#20: Clay is just so frickin' cute! Cute, cute, cute!

[playbiller]

I don't think Clay should get the same things other idols get and that there is no great equalizer in the air, but I do agree that giving the band an award when they are not on the album does make AI graduates look almost as phony as the rest of the synthesizer music winners - the co-writers who change a single word and the auto tuned lip sync only singers.

And, no, it has nothing to do with Clay, he already has his AMA.

[Couch Tomato]

I didn't watch season 5 of Idol but I kinda like Daughtery. Hell I've only seen him maybe 2 or 3 times but I've heard his damn song a million times on my sports radio station. I like the song. I don't know if he's arrogant but I've never seen him speak. But personality doesn't have anything to do with the actual music or whether it's worthy of an award.

Bwah, the band isn't on the album yet they got an award..now that's funny. If I was Daughtery I'd kick their asses off the stage. heh.

[Ansamcw]

I don't think Clay should get the same things other idols get and that there is no great equalizer in the air, but I do agree that giving the band an award when they are not on the album does make AI graduates look almost as phony as the rest of the synthesizer music winners - the co-writers who change a single word and the auto tuned lip sync only singers.

And, no, it has nothing to do with Clay, he already has his AMA.

I don;t think this kind of thing only happens with Daughtry, so if they get picky on that issue with this band then they have to be picky with all the artist that pro tool and who may use other enhancers on their CD...the fact is...they have done well on radio, CD sales and if the band is not the band on the CD...the main guy Daughtry was the one who created the music so I still think he deserves it.

[luckiest1]

I just can't get bent out of shape over what happens or doesn't happen to other Idol alumni. They are off my radar completely. I wouldn't hear about any of this stuff if I didn't read the boards. Clay has his career, they each have theirs. I don't compare them, I don't see the need. Clay's doing just fine following his own path.

[FearofH2O]

Is this Pam H. - as in QueenP at CH?

If so, she was part of our local Greensboro/W-S group before we moved to SC. I love her. She's a sweet gal and I want to smack her sometimes for not seeing herself for the wonderful gal she is!

You worked a lot of hours!

And I can't believe you and Play are both remodeling at the same time!

Wrong Pam, this is Pam G. from Greensboro. She won one of the volunteer awards at the Gala this year.

I really like queenp a lot also. We did the cd release party together last year and have had lunch a few times. She is a member of the WFI group also.

The show was for nine days and I only wrapped for two. There were volunteers from all over. We start wrapping for the mall on Thanksgiving day.

Playbiller and I are very competitive so we do everything together. Actually we both needed to do it and I guess we encouraged each other.

I enjoyed AI Rewind this week. The other competitors really knew a good voice when they heard one. Seemed to be a lot of complements for Clay. I'm really curious why TC never mentions this how at the OFC. They certainly are treating Clay like a star on the show.

[jumpingjacks]

I dunno, copy cats don't really appeal to me, I guess. I know it makes him very marketable but he's still not an original.

His stuff sells, though, no doubt about it. He may be quite likeable in real life....I doubt I ever find out! Heh!

[gbmifan]

My sister went and saw Daughtry this summer, and I was really glad she got to go and enjoy herself. I called her and asked her how it went. She loved the concert but decided she must be getting old because the bass was so loud she felt her heart was going to come out of her chest. She went to the same fair two days later and saw Sugarland, and the sound was not so hard on her. I told her I was glad she enjoyed both.

[playbiller]

I don't think Clay should get the same things other idols get and that there is no great equalizer in the air, but I do agree that giving the band an award when they are not on the album does make AI graduates look almost as phony as the rest of the synthesizer music winners - the co-writers who change a single word and the auto tuned lip sync only singers.

And, no, it has nothing to do with Clay, he already has his AMA.

I don't think this kind of thing only happens with Daughtry, so if they get picky on that issue with this band then they have to be picky with all the artist that pro tool and who may use other enhancers on their CD...the fact is...they have done well on radio, CD sales and if the band is not the band on the CD...the main guy Daughtry was the one who created the music so I still think he deserves it.

That was my point, I was being sarcastic of the entire music business. Actually, several professional writers accompanied the AI4 tour that summer to write with Daughtry. It kept him out of the bars with the other idol guys after the show, he had the tour and his writing job. He commented on the fact that he had two jobs then. But when they reached Hollywood, he was the only Idol to get into Paris Hilton's party.

[Cotton]

G'night, All!

I'm hitting the sack!

[Couch Tomato]

Getting into a Paris Hilton Party? Now that's something for the resume. LOL

I don't find much original in music today....when I was at the club the songs didn't sound at all original. I don't think originality gets celebrated all that much anymore.

[Ansamcw]

Getting into a Paris Hilton Party? Now that's something for the resume. LOL

I don't find much original in music today....when I was at the club the songs didn't sound at all original. I don't think originality gets celebrated all that much anymore.

OMG thats for sure. There is just different types of music but within those subsets...they all sound the same. I love going through my girls playlist...they like a bit of hip hop, when you listen to their favorites they all sound the same...then they love pop rock with Daughtry, Hinder and Nickelback all flowing together...then there is the punk rock groups and emo that all sound the same too. But somehow...I do enjoy listening to their playlist. I end up dl some of them myself but I often wonder how they can distinguish one from the other cos I often get the aritists all mixed up.

[Couch Tomato]

welp...no Desperate Housewives tonight..I think I'll download clack...and spend the rest of the night watching Clay. He's prettier anyway.

[jmh123]

I was finding the whining on the boards about Rewind tiresome, so I'll quote some posts I like that have saved me from having to write anything myself:

Eh, I think Fox and the AI people got exactly what they wanted with the top 12 - something to extend the unexpected hit that was AI1. Because they really did change it up from the first year (Kelly was really the "fat chick" with an image problem in that group) - but wanted to keep enough of the elements (pretty people singing familiar songs) that made it a hit.

But honestly? For a mainstream pop singer (which AI was going for) - Clay really wasn't it. America as a whole does love a few of it's quirkier stars - but loves the conventionally pretty even more. The top pop acts in 2003 were JT, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez. Quirky ain't in general widely popular unless it has extreme talent, that's why it's quirky. And corporate powers are notoriously bad at selecting the quirky that America loves. I think (and I could be blowing smoke out of my butt), for true long term American quirky love, the object has to have talent, independence, charm, wit, humor and true uniqueness - and that's some you see over time instead of the hothouse atmosphere of Hollywood week. But they did see the talent and they did eventually put him through. We are still seeing whatever the AI Rewind producers think would be interesting for television - not all of the singers, not all of the deliberations. But from what I could see - in general the talent level had gone way up from AI1. So had the pretty. Clay - I love the boy to death today. And I believe that he is the type many of you have been attracted to all these years - but during AI? Hell, the recaps still doesn't exact bring the cute for me. I frankly love cleaned up Clay. But the charm was coming through in spades. And I just as I see where KLo was beating Somewhere Over the Rainbow to death, Clay was whaling away at Unchained Melody. I was surprised that Frenchy pulled out something other that I Am Telling You and I was impressed by that.

And here's another wicked thought - one of the few pop stars who were hugely popular but not conventionally pretty was Barry Manilow. Can anyone name a widely popular unconventional pretty pop star? But I can name a couple of dozen Teen Beat pin ups. Rock stars are a completely different animal. Clay just happened to clean up way better than Barry.

As for the bad auditions? They really are popular. Really, they are. Frankly, I watched AI for them, because just as it was one of the best seasons for good singing, it was one of the best for bad delusional singers. Just like Clay was fresh, the show was really fresh too. Because I have personally known a lot of really bad singers that you cannot convince them that they are bad. And people weren't clowning as much to get on camera. Of course, then AI had to run the bad auditions into the ground.

KAndre - I agree with every word you said - even about the bad auditions. And yes, AI has run them into the ground, but I don't feel sorry for any of the contestants who is shown during them. Some are truly delusional about their talent but many, many, many more go to those auditions planning to be as bad and outrageous and possible so they will get in front of the judges and get on TV. At this point I don't feel bad about the "public humiliation" because every single person who shows up for the auditions knows how the show is run. There are no surprises, no blind-siding. Those shown during the bad auditions get what they asked for, IMO.

Clay was young and innocent then. But I think the innocence starting leaving him almost from the day AI ended and his new life began. He had his first taste of bad reviews with MOAM. The gay stuff was out there in the early interviews. I believe there was even tabloid stuff early on. He learned quickly that he was an employee and his boss, like most bosses, generally gets his way. I think by the time the crap came along he was far more realistic about the good and the bad about being a "celebrity". I don't think Clive's alleged mandate (and boy, do I HATE that word - a word that I think conjures up images of something that didn't happen and a word I would bet Clay regrets ever using that ONE time) hurt him nor destroyed his innocence. I think whatever actually went down during the time preceding ATDW did not shatter his innocence (and yes, I know Clive was the one who wanted him to do covers but no I don't think he was forced and threatened into it while Raleigh and Durham were being being held hostage and no I don't believe there is any "lost album" of kick-ass rock songs that would have propelled him to the top of the charts, tons of radio play and Grammys out the wazoo). I think he saw it for exactly what it was - a business negotiation with his boss getting the final say.

I think post-AI was of course an exciting whirlwind for him, but to have continued on that pace would have killed him. Like everyone else in the world, time and experience has changed him. But man, I think that boy is still on one hell of an exciting ride - and I think he knows it!

oh I will go further. Clay may be inexperienced when it came to this competition...but I don't think he was very innocent in the ways of the world of showbiz. Already early on he knew he had to fix up his image for the auditions that is why he asked some friends to help him with his look. He was always very aware that they won't see him as the pop idol material. He was also very savvy in his behavior in Hollywood week. He knew enough not to get involved in any controversies and that he needed to work hard. So I do not think he would be surprised to be in the maybe group. Finally, week after week, he learned to curb his naturally sarcastic tongue and checked his temper and never got into any argument with the judges. He always met their criticism with humor or at one time he showed some confusion...but the Clay that faced the judges was not the usual Clay that his friends and we now know. So I really don;t see Clay as this innocent country boy that was getting taken advantage of...and that was broken hearted cos he didn't get what he wants. He was very pragmatic, realistic and savvy from the very beginning.

I wouldn't exactly call myself a fatalist (I think that let's people off the hook too easily) but I definitely do believe in fate. And I believe that things unfolded for Clay's time on AI exactly as they needed to. Are there somethings I would change if I controlled the universe? Well I could have lived quite nicely without the HTAE lighting, lol. And the zero trio turning Broadway into an insult (only when it refers to Clay, of course) still chaps my ass. But I believe that being the wildcard, and the 'makeover', and coming in second (has anybody ever gotten more mileage out of that than Clay Aiken??) were all driving factors to his early success. And I believe that Clay is a truly smart man. And I don't mean book-smart, I mean smart in that he seems to learn his lessons well. I'm not expressing that well - but I mean he really takes whatever good he can out of things and moves on. He is a master, not only at making lemonade, but at making me fall all over myself to drink it. I'll be eternally grateful to whatever power in the universe it was that is responsible for bringing him into our lives.

And one feel-good post for the holidays:

Our WFI group started wrapping last weekend at the Charlotte Christmas show. I only put in 17 hours but met so many really nice people. The organizer of our group was there every day, a lot of time considering it is more than 1 1/2 hours from where we live. The show was huge. I only saw 1/3 of it. One woman in a wheelchair loved Clay so much she emptied her wallet into the donation box. A woman from Ireland, who worked with special needs kids there and was only in this country for this show selling her linens and embroidery, went around to various booths asking for donations of merchandise. All in all very heartwarming.

Here's hoping we all have a stress free Thanksgiving.

Thanks for that Fear. Much better than my whining about whining.

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

7 Days...1 Week! Until The Christmas Tour Starts!

33 Days until Christmas in Merrillville!

36 Days until The Skating Special Airs!

49 Days until The BAF Golf Outing!

60 Days until Clay is on Broadway!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[christelklein]

Good morning all !!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Alas ... i see the snow from last night still on the ground on the university campus!!! But it's probably gonna get to the 40's today ... we might as well enJOY that .... as it's freezing and below from now on!!

Didn't watch the AMA's .... i don't watch awards shows unless Clay is there!!

At least Carrie, Daughtry and Idol winners give "Idol" some "rep". Neither is my cuppa tea!!

[merryclay]

Chris is really ugly-- IMO- so I shall shun him. I've never seen him perform. I didn't watch the AMAs so I have no right to speak, but I shall. I think he seemed very cocky the times I've seen him talk. I shall continue to shun him and wait for next Monday. Bad me!!!

AI Rewind was fun last night. Clay Aiken looked mighty fine. I think Paula was feeling the lust. lol!

[cindilu2]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! (okay, I know it's only Thanksgiving. Sue me!!! )

[keepingfaith]

Chris is really ugly-- IMO- so I shall shun him. I've never seen him perform. I didn't watch the AMAs so I have no right to speak, but I shall. I think he seemed very cocky the times I've seen him talk. I shall continue to shun him and wait for next Monday. Bad me!!!

AI Rewind was fun last night. Clay Aiken looked mighty fine. I think Paula was feeling the lust. lol!

I'm not a Chris Daughtry fan per se, but I think it unfair to shun him because of his looks. Anybody in the rock world who doesn't have some attitude these days should probably give it up. I did watch the AMAs last night, and although I'm NOT a big fan of the current crop of rockers, he's just as good or better than the lot of them, so I'm fine with his success. I'm also pleased with the fact that he's remained devoted to his wife and kids. Also, I thought it quite generous of him to bring up his touring band to share the awards, considering these weren't the guys who played on the album.

More than anything, it was Idol Has Officially Arrived Night at the AMAs, if that hadn't been established before then it certainly has now. At the beginning of the show, Jimmy Kimmel announced he couldn't write a monologue for himself due to the strike, so he went out in the audience to get a couple of people to come on stage and dance with him and Souljah Boy -- he chose Kellie Pickler and Jordin Sparks. The next order of business was to introduce Carrie Underwood, who presented the Breakthrough Artist award to .... Daughtry. Daughtry and Underwood won awards all night long. I left the show before it was over, but from what I saw, the AI alums were kicking butt.

I'm pretty tired of comparing the Idols and the amount of push they each get. I'm sure Kelly Clarkson fans were wondering why she didn't have a presence on the show, even though she is on tour now -- but it wasn't her year. Something tells me that 2008 will be Clay's year. I feel it coming. In the meantime, I really am happy for all the kids who went through the Idol mill and came out with careers. I think Clay Aiken shifted the focus of Idol from the winner of the number of phone calls, to the top talent. Season 5's eventual winners seem ultimately to be Daughtry and Elliott Yamin, not Taylor and Kat. I think Season 6 may be the dud year for Idol -- which is why the tour bombed and supposedly Season 7 is being reworked. But there's no denying the phenomenon and I'll be keeping my eye on it again this year ... especially since it's the year 5 anniversary for Clay and Ruben, and I do expect to see them on the finale. The days of Idol being considered cheesy, gimmicky, or invalid by the industry are totally over, IMO.

ETA: The only thing that rankled me watching Rewind this week was Kimberly Caldwell's remark that everyone in the Top 32 was equally talented. What?????

[KAndre]

Catching up:

I am finally eating a HoneyCrisp apple. It tastes like....apple. It is crispy, but then I find most apples crispy. It is fairly huge.

DAUGHTRY!@!!@$@ is fine for what he is (and the expression on his face when he got kicked off AI was priceless), but he does sound like Nickelback to me, and I've never liked Nickelback. Just don't like whiny, semi-growly rockish thingies. I like stuff like "Apologize" way better than "Home" but didn't see it up there either.

It's supposed to be 80 here today. I'm gonna die in Minnesota.

Chick, you though KimC would say anything else? HA!

Oh, I think AI will still be considered "cheesy, gimmicky and invalid" by many, if not most in the industry - just really successful. Is Elliott doing well? Now that's somebody I have heard anything about, though part of that is that I couldn't really stand him in any case. And I think you're right on Clay shifting the focus from the "winner" to what I would call "the successes", and JHud for opening the contestants' eyes that even making the top 12 is a freaking incredible career boost. And I agree that Season 6 doesn't seem to have any breakouts.

[gbmifan]

I got to tell you a cute story. I was at work last week and the patient I had was a 17 year old who had been really sick and on the ventilator for almost 3 weeks. Finally he was off and able to talk. He ask me to put CMT on tv. His friends came and visited on and off all day and when they did they would put BET on. As soon as they left he would ask that CMT be put on. This when on all day. At about 5:30 he told me he was in love with Carrie and wanted to marry her. I said why did he not tell me he liked her earlier today, I would of gone to my car and got both of her CD's and he could of listerned to them. He was so cute telling me this. I got to transfer him on Fri. to rehab and told him to tell them to make sure he could bring in a CD player to listen to. This is an adult Rehab unit, I was so glad they found a private room so he can have his friends around instead of being in a room with a 70-80 year old individual.

[Ansamcw]

Word KF...When I look at AI objectively...I can honestly say that most of these kids that get to the top 12 have some talent. Not all of them appeal to me...and not all of the have the star power or equally talented but they do appeal to certain people. Even Carmen was able to get people to vote for her. There were people that actually liked her. So I am very happy to see them succeed in some capacity. On a personal level I do like it when I am able to predict what will happen to these idols...I was wrong about Kat...I thought she would do better. I was right about Taylor and Daughtry and Elliott is a pleasant surprise.

With the season 6 people...I know there is a lot of expectations on Blake, but I heard a snippet of his music, and I had to turn it off, so I don;t know if he will be the hit they expected. I totally have no idea about Jordin but there is just no buzz around these kids so I wonder if they will come out with a legitimate star this year. Come to think of it...so far every year AI produces people with really promising careers I truly love that...and I think that could only be good for Clay to come from a show with credibility for making music stars.

aww gb...cute story. I do like Carrie...I don;t usually like Country music but her music has enough cross over appeal that I really like it.

[liney23]

I like Chris D on AI5. I was shocked when he was kicked off. I think his attitude is a rocker thing cause he didn't have it when he talked about his wife and kids. He really loves them and those kids are not his biologically and I thought that made him an ok guy in my book. Won't buy his cd's but I'm fine with his success!

I don't know if 2008 will be Clay's breakout year.... depends on this next cd a lot, but I am very happy with where he is cause I see more and more respect for him and he is still getting big gigs (HOI and Fifth Grader).... oh, and Spamalot... LOL

[merryclay]

My post indicated that I also shun Chris because of his love of self. (cocky to the max) I shun because of general ugliness and an obnoxious personality. that's a two-fold shun. *g*.

[FearofH2O]

Since I don't listen to any of the current singers or watch AI, I don't have an opinion about any of them. I did see some Justin T. and was quite turned off by his personality. But the aerobics instructer at the the gym I attend, said that she stayed up late last night to see Chris D. because he is so hot. She is 37 and has a two year old but was embarrassed to go see him when he played at a club in town. Guess she thought she was too old. Ha!

Even my sons listen to older music, of course their choices are from people I never heard of, for instance Bob Wills? They avoid any of the current singers especially those from idol. Since three of the slots in my cd player have Clay cds in them, I have been banished from playing music while they are visiting. I turn it right back on when I am in the car alone.

[muskifest]

Interesting how my post about Daughtry's award spun off into so many different directions. Actually, I wasn't even thinking of him as an AI person when I chose to post. When I read that blurb online, the first thought that came to me was BREAKTHROUGH? Good lord, I can't even tell it's him and not one of the many other clones of whateve original sound that is!

Funny. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding the term "breakthrough"---I'm giving it more meaning that it has, perhaps. I mean, Carrie last year got the award, and she's certainly not unique. I like her because her voice is good and many of her songs are catchy, so maybe that's why others like Daughtry. (I don't happen to think his voice is all that, but whatever...)

I guess my frustration was over the predictablility of what the music industry rewards. Had nothing to do with AI alumni up against each other...who's better, etc. Last night my hubby and I were watching Cold Case and he was flipping channels during commercials, so we caught a flicker or two of the AMA show. Rascal Flatts was performing and IMO not sounding so good. I've heard them before when they DO sound good, so I"m not dissing them. We saw Akon win an award and all I could think of was that song he 'sang' with Gwen Stefani on one of the AI episodes last season. All he did then was emit some repetitive syllables---can't even remember them. But there he stood getting accolades and recognition and...

So it wasn't anything to do with American Idol. My post had to do with the industry and how very, very boring it is. Predictable in this context is boring. (Predictable in my paycheck is not. heh.)

And that 'un' predictable quality of Clay and his talent is what intrigues me about his music. I just never know what he'll bless my aural senses with. I just always know, though, that whatever it is will be worth savoring.