#15 the Earl of Aikenberry: a man of character and Naughty by Nature

[Gibby]

Ooooh, Couchie, I would have loved to have heard Clay rap those lyrics!

I don't know exactly what Clay was doing here, but sure is a yummy picture. He looks really hunky, and it looks like Ms. Mic Stand is even luckier than usual!

[keepingfaith]

All I can say is, he sure has fine looking shoulders.

[FromClaygary]

I've really enjoyed reading what everyone has to say. I have little to offer as I have no profound thoughts regarding Clay and am privy to nothing in Clay's life. However, I do want to say that when I read that people are refusing to buy ATDW or won't be a fan IF Clay....[fill in the blank], I say "Good riddance!" The world is chock full of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlakes. Move on.

Leave me and my unconditional devotion alone.

Ooooh, Couchie, I would have loved to have heard Clay rap those lyrics!

I don't know exactly what Clay was doing here, but sure is a yummy picture. He looks really hunky, and it looks like Ms. Mic Stand is even luckier than usual!

That was his response to the "letter". WHAT . A . BOD!!

Great convo tonight!

[laughn]

Ok, I don't mind being shallow (somebody's got to do it) but can anyone tell me what video that 'sucking in' shot is from...'cuz I feel a real need to DL right now...

thanks! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Gibby]

laughn - PhillyPA_071707_SLC_PreWISYS

[woo lovereyes]

I love coming here. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[keepingfaith]

Ok, I don't mind being shallow (somebody's got to do it) but can anyone tell me what video that 'sucking in' shot is from...'cuz I feel a real need to DL right now...

thanks! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

You can also see it in the Best of Philadelphia Banter on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWFDzc6nv-w&NR=1

Edited September 3, 2007 by keepingfaith

[ldyjocelyn]

Whew! We just sent friends home after a fun evening of eating burgers and dogs and introducing them to our Wii game machine. Anyone else here have one? Anyway, after playing 9 holes of virtual golf in Ireland, I'm too tired to comment on the grand discussion from today. Scarlett my dear, though....thank you for the screen caps. Hubba hubba.

But again, I'll say it again -- I love Clay Aiken with my whole being. I want the best for him, and I know he's got another hit "album/CD/whatever we call them these days" in him. I also think he doesn't necessarily need to leave RCA to get it. I just want him to put out music that makes him happy.

The diversity of this fandom, and the way it has expanded my world, is fantastic to me. I'm a small town farm girl....everyone pretty much the same. Being on the boards has opened my eyes to so many new possibilities. I've grown and learned from the experience....another thing I love about being a Clay Aiken fan.

Shoot, there was more I was going to say, but I'm too damn tired and can't remember. See ya'll in the morning!

[laughn]

Gibby and keepingfaith... :F_05BL17blowkiss: to both of you!

off to watch...and smile, and laugh, and drool, and lust...

I ask you, what is there not to love about this man?

eta...night ldyjocelyn

Edited September 3, 2007 by laughn

[PuddinsJoy]

Welcome to all the newbies - especially to my great friend, and best Clay friend Meesa!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Duh, I keep coming here to post something and I keep forgetting.

Fair markets itself to a younger set

The fair's MySpace visitors also can see the concert lineup, play games and listen to the fair's humorous radio spots.

If they'd rather watch the fair's television spots, fair friends can also log on to YouTube.com and search for Kansas State Fair.

While there, Stoecklein notes with delight, they'll also find several other fair-related videos posted by users -- including a clip of hypnotist Ron Diamond in action and snippets of Clay Aiken and Carrie Underwood performing at past fairs.

OK, so who is going to the Kansas State Fair to bring this report of what they are showing? Is it clack being showed without permission or video they took - NEW CLACK!!!

Wellllll, the fairgrounds are about 5 miles from home - but unless the Oh-Great-Thighed-One himself is making an appearance, you probably couldn't drag me there - it's my least-looked-forward-to ten days of each year . . . . though I do love that they are still dropping his name after 3 years! I think what they are referring to is this YouTube video, taken at the Fair in '04, which is still one of my favorite Clay moments. http://tinyurl.com/3xyhpx

eta - gawd, I'd almost forgotten how much I floved the candy-stripe jacket and the way it sat on his hips just so . . . .

Thanks to so many for so many wonderful posts the last few days - it's been difficult to keep up but I'm trying! and :F_05BL17blowkiss: to ldyjocelyn and wandacleo for their words from the heart - over and over, you are both me

Edited September 3, 2007 by PuddinsJoy

[muskifest]

Well, I'm spent.

I've been out and about all day with younger daughter and then helping (translated: doing most of it by myself) her get her room all set up for the new school year and FINALLY got the computer from older daughter's hot little hands and....whoa!

You guys talk good.

Of course, waaaaaay back on one of the first pages I read to catch up, I saw this from YSRN:

I never saw a "rocket"

and now fear that she has been viewing the same files of CLACK that Gibby has. I mean, she's never seen the rocket? Ever? YSRN, do you have ANY pictures of Clay downloaded, sweetie? Any at all?

Clay's my hero. Seriously. I really do think of him often when I'm reacting to things in my life. He does handle himself well (yeah, that one's so easy, I'm going to let it slide....heh...yeah, that one, too... )...and could make a good Saturday afternoon killing on that lemonade he's learned to make so well. And he can sing like nobody else on the planet (tmShelley) and (even though YSRN hasn't seen it yet) has quite a rocket. I know he can certainly get me to blast off.

Gee, aren't y'all sorry that I couldn't join the great discussion here today so that the profundity and erudition of my posts could have lent it some SEMBLANCE of intelligent discourse?

Yeah....I've had a few beers tonight, what of it?

[AnAmeraikenInTX]

I'll leave some early morning pretties, as toni7babe calls them!! Then I'm goin' to bed!

Trying to make some progress on my WPB photos. Unfortunately, the night was all about having the wrong settings set on the camera, so many images that wind up in the album with be artsied up rather than showing the base photo, lots of sepia and black & white - but some of the results are stunning (more to come). Even though, I'm very pleased with how things are turning out. I got a lot of good shots - good positioning - if the settings had been right, they'd be pretty darn good photos, so I hold hope for the future!

Anyway, here are a few looks at our fella!! He's SOOO gorgeous!

The orignal sizes can be found here: Some WPB images by AAIT (just a few right now)

Looks like the snark is flowing here (at least that's the timing of the actual photo) - I see mischeviousness here!

Oh, to have him look at meeee (read that as youuu) like that!

Passionate man, lucious lips. 'Nuff said.

Beautiful man, luscious lips. Ditto.

Sweet dreams!

[bottlecap]

[aikim]

Good Morning All,

53 Days until Clay is Live at Lincoln Center! :whoohoo:

64 Days until Clay Tapes The Skating Special! :whoohoo:

84 Days until The Christmas Tour Starts! :whoohoo:

110 Days until Christmas in Merrillville! :whoohoo:

113 Days until The Skating Special Airs! :whoohoo:

Everyone have a good day!

Kim

[luckiest1]

Wow, you guys had quite the discussion here yesterday. Believe it or not, I am actually caught up.....I did so last night while my cousin's teenage son and his friends were noisily paiting primer in his new room until 12:30 am......after which I collapsed and slept on the hard floor. Stoopid me should have brought that comfy air mattress from camping last week!

Hee, yesterday we had the cable guy come to hook everything up, and I had set my laptop up in the living room, and set my iTunes folder to play on random. As he was in the living room setting up the cable for the TV, it started playing one of my many TV medley mp3s (I think it was Chautauqua). The guy was having a great time singing along, and he kept chuckling loudly every time a new song started, because he recognized them all. Yup, I think the TV medley was a great way to engage the guys.

I went back even further than that -- been working hard all day on rendering... ta-da!... JBT Borgata 9/1!

Wheeee! Yesterday morning, when I woke up before 6 am, I spent an hour or so revieiwng some JBT Borgata clack for our next montage series. Isn't it cool how, 2 years later, you can still watch something that you've never watched before, and be just as blown away? I watched all versions of WDC, and hoo boy, that was some HAWT clack. Can't wait to see what you've been holding back on us, Scarlett. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I believe Clay when he says there are very few consipiracies in this world.

Along with this, I also don't think Clay has made many mistakes or miscalls in his career. From what I see, he has made the most of everything he's been given in life, be it instant fame or peer issues or teaching opportunities. I really can't think of anyone I respect who could have done better. Ok some people would have ran with the instant fame, gone on Oprah to whine about minutiae and whored themselves into instant superstardom and the subsequent instant rehab. Me, I'd rather be with a guy who's in it for the long term.

I do think people involved with his career have made some mistakes, not necesarily because of some nefarious plan to take him down,but mainly (as others have pointed out) from a lack of understanding of Clay & his fans and opposing objectives. Also, working with someone who thinks in terms of decades is probably tough for those whose jobs depend on next quarter's financial report. Unlike others, though, I'm willing to accept that a prototype record (like the Tampa fax) may have existed but simply as what they were -- a record and a fax. It's the amount of things that people have riding on them (eg. tacking on fame and fortune and glory to one prototype and building some sinister plot out of a simple note) that I find absurd. For every fan who sees lost oppportunities in a phantom album, there's probably a record exec who sees lost opportunities in forgoing a Mother's Day '06 album release.

<snip>

So it's a bit surprising to me to sense a lot of sadness and apprehension nowadays. Apart from the fact that he's not touring right at this moment, Clay is right where I want him to be. I think the climate is ready for a Clay Aiken record. If I were an up-an-coming artist, I'd love to be in Clay's shoes (as well as other articles of clothing, but let's not get distracted here). I really believe he is in a much better position for a long term career than any other time even the days right after Idol. Back then, he was a runner-up of some reality show that people couldn't fit into a niche. Today, he has the admiration and respect of quite a number of people who matter, a 4-year track record, a well-known legion of devoted fans who keep him on every Internet poll whether or not he's currently on a promotion campaign, & w/o his even asking for it (can you imagine how it would go if he actually said "please go to this site for me?") and apparently his own means to do some recording out of his own home. Even if things were to start tumbling down and he had to start from scratch today, what's the worst that can happen to him -- be forced to self-publish? We have a holiday tour, Idol rewind (hopefully on Fox HD), a new album next year and a summer tour after that to look forward to. So things are great. Except that I miss him. I hate spending weekends not watching Clay Aiken concerts. *pouts*

What a great post. You have saved me hours of contemplation and trying to put things into words, so I'll just say ITA and move on!

[merryclay]

I've really enjoyed reading what everyone has to say. I have little to offer as I have no profound thoughts regarding Clay and am privy to nothing in Clay's life. However, I do want to say that when I read that people are refusing to buy ATDW or won't be a fan IF Clay....[fill in the blank], I say "Good riddance!" The world is chock full of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlakes. Move on.

Leave me and my unconditional devotion alone.

wandacleo- I certainly agree with your post. It might be helpful if the people that aren't really all that interested in Clay anymore could leave us to enjoy his gifts in peace. Clay is Clay. End of story.

I love the shoulder picture. He's just so handsome.

Edited September 3, 2007 by merryclay

[Couch Tomato]

There are a whole lot of different ways to be a fan. I have to admit I have a low tolerance now for certain things like the angsting, the anger, etc. However, I don't want the people who engage in that to go away and leave me alone because Clay needs those fans too. They love Clay and it manifests itself in a way that is hard for me to understand sometimes (like explaining on places like Amazon or other websites that Clay was forced to do ATDW; he didn't want to but oh buy it anyway). I have no problem saying that action is quite sucky but I can't get into the minds of people, or decide who can say they are a fan, or tell them how to be a fan. I just have to find that place where being a fan of Clay is fun and not so worrisome. Real life is tough enough.. Fortunately I think there are enough things on the schedule to keep everyone from flaming out. And with the tour coming up, I pray the meet and greet format remains the same so that Clay will be able to assauge fears about his album. I just think that helps the entire fandom not be victimized by a bunch of random speculation. I don't know. I'm feeling optimisitc. :21:

hmmm why am I up... NO WORK TODAY. Woot.

ETA: yes I remember that. I was in a hotel room in Anaheim. Didn't get to see it until I got home the next day and watch the clack. Thank god for clack.

[ldyjocelyn]

Happy Labor Day everyone!!!!

[Guest Toots]

:04: Good Morning All....Happy Labor Day to you ldyj and to all who get the day off.

Couchie, are you up early or just going to bed? :21:

:

[Guest Toots]

Gee, aren't y'all sorry that I couldn't join the great discussion here today so that the profundity and erudition of my posts could have lent it some SEMBLANCE of intelligent discourse?

Yeah....I've had a few beers tonight, what of it?

Think I prefer the fuckem and foregetem post! Now that was intelligent discourse!

[laughn]

awwww....ldyjocelyn...what a sweet memory.

I decided to take the day as intended and do little or nothing today except finish listening to all the audio of HYCA for the FCA recommendations. I don't consider that work, unless you call it a labor of love. hee.

I'm not worried about Clay Aiken at all. (...and I hope he's not worrying about me either) I'm sure he's off somewhere listening to new sounds, hanging out with friends and figuring out ways to change his hair just enough to drive us all crazy. It's all good. (TM CHA)

[cindilu2]

Can anybody tell me quick which concert/song it was that Angela 'fixed' the waistband of Clay's jeans? (did her mommy thing ;-)

Pretty please?

ETA - got it, thanks! Nebbermind.

Edited September 3, 2007 by cindilu2

[merryclay]

laughn--Heee!!, I bet that's what he's doing, too. I also bet he's joking and laughing out loud and making other people laugh out loud, enjoying his celebrity lifestyle with some of the amenities that he probably wouldn't have had otherwise. Happy Labor Day, Clay.

Happy Labor Day to all.

[lightmyfire]

There are a whole lot of different ways to be a fan. I have to admit I have a low tolerance now for certain things like the angsting, the anger, etc. However, I don't want the people who engage in that to go away and leave me alone because Clay needs those fans too. They love Clay and it manifests itself in a way that is hard for me to understand sometimes (like explaining on places like Amazon or other websites that Clay was forced to do ATDW; he didn't want to but oh buy it anyway). I have no problem saying that action is quite sucky but I can't get into the minds of people, or decide who can say they are a fan, or tell them how to be a fan. I just have to find that place where being a fan of Clay is fun and not so worrisome. Real life is tough enough.. Fortunately I think there are enough things on the schedule to keep everyone from flaming out. And with the tour coming up, I pray the meet and greet format remains the same so that Clay will be able to assauge fears about his album. I just think that helps the entire fandom not be victimized by a bunch of random speculation. I don't know. I'm feeling optimisitc. :21:

hmmm why am I up... NO WORK TODAY. Woot.

ETA: yes I remember that. I was in a hotel room in Anaheim. Didn't get to see it until I got home the next day and watch the clack. Thank god for clack.

Up and until February of 2006, I would have agreed with you, Couchie. But...my sentiment in respect to Clay's fanbase has changed. I believe that sadly this fandom has factions that are invasive and dishonest. And I honestly find their actions define the love for themselves, not a love for Clay. And I don't believe that Clay needs those fans regardless if they purchase a ton of CDs or a ton of concert tickets.

I am not perfect, Clay's not perfect..but I am expressing my true feelings. And I sense that I am not alone..

[Scarlett]

Just wanted to drop off a few pics for keepingfaith and explain that there's a reason why these JBT Borgata files didn't get uploaded in the first place. The visuals are nice but I was sitting right in front of Andy's and Daniel's speaker so the guitars are overwhelming on the audio. Since I had 2 other cameras running that night (ToffeeBrowne had one in dead center and Solo had the original Miami IT camcorder that we repaired for a while) and the sound was so much better on those especially Solo's these were set aside. The uploads are getting done mainly to support the wizardry and magic of goldarngirl and luckiest1. They're creating a Best-of-Atlantic City that I'm sure will be absolutely stunning and amazing (my definition, not Clay's), just like all their other "Best-of-XXX" Series.

Thanks for all the comments -- hanging around everyone here makes me feel like I'm watching a Clay concert. {insert happy-place icon here}

ldyjocelyn, what a nice day that was!!! *soft sigh* I still carry that clip on my ipod everyday.

LOL, laughn! *imagines him shampooing it and playing with the lather to create various shapes & styles, maybe a faux-hawk or two... *

I went back even further than that -- been working hard all day on rendering... ta-da!... JBT Borgata 9/1! But thanks for the burning & shipping. *I'll endure tickling for that & will leave more than 2 pieces of Cheez Doodles next time. I miss you guys. When's the eHP gonna get together again?*

OMG. Heart be still. Scarlett, is there a chance, any chance at all, that you have any remaining JBT Motown that has not been rendered? If any is lost or misplaced I hereby volunteer my services for a search party. I'll bring Cheez Doodles .... somehow. Give it to me straight.

*teasingly* Um, there might have been a couple of "new" Motown clips... (jk, I'm uploading)