#25: TONIGHT'S THE KNIGHT! Knock 'em not-quite dead!

[muskifest]

Finally got to watch the View clip with sound! I think he's swoon-worthy here. Sure, his hair could be softer and not so stiff (heh), but he's always so REAL and I LOVE how....thoughtful he seems about his answers to questions and REAL and whatnot. I know that for some (I've read elsewhere) his comments about being 'embarrassed' by the loud cheers for him made them feel hurt or angry, but I personally didn't get that vibe at all. I have absolutely no doubt that the man loves his fans and I think he explained himself just fine.

And I think I want to grab his pushed up sleeves with my teeth and bring them slowly down over those furry forearms as I tease him and tickle him with little licks along the way. And those stiff pieces of plastered-with-product hair on the sides that keep flopping as he moves his head? Well.....I'm just imagining how wildly floppy they COULD get with various movements of his heads, er...head, were he with me....

Ifyouknowwhatimeanandithinkyoudo....

[Scarlett]

Just wanted to put in a placeholder post to say Eeeeeeeeeee! and :F_05BL17blowkiss: to everyone!!!

I'm still at work catching up on stuff I left behind to travel to the bestest weekend ever!!!

Could someone take pity on me and post a screencap from The View? I might be able to pay you back later tonight with a hi-res screencap/clip (assuming I programmed things right when I left home half-asleep this morning). *pretty please?*

[ldyjocelyn]

But after I held and feed that first preemie who weighed about 3 lbs. I lightened up a bit.

My little granddaughter, 7, just came in while I was looking at the OFC opening page and she saw that picture of Clay and said ... Clay and I don't have anything in common. I said what do you mean. She said, well,

I don't have highlights in my hair.

My hair is longer than his.

He has a different face than me.

He has a different name than me.

He can sing.

He's a boy.

He has a different smile than me.

He has hair on his feet.

She kept going, but I couldn't get past the hair on his feet thing!

A couple of weeks ago she won a stuffed animal and gave it to me. She told me she named it Clay so that I'd love it.

*sob*

So sweet, both stories. I love this board.

muski, I think you're so right....this interview was pure Clay. It's one of the reasons I never worry about the hair all that much -- because that's pretty inconsequential to me when that personality kicks in. I love that fast-talkin', Russian-dancin' funny guy.

Just a random thought I had after watching the interview again today: he talked about him having a hard time NOT reacting to the audience, that he was so used to doing that in concert. But....think back to the last tour, the Christmas show. He boxed himself in (almost literally) and didn't give himself a chance to talk to the audience (or for that matter, the audience to talk to him). I think this must have been practice for him. He had to get used to this in Spamalot. I'm going to guess he's done quite well with that.

Off to watch The Daily Show!

[Gibby]

But after I held and feed that first preemie who weighed about 3 lbs. I lightened up a bit.

Nothing like a little perspective, huh? Glad you finally made it safely.

I'm glad you made it safely, too. How was your ride home? I find that working in a hospital gives me perspective about how good my life is, too. It's difficult to feel too sorry for yourself when you see really sick people day after day.

kf, your granddaughter sounds really cute!

I thought that Clay was adorable on The View today! It isn't my favorite hair, but I thought the clothes were excellent, and overall he looked really handsome. I'd do him! He carries himself so well in interviews and talk shows. He can always find something interesting to talk about, and he's entertaining!

[Gibby]

Just wanted to put in a placeholder post to say Eeeeeeeeeee! and :F_05BL17blowkiss: to everyone!!!

I'm still at work catching up on stuff I left behind to travel to the bestest weekend ever!!!

Could someone take pity on me and post a screencap from The View? I might be able to pay you back later tonight with a hi-res screencap/clip (assuming I programmed things right when I left home half-asleep this morning). *pretty please?*

Welcome home, Scarlett!!

Here ya go:

[jumpingjacks]

Does anyone else think he looks like River Phoenix in this picture...especially from the movie "Running on Empty"?

[Ansamcw]

Does anyone else think he looks like River Phoenix in this picture...especially from the movie "Running on Empty"?

Thats where I saw the hair before...I kept thinking of an actor with similar hair...

he's cute...

[Couch Tomato]

what a great day..Clay on my TV... I thought he was so cute and charming ..and talking a mile a minute. I hope he comes back sometimes during their run...

I loved that Clay's debut has helped the box office... was the entire article posted? I don't think I saw it.

Money talks, bullshit walks. Is that the saying?

</h1>

<h1>Broadway box office bounces back

'Spamalot' surges in post-holiday upswing

Variety article

After a rough post-holiday frame that saw receipts plummet, Broadway sales got a welcome uptick last week. Grosses rose by about $700,000 to an estimated $17.5 million for 31 shows on the boards -- a tally that also compares favorably with the $14.7 million for 28 shows reported over the same week last year.One of the largest week-to-week gains was seen by "Monty Python's Spamalot" ($797,390), which looks to have benefited from the debut Jan. 18 of "American Idol" alum Clay Aiken. Both "Spamalot" and "Legally Blonde" ($668,409), seemingly correcting a bit after steep dips the prior sesh, rose by $138,000 each.

Up about $88,000, "The Color Purple" ($477,153) began to climb back up from the major slide it took in the wake of star Fantasia's recent departure. "Hairspray" ($640,692) rose by about the same amount.

The January doldrums didn't much chill the usual slate of top performers, officially led by "Wicked" ($1,371,768) and "Jersey Boys" ($1,157,164) as estimates for "Young Frankenstein" dipped to $1.26 million. Clumped together in the top 10, all three Disney offerings stayed strong, with newly opened tuner "The Little Mermaid" ($950,655) not quite hitting the same highs as long-runner "The Lion King" ($1,050,324).

"August: Osage County" ($609,017) continued to log the heftiest totals of the many plays now running, although "Rock 'n' Roll" ($437,824) and "November" ($415,166) also reported relatively healthy numbers for nontuners.

Long-runner "Rent" ($333,226) got a bump last week, during which the show announced a closing date of June 1, while the profitable run of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" ($282,053) played its final perf Sunday.

[Scarlett]

Eeeeeeeeee! Thanks, Gibby!!! :thbighug-1:

[gbmifan]

My ride home tonight was fine. Dry roads, so all the plowing and salt worked well.

My husbands sister has a big birthday this Feb. and her dauther wanted to have a surpirse birthday party for her. I already had my work schedule and did some fast talking today to change for a three day weekend. We have to fly into Raleigh then drive two hours to the beach. I could not miss this since now my three boys are also going with two of them bringing their wife and fiance. My middle child is coming from Fla. I have not seen him in 6 months, so I could not miss this. Plus finacial wise we could not turn this down. Air fare is free because my neice has enough points (she works for Southwest) to get us tickets.

Maybe I can talk her into tickets to NYC.(Just kidding).

I still can not believe how Clay looked just gorgeous today. Thurs. again I will have to tape and see it late. I also have to tape it off of a Detroit station since our local station does not carry it. I know this is hard to believe, but I have just an antenae, no cable or satelite.

[Gibby]

Eeeeeeeeee! Thanks, Gibby!!! :thbighug-1:

You're welcome!

Here's a screencap with that loooooong leg stretched out:

Pointing at Claymates in the audience (his socks crack me up!)

[Scarlett]

You're welcome!

Here's a screencap with that loooooong leg stretched out:

What a loooooong uh, leg!!!

watching the interview again today: he talked about him having a hard time NOT reacting to the audience

So do you think he was referring to Friday night's Holy Grail of Tuxedos [tm:kareneh] here? *giggle*

[Gibby]

BWAH, Scarlett!

[keepingfaith]

For contrast ... The View from 2006:

[keepingfaith]

May I take this opportunity to say that the picture at OFC with the green eyes peering into my soul is killing me. Just for the record.

[Ansamcw]

Seriously KF...those screencaps you posted were gorgeous to me...from both shows...Gah I am getting used to that hair and starting to love it.

GAH

[Couch Tomato]

Play is back. Play is back. Play, how was the play? heee

[Scarlett]

G-g-g-greeen eyes OFC picture??!!! *whimper* That does it. I'm going home!!!

[Ansamcw]

found this at CH:

From LittleC at CV who is in a linedancing class with Clay's mum in Raleigh.

back from linedancing

Faye and her mother loved the show.........she said she went into it blind, had no idea what it was about or Clay's character's (one part she didn't even know it was him at first ) Brett liked it so much he decided to stay to see it again instead of flying back with them ( course we already knew that) They did go to his party for a little while, but didn't stay too long.

Everyone was very impressed with Clay and his fans. He was a little worried about all the audience attention being on him, but the cast assured him they loved it, so he relaxed Such a sweety, always worried about other's feelings

[Ansamcw]

recap from the view audience

mustbeme at CV wrote:

OMG.....He looked so good!!!!!! I just finished watching my tape so I can re-live it again!!!!! Let me say that his hair looked even blonder in person!!!! I just saw him at the stage door on Friday night and it looked even lighter today!!!!!!!!

The studio is very small....smaller than what I remember it like a few years ago! We were seated in the 3 row ...so we were very close to him!!

You saw the show by now so you know what happened but let me tell you once he thrusted his leg out to show how the dance is done.....that was it I was toast!!! His leg...his thigh...his hip...oh my !!!!! At one point we even got skin!!!!!!!!!!! No undershirt today!!! I think it was when he was getting up but like I said once the leg was out there nothing else registered!!!!!!!! His sock....I only saw one... was purple , black and white striped and his shoes were soooooo big looking !!! They had this rust swirl design on the bottom of them but I think you were able to see that from the TV. They seemed very happy to have him there.

This was not a Clay crowd...in fact before they put us in the studio this guy came out in the hall and asked who here is a Clay Aiken fan!!!! The four of us yelled but that was it !!!!!! Once we got into the studio we noticed more fans so I think they got in on stand by. Duing the commercials the ladies said they would answer questions....most of the questions were direct to one of them until someone asked " where will Clay Aiken be sitting when he comes out??" They were puzzled....they said what do you mean...we will change the set and he will sit here on the couch with us!! I think Joy said ...he's not cohosting..if that is what you mean!!!! They let you take pictures once they go to commercial but the staff always seem to get in the way! Once Clay's part was over he stood up waved to us...yes he was pointing to us when they asked him about Claymates...hugged the ladies again and was gone !!

After the second "hot topics" I remember seeing Bill the producer come over during the commercial and say to Joy they went way too long over the time limit! The guy had the "wrap" sign up and they just kept on talking!!!! I think what Clay said to Elizabeth was about the picture they were showing of him with his hair....something like he did like to look at it.

After Clay left and before the last segment Elizabeth was rubbing Sherri's knee...I think she was putting some cream on it too. It was because she was down on her knees with Clay !!!! On the way home all we kept thinking was ...oh great tomorrow she will be complaining that Clay hurt her..... King of Controversy strikes again .....

[playbiller]

Geeze - a person can be signed on anonymous here and sneak in and out!

Play was great - duh!

Clay is growing into the part and those who thought he is hiding something are wrong.

I got to hear the lines I missed with the thunderous applause on Friday. There was pretty much a standing ovation at the end for everyone. Clay is really getting comfortable in the role.

The bad news is there were very few Clay fans there this night, I guess Tuesday is not their night, but there were a lot of NJU. The benefit of this was that there was almost no one waiting for Clay, at the most it was two or 3 deep. I got Clay's and Chris's scribbles. The mezzanine was not completley full and I don't think there were many in the balcony, so.... the night to go is Tuesday!

[keepingfaith]

Clay is growing into the part and those who thought he is hiding something are wrong.

muski, I'm waiting for the

[muskifest]

Clay is growing into the part and those who thought he is hiding something are wrong.

muski, I'm waiting for the

I don't get it.

(but LOVE the new emoticon! Can we get it over to the left, please, admins? Pwease? )

Honestly, I don't quite get what Play's referring to? "Those who thought he is hiding something are wrong?"

[jazzgirl]

Honestly, I don't quite get what Play's referring to? "Those who thought he is hiding something are wrong?"

To dance belt or not to dance belt, that is the question? Whether 'tis nobler......... My cryptic read, anyway.

ETA: A recap of tonight's show from MLK973 at the CH:

I don't know where to begin. I was at the show tonight and enjoyed every minute of it. I was there on Friday night, too, and the crowd was much different but still enjoyed the show. I will do my best to recap what I saw.

When I got to the theater there was no one around. I was there a little before 7pm. I thought well I have a lot of time maybe I should get a small bite to eat to kill time. I walked around Juniors across the alley way and then thought no I don't want to be rushed. So I went back on the street and before you know it I see Jerome. I stopped and saw Clay get out of the car with his black jacket and hood up over his head. He was with Jerome and Mary. He walked as fast as he legs would carry him and went straight to the stage door. I kept on going and went and waited in the very small lobby of the theater. I was getting nervous because compared to Friday night there were few people there that early. Jermone opened the door briefly from the theater side and peaked into the lobby. Maybe they were wondering if anyone was coming to this show <g>.

As the time drew closer many more people showed up. This was not a fan crowd at all. I did not see a single person I knew which is unusual since I have been around too many places to count. All ages. Lots of men, couples, and some kids. When they let us inside at 7:30 it took a while to fill in but the orchestra was pretty full with some open spots on both sides in the back. The mezzanine, though, was sadly pretty empty. Maybe only a quarter full. I couldn't see all the way up but there were plenty of people, it seems in the balcony.

I was in seat A101 tonight. A much different perspective than the mezzanine which I enjoyed so much on Friday night. Friday I had a view of the whole show but so many things were going on I felt I didn't catch everything. Tonight I could focus so much more on CA. He was magnificent. He seemed energetic, happy, and comfortable. The crowd was a normal broadway crowd (yes there were some fans from California and South Carolina and other places but just here and there). He got lots of laughs and tremendous response to his solo in the second half but not a big reaction with every movement or entrance. Brother Maynard also had them rolling in the aisles (one of my favorite parts as well). I did not catch any special references/adlibs tonight - if they were there I didn't catch them. He was superb in every way even when he was not the main focus of the scene.

I was lucky enough to be the award winning peasant tonight. I got to go on stage and shake hands with many in the cast. Clay gave quite a firm handshake. I gave KIng Arthur my name and they incorporated it in the song. Clay was right next to me on his knee and turn and looked over his shoulder and sang right in my direction. Be proud of me. I did not touch him. I did not gasp. I did not faint. I don't know how I lived to tell about it. I am getting stronger each year. I can now actually make eye contact and not look away. I made sure I looked the other way during part of the song so I didn't just focus on Clay.

They took a picture. Here is the one bad thing of the night. I LOST the picture. In my daze I dropped it somewhere. In the theater or outside by the stage door. I retraced my steps outside but to no avail. The picture is lost. Oh well. I don't want it to ruin the moment.

I went to the stage door after the show. He came out within 10 minutes. He had on the carolina hoodie and his black jacket. There were only about 50 people waiting. He signed a lot of things. I got my peasant award signed. He looked at it and looked at me and said - "I remember you, you won." As ususal I was tongue tied. Someone in the crowd said, "heh, Clay I am from North Carolina." He did not react much. Someone next to me asked him if he was excited to see someone from NC. He said (not in a mean way) that people always think he is going to be excited but he already knows a lot of people from North Carolina.

Except for the lost picture, it was a perfect evening. The crowd loved him and the show. They got a partial (not complete) standing ovation. He seemed to have fun. I had fun. Can't wait to go again, and again, and again.

[muskifest]

Honestly, I don't quite get what Play's referring to? "Those who thought he is hiding something are wrong?"

To dance belt or not to dance belt, that is the question? Whether 'tis nobler......... My cryptic read, anyway.

I went back to see if there was anything that helped me 'get it'....this quote from liney as a reference of jazzgirl's post above is the only thing I could find....

Weeeellll, could it be he is wearing the dance whateveritscalled, but no one showed him how to wear it, so it's just sitting there bunching up while what's supposed to be in it is hiding below all free and happy?????

So if I 'get it', play's saying that he ain't hiding nothing cuz it's all out there for everybody to see? Is that it?

Humor me. I'm just a simple country girl from a small North Carolina town. I'm slow sometimes.