Home 2 American Idols and a Beloved Child Star: The Beets and Seal Are… Gumball officially moves on to the quarterfinals of the Fox singing competition Fox Andi Ortiz May 1, 2024 @ 6:00 PM “The Masked Singer” sent home three contestants on Wednesday night, and they were definitely some pretty recognizable faces. The theme of the Fox singing competition this week was “Soundtrack of My Life” and, fittingly, the Group B Finalists — Gumball, Seal and the Beets — kicked off the show with a group performance of “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi, full of pyrotechnics. When it came time for the individual performances, Beets went first, singing Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time.” Seal went next with a massive vibe shift, performing Run-D.M.C.’s “It’s Tricky.” Finally, Gumball brought the house down with a performance of “Carry On My Wayward Son.” Seal was the first to be eliminated, with the panelists making final guesses including Jerry O’Connell and Haley Joel Osment. But it was Robin Thicke and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg who were right in the end, correctly guessing that Seal was “The Goonies” star Corey Feldman. After that, the Beets threw down in a Battle Royale with Gumball — together the three sang “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes — but ultimately didn’t pull off the victory. The panelists’ final guesses at the duo’s identity included Dan & Shay, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse and K-Ci and JoJo. In the end though, none of those guesses were correct. The Beets were actually revealed to be “American Idol” alums Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard. And with that, Gumball moves on to the quarter finals. We’ll have to keep guessing at his identity a bit longer. “The Masked Singer” airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 billboard.com The Beets Talk Enduring Friendship, Disappointment Over ‘Masked Singer’ Elimination: ‘I Want to Win Everything!’ Quote The Beets Talk Enduring Friendship, Disappointment Over ‘Masked Singer’ Elimination: ‘I Want to Win Everything!’ The dynamic duo were bounced from the show on Wednesday night (May 1) after an emotional Whitney Houston cover. By Gil Kaufman 05/1/2024 The Beets in 'THE MASKED SINGER.'Michael Becker / FOX SPOILER ALERT: The following story reveals the identities of the eliminated contestants on Wednesday night’s (May 1) The Masked Singer. Over the years, The Masked Singer has served up some fun and funky costumed duos, including Snow Owls (Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black), Banana Split (Katharine McPhee and David Foster), Beach Ball (Honey Boo Boo and Mama June) and Hydra (Penn & Teller). The tradition continued this season with The Beets, who made their smashing debut last month during The Wizard of Oz night when they teamed up for Michael Bublé’s “Home,” before singing The Pointer Sisters’ 1982 Billboard Hot 100 No. 30 hit “I’m So Excited.” The men’s voices melded together so perfectly that panelist Rita Ora gushed, “Beets just beat it up!” The singers were back Wednesday night (May 1) for a performance they said was inspired by them becoming dads, with their touching take on “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston breaking the weep bank on Soundtrack of My Life night. The mix of their soulful vocals — one high and sweet, the other warm and rich — drew gasps from the judges and the audience as they hit each and every note with ease. AD The clues for the two did not help at all, with one dubbing himself “the ladies’ man” and the other “the tough guy,” though they did admit that they “couldn’t be more different” and that they never tried to outdo each other but rather teamed up “like a good girl group.” The guesses were all over the place, from podcast and Arrested Development castmates Will Arnett and Jason Bateman, to K-Ci & JoJo and members of Boyz II Men, as well as country duo Dan + Shay, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Brooks & Dunn and another comedy duo, Scrubs co-stars Donald Faison and Zach Braff. Ken Jeong, as always, was way off the mark with his Josh Groban/Brian McKnight guess. AD After joining in the Group B team’s run through Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” and coming back to sing Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” during the Battle Royale against Gumball on Wednesday night, alas The Beets didn’t make it through the quarterfinals. And though the Internet figured out early on who they were, the judges were stymied about the identities of American Idol season 2 winner and runner-up, and best buds, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, both 45. In addition to staying friends, the dynamic duo have toured together several times over the years, including last year for Twenty The Tour, celebrating the two-decade anniversary of their Idol debut. AD The night also saw the unmasking of Seal, who turned out to be 1980s child star and rocker Corey Feldman. But before that, Billboard spoke to Aiken and Studdard before their elimination to find out why their “adult vegetable” costumes were the most challenging ones ever on the show, how they’ve stayed so close over all these years and why Ruben was pissed to not come out on top again. I’m sure you feel differently, but of all the nutty costumes on the show to date yours seemed kind of the easiest to move around in. Studdard: Absolutely not! I felt so awkward and out of place in that costume because we literally could not see stuff. The only thing we could see was right in front of us. So trying to perform in those costumes was daunting. Aiken: What? Oh my gosh I would say it’s the opposite! I want to claim a privilege here and say that Ruben and I — yes, a lot of people have more elaborate costumes and that’s what made the Beets more adorable in their simplicity — but if you look at it the Beet itself covers our whole bodies down to our knees, then our arms are completely inside the Beets, so we just have our wrists out, no arms or really any legs. If you watch, we’re only moving from the knee down. It was simple, but near impossible to move in. I think we had it the hardest, Ruben. Talk to me about dedicating the Whitney Houston song to being dads, what an emotional moment. Studdard: [laughs] I was just trying to remember all the words! Aiken: And not fall off the stage! Studdard: Anytime you get to reflect on the people that mean the most to you it’s special. Dedicating most of my performances to my kids now has been the joy of my existence. Anything I do on stage, whether people know it’s me or not, it’s for them. Aiken: It was interesting because the theme was to pick a song that talks about our story or our life or career and that song meant nothing specifically to either of us, other than watching Whitney sing it in a stadium. But the lyrics obviously relate to our time on Idol and how that show changed our lives and it was interesting to do it on the same network where we started and on stage in front of a studio audience. So much about the Masked Singer has parallels to Idol — even though so much is completely opposite and different — but it was cool to re-live that 21 years after we lived it on Idol. Whose idea was it to be on this show and was there something alluring to you about being disguised given how well-known your story is? Studdard: I definitely was enthusiastic about being on the show. I don’t know if my initial want was to perform with my brother, but to get the opportunity to continue what we’ve been doing… we did our 10-year tour, we were actually out on the road while we were doing the Masked Singer, so it made all the sense in the world for us to get an opportunity to close out the 20-year reunion strong as the most disgusting condiment they put out. Aiken: You’re telling me you don’t love beets Ruben? I love beets. That’s how old I am. No kid likes beets, but as we get older I have found that I enjoy beets now. That’s something that adults do, so it was appropriate that we were an adult vegetable. Oh boy, I am not going to Google “adult vegetable!” Switching gears completely, you are both dads, did you watch the show with your kids before saying yes? Studdard: I watched the show, but my son is three so he has no idea what it is and my daughter is a baby. Aiken: We had both seen the show and I believe we had even talked to each other over the years as it’s been on the air how cool it would be to do it, but Ruben’s been busy and I had not been performing at all, so when Ruben got me back on stage for this tour I think the show saw that we were out doing something together. We’re not a duo that records together, so I think they say, “wait a minute, Ruben and Clay are on tour together, but people might not think of them as a duo, so that might be a way to trick the audience,” so it worked out perfectly for us. Be honest now, what was scarier: singing on Idol as newcomers with no mask or trying to sing inside that costume? Studdard: Singing on Idol for sure. Aiken: The interesting thing about Idol for me was obviously it was scary every week because you’re worried you’re going to go home because there’s stakes involved and it’s your life and your career. On Masked Singer we didn’t have that concern at all. We came off tour to do it and went back on tour after it and we came on knowing we were going to have fun and goof off and enjoy ourselves. I never worried about falling off stage on Idol. I was definitely worried about it every time we performed on this show. You placed one and two on Idol, so are you disappointed to leave Masked Singer after just a few performances? Studdard: I was disappointed to leave… I want to win everything. I don’t care if it’s marbles or jumping jacks — and I know I can’t do that many — but I want to win. Aiken: Ruben and I have a very different philosophy on it and I reminded Ruben that Masked Singer is not a singing competition. It’s a singing show, but it’s only marginally a competition because there are so many other factors to it. I was not bothered by losing and I know damn well that we sang the living s–t out of that Whitney Houston song! So I ain’t worried about us when it comes to that. I have lost things multiple times in the past, so I am much more used to it. Ruben has never lost anything before, so it was a little tougher on him [laughs]. After 20 years, why do you think your friendship has endured and continued to bring you together like this? Aiken: Because I don’t mind losin’! And that’s with marbles and jacks and jumping jacks and everything. I lost to him on everything. Studdard: [Laughs] Despite our obvious differences, we came up through a situation that inclined us to be closer to one another. American Idol was a lot different than it is now and we relied on each other a lot. We had to depend on each other to be timely, to be kind because we were living with one another. And not just for Clay and I, but I think the majority of our cast mates, we found a way to remain family over the 20 years since the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beets in 'THE MASKED SINGER.'Michael Becker / FOX SPOILER ALERT: The following story reveals the identities of the eliminated contestants on Wednesday night’s (May 1) The Masked Singer. Over the years, The Masked Singer has served up some fun and funky costumed duos, including Snow Owls (Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black), Banana Split (Katharine McPhee and David Foster), Beach Ball (Honey Boo Boo and Mama June) and Hydra (Penn & Teller). The tradition continued this season with The Beets, who made their smashing debut last month during The Wizard of Oz night when they teamed up for Michael Bublé’s “Home,” before singing The Pointer Sisters’ 1982 Billboard Hot 100 No. 30 hit “I’m So Excited.” The men’s voices melded together so perfectly that panelist Rita Ora gushed, “Beets just beat it up!” The singers were back Wednesday night (May 1) for a performance they said was inspired by them becoming dads, with their touching take on “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston breaking the weep bank on Soundtrack of My Life night. The mix of their soulful vocals — one high and sweet, the other warm and rich — drew gasps from the judges and the audience as they hit each and every note with ease. AD The clues for the two did not help at all, with one dubbing himself “the ladies’ man” and the other “the tough guy,” though they did admit that they “couldn’t be more different” and that they never tried to outdo each other but rather teamed up “like a good girl group.” The guesses were all over the place, from podcast and Arrested Development castmates Will Arnett and Jason Bateman, to K-Ci & JoJo and members of Boyz II Men, as well as country duo Dan + Shay, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Brooks & Dunn and another comedy duo, Scrubs co-stars Donald Faison and Zach Braff. Ken Jeong, as always, was way off the mark with his Josh Groban/Brian McKnight guess. AD After joining in the Group B team’s run through Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” and coming back to sing Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” during the Battle Royale against Gumball on Wednesday night, alas The Beets didn’t make it through the quarterfinals. And though the Internet figured out early on who they were, the judges were stymied about the identities of American Idol season 2 winner and runner-up, and best buds, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, both 45. In addition to staying friends, the dynamic duo have toured together several times over the years, including last year for Twenty The Tour, celebrating the two-decade anniversary of their Idol debut. AD The night also saw the unmasking of Seal, who turned out to be 1980s child star and rocker Corey Feldman. But before that, Billboard spoke to Aiken and Studdard before their elimination to find out why their “adult vegetable” costumes were the most challenging ones ever on the show, how they’ve stayed so close over all these years and why Ruben was pissed to not come out on top again. I’m sure you feel differently, but of all the nutty costumes on the show to date yours seemed kind of the easiest to move around in. Studdard: Absolutely not! I felt so awkward and out of place in that costume because we literally could not see stuff. The only thing we could see was right in front of us. So trying to perform in those costumes was daunting. Aiken: What? Oh my gosh I would say it’s the opposite! I want to claim a privilege here and say that Ruben and I — yes, a lot of people have more elaborate costumes and that’s what made the Beets more adorable in their simplicity — but if you look at it the Beet itself covers our whole bodies down to our knees, then our arms are completely inside the Beets, so we just have our wrists out, no arms or really any legs. If you watch, we’re only moving from the knee down. It was simple, but near impossible to move in. I think we had it the hardest, Ruben. Talk to me about dedicating the Whitney Houston song to being dads, what an emotional moment. Studdard: [laughs] I was just trying to remember all the words! Aiken: And not fall off the stage! Studdard: Anytime you get to reflect on the people that mean the most to you it’s special. Dedicating most of my performances to my kids now has been the joy of my existence. Anything I do on stage, whether people know it’s me or not, it’s for them. Aiken: It was interesting because the theme was to pick a song that talks about our story or our life or career and that song meant nothing specifically to either of us, other than watching Whitney sing it in a stadium. But the lyrics obviously relate to our time on Idol and how that show changed our lives and it was interesting to do it on the same network where we started and on stage in front of a studio audience. So much about the Masked Singer has parallels to Idol — even though so much is completely opposite and different — but it was cool to re-live that 21 years after we lived it on Idol. Whose idea was it to be on this show and was there something alluring to you about being disguised given how well-known your story is? Studdard: I definitely was enthusiastic about being on the show. I don’t know if my initial want was to perform with my brother, but to get the opportunity to continue what we’ve been doing… we did our 10-year tour, we were actually out on the road while we were doing the Masked Singer, so it made all the sense in the world for us to get an opportunity to close out the 20-year reunion strong as the most disgusting condiment they put out. Aiken: You’re telling me you don’t love beets Ruben? I love beets. That’s how old I am. No kid likes beets, but as we get older I have found that I enjoy beets now. That’s something that adults do, so it was appropriate that we were an adult vegetable. Oh boy, I am not going to Google “adult vegetable!” Switching gears completely, you are both dads, did you watch the show with your kids before saying yes? Studdard: I watched the show, but my son is three so he has no idea what it is and my daughter is a baby. Aiken: We had both seen the show and I believe we had even talked to each other over the years as it’s been on the air how cool it would be to do it, but Ruben’s been busy and I had not been performing at all, so when Ruben got me back on stage for this tour I think the show saw that we were out doing something together. We’re not a duo that records together, so I think they say, “wait a minute, Ruben and Clay are on tour together, but people might not think of them as a duo, so that might be a way to trick the audience,” so it worked out perfectly for us. Be honest now, what was scarier: singing on Idol as newcomers with no mask or trying to sing inside that costume? Studdard: Singing on Idol for sure. Aiken: The interesting thing about Idol for me was obviously it was scary every week because you’re worried you’re going to go home because there’s stakes involved and it’s your life and your career. On Masked Singer we didn’t have that concern at all. We came off tour to do it and went back on tour after it and we came on knowing we were going to have fun and goof off and enjoy ourselves. I never worried about falling off stage on Idol. I was definitely worried about it every time we performed on this show. You placed one and two on Idol, so are you disappointed to leave Masked Singer after just a few performances? Studdard: I was disappointed to leave… I want to win everything. I don’t care if it’s marbles or jumping jacks — and I know I can’t do that many — but I want to win. Aiken: Ruben and I have a very different philosophy on it and I reminded Ruben that Masked Singer is not a singing competition. It’s a singing show, but it’s only marginally a competition because there are so many other factors to it. I was not bothered by losing and I know damn well that we sang the living s–t out of that Whitney Houston song! So I ain’t worried about us when it comes to that. I have lost things multiple times in the past, so I am much more used to it. Ruben has never lost anything before, so it was a little tougher on him [laughs]. After 20 years, why do you think your friendship has endured and continued to bring you together like this? Aiken: Because I don’t mind losin’! And that’s with marbles and jacks and jumping jacks and everything. I lost to him on everything. Studdard: [Laughs] Despite our obvious differences, we came up through a situation that inclined us to be closer to one another. American Idol was a lot different than it is now and we relied on each other a lot. We had to depend on each other to be timely, to be kind because we were living with one another. And not just for Clay and I, but I think the majority of our cast mates, we found a way to remain family over the 20 years since the show.
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 musictimes.com Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken Recall Historic 'American Idol' Season: 'We Went Through Hell, in a Way, and We Survived' Quote Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken Recall Historic 'American Idol' Season: 'We Went Through Hell, in a Way, and We Survived' By Lyndsey Parker May 01, 2024 09:06 PM EDT (Photo : Vince Bucci/Getty Image) Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken at the Season 2 'American Idol' finale in 2003. When American Idol Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken returned to the Fox network this spring to compete as the Beets on The Masked Singer, it was must-see reality TV. But nothing could compare to their first television run, 21 years ago, when American Idol was a game-changing pop-culture phenomenon. The Ruben/Clay American Idol finale, when the two were separated by only 134,000 out of 24 million votes, still ranks as the series' all-time highest-rated episode, with an astounding 38.1 viewers. Studdard and Aiken's Idol season premiered just four months after Season 1, which had been a surprise summer smash, ended. So, they were the contestants who first experienced true Idol madness. "Kelly [Clarkson] and Justin [Guarini] of course did it first," Aiken tells Music Times. "But I think I would argue that Ruben and I sort of did it first, because 30 percent — I checked this the other day... we got a 30 share that night on the finale. So, 30 percent of all TVs in America that were turned on were watching the finale. Which is unheard-of now! And so, we kind of got thrown out of this bubble... and into a fire." When Season 2 launched in January 2003, Studdard and Aiken had no idea what to expect, and they stayed in their "bubble" for months, unaware of the show's growing momentum. "It was so unscripted. I mean, we were on a season where we didn't have a real [band]; we sang to track. Our set was made, no joke, out of papier-mâché," Aiken chuckles. "We were in the very rudimentary, early, primitive version of Idol, and so there weren't any stakes. We went into this show not realizing that it was going to be this enormous behemoth that would change our lives forever. We all kind of thought it was going to be this fun experience. We'd get to be on TV, maybe we meet some people. None of us expected it to be such a big deal." (Photo : Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard at the 2003 American Music Awards, six months after their 'Idol' season. Studdard was content to stay in the bubble, because that let him focus on competing. ("I did not want it to be a tie. I wanted to win!" he laughs.) The eventual champ had no idea just how massive his season had become until it was was almost over. "A lot of the things that that the general public is privy to, we didn't get to see," he explains. "We didn't get see the People magazine articles and all this kind of stuff. We were literally there to do a specific job. And most of the time that we had that was downtime, we were either talking to one of our family members downstairs, trying to watch a movie together, playing on the PlayStation, or eating — which, even though we all gained weight, we didn't have a lot of time to do that much either! I just think that they had us so laser-focused on the task at hand that it really wasn't any time for us to hear the chatter." Studdard laughingly remembers his first experience with the "chatter," when the show's producers finally gave the contestants a shared computer — "a huge Apple, the iMac, the very first one" — and he, Clay, and their castmates curiously browsed an Idol message board during their limited downtime. "We finally found out what 'message boards' were. We were like, 'Hey, people are actually talking about us!"" "Yeah, it's crazy for people to think now, 20 years later, that there was no social media. It didn't exist — Facebook, Twitter, none of that existed at all," Aiken marvels. "There were these little message boards buried into the Fox website that people went on. There were cell phones, but there was not really texting. ... It was so different back then." (Photo : Matthew Peyton/Getty Images) Clay and Ruben in 2003, at the start of a special friendship that endures today. Aiken says it wasn't until the week after the Season 2 American Idol finale, when he and Studdard went to see their castmate Frenchie Davis perform in a Broadway production of Rent, that it sank in that they'd become overnight superstars. "We showed up to the show. We sat down in our seats. They started the show. And then they stopped it to move Ruben and I up to the balcony, because nobody was watching the show! [Fans] were trying to take pictures with us, so they had to move us." Idol-mania continued in full force from that season on. Studdard's debut album, Soulful, debuted at No. 1 (selling more than 400,000 copies it its first week), went platinum, and earned the "Velvet Teddy Bear" a Grammy nomination. Aiken became Idol's first non-winner — paving the way for the likes of Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, and Adam Lambert — going double-platinum with his own chart-topping debut and even landing on the cover of Rolling Stone. The "Claymate" craze continued three years later when, looking almost recognizable with his flat-ironed black hair, a glowed-up Aiken surprised superfan Michael Sandecki on the Season 5 finale — which, Aiken happily points out, was the second-highest-rated finale in Idol history. However, Studdard speculates that Season 2 "felt more like family" than other seasons, possibly because of its historic timing. "It's weird even now, when we've both gone back to the show several times ,to see how the contestants interact with each other, which is completely different than how we were as a group," he says. "We were literally a real family. ... When one of our castmates left, we really cared. It wasn't like, 'Such-and-such is going home; we'll never talk to them again.' As soon as somebody went home, we were trying to figure out how we can get them to come back to the house and hang out! We really were a unit like that." And that familial friendship continues two decades later for Studdard and Aiken, whether they're on the road together (they just finished their 20th anniversary joint tour), co-starring in holiday Broadway revues... or dressing up as purple root vegetables. "We kind of got thrown into the fire — separately, but at the same time, together. A lot of what happened to us right after the show, for that first summer, we shared. And there's a bond that comes out of that. We went through hell, in a way, and we survived," Aiken says, adding with the chuckle: "And we went through hell on The Masked Singer wearing those costumes." Watch Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken's full interview above, in which Studdard does a spontaneous William Hung impression and Aiken shares thoughts about late Idol contestant Mandisa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 goldderby.com Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken on ‘The Masked Singer’ Beets, ‘American Idol’ legacy and dream duets [Exclusive Video Interview] Quote Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken on ‘The Masked Singer’ Beets, ‘American Idol’ legacy and dream duets [Exclusive Video Interview] Denton Davidson @denton_davidson TV May 2, 2024 1:45PM “I wasn’t competing for my life,” says Grammy-nominated singer Ruben Studdard when comparing his recent appearance on “The Masked Singer” to winning “American Idol” in 2003. “The stakes were much higher for me on ‘American Idol’ than they will ever be on ‘The Masked Singer.’ I wanted to win, but it’s just completely different.” Studdard competed on the FOX reality TV competition with his pal Clay Aiken as Beets, who adds, “‘The Masked Singer’ pays so much better.” Watch their exclusive video interview with Gold Derby senior editor Denton Davidson above. The duo lost the Group B finals to Gumball, and were sent home after belting out “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston. “I am not competitive at all,” Clay admits when asked if he was upset. “I have gotten so good at losing shows that if I had won I would probably be more upset because it would ruin my reputation. Neither one of us was upset, I think Ruben is a really competitive guy so he wants to win checkers, he doesn’t care.” It’s hard to believe it’s been over 20 years since they both captured the nation’s hearts in Season 2 of “American Idol.” They were launched into instant superstardom, won numerous awards and sold millions of records. It was a success we don’t often see with current reality TV show winners. “People don’t really have the physical connection to the musicians that they like,” Ruben explains. “Everything is digital. In the first couple seasons of ‘American Idol,’ these people had tangible things to hold onto with those contestants. With streaming, it takes away from how dedicated the fanship is outside of the show.” Clay adds, “In the first five seasons or so of ‘Idol,’ the show was still owned and run by 19 Entertainment, which was also the record label that the artists got signed to after the show. After Season 6 or so, 19 sold the rights to some other company. In those first seasons when we were on, the executive producer was also the head of the record label. Each contestant was not just a contestant on the show, they were the future recording artists for the label. So there was a vested interest in everyone who ran the show to create career artists and present us in a way that we would have longer careers. After 19 sold it, TV networks have an interest in having high ratings. That doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the contestants. They don’t necessarily care if their record sells well.” When asked which artist they’d still like to collaborate with? “Fantasia,” answers Ruben. For Clay, “Martina McBride or Trisha Yearwood.” While Clay has stepped away from recording for a while, Ruben’s new album “The Way I Remember It” is currently available to stream with his new single “SMH” due out May 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 people.com Clay Aiken Is 'So Used to Losing' that Masked Singer Elimination with Ruben Studdard 'Didn't Bother Me' (Exclusive) Quote Clay Aiken Is 'So Used to Losing' that Masked Singer Elimination with Ruben Studdard 'Didn't Bother Me' (Exclusive) The 'American Idol' alums competed together as Beets on the undercover singing competition By Dana Rose Falcone Published on May 2, 2024 04:35PM EDT Clay Aiken (far left) and Ruben Studdard as Beets. PHOTO: WALTER MCBRIDE/GETTY; MICHAEL BECKER / FOX Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were revealed as Beets on The Masked Singer The judges never guessed the identities of the American Idol alums Corey Feldman was unveiled as Seal on the same episode You can’t stop the beat, but you can stop the Beets from winning The Masked Singer. Beets got eliminated alongside Seal (Corey Feldman) on the May 1 episode of the singing competition and unmasked as American Idol season 2 winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken. “We've both sung for presidents with Secret Service protection and never been around security as tight as that show was,” Aiken, 45, tells PEOPLE of their experience on The Masked Singer. The Idol alums kept their identities secret from judges Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Rita Ora and Robin Thicke, too. The panel never once tossed out Aiken or Studdard’s names as options, instead guessing Boyz II Men’s Wanyá Morris and Shawn Stockman, country duo Brooks & Dunn and Scrubs stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison throughout the season. Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard as Beets on 'The Masked Singer' season 11. MICHAEL BECKER / FOX Ruben Studdard and Wife Kristin Share First Look at Baby Daughter Henri — See Exclusive Photos! “I was honored by Boyz II Men,” Aiken, who is dad to 16-year-old son Parker, says. “I did not quite understand the Zach Braff and Donald Faison or the Brooks & Dunn. I think at one point they guessed Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. They came up with some stupid guesses. They were in dark.” Studdard, 45, tells PEOPLE, “I wanted them to keep guessing until we stayed until the end.” And they did. Even host Nick Cannon said after the singers’ unmasking, “You had us all fooled.” Aiken and Studdard reveal how they cooled down inside their costumes, what their kids thought of their Masked Singer appearance and whether they’ll continue to hit the road together following their 20th anniversary tour last year. What made you both want to do another singing competition, 21 years after Idol? RUBEN STUDDARD: It was an opportunity for us to step outside of ourselves. We had been on the road for months as the Ruben and Clay Show, and I thought it really gave us an opportunity to let people just hear the voice. You really don't have to be yourself on stage to be this character. CLAY AIKEN: As opposed to being distracted by our gorgeous looks. STUDDARD: I mean, I will always say I look good. AIKEN: I might've looked better in the Beet. Did you two come on wanting to win, or just to have a good time? STUDDARD: I wanted to win. I want to win everything. But I mean, I think the biggest win was just us getting the opportunity to be on the show and be a part of the juggernaut that is Masked Singer. That's a big win for everybody. AIKEN: I was equally as excited to do it, but Ruben and I were on tour all year last year together and we had just a very, very, very, very short hiatus in between two legs of the tour dates and this happened in between them. Ruben really wanted to stay on and win. I am so used to losing that it didn't bother me in the slightest to lose. And I was tired because we had just done tour shows and after we were done, we went right back to our tour. We didn't get too much of a break. But it was a blast and it was an experience that I think both of us will probably never have again and certainly won't forget. Ruben Studdard (left) and Clay Aiken performing in Atlanta in January. PARAS GRIFFIN/GETTY How was it performing inside the Beets costumes? AIKEN: It's a very compressed schedule of the show, each week episode, and Ruben and I are obviously used to that. But we were not used to not only having to learn a new song and be prepared, but also there was some degree of choreography — although I don't think you could tell it by looking at us. There was choreography that we were taught and because of those ridiculous Beets, we couldn't see anything at all. The eyeballs are at our stomach level. So I was more worried about not falling off the stage and making sure that I was facing in some semblance of the appropriate direction through the show. STUDDARD: It was warm, for one. It was definitely not the most comfortable place to be in. The most fun I have doing these kinds of shows is sometimes not the performance, it's meeting the people that work on the show. That staff at The Masked Singer, they are extremely professional and kind, and they're always there to make sure you're comfortable in those costumes. AIKEN: We had great dressers who would stick their arms inside of our costumes with electric fans because we couldn't sit or take them off. Did you two butt heads at all when it came to picking the songs that you chose to perform on the show? STUDDARD: No, we didn't butt heads at all musically. Not at all. AIKEN: We butt heads about plenty of things. We were on tour together all year last year. Ruben got so much of me in 2023 that I might not see him again for another six years. But musically, we both know the other's strengths. We've done tours together. We did a show on Broadway together, and obviously we did Idol together. But what's fun about performing with Ruben is, neither of us are ever trying to show the other one up. Ruben tries to make sure that songs that we choose are ones that make me sound great and him sound great. So I don't really think we've ever argued or disagreed about songs or music to do, have we Ruben? STUDDARD: No, because you pretty much leave that music to me. AIKEN: I do most of the time. The music stuff I leave to Ruben, he leaves other stuff to me. Clay Aiken (left) and Ruben Studdard. M. CAULFIELD/WIREIMAGE Are your kids fans of the show? Probably not your youngest, Ruben, who was just born in March, but maybe 3-year-old Olivier. STUDDARD: Both of my kids are too young for TV. My son is still watching Blippi. AIKEN: That's ridiculous. Don't you wish you had done what he did? He is making a bank off of that. He is everywhere and all he has to do is run around acting like an idiot. That's a brilliant job to have. Mine's a little old. He's watched it and he's enjoyed it, but he was not aware that I had done the show. But the minute Ruben started singing on the first episode, he said, "Oh, that's Uncle Ruben," and he just assumed that it was Ruben. And then when I started singing, he looked at me like, "Wait, when did you do this?" So he was surprised, but he picked up on it real quick. He thought it was really cool. Had either of you been getting messages since the show started from friends and family who thought you were on The Masked Singer? STUDDARD: Absolutely. AIKEN: I have gotten very good at not lying, but also not saying anything at all. I've gotten a lot of, "I've heard that, oh yeah. Someone told me I should check that out. I hadn't had time to watch that kind of crap." Do you plan to keep touring together? STUDDARD: I will definitely be back on the road doing shows and doing the things that I do, but you have to ask Mr. Aiken. Maybe he'll go back out. AIKEN: I stopped performing for a long time, and the only times between 2012 and now that I've been on stage have been with Ruben. We did our Broadway show in '18, and then we toured together last year and the beginning of this year. I would love to do it again at some point. I think you'll see us. It might be 25th, 30th anniversary, something like that, or Christmas, because we'd both love to do the Christmas show again. What are you still hoping to achieve in your careers? STUDDARD: I definitely would love to go on tour with some legends like Gladys Knight or… AIKEN: Are you saying I'm not a legend, Ruben? STUDDARD: Well, come on. You're no Smokey Robinson. AIKEN: I'm no Smokey Robinson or Gladys Knight. That's true. STUDDARD: And the reason why I say that is because I love hearing the stories that they have. I had the opportunity to go on the road with Natalie Cole for a while, and the amount of things that I learned just by listening to her was invaluable. I would love to be able to go back out with another legend like that. AIKEN: I would say Ruben needs to keep doing this for at least another 20 years because I stopped performing around the time my son was around Olivier’s age right now. And now at he's almost 16. I'm getting to the age where now I realize I took off a long time and now I have to do it again so that I can be cool to my own kid because I'm not cool to him at all. So Ruben, you got to keep doing it at least 'til both of the kids are impressed again because there's an age when they're young where they don't give a flying flip what you did. You got to stick it out until they think you're cool again because it'll happen. STUDDARD: OK, brother, I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 today.com Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard share why they think they got booted off ‘Masked Singer’ Quote Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard share why they think they got booted off ‘Masked Singer’ The latest season features new panelist Rita Ora and a slew of new celebrities under the creative costumes. Feb. 1, 2024, 6:50 PM CST / Updated May 2, 2024, 6:28 PM CDT / Source: TODAY By Liz Calvario So far, Season 11 of “The Masked Singer” has been one fun and thrilling season. After Ne-Yo’s Cow took home the Golden Mask trophy last season, the latest contestants and their outlandish costumes continue to sing their hearts out for a chance to with the champion title. Season 11 of “The Masked Singer” consists of Rita Ora, who joined the panelists’ desk and replaced Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg and Robin Thicke. Nick Cannon returns as host. In the May 1 episode, The Beets, AKA Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, left the competition along with Seal, who was Corey Feldman. A day after their unmasking, the former “American Idol” stars joked to TODAY.com that they were “offended” the panelists didn’t guess who they were. Studdard won Season Two of “American Idol” in 2003, while Aiken was the runner-up. Though they originally competed against each other on the show, 20 years later, they regularly reunite and even went on tour last year. Despite their fame, not one of the four panelists guessed it was then under The Beets costume. Among the guesses before their unveiling were Dan + Shay, “Modern Family” stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse, and R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo. “K-Ci & JoJo was kind of a shocker because, I maybe sound like one of them, but I know Clay doesn’t,” said Studdard. Aiken was surprised to hear names like Brooks & Dunn and Dan + Shay be brought up, but understands why the panelists would think so. “I think the problem was they were clearly trying to think of established duos, and I think what was sort of brilliant about Ruben and I doing this together was that we are certainly identifiable to America with each other, right,” Aiken said. “We’re certainly not an established duo. That’s what really threw the judges off because they kept trying to think, ‘Who is always together?’” Clearly, they can sing, added Aiken, when discussing their “American Idol” days. “I just said to Ruben, we clearly got further on ‘Idol’ because of our physical beauty,” he said, while Studdard laughed. “And with having that covered up, that must be it, because clearly we can sing.” Aiken noted that they didn’t look at the show as a singing competition, saying, “It’s not about voices because most of the people there are not singers.” “It’s about the moving and silliness and playfulness. We certainly could not move around in those costumes like Gumball could,” he continued, explaining how they didn’t get to choose their costumes and felt restricted on stage. Studdard added that “people don’t know what to expect when you walk out as a root vegetable.” However, he said, “It was a really good time.” As Gumball advanced to the next round, Aiken joked that he’s “thick-skinned now” from his “Idol” days. “Maybe it’s because I’m so used to losing things,” he cracked. “I’ve never considered it to be that we had lost anything. I think it was just a fun show.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 parade.com Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard Recap Their Journey Back to Reality TV on 'The Masked Singer' Quote Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard Recap Their Journey Back to Reality TV on 'The Masked Singer' The 'American Idol' finalists also react to not being guessed by the judges: "Do they think we're dead?!" MIKE BLOOM 1 HOUR AGO Twenty-one years ago, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were rocketed to celebrity status when they became the final two contestants on American Idol's second season. Over 24 million people cast their votes for them as individuals, with Ruben beating Clay. But now they return back to the network that gave them their start in FOX not against each other, but together. As the Beets, their slick harmonies wowed the judges, while simultaneously avoiding their guesses. Unfortunately, their reprise on a reality singing show did not give them the same success as 2002, as they were eliminated right before the quarterfinal. The day after their reveal, Clay and Ruben spoke to Parade.com about their time on The Masked Singer. I know you both had been leading very separate lives, including Clay, your foray into politics. And then you came together for a 20th anniversary reunion tour last year. So when did The Masked Singer come into the picture? Clay Aiken: We were on tour together when they called. And I think they probably had seen that we were on tour and thought, "Hey, that's an interesting pairing that people might not think of as a duo." And they called and it just happened to work that we had just enough time to do it in between tour dates. And so we literally left, and went to another tour after we were done. And both of us have watched the show over the past years that it's been on and always been intrigued by it. I just think it's silly. And so we didn't have to be talked into it at all, did we? Ruben Studdard: Not at all. I think that probably talking us out of it is probably the most accurate thing if we wouldn't have done it. Just because we enjoy performing together. We were already doing that. And I think it just worked out perfectly. Then we were on tour and we were in that space where we're already in the mode of being the "Ruben and Clay," the knockout punch. Had either one of you been approached for The Masked Singer prior to this season, given your affiliation with Fox reality from your Idol days? Ruben: I hadn't been approached by the show before. I definitely thought about it, because I liked the show. I just think it's great. It's fun. How many places do you get to go and basically do the karaoke in the costume? Clay: I don't even know if I have. Because I had told agents and managers back in 2014 I'm not doing anything. So if they came to them, it didn't even get to me because I was it got nixed before it got to me. So I do not know the answer to that. But it happened exactly where it was supposed to happen as far as I'm concerned, because I think it was more fun. It was certainly more fun for me doing it with my friend, and I think we sounded good together. I agree! To that point, were you surprised to be eliminated over Gumball and not make it to the finals? Ruben: I mean, yes. Maybe Gumball had a better performance. Maybe he had some fancy moves that we just couldn't perfect with that suit that we had on. Maybe that was the thing. But I know that we sounded better for sure. Clay: I was not surprised for a whole bunch of reasons. Not the least of which is the fact that I've never won anything in my life. Yeah, I know you have a history of second-place finishes on reality TV. Clay: And officially we're second place in Group B. But I had sort of secretly hoped for it. Because we had a tour date coming up, and we had no breaks at all. We had to get to Alaska. So going home was a slight blessing in disguise for me. It's one thing to perform with your friend. It's another to do it while you're in a giant beet costume. What was that experience like? Ruben: I mean, it was a task. It wasn't like we just put a costume on and went out there. People had to literally get us on stage because we could not see where to walk while we were in those costumes. And they were telling us, "Okay, you take five steps to the front and you may fall off. So you don't want to do that. Just stand still and rock from side to side." Like the first song, I think we just stood there and did this kind of thing. [Mimes swaying from side to side.] Clay: We were supposed to turn, but we didn't know which way to turn. So we didn't. We were told we could turn, but we couldn't. I mean, we couldn't see squat. And if you look at the costumes, as the root itself begins to form, that's where our head was. I mean, the eyes were down at our stomachs and the mouth was down by our waist. So those mics that we were holding were fake, too. And we had the Madonna mics. I think I'm probably wrong, but I think that most costumes, people actually can sing in a handheld microphone through the mouth hole of their costume. We were singing on those Madonna mics and having to keep our head set right. Because if we moved our head too much, the whole costume would [topple]. It was a lot. But you know, who gets to say they get to do those things? It was crazy. So I don't regret it. But we weren't thrilled while we were wearing them. And when we were finally unmasked, I think I got frostbite just from going 200 degrees inside that to all of a sudden the air conditioning hitting us. The judges really couldn't figure out who you were, throwing out guesses of pairs from Brooks and Dunn to Zach Braff and Donald Faison to even Josh Groban and Brian McKnight. Are you happy when reacting to these wrong guesses that you're evading them? Or are you more ticked off that they're not recognizing your voice? Ruben: Because we tried to disguise our voices, we were trying not to be recognized. But once we got on stage, and we started singing, it's kind of hard because I'm thinking about not knocking Clay over or stepping off the stage. So my whole focus was on trying to make sure I had the right marks. Clay: It's interesting that you asked it the way you did. I mean, when we first stepped up there after "Home," I didn't want them to get us right. Because I thought, "Well, that'll ruin the whole surprise if they get us right." But then, when they absolutely did not come anywhere near getting us right, for a second. I was like, "Well, [expletive], do they think we're dead?!" [Laughs.] So I mean, I know I haven't performed in a long time, but damn. So there was a little bit of that until it started becoming obvious the types of people they were guessing. And I think this was the brilliance of us doing it together, that we were a duo on the stage. And they were obviously thinking, "We need to think of duos. KC and JoJo Brooks and Dunn, Dan and Shay." So they were thrown off. And we happen to know Ken Jeong is a huge Idol fan. So it's not like they didn't know. They were thinking of duos And "Ruben and Clay." Yes, those names go together in your head, but not as a duo. And I think that threw them off. Ruben: Also, I've watched the show before we were on it. And I've seen them guests my name and Clay's name a couple of times separately. So to your point, Clay, I think it kind of threw them off. They were thinking, if we were on the show, we'd probably be there solo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyjocelyn Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 toofab.com Clay Aiken & Ruben Studdard 'Baffled' Other American Idol Casts Aren't As Close (Exclusive) Quote Clay Aiken & Ruben Studdard 'Baffled' Other American Idol Casts Aren't As Close (Exclusive) TelevisionBy TooFab Staff|5/3/2024 7:51 AM PT Getty "How could you possibly go through that experience and not stay in touch with everybody who was involved?" Aiken wondered aloud while dishing on the pair's experience on 'The Masked Singer.' "I realized it doesn't happen like that on other seasons." Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard may have been going head-to-head on American Idol, but when they walked off that stage, they emerged friends for life. TooFab spoke to the pair fresh off their elimination from The Masked Singer Wednesday night, where they spoke about that tight bond they have with their fellow season 2 alums, and why they're "baffled" other casts aren't as close. "We keep in touch with our whole season. Everybody that was in our season that made the finale, and the producers from our season and the people that worked in the background, like Meghan Michaels, who's now an executive, Studdard shared when asked who he and Aiken keep in touch with from their season 2 run in 2003. He continued, "She was work with us when we were all starting together. So, it was just great." Aiken, meanwhile, said there's a whole "bunch" of reasons that made the season 2 cast so tightly knit -- one of those being the fact that the contestants all lived in a house together while competing on the show. "We were the only season to all live in a house together. We were one of the only seasons to go on tour together afterwards," Aiken explained. "They certainly did tours for a few other seasons, but not as extensively as our season was. We just stayed in touch because of that. We all went into a show that -- in a different time." Aiken said that he and Studdard actually find it hard to comprehend that other casts aren't as close after going through an experience like they did on Idol. "How could you possibly go through that experience and not stay in touch with everybody who was involved?" Aiken asked. "I realized it doesn't happen like that on other seasons. We went to the Fox finale of the show years ago, and we both sat there with Kimberley Locke, the three of us hanging out from our season, and were just sort of baffled that none of the other finalists that had been on the same season were hanging out together." He continued, "Some of the other runners-up had not even spoken to their winner since their season was over. And I was like, 'What the? How is that even possible?' Ruben and I traded numbers day one and they've never left our phones." "We never broke up. We never left each other's side after Idol," Aiken added. The pair, who performed as "The Beets" on TMS, also spoke about returning to another singing competition series more than 20 years after their icon run on American Idol. "I have no idea," Studdard joked when asked why they decided to compete on TMS. "What I do know, is that the option not to be really 'judged,' was cool. People can tell you what they think about your singing, but we know how we sound." As for Aiken, he didn't see the show as much of a competition, but rather a chance for the pair to have fun. "I never looked at Masked Singer as a singing competition. It is a stupidly brilliant show that is just so unique. And obviously what draws people into Idol is the competition aspect of it, what draws people into Dancing With the Stars is the competition aspect of it," Aiken explained. "Masked Singer -- I think people are drawn into the mystery part of it. Not the competition part of it. They create the structure of the competition to give it some stakes. But for me, it was always like, 'When else am I gonna get to wear a costume that ridiculous and elaborate and sing?' It was just an opportunity that I had never had before and we would unlikely get again." While this was the first time in a long time for fans to see the pair perform again on television together, Aiken and Studdard actually filmed TMS in-between tour stops on their 20th anniversary tour, celebrating the decades since their time on Idol. "It was definitely something different for us. I don't think the performance factor was something that we weren't used to, because we were on tour while we were doing the show," Studdard shared. "... But just to be on stage in a costume, as a Beet is something that is completely unexpected. I had no idea that that's how my year would start, jumping around in a Beet costume, singing on stage with Clay. I had no idea." For more on the pair's Masked Singer experience, and what their kids thought about watching them on the show, check out the video below. The Masked Singer heads to the Quarterfinals next Wednesday as Gumball joins Clock, Goldfish, and Poodle Moth at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelevisionBy TooFab Staff|5/3/2024 7:51 AM PT Getty "How could you possibly go through that experience and not stay in touch with everybody who was involved?" Aiken wondered aloud while dishing on the pair's experience on 'The Masked Singer.' "I realized it doesn't happen like that on other seasons." Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard may have been going head-to-head on American Idol, but when they walked off that stage, they emerged friends for life. TooFab spoke to the pair fresh off their elimination from The Masked Singer Wednesday night, where they spoke about that tight bond they have with their fellow season 2 alums, and why they're "baffled" other casts aren't as close. "We keep in touch with our whole season. Everybody that was in our season that made the finale, and the producers from our season and the people that worked in the background, like Meghan Michaels, who's now an executive, Studdard shared when asked who he and Aiken keep in touch with from their season 2 run in 2003. He continued, "She was work with us when we were all starting together. So, it was just great." Aiken, meanwhile, said there's a whole "bunch" of reasons that made the season 2 cast so tightly knit -- one of those being the fact that the contestants all lived in a house together while competing on the show. "We were the only season to all live in a house together. We were one of the only seasons to go on tour together afterwards," Aiken explained. "They certainly did tours for a few other seasons, but not as extensively as our season was. We just stayed in touch because of that. We all went into a show that -- in a different time." Aiken said that he and Studdard actually find it hard to comprehend that other casts aren't as close after going through an experience like they did on Idol. "How could you possibly go through that experience and not stay in touch with everybody who was involved?" Aiken asked. "I realized it doesn't happen like that on other seasons. We went to the Fox finale of the show years ago, and we both sat there with Kimberley Locke, the three of us hanging out from our season, and were just sort of baffled that none of the other finalists that had been on the same season were hanging out together." He continued, "Some of the other runners-up had not even spoken to their winner since their season was over. And I was like, 'What the? How is that even possible?' Ruben and I traded numbers day one and they've never left our phones." "We never broke up. We never left each other's side after Idol," Aiken added. The pair, who performed as "The Beets" on TMS, also spoke about returning to another singing competition series more than 20 years after their icon run on American Idol. "I have no idea," Studdard joked when asked why they decided to compete on TMS. "What I do know, is that the option not to be really 'judged,' was cool. People can tell you what they think about your singing, but we know how we sound." As for Aiken, he didn't see the show as much of a competition, but rather a chance for the pair to have fun. "I never looked at Masked Singer as a singing competition. It is a stupidly brilliant show that is just so unique. And obviously what draws people into Idol is the competition aspect of it, what draws people into Dancing With the Stars is the competition aspect of it," Aiken explained. "Masked Singer -- I think people are drawn into the mystery part of it. Not the competition part of it. They create the structure of the competition to give it some stakes. But for me, it was always like, 'When else am I gonna get to wear a costume that ridiculous and elaborate and sing?' It was just an opportunity that I had never had before and we would unlikely get again." While this was the first time in a long time for fans to see the pair perform again on television together, Aiken and Studdard actually filmed TMS in-between tour stops on their 20th anniversary tour, celebrating the decades since their time on Idol. "It was definitely something different for us. I don't think the performance factor was something that we weren't used to, because we were on tour while we were doing the show," Studdard shared. "... But just to be on stage in a costume, as a Beet is something that is completely unexpected. I had no idea that that's how my year would start, jumping around in a Beet costume, singing on stage with Clay. I had no idea." For more on the pair's Masked Singer experience, and what their kids thought about watching them on the show, check out the video below. The Masked Singer heads to the Quarterfinals next Wednesday as Gumball joins Clock, Goldfish, and Poodle Moth at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
ldyjocelyn Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 eonline.com Who Will Replace Katy Perry on American Idol? Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken Have the Perfect Pitch Quote Who Will Replace Katy Perry on American Idol? Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken Have the Perfect Pitch After Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken's exit from The Masked Singer, the duo told E! News if they'd be interested in returning to American Idol as a judge. By JESS COHEN MAY 03, 2024 11:30 AM Dim the lights, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken have an American Idol pitch. As Katy Perry prepares for her final episodes on the reality competition show, the season two alums are throwing their hats in the ring to replace her at the judges' table. "I would love it if they called me," Ruben, who won season two of Idol, recently told E! News during a joint interview with Clay. "But I think that in any way that I can go back and give advice to the young people that are going through the show, I do that readily and I'm thankful for the opportunity to do that anytime." Clay, who was the runner-up in 2003, also expressed interest in sitting alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, and he even teased what kind of judge he would be. Enter your email to sign up for the newsletter. "I would be tough," he shared, crediting his son Parker. "I got a teenager now." However, as Clay explained, there's a difference between "being mean and being honest," noting that he and fellow contestants "appreciated" what former judge Simon Cowell brought to the table. "While, yes, Simon was often looking for ways to say things that would get attention," the 45-year-old continued. "He was also giving advice that we could use." In fact, Clay recalled, when Simon and fellow former judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson gave a comment, he would take the feedback and apply it to the next week. "We make ourselves better," he noted. "And I think that if there's something that maybe the younger generations could use some of is some constructive feedback, because I think the goal of Idol is to make sure that every kid who is on it improves and becomes as successful as Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard. That's only possible if you really get constructive feedback." "You can't be told, 'Oh, that's lovely.' Every week," he added. "You made it to the top 12 because you are a lovely singer. Now, how can you improve each week? Ruben and I would do that. That's what I'm saying." Stewart Cook/ABC via Getty Images If Clay or Ruben do end up returning to Idol, it would come shortly after their departure from another singing competition series: The Masked Singer. The longtime friends were unmasked as the Beets during the May 1 episode of the Fox show. As for why they believe Masked Singer and Idol have such strong fanbases? "People really enjoy having a hand in helping someone else's dreams come true," Ruben, 45, said. "And people at Idol do such a great job of pulling you into the young people's personal stories and backgrounds." Plus, it's a show you need to watch in real time to avoid spoilers. "We're so used to binging TV now," Clay explained. "It's very difficult to get folks to watch TV live. I think that's what makes this Masked Singer so brilliant, because it'd be ruined if it was spoiled for you. Right? You need to watch it live." Michael Becker/FOX; Cassidy Araiza for The Washington Post via Getty Images Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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