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

[cindilu2]

Errrm, something doesn't go without saying unless you, you know, go without saying it.

[jumpingjacks]

I am SO pissed I don't get to see him look like that tomorrow. DAMMIT. Why couldn't I have been born rich instead of so damned beautiful.

[Gibby]

I'm so sorry, JJ. I wish you were going, too. *HUGS*

[ldyjocelyn]

UNICEF Fieldnotes, In the Field: Clay Aiken Heading to Mexico

It's official: UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken will be visiting UNICEF projects in Mexico over the holidays with his family. Check out his interview in the Kansas City Star. He told us that since UNICEF doesn't take a vacation when it comes to saving the world's children, he isn't going to either.

We'll keep you posted on the trip here. In the meantime, feel free to leave your best wishes and questions via the Comments section below.

[liney23]

YUMMMMMMY!!!

I will have to get used to the blonde, but who knows how long this will last, so the point may be moot. The hair cut and style slay me, tho, so I hope this continues for awhile irregardless of color!

The UNICEF field notes said "family". I hope that means Brett is going, too. If it was just his mother, wouldn't it have said that? I so want the 3 of them to be together.

I wanna hear KAndre's recap and description of Couchie's position in the eHP... bet it has something to do with bringing up the rear... LOL

[Couch Tomato]

good morning angels...uh FCAers heee

We're up.... don't believe a word KAndre says in her recap later. She lies. First of all the much maligned Damien? Other than that one obvious wrong turn, which I chalk up to just a cute sense of humor, Damien has cheerfully guided us to every destination.

KAndre is awake. She is insisting that "Clay is not your friend, you stupid bitch" be a thread title choice. I think she's serious.

It was fun meeting Zena..she's very funny and slightly off center. I love that in a person.

Perusingone is now following some sort of company line about being shy and retiring. BWAH BWAH BWAH... KAndre swears she used the word introverted not shy and retiring....whatevah.

Solo is out of the showering and demanding that we get moving. She's bossy for such a little person.

Love waking up to Clay lovefest. He's really cute in case you didn't know.

[cindilu2]

YUMMMMMMY!!!

R.I.P. cindilu2.

(typing from the great beyond)

[ToldForThis]

While I am on it -- Couchie had her say about lurkers the other day - I have my say about guests - Yes, everyone can read, but log on and talk back to us, come on, you can do it! Unless you are waiting to be registered - then Never Mind (tm Emily Littella)

I belong, but mostly a lurker.... and you probably would not like nor pay attention to what I say anyway.

To beat a dead horse. I guess i don’t remember too much about what HD said about RCA or ....... maybe it was because I had my own opinion and felt strongly about it.

I never felt Clay belonged with RCA....... when I looked at the RCA roster, I felt he would never belong....... just did not fit. But I hoped that I was wrong.

I may be missing something here........ are most of you happy with RCA or just tired of talking about it?? tired of the bashing etc.

In case you can’t tell how I feel.......... I hope he runs as fast as he can away from RCA just as soon as he can.

[playbiller]

I never felt Clay belonged with RCA....... when I looked at the RCA roster, I felt he would never belong....... just did not fit. But I hoped that I was wrong.

I don't have a problem with this as long as we don't think Clay is a poor helpless creature that is being delivberately stomped on by Clive Davis personally, while incurring great personal debt for the company.

I have a problem with claims that are unsourced and are devoid of common business sense. Now if you want to say this is a company that has him and deosn't know what to do with him, that would be something a lot of people agree about (except Muski who has a place in her basement.....). Just recognize very few major recording companies have any managerial differences and it doesn't matter where he goes. A small label might jsut bne the death of his career. (see Bo)

I have a theory about the great "mystical shelved album". I will post it after I get some stuff done, but I think I have broken the code!

[ToldForThis]

This blond babe is smokin' ...

I don't very often post about how great he looks....... I usually just bi#*h when I don't like it.

I feel like a pervert due to my elderly status.......

But........

He looks wonderful......... love the hair color and style. ....loved the red also.

[ldyjocelyn]

ToldforThis, couchie wrote up a little paragraph several months ago, when FCA was asked what exactly a "pod person" was. play brought some of this post back up a few days ago, but she omitted a paragraph that is key for this discussion:

Do I think everything is peachy keen between Clay and RCA or that he had the best PR there was to have or that things could not have been handled better? No. Is it just as possible that a large company like the BMG group was just ineffective in their planning (like they are with the majority of their talent) rather than the evil CEO spends all his time coming up with ways to hurt Clay? Yes. . Do I think Clay is a wimp being led around by the hand, silenced and unable to contribute to his own career, told what to say and not to say at every turn? No. He's a strong man in a man's world with all the facts at his disposal and will do what is necessary to ensure his longevity. I won't be surprised if he stays with RCA forever or walks away next week. I also think he is a great judge of character and knows every rat in his circle, if indeed there are any. I'm certainly not about to be upset on his behalf based on stuff I have no knowledge of.

Now, I'm sure this isn't the philosophy for EVERY single member of this board....but it really sums it up for ME.

And I really do appreciate this sentence from playbiller:

Just recognize very few major recording companies have any managerial differences and it doesn't matter where he goes.

Unfortunately, that's the state of the recording business today.

Clay is an individual, one that is hard to categorize for ANYONE who thinks strictly in marketing terms. Honestly -- I think he's doing his best to keep his individuality while working within the corporational structure of the recording business, and I think he'll keep doing that whether he's with RCA or any other major label.

And don't get me started on the victimization of Clay via the big bad companies. I personally feel this: he's an employee of RCA. He's not the ONLY employee of RCA. And those of us who work in the big bad world know that sometimes we just have to do what the boss says (unless it's illegal, then all bets are off).

I guess, in the end....I just really don't care all that much about the business aspect of this. I do want him to sing for me for a long time, and feel he will, no matter where he ends up.

*sigh*

[djs111]

may be missing something here........ are most of you happy with RCA or just tired of talking about it?? tired of the bashing etc.

In case you can’t tell how I feel.......... I hope he runs as fast as he can away from RCA just as soon as he can.

Can't speak for most of us, but personally - yeah, tired of the talking about it, tired of the conspiracy stuff, REALLY tired of having every little thing that happens inspected with a view to how RCA is prolly screwing him over. There seems no point, to me, of just wallowing in unhappiness or criticism. Funnily enough, I doubt Clay does that at all, it is just some of his fans.

And I agree with playbiller, I don't think any one big label will be better, and a small label is tricksy, could go either way. I think he just needs to find three or four awesome blockbuster songs, and then he is set.

Plus the face of the music business is changing, so who knows what the "right thing to do" is? IMO, not any fans, no matter how much they think so, they are basing their statements on what was successful in the past, selling entirely different products, so while that is sorta interesting, it is not compelling enough for me to use it as a shining beacon of marketing correctness to denounce RCA by.

And that is what is happening - someone says they think his PR should be this and this and this, or his song choices or domicile choices, or hair or whatever. And when it doesn't happen, the followers of that particular little theory get all riled up and nasty. Blargh.

One thing I have noticed is that as far as marketing and dealing with media, etc. - heeeee......people just don't do what they are told, so it is all a crap shoot. Some kinds of marketing turn me off so fast it is funny - like knowing too many details about someone else's life, too many interviews, too many media mentions - seems needy, not interesting. I think damn, don't you have a life? So whether it is intrusive media or bare-it-all blogs, those people lost me.

And I have found that celebrities and common folks who tell you toooooo much are at the end of a one-way street - they only seem interested in themselves.

Prolly more of an answer than you wanted, but the short version is that I see no point in getting all riled up about RCA, I lost interest a while back.

Blond hair on Clay is hottttt - see I told you guys, I love his hair this week, last week, and next week - it's all good!

eta - I am not talking about reading things you all share, not talking about that AT ALL!!!!!!!

I have a theory about the great "mystical shelved album". I will post it after I get some stuff done, but I think I have broken the code!

I'm waiting impatiently for this!

[jmh123]

KAndre is awake. She is insisting that "Clay is not your friend, you stupid bitch" be a thread title choice. I think she's serious.

I kinda like that one myself. Although it prolly won't help our reputation in some quarters as a bunch of meanies.

ITA on the RCA stuff. Better the devil you know, like the man said. I'll leave running his career to the man himself. I don't know any fans that I think would do a better job than Clay is running his own career, and I think it's hubristic to the extreme for any fan to assume she could.

[muskifest]

I'll be real curious to see a picture of this hair color with this cut in natural light

Actually, ldyjocelyn, I'm looking forward to seeing his hair color in the candlelight I have planned for us New Year's Eve .

THAT'S what HE'S doing New Year's Eve! Cavorting in candlelight in the basement with Muski!

Hey! That sounds like a Clue guess---Clay and Muski in the basement with candlelight and a whip... :thdom2:

Wait! Nobody said anything about a whip, did they?

Yeah, I'm not really down with the whip thang....let's see...how 'bout

Yeah......Clay (or Muski) in handcuffs (fur-lined, of course, to prevent any chafing of those lilywhite yet deliciously furry wrists--any chafing of body parts should come from other things)

PS..thread title? Brown hair and red hair and blonde hair, OH MY!

[playbiller]

To satisfy DJS, I will state a not fully thought out theory and let you guys develop it, if you so desire.

This summer Clay said one funny thing about RCA. A fan asked him if he would come out iwth a Christian Pop album and his answer was something like RCA would not let him do that. (See, I need to look this stuff up before posting.) We also know taht one song on his album was by Steven Curtis Chapman, a Christian Pop singer.So, it a finished album, or a concept for an album was presented, could it have been a Christian Pop album? Didn't a lot of fans say that the only burned puppy for them would be a Christian Pop album?

Found the reference in Beagle3's recap at the Ch

Julie asked him if he’d be interested in doing a Christian album and he said that he would be, but not right now since that’s not the labels focus.

Now I have to go and research and come back and edit.

A related comment from this summer

I asked if RCA has any control over when he blogs, what he blogs, etc.

A: Why in the world would you ask that question?

A: Because it has come up a couple of times on the board

A: Well, let me put it this way. The world abounds with a lot of conspiracy theories. In actuality, there are very few conspiracies in this world, so no.

And to show how things change

Q: Would he ever consider doing Broadway?

A: He said he would consider, but that he would have to be much older. He said he couldn’t imagine doing 8 shows a week. That he likes variety and that he likes to mix up his shows. He couldn’t imagine saying and singing the same things, from the same spot on the stage night after night.

Well, he is older.

[ivy]

I'm always surprised by people who say if Clay makes an xyz CD I'm out of here. Maybe it is because I'm not necessarily a lyrics person, but if the songs are beautiful and they connect with you, why does that matter? Maybe you would find a few songs that you like, so why not listen first before condemning Clay for it? Now when it comes to lyrics, if he copied some of the bad language of the current rap/hip hop artists, then I would notice and walk away but that ain't going to happen.

I love WTOW but I can't even sing along with it because I keep forgetting the words. I only seem to remember snatches of phrases. It is a beautiful song. If I read the words, I might not agree with them but do I ever love that song.

[underthespell]

He looked soooooooooooo good last night !!! I love the haircut....hmmmmmmmmm.....very yummy, I think this may be close to his natural haircolor !!! :PickMe-1: would volunteer to find out !!!

I kind of like the glasses with the cut and the color and LOVE the sideburns !!!!

Yep, this is as deep as I am going to be this morning... I am just gaga over last night's pictures !!!

[ldyjocelyn]

from CV...

KSChristian4Clay wrote:

My friend Carla (Clays Cashew) had a meet & greet last night. She had him sign her cookbook. It's a cookbook we put together on another board but she did the artwork in the dividers (they're drawings of Clay - very cute!). Well, I had to laugh when I read part of her re-cap :

It was so cute when he signed my cookbook. It looked like he was saving it for last, and he did indeed sign it last. He said right there as he was signing it, "I usually sign, "Use your voice" but I'm going to sign it different", and as he was signing, he was speaking what he was writing, "Use Your Stove, Clay Aiken".

God, I love his sense of humor.

[cindilu2]

BWAH. Go on with your bad self, Mr. Aiken.

From the Psychiatric Book of Christmas Carols:

Schizophrenia - - Do You Hear What I Hear?

Multiple Personality Disorder - - We Three Kings Disoriented Are

Narcissism - - Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

Manic - - Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Street and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and....

Paranoid - - Santa Claus is Coming To Town To Get Me

Borderline Personality Disorder - - Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

Personality Disorder - - You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

Attention Deficit Disorder - - Silent Night, Holy oooh look at the froggy! Can I have some chocolate? Why Is France So Far

Away?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - - Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

[cha cha trusty]

YUMMMMMMY!!!

R.I.P. cindilu2.

(typing from the great beyond)

this page needed a gorgeous photo to gaze at, and keep us from doing what we're supposed to be doing!!

Add me to that R.I.P. list cindilu!

I have lots to do today before going to the airport to meet chachadotter#2 coming in at 10 pm! I had better get going!

Y'all have fun at the cellcert tonight - I hope the eHP checks in some more - and I'm sure they will!! wish I was there - sorta!

[YSRN]

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

Ahhh... long johns. Why didn't she just say so? Thanks CG!

[ldyjocelyn]

Ah, but they're not "just" longjohns. Cuddleduds are incredibly soft and lightweight, but yet they keep you incredibly warm. Regular longjohns are too bulky to wear under fancy clothes!

UNICEF Fieldnotes, In the Field: Clay Aiken Blogging

I forgot to mention in my last post: Clay will be blogging from the field, so be sure to check back soon. And if you want to donate in his honor to help kids in Mexico, click here. Thanks to everyone who's given already -- children in Mexico will have the best chance of survival because of your generosity!

[playbiller]

OK, Clay is tied with Carrie again - you might want to copy and paste.

usatoday.com/life/default.htm

This is the favorite idol vote on USA today.

[djs111]

Cindilu2, those song titles are PERFECT! Bwah!

[Claygasm]

I don't think there is really any group think on the subject of RCA except that Clay can take care of his own business, he is not a helpless victim and there is probably no conspiracy to destroy his career by RCA.

Personally, I don't think Clay has been treated any differently than any other artist at the same stage of his career. I also don't think he would be treated any differently at any other major label. No artist - no matter how huge (down, muski!) - has total creative control unless they own the label.

I see no bad treatment by RCA personally. I see some not great decisions on their part, but that is all part of business. Clive Davis - love him or hate him - has had a very long and very successful career, so on the whole I would say most of the decisions he has made with his artists have been good ones from a financial point of view. Doesn't mean he hasn't made any mistakes, though.

It makes no sense to me that RCA would be out to destroy Clay's career. If they want to get rid of Clay all they have to do is drop him from the label. Why invest any money in someone just to ruin them when you can just fire them?

We do not know what was on that mythical album (which I personally do not believe was an album - just a bunch of recorded songs, probably not even in their final cut form). We do not know what transpired that lead Clive to suggest he do a cover album. None of us were there. I sometimes think much of the anger was not so much because of the covers but because it was not the hot rock album that would propel Clay to the top of the charts and prove to everyone once and for all that he is cool. I often wonder if the album had been filled with similar songs in style, just originals, how people would have reacted. If the album didn't satisfy THEIR expectations and wants for Clay, expectations and wants they just ASSUMED were also Clay's, would they have still cried conspiracy??

Something tells me they would have. Something tells me that if this next album isn't in the style they believe Clay wants they will decry RCA once again - no matter what Clay tells us.

What it boils down to with me is this: Clay is a big boy (down again, muski!). He is smart. he can take care of his own business. IMO, RCA is treating him no better or worse than any other major label would. Clay himself has indicated that he would like to stay with RCA as long as they would have him. That would indicate to me he feels comfortable there.

I tend to take Clay at his word.