#21: "Surprisingly, the ice did not melt."

[jumpingjacks]

Regarding someone taking video of a Broadway production, does anyone know how we got the Youtube video of David Hyde Pierce as Sir Robin and all of the other Spamalot video we've been enjoying? Maybe it was taken after those actors completed their run. I've seen lots of Youtube video from Wicked also. I have no idea where those videos came from. I, for one, am praying for some kind of Clack. Living in California on a fixed income prohibits me from attending Clay's Spamalot production, even though I'd love to be there with all my heart.

I think those videos have been pulled from youtube....that's what I read at OFC anyway.

[spenthen]

jumpingjacks, I think you're right. I just went to Youtube to check, and they're gone. However, someone took those videos, I guess that's my point. If Clack were taken and simply shared on the boards, I don't see the harm. Mass exposure on Youtube, which in my opinion would be wrong, could be nipped in the bud.

[cindilu2]

The thing with clack, for me, is this...it becomes a "it's all about meeeeee" thing for some people. I know not everyone gets to go to a concert...I understand that and appreciate the clackgatherers for their patience and time to video and take pictures. When it comes to people whining (imho and no one here) about taking clack of Spamalot...I kind of have a serious problem with that.

I know, in some sense, it's all illegal but the Spamalot filming really bothers me.

yeah that will really be sticky...although that may be the only way I see it...it really may hurt the show. I don;t know the answer cos I am caught by my desire to see it. I wouldn't be surprised if this is something Clay will be blogging about before Spamalot. Its the biggest problem because it is only in New York and so many fans won;t be able to see it...sigh.

But ultimately ....if this compromises Clay's ability to work with other productions...then that should seriously be considered.

Bolding mine... But there are many, many actors in it who have fans, who probably can't travel the country to see them. They don't have 'clack' up on youtube. And I completely understand the desire to see it - but it's the demand that bothers me. I've read many posts insisting that there 'better' be clack, and how he 'owes' it to his fans that can't travel to see him. The entitlement is incredible.

[Gibby]

Oh and I see that LTS has fallen by the wayside..shall we postpone this until after the holidays/tour?

Yes, please! There's no way I can keep up with it right now. And I'd love to be involved in the conversation.

00lsee said:

he really is a lovely and remorseless killer.

this should be nominated for a thread title!!!!

ALSO......... Diva said it was OK to post the video of her "Ode to Clack Goddesses" on youtube!!

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

BWAH!!! That was hilarious, Diva! Thanks for putting it up for us to see, chach. I'd love to see the words typed out and posted, too!

If someone does take video of Spamalot, maybe they could wait to post it until his run is over. Then, those who couldn't see it live, can still see it after the fact.

That's a great idea! But I bet if someone captures it, they'll want to share it right away. The vault admins would need to agree on not posting it until later in order for this to work.

I was going to put up the 3rd & 4th chapters the day after I got home from Wichita. And then I started painting. And ... oh I dunno...I forgot? Then I thought I would do it Monday after I got home from work, but they tossed some new stuff at me this week that has taken my boring little low stress job in sort of a different direction. Hee. It's all good. I'm up for the challenge and actually shocked that they have that much confidence in me after only a month. So with all that and then the concerts going on I'm all pre-occupied on my off hours too.

Congrats on being recognized as the intelligent, capable woman that you are, Jamar! That's cool!

[jumpingjacks]

Bolding mine... But there are many, many actors in it who have fans, who probably can't travel the country to see them. They don't have 'clack' up on youtube. And I completely understand the desire to see it - but it's the demand that bothers me. I've read many posts insisting that there 'better' be clack, and how he 'owes' it to his fans that can't travel to see him. The entitlement is incredible.

Totally agree with the whole post but especially the bolded part. That's what I've seen, too.

[JennaZ]

The presence of Broadway performances on YouTube tells me that Clay fans are not the only ones who secretly film shows. Yes, it violates the rights of the writers, actors, and musicians involved in the production, but quite frankly, clack taken of Clay's orchestra performances could be said to violate the rights of the musicians and songwriters involved, and clack taken of Clay's television appearances violates the rights of the producers, directors, and other performers who technically should be paid for internet distribution. (In fact, a big part of the Writers' strike in Hollywood is about the right to be paid for internet downloads and streaming.)

Quite frankly, I'm a little puzzled about this deference the rights of the Broadway producers. Is it a fear that clack will depress ticket sales? Are people concerned that fans will be less interested in seeing him on Broadway if they saw him on the internet? If so, why do we think that would happen with Spamalot when no one seems to think it has happened with his concerts? Most seem to think that Clack makes fans more eager to see him live. Is it a fear that Clay will suffer if his producers find out fans have filmed his shows? I tend to think that they'll only find him blameworthy if he does anything to actively encourage filming. Or is there something about Broadway that is somehow more sacrosanct? I'm not advocating illegal filming, I'm just trying to get a grasp of the objections. And I'm not saying that he should "allow" it out of any obligation to fans. The right to film Spamalot is not his to give.

If there is clack, I do think it shouldn't go on YouTube. Unlike YouSendIts and clack vaults, it is subject to a much wider audience. Anyone looking for bootleg footage looks at YouTube first. Clack posted at that site carries a greater risk of being discovered by rights holders than clack distributed through fan channels.

I'll admit, the fact that I won't be able to make it to Broadway does make me hope there will be clack. Not of every performance. Not even of the whole show. Just one song. If it doesn't happen, I won't be heartbroken. But it would be nice.

[cha cha trusty]

Diva said it was OK to post the video of her "Ode to Clack Goddesses" on youtube!!

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

BWAH!!! That was hilarious, Diva! Thanks for putting it up for us to see, chach. I'd love to see the words typed out and posted, too!

Gibby and all who want to see the words to this song!! Click the link again and then where it says more in the upper right in the description. I posted the words there a couple of hours ago. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Leave a comment??

[Claygasm]

Interrupting this intelligent discussion for a nice, shallow post......

Glasses again????? WTF?????

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know - Clay is beautiful with or without glasses, blah, blah, blah!

But we all know I am shallow and I just hatess the glasses on Clay! I have already seen him once with them. Don't tell me I have to watch both shows this weekend with him wearing glasses!

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I am lucky I have the opportunity to see this show at all.

But I just HATE those glasses!!!

Ok. Carry on!

[Gibby]

Clay is handsome in the glasses, but he's devastatingly handsome without them. I want a concert without glasses, too! But I'll take what I get. I'm wondering if the spotlight and flashes bother his eyes more with the contacts than with the glasses.

chacha - thanks for posting the words! And I left a comment at youtube.

[liney23]

I don't hate the glasses, but prefer him without... what bothers me is WHY??? What is wrong that he's wearing them this long? He has never worn them this long before. Did he lose them? Did Durham eat them? Did he decide that he's too old to wear them now? Wha'

That Person of the Year just melted my heart... would that it was true. I know it's too soon, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened one day.

[Couch Tomato]

Well considering he will be in one place and not everybody can travel to NYC, I hope there is clack for Spamalot. I just can't imagine such an endeavor for CLay not being seen by a large portion of his fans. Can Clay Nation do low key? We've got a month to figure it out.

[playbiller]

I'm baaack - whatta ya wanna kno?

I guess many of you were nt aware of all the work that went int o removing that AIW bad note video? Many of us were working with the clack gatherers searching out all copies on you tube and reportingthe violaters. It was only a week, but it seemed like forever. One ass hole kept reregistering under the same name with a different number after it. I worte a scathing note to everyone I could contact on Youtube about that - Bad enough they don't track IPs (well not so bad for me and my bannings), But to let the same person reregister and load out the same video was really annoying.

And we checkd google video and others.

Did you think it was an accident that the sites with video suddenly died? Sometime CN can get things done.

Speaking of self censoring, I do know a clackgatherer that self censored and did not load out a zipper incident with Clay. Really, how can you be a fan and not have some respect for Clay? posting that video would have crossed the line from clack gatherer to fame whore. You know, like some others that have posted embarrassing video.

Eta, I came back with 4 scarves and 3 posters, so I will be looking at my paypal account.

[playbiller]

Whooo hoo - anyone here? they are having a woot off today at Woot.com - worth a look for anyone interested in a quick buy. They might have some scoombas again, and mine is working just fine!

[Couch Tomato]

hey Play... I'm up I"m up hee. off to woot...

I'm feeling really virginal these days. ALl I've seen is 3 of Gibby's videos. I'm not doing this on purpose but I might make it all the way to Minneapolis in this state.

[wandacleo]

If it weren't for Clack, I wouldn't be here. I found Clay and the message boards in my search for Clack.

The more the better.

However, I agree that some things shouldn't be put on YouTube, but we're probably not the ones doing it. LOTS of people have video cameras, not just Claymates.

[cha cha trusty]

COOL NEWS!!! SuzyP at Broads nominated Clay for Time's Person of the Year, and his photo was displayed in Times Square NYC today!!!

Are you just teasing? Cuz anyone can add their photo to that display at that site? There are a bunch of people and their kids.

Sorry - I have no idea how it works! All I know is she said she 'nominated' him. Can anyone shed light on this???

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

[jamar1700]

What is wrong that he's wearing them this long? He has never worn them this long before.

ummm didn't he wear them for a whole week of concerts last year when he was sick. Starting in Williamsport? And we don't know how long he wears them at other times when we aren't seeing him everyday...just sayin'.

I had ulcerated cornea's once and had to go about 2 months without mine.

eta...

oh just cuz....

eta2 ....

Oh my...do NOT miss xxx's MGUCL from last night! *sigh*

---

eta3....TGIF ya'll!

[luckiest1]

071206_NB_IBHFC-Medley_xxx4clay_large.wmv

How cute is he when he realizes he's goofed up, can't find the right words, and says "ladies and gentlemen, Angela Fisher!" so that she can help him find his spot. He's also freaking gorgeous in this clip (and no doubt in all the NB clips). His hair seems to have grown a bit since Kalamazoo, and it's perfectly styled. And the glasses? I hope he's not sick...maybe his eyes are just irritated. I used to have stretches of time where I just couldn't keep my contacs in, because my eyes were sore, or once or twice I managed to somehow scratch my eye, and that takes a while to heal. Or, maybe he just doesn't feel like wearing contacs. Whatever, doesn't bother me at all! I would love it if I got to see a second show with the glasses next weekend in Erie!

[cindilu2]

I still wonder (in case you scrolled my last post) if wearing the glasses isn't somehow related to the camera flashes. He surely doesn't appear or sound ill, and his eyes look wonderful, so if there has to be a reason beyond personal preference (his), that seems like a reasonable guess.

Either way works for me. Professor Aiken is hawt.

[laughn]

from claysession at the CH...

The station that is doing the interview with Clay this morning just announced it would be half an hour from now. It streams.

http://www.947wmas.com/home.php

posted at 7:41EST

[Claygasm]

Got to get a move on. Must get to work early-ish so I can get my work done and leave at 1pm so I can drive 4-1/2 hours to Albany.

Seems I have a date with my boyfriend tonight.

Might have to have a talk with him about those damn glasses, though.

And everyone - please - hope with me that the stories this time round aren't 4 stories about death and dying? I truly don't think I can deal with that again!

Gotta go!

[ldyjocelyn]

Having been a person who had contacts for many years, and finally gave them up after thinking they were too much trouble (and people telling me "you look good in glasses"), he may be feeling that it's time for a change. OTOH, I do think that cindi's theory could be the best one, that the lighting and possible flashes really bother him when he's wearing his contacts. Again, I remember that -- the same things would happen to me.

Have fun tonight CG and everyone else this evening!

theday.com

Christmas Clay

Christmas Clay

By Kristina Dorsey , Day Arts Writer

Published on 12/7/2007 in Home »Features »Features Main Photo

Here's what we learned in a recent interview with Clay Aiken: • He likes celebrating Christmas so much that he does a holiday concert tour each year, but he doesn't like celebrating his birthday and so did nothing special for his 29th.

• He won't be doing any Justin Timberlake-ish songs on his new CD, as past producers have suggested. He says that having him sing that kind of song would be like a parent using a teenager's slang.

• He thought “Spamalot” was “one of the stupidest things I had ever seen in my life” — and yet he's agreed to star in the Broadway musical beginning next month.

• He isn't shy about expressing his opinions (see above), and he is an engaging conversationalist, with just the right amount of that ol' Southern charm.

The North Carolina native has come a long way since he was runner-up on “American Idol” four years ago. He's had a string of big-selling CDs, starting with “Measure of a Man,” which went double platinum in 2003. He followed up with “Merry Christmas With Love,” in 2004 and “A Thousand Different Ways,” combining covers and new tunes, last year.

He brings his Christmas tour to Mohegan Sun Arena Sunday.

“It's really something I look forward to every year,” he says of the tour. “There's always a moment in the year where we consider, well, maybe we won't do it this year. Maybe we'll do something different. Maybe, God forbid, I actually spend the holidays at home this year.

“It never lasts, that thought. Because it's something I look forward to. I love the music. The music is more powerful and means more to people than secular songs they hear throughout the year.”

The concert, in fact, is all Christmas music.

“It's kind of tough to put 'Invisible' in the middle of (Christmas songs). It would totally take away the mood,” he says.

What adds to the mood is his inclusion of local communities in the show. The first year of the tour, he brought onstage high school and elementary school choirs from each city. The second year, it was community theaters. Last year, local orchestras got the call. Orchestras are included again this year, but so are Aiken fans who wrote in with their own holiday memories. He selected the winners.

“I was actually the one who read every single one of the stories when they got submitted. There were some moments I

regretted coming up with the idea,” he says with a laugh. “If we ever do that again, I'll be farming that out, that's for sure.

“But it is neat to listen to people's holiday experiences. Last night, we had a lady who talked about when she was a child, she moved (to America) from England, and she remembers being so afraid that Father Christmas would not make it to her house and would not be able to find her all this way away. Of course, she woke up and found that he might have come, but he had a different name. He was Santa Claus.

“We had a lady who read a story about how she was performing in a jazz trio one Christmas, and her dress caught on fire. Threw eggnog on her skirt.”

The tales are worked into the show so that they lead naturally into songs. Aiken describes it as one big Christmas card.

Aiken is due to release a CD next year — his first of entirely new music since “Measure of a Man.” He and his team are looking for material now and expect to record next year. As for what folks can expect, Aiken says, “It's kind of hard to say. We're going to do all original material, but it's going to be me. I can promise it's not going to be trying to stretch into a new arena, something that's so out of the box that it's unrecognizable. We're going to try to do stuff that's just one millimeter left of center. The producer says, 'Stay in your own lane.' That's what we're going to do.”

In the beginning, producers suggested material more appropriate for pop performers who are in vogue on the singles charts, like Timberlake or Maroon 5.

“It's always the issue, I think because there's such a push for really commercial stuff, and Justin Timberlake and Maroon 5 are very cool. I can't do that type of stuff,” Aiken says. “It's a struggle, because a song, a demo, will come in, and it'll be such a great song, and I'll love it. But the more I sit with it (I realize), let's be honest, I'd love to listen to it — from someone else.”

That said, Aiken says his new CD is “going to be very current in sound, but we're looking for songs that are great for me and will produce them in a current way.”

As if making a new CD weren't enough, Aiken has signed on for “Spamalot” as well.

He never saw “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the movie that inspired the Broadway musical “Spamalot.” There was talk of him being cast in it, so he decided to see the show.

“Earlier that weekend, I had seen a typical Broadway musical, which gives you the highs and the lows and you leave with your heart soaring, blah, blah, blah. You go to 'Spamalot,' and your heart's not soaring, necessarily. It's confused.”

He went a second time, now understanding that the show doesn't have a real storyline, that it's just fun and silly.

“I laughed so hard. It's the funniest show that's possibly ever been on Broadway. It's just that off,” he says.

The day that Aiken did this interview was Nov. 29, the day before his 29th birthday. Asked what he was going to do to celebrate, he replied, “Nothin'.”

He added,” I don't do anything for my birthday anymore. I'm getting too old. It's just another day.”

[ldyjocelyn]

He's on NOW!

The DJ's very complimentary -- "you've done practically everything!"

Clay's answer: "Well, I don't have an Academy Award like Jennifer Hudson."

Talking about his fans -- first thought it was fascinating that they followed him, but now he finds it confusing.

The DJ knows his Mom, and knew about the cutting up of his Mom's lawn. Had to get new security for Mom's house.

Asked about BAF, it's going well. Got a good plug in for donating.

Commercials now, more later.

[luckiest1]

EEEEEEEEEE! Now they are playing HTHAS!!!!! This makes me so happy....I spent my drive into work listening to Michael Buble sing Let It Snow, which is always a good way to put me in a bad mood.

I caught the first part of the interview, too, thanks to the heads up. He sounds so great!

BTW, I wonder how much album angst that article is going to cause?

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

15 Days until Christmas in Merrillville!

18 Days until The Skating Show Airs!

31 Days until The BAF Golf Outing!

42 Days until Clay is on Broadway!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim