#22: Which brings us to Clay Aiken, as most good conversations should

[Gibby]

There's only one way to tell what someone's natural hair color is when they dye the hair on their head. And I'm not tellin' how to do it. I'll leave it to your imaginations.

[muskifest]

ohdeargodinheaven

That is one hothunkastud

Whoa...his hair is gorgeous...he is gorgeous...I FLOVE the sideburns!

[Claygasm]

ohdeargodinheaven

That is one hothunkastud

Whoa...his hair is gorgeous...he is gorgeous...I FLOVE the sideburns!

I didn't even notice the sideburns!

After much study, I also have to say I like the cut a lot too.

He looks so handsome.

[muskifest]

There's only one way to tell what someone's natural hair color is when they dye the hair on their head. And I'm not tellin' how to do it. I'll leave it to your imaginations.

Psst! Gibby!

I'll let them know after I finish tying his shoelaces...

[playbiller]

Iknew a guy with flamiong read hair and a very dark beard. I don't think Beards and heads of hair always match. unless his hair went dark recently, it was still blondish before he dyed it for the AI audition.

[atinal]

ohdeargodinheaven

That is one hothunkastud

Whoa...his hair is gorgeous...he is gorgeous...I FLOVE the sideburns!

I didn't even notice the sideburns!

After much study, I also have to say I like the cut a lot too.

He looks so handsome.

She's weakening.....There may be hope for the glasses! Stay tuned

[Claygasm]

ohdeargodinheaven

That is one hothunkastud

Whoa...his hair is gorgeous...he is gorgeous...I FLOVE the sideburns!

I didn't even notice the sideburns!

After much study, I also have to say I like the cut a lot too.

He looks so handsome.

She's weakening.....There may be hope for the glasses? Stay tuned

Don't get your hopes up!!!

Actually, I am still not sold on the blonde hair. I am not sure how it would look in natural light and I do so love reddish hair on him.

But I LOVE how he looks in those pictures!!

Just gorgeous!

(Although he would look even more gorgeous without the glasses...)

[KAndre]

hey! technically, we came back with the same number we left with! people need to pee faster!

don't be hating on our committed electronic relationships.

and couchie has a position in the eHP - she's just in denial.

i will post the true tale of our adventures tomorrow...

[Gibby]

[jmh123]

I think he wanted to go to his natural color before his 6 months in wigs. It will also let him pass anonymously in NYC, most people won't know, only the truely crazy fans. Or he is trying to challenge O'Brien on his own color. Or he is really feeling that hometown connection since he won't be home for 6 months.

Do we really know what the natural color is? I have two kids who were blond as children and teenagers and now have brownish hair. My assumption would be that Clay's hair is a brownish-auburn color. For the Gala in March, and in Afghanistan, would he have dyed his beard and moustache? Damn that was a good color for him. And that seemed to be the color of his hair in all the college pictures I've seen of him. As for NYC, I think Clay could walk down the street with spiked hair and a red leather jacket and no one would bother him. If JFK jr. could successfully navigate the streets of New York, anybody can.

I think it was once decided that these pictures were close to representative of his natural color. Of course, with the lighting, even though both pictures are from the same event, his hair appears to be different colors in the two pictures. There appear to be blonde highlights, but besides that, his hair looks to be a dark reddish blonde. I think his beard is darker, but I do think he dyed it a bit darker for Afghanistan. Man loves to color his hair, always did. That's what makes it hard to pin it down.

Maybe this? I dunno. Looks like it could be dyed here too.

[jmh123]

hey! technically, we came back with the same number we left with! people need to pee faster!

don't be hating on our committed electronic relationships.

and couchie has a position in the eHP - she's just in denial.

i will post the true tale of our adventures tomorrow...

Eagerly awaiting your recaps.

[keepingfaith]

I dunno. Nothing about these two pics looks like natural color, and everything like heavy blond highlights. His natural color may never be seen. Mine hasn't since I was 13.

I have such a weakness for blond men. I need to see the new blonder hair without the glasses. Yes, I need it.

[liney23]

muski....

But now...I have to make a quick trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy Mr. Muski a spatula.

BWAH!!! All I want to know is if it is kinky??? If so, I hope you had fun! BWAH!!!

Wanda.... falling down laughing here... does blond-headed Clay rev your engine??? Sorry, but I got that impression for some reason.

As the hair kept getting lighter, I began thinking that he was going back to his natural color so he wouldn't have to dye it all the time for his run in Spamalot, plus he always goes pretty natural for UNICEF, too. Man looks HAWT!!!

Wonder if Faye will be on the tour bus with Clay for the final dates of the tour? That might be very interesting for her. Hope Bret can go too!

[cha cha trusty]

WOW!

OK - Just want to say - I baked. I made a double batch of spiced pecans and a Christmas Tree Cake. After my daughter gets here tomorrow (which will be very late, but she'll be on CA time..) maybe we'll make cookies. I still have a Jello Salad to make, 7-layer dip and some spinach dip. And tomorrow I have to go shopping for all the ingredients!

Anxiously awaiting more photos of BLONDE BOMBSHELL CLAY!

--this is an early night for me!!

[YSRN]

I had a whole really long post created about the day's/week's events and I lost it when Firefox froze up. Lucky yous!

I hate over and over and over of anything. My dead horse's name is Pinto. Free rides Saturday and alternate Tuesdays.

I haven't deleted huskerfalcon from getclayaiken yet cuz I'm looking forward to the day she tries to log on and post. *sharpens tongue*

Oooo, Blonde! Love it.

Oh, and there was some love in there for Clayzor too!!

I forget the rest... it was pretty bitchy tho.

That's about it. Hee.

:15: I wonder if it's cold in Minn? Heh. I still don't know what cuddleduds are.

[keepingfaith]

This blond babe is smokin' ...

[playbiller]

Maybe he is not going blonde, but his hair is going white what with his stalking fans and everything.

[jamar1700]

Hello sideburns. I've missed you.

[luckiest1]

OMG, blonde, bespectacled, sideburned, no-bangs Clay has rendered me a bit gaga and incoherent this morning. If he looks like that in Merrillville, I may spontaneously combust when I first peer through the binocs from the 23rd row.

Oooo I want a sagey/minty green scarf!!! If anyone is in the vicinty of one would they pick one up for me! Please, please. please! Sagey/minty green is my favourite colour...well at least today*g*

If no one has responded to this yet, I can try for one for you in Merrillville on Saturday (and btw, the word seek magazines arrived today. :F_05BL17blowkiss: ) What's sad is that I already have a red scarf, but now am thinking I might NEED a green one too, too. Yes, I'm obsessed.

I hate over and over and over of anything. My dead horse's name is Pinto. Free rides Saturday and alternate Tuesdays.

I haven't deleted huskerfalcon from getclayaiken yet cuz I'm looking forward to the day she tries to log on and post. *sharpens tongue*

[merrieeee]

Blonde=GAH!!!!!!

Thanks Luckiest1!!!!!! MUAH

[merryclay]

Holy smokes, indeed. That's the look. Blonde and sideburns. He just looks hot, hot, hot!

Clay was #9 on Lycos this morning. Yay us!!! That's like a million weeks in a row. There is a USA poll up that Clay is second to Carrie by just a bit. It's and Idol poll. Let me see if I can find the link. The blonde hunk needs a few votes.

There's a new poll on USA Today: "Who's your favorite American Idol?" (scroll down)

http://www.usatoday.com/life/default.htm?l...nterstitialskip

[cindilu2]

*sings*

Oh, my boyfriend's back and there's gonna be trouble. Hey la hey la, my boyfriend's back!!!

Oh good golly. Hot damn. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeee-it. *prays to all that is good and kind in the world* Pretty, pretty please let him look just like that in Merrillville. Blonde Clay = cindilu2:puddle of goo.

[Claygasm]

I haven't deleted huskerfalcon from getclayaiken yet cuz I'm looking forward to the day she tries to log on and post. *sharpens tongue*

LOVE your style. Twin!

:15: I wonder if it's cold in Minn? Heh. I still don't know what cuddleduds are.

Well, I don't want you to wonder any more! Here you go! Cuddleduds

Maybe he is not going blonde, but his hair is going white what with his stalking fans and everything.

BWAH!!!!

Those pictures are beautiful, but in each one his hair is a slightly different color - obviously due to the lights. I have to say, I am not very fond of the light blonde hair. I just think it looks wrong with his skin tone. Strawberry blonde works, though - although I prefer his hair a bit darker, as long s there is red in it, just not as dark as AI5 (sorry keepingfaith! :F_05BL17blowkiss: )

But he sure does look mighty handsome in those pictures from last night - blonde or not! (And it goes without saying I wold prefer it if he weren't wearing glasses....)

Do you think his natural hair color is like his favorite color - something we'll never know?

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

Clay looked wonderful last night...He needs to wear his hair like that always...and sideburns! Love the sideburns!

2 Days until Christmas in Merrillville!

5 Days until The Skating Special Airs!

18 Days until The BAF Golf Outing!

29 Days until Clay is on Broadway!

Everyone have a great day

Kim

[ldyjocelyn]

Hmmmm, I see that CG is seeing that the dark side (ie., the non-shallow side) is calling her! We have cookies too!

Wow. That hair. I've never been fond of his blond looks before (especially when he was posing for those teen magazines, remember those?), but this looks pretty good. I'll be real curious to see a picture of this hair color with this cut in natural light.

OTOH...sideburns. Not a big fan, although these aren't too bad.

BTW, check out my new avatar. I totally love those maneuvers where he pushes his glasses back up his nose with the microphone. That, to me, is a gah-inspiring moment.

You know, we have all of ONE thread title suggestion so far. I've seen a few others bandied about here, but nothing major. Are we slipping?

Omaha.com

Clay Aiken Sings with Symphony on Friday

Published Thursday | December 20, 2007

Clay Aiken sings with Symphony on Friday

BY JOHN PITCHER

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Clay Aiken may well be the most successful also-ran in recent music history.

Aiken lost the 2003 "American Idol" contest, coming in a full sixteenth note (and a good 130,000 votes) behind soulful song stylist Ruben Studdard. Yet in the end, it was Aiken who won a career.

In just over four years, the fresh-faced and improbable pop star from Raleigh, N.C., has sold millions of records (his first album alone went double platinum), co-written a New York Times bestseller and hosted his own primetime Christmas special.

He all but started his career at the top. So you have to wonder: Has the phenomenal success changed him?

"You probably need to ask my friends that question," Aiken says. "Yeah, I may have changed a little. I might be a little more cynical. And I know I'm more business savvy. But, hey, I'm still a nice guy."

Aiken's nice-guy image will be on full display in Omaha on Friday, when he brings his "Christmas in the Heartland" tour to the Orpheum Theater. No doubt, the singer will perform many of the tunes from his best-selling "Merry Christmas With Love" CD. And no less an ensemble than the Omaha Symphony will be his backup band.

Holiday tours have become a regular part of Aiken's itinerary. All the same, he likes to do things a little bit differently every year.

During his last holiday appearance in the area - a Christmas show at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs in 2005 - Aiken gave a performance that was part concert, part Christmas play.

Serving as a kind of Christmas angel, Aiken narrated a story about a boy and an elderly neighbor. Actors from Aiken's hometown performed the roles. Aiken sang Christmas songs as the story unfolded.

This year, Aiken will select four Nebraskans to come onstage and share their favorite Christmas memories, with their stories being interspersed throughout the 90-minute concert. Those stories were solicited for the tour as part of a fan club contest. Aiken says he has received more than 300 stories from area fans.

"I'll read every one of those stories and pick four," Aiken says. "So far, I've come away believing that all of the fans have had more interesting Christmas experiences than me."

The stories have been a mix of humor and sentiment. A woman in South Bend, Ind., where Aiken performed on Nov. 28, wrote about how a bowl of eggnog was used to douse her black dress after it caught fire. "It was the first time I ever really sizzled," she wrote.

Another fan wrote about her refusal to take down her Christmas lights until her soldier son returned from Afghanistan.

"That one really got to me," Aiken says.

Beverly Newsam, a Fremont resident who works as a public relations technician at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, sent a story about her family's playful way of waking up on Christmas morning (they throw Silly Slammers at each other), along with their tradition of making popcorn cakes.

"That's our version of fruitcake," she says.

Becky Raymond of Lincoln wrote about her family's annual trip in a station wagon to grandma's house in Humphrey, Neb., population 900. Every Christmas, the town places a huge community Christmas tree right smack in the middle of its busiest intersection.

"Only in Nebraska would you find a community that removes bricks from a busy street to put up a Christmas tree," Raymond says. "Now you know Clay's got to love that."

If you go! Clay Aiken and the Omaha Symphony, 8 p.m. Friday, Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Tickets: $25 to $125 at Omaha Symphony box office, 1605 Howard St., omahasymphony.org or 342-3560, and the Ticket Omaha box office at the Holland Center, 1200 Douglas St., ticketomaha.org or 345-0606.

The picture included is from the UNICEF Snowflake lighting last year, with the following caption:

"You don't look like a pop star" was the reaction that Clay Aiken got from judge Simon Cowell at Aiken's audition for the second season of "American Idol" in 2003. More recently, Aiken stunned fans with a scraggly look that was more James Blunt than Clay Aiken.