#29: EEEEEEEEEEEE!!! It's really happening!

[cha cha trusty]

wow - it is a really quiet night here!!

I'm getting ready to watch Idol Rewind.......

But first - I thought - CLAY'S MY SPACE!!!!

(What happens at Clay MySpace Stays at Clay's MySpace!)

Anyhow - I noticed there is an offer for discount Spamalot tickets up thru May 4.

scroll down a bit to where it says "EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CLAYMATES"

(does that help anybody??)

[Couch Tomato]

Anyhow - I noticed there is an offer for discount Spamalot tickets up thru May 4.

scroll down a bit to where it says "EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CLAYMATES"

(does that help anybody??)

that's for tickets through March 23...wah! I wanna discount ticket.

My neice has forgotten about her pedicure I think. I may be safe! Thank you Zack and Cody.

[Claygasm]

I'm back from my date with muski, ldyj and our collective boyfriend!

He's CUTE y'all!

I was in the first row this afternoon and I saw some things in a whole new light.

For example, there was the slo-mo riding scene which was directly in front of me. Let me tell you, nice view and it suddenly took on a whole new meaning! I was imaging Clay doing things - and not with a horse!

AND I thought of bottle because his tongue was VERY active! Lots and lots of tongue!

Verra, verra nice!

His You Can't Succeed number was maybe the best I've seen it. Lots of little new touches I enjoyed. But it was funny when right before he gets on his knees for the dance, he sort of spreads his knees very fast. I am sure he is doing that so as not to rip his tunic, but it looks like he's going to start doing a chicken dance!

I finally heard the golden larynx line. Of course I was staring down his throat at the time! **takes a moment**

For me the funniest scene in the entire play is the Prince Herbert scene. I start giggling as soon as it starts and laugh heartily all the way through.

Contrary to some of the recaps I have read I think the new Galahad is very good! Good looking, good voice and a good actor. I thought his timing with Clay in the drunken guard scene was spot on. And he flips his hair very well and then smiles a great "Aren't I hot" smile. IMO its a very seamless transition between him and Chris Siebert.

And once again I left the theater feeling so good! That show is just wonderful - Clay or no Clay. The cast is great and its just plain hysterically funny! And once again Clay looked like he was loving every minute and having the time of his life.

I love it and I am going to miss it.

I picked up about 10 or 15 Playbills - all dated April - and not one had the ad for OMWH! During intermission I went back to where muski was sitting and the two people sitting next to her each had one with the ad. Luckily, one was willing to switch with me so I got one, but my lurker friend still needs one so if anyone gets an extra, please think of her!

I think we in this fandom have really been blessed by Clay being in Spamalot. I can't explain it, but this is one thing that seems to have made the entire fandom happy. I think if only for a short we found our way to Camelot and along the way found our grail.

ETA: I just saw this as part of a recap posted at the CH:

During the curtain call, he was really looking at the people in the first rows, and actually did a small wave and gave several smiles. I think he even mouthed something to someone. Who ever was sitting there was definately someone he recognized and was happy to see. Lucky, lucky person.

It wasn't someone he knew (at least not that I know of). There were 2 little kids sitting a few seats down from us and one - or maybe two - in the row behind. That is who he was playing to during the curtain call. The LOTL was too. She even carefully tossed her bouquet to the little girl. A few of the others gave the kids a special smile too. It was very cute.

ETAA:

A bit of GAH from morganette at the CH:

[muskifest]

Woo hoo! I'm online again! Finally made it to Charlotte and am safely and very comfortably ensconced in my hotel room...munching on the complimentary cheese,cracker, and strawberries spread and waffling on whether or not to open the sparkling wine...after all, it IS 11:25 pm and even though there are two glasses, there's only one of me and I DO have a breakfast meeting in the morning...and...

whatnot.

But I should probably go ahead and uncork the baby, huh? I mean, my flight out of NYC was delayed twice and our gate changed once. I flew on a dinky 50-seat plane and got here to a dismal, misty rainy night...Hold on while I pour myself a glass, 'kay?

Alrighty, then... I'm back.

May I say that delayed trains and planes suck? Because of train snafus, Claygasm was mucho late for our rendevous this morning and so we barely had time to say 'hi' before it was time to say 'bye' But even in that short time together, we managed to down some alcohol!

The two elderly sisters next to me today at the show were a hoot! They only knew Clay's name from AI but had no idea about HIM! The younger sister (who was probably around early seventies) had a blast all the way through the play. She was cracking up big time. I made sure she knew when Clay was doing his thang on stage and she thought he was terrific! The cutest thing was when Clay came out dancing in his white tux and hat before announcing that he'd 'found his grail'...the lady said right away, "He's just the CUTEST thing ever!"

Dang! His powers are truly cross-generational!

I've seen four shows now and today's YWSOB was by far, IMO, his verra verra best! He was ON! And the audience responded to his energy and excellence. Verra verra cool. I have to say, though, that Lancelot is so freakin' hilarious in all his roles that he pretty much steals the show..my hubby thought so, for sure, and I kinda agree.

But then Tom Deckman slays me with Herbert and I wonder...maybe HE'S the best! Then Clay is stellar as the clueless guard and I'm just SURE he's the star! The whole thing is pure joy---a real delight---and I'm sooooooo glad I got to see experience multiples of this particular presentation of Clay Aiken. I swear that this man personifies joy.

I'm not an autograph person for the most part and didn't really try for one until today...I got my groovy playbill last night---the one with the HAWT "Clay on the floor, looking at Muski and teasing her until she literally oozes to him" picture---and since my seat was in the back on the right I figured it's now or never to get to the stage door in time not to be many heads back. Sure enough I got a place right up front at the stage door, but had a bad feeling as soon as I saw only one of the metal barricades up...(and yes, it WAS funny that even without the other barriers there the fans made an orderly little semicircle as if they WERE holding them back the appropriate distance from the building! :lmaosmiley-1: )...So when the guy came out to announce that Clay wasn't going to be outside, I was disappointed a bit, but not too surprised. Oh well...

So then I had to skadoodle outta the Big Apple...quick hugs all around and a farewell to my roomie, ldyjocelyn. No time to drool over the show and chat, dammit! And now I'll officially be working---vacation over. Damn, that went fast.

If I lived anywhere NEAR the Shubert Theater, I'd be toast---divorced and destitute---because I'd want to see every freakin' performance of this show! Today's---my fourth---was just as entertaining and enjoyable and full of happiness as the first...ahhhh---Clay hooked himself up with a winner this time and so did Spamalot!

[laughn]

Claygasm, :F_05BL17blowkiss: for the wonderful recap.

It's late, I just got home and I was so tired. I wasn't sure if I was going to read the boards tonight...and then here you go and give me a whole bunch of smiles to dream on. Thanks.

So glad you all had a great time.

eta-ing to whoo-hoo!!! with muski too!!

[KAndre]

Yay Spamalot!

Weeeeel, I finally got around to watching this week's rewind...strangely enough it was both one of my favorite and yet worse Josh performances.

Neil Sedaka week! My lord, I frickin' loved Laughter in the Rain, and was so disappointed when Clay didn't sing it. Neil is a teeny, tiny man. But Ryan's shirt is just...flourescent. I swear that sucker glows in the dark.

Ruben is up first and oh my lord! He's swearing what looks like one of those giant plastic suits that make you sweat off water weight - this outfit is on a par with the green horror that Carmen wore once.. But Ruben sounded damn good doing "Ain't Too Proud To Beg". Randy loved it - Neil loved it - I have no earthly idea who Paula was watching dance but it clearly wasn't Ruben - Simon's joke was way off, I remember agreeing with Shack and saying, "cow shortage my ass, that outfit's what killed the dinosaurs!".

Trenyce and "Rollin' On the River" - she was TOTALLY chanelling Tina from the outfit to the singing. It was good Tina though - this is one of the cases that I think a live band and some backup singers would have really brought it for her. She looked good. Randy liked it - Neil liked her but thought she was doing Tina a little too much - Paula did a Ruben joke but liked her - Simon was being a complete and total ass. The "drag act" thing was just totally mean. And I did like how Trenyce is coming across in the interviews - but damn 12 lb is a lot for someone as skinny as her to lose - healthy contestants just don't seem to be a priority with this show.

Next up was Josh doing "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye". Honestly, this was my very favorite Josh performance - he was in tune and did the song sweetly and didn't beat me over the head with a fake twang. I thought it was excellent and therefore worrisome. I also found it interesting that he said in his interview that he did the song a lot. Randy liked the song choice but didn't like his performance and he baaed a little again. Randy has issues. Neil saw his nerves. Paula was encouraging Josh to act an ass again. Simon is ready for Josh to go. I also like Josh's interviews - he seems to be really bluntly honest.

Kimberly - again, I wasn't feeling her this week. I liked her outfit though it made her ass look incredibly round but at least the pants were long enough. This was a very karaoke version of "Heard It Through The Grapevine". It really was just bleh. Randy thought it was bleh. Neil loved her. Paula has 50 billion favorite songs and says she looks sexy but didn't comment on the singing. Simon says she can do better and she can. She is coming across as a little full of herself in her interview.

Now who could be next? Who, I wonder? Why, it's CLAY! YAY! He's doing Build Me Up Buttercup and kicking its ass! Honest to God, this was the first time that I honestly thought he did the song just way way WAY better than the original. He was moving around the stage - now it looks a little awkward but then, man he looked smoooooooth for Clay. Because Clay occasionally looked like he had his giant feet nailed to the floor. But with that first stand off the step, he OWNED that stage. He rocked the camera - followed the main one beautifully but where he was head and shoulders above anyone before or since with his camera work was with his transitions when the cameras changed. The man knows his profile rocks, he loves sideways looks, he loves eyefucks - he was just a camera wizard. I thought the suit was a little blah - but WAY better than those darned stripey shirts. Y'all make not have guessed this, I like Clay better than the others. Faye has that clever"priceless" sign. Randy was entertained - Neil LOVED it "perfection" - Paula saw his spirit dancing (apparently along with Ruben shakin' what his mama gave him) - and Simon was trying to one up him and Clay zinged him - HA HA!

Now they are on to Neil's stuff. Ruben hopefully burned that first outfit (maybe not burned, the pollution would have been horrible) and came out in a nice leather outfit (See the difference Simon?) and did a really pretty version of "Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do" I remember both versions, and Ruben's was closer to Neil's second release - but I liked it better. Randy's praise was OTT (and I think contributed to the shocker the next night); Neil loved it; Paula was clear and concise - weird for Paul; Simon finally noticed that most live in terror of his comments but liked the performance.

Trenyce came out and kicked "Love Will Keep Us Together" and the outfit was totally cute from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. And she looked like her really enjoyed the performance. I liked it. Randy liked it. Neil liked it. Paula liked it. Simon even liked it because he knew his comments from her first performance would be the one that was being repeated.

Josh. Oh, Josh. Dude just fucked this song totally up. And this was one of the more blatant shows of how the judges were inconsistent in their remarks. There was a standing joke on TWoP about Josh being constipated and man, I swear the contortions that man put his face though were scary. He strode around the floor hunched over and pointing at us like we had bad blood! And he didn't even sound like he was singing any more - it was flat, off key, bad notes, some goaty sounds and at one point I think he was speaking in Pictish. Ewwwwwwwwwww! Randy lost his mind. Neil was very careful in what he said. We already knew Paula had lost her mind. Simon was absolutely truthful. At the time, Josh was a little pissed because he knew he fucked up, and acknowledged in the follow-up interview.

Kimberly. I guess she sang this OK. She didn't update it at all. I just didn't like it. She really did look very cute in the pink though. Randy loved it. Neil loved it. Paula loved it. Simon loved it. Feh.

Hmmmm. One more performer. Who could it be? Why, it's CLAY again! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!.

I'll confess to this. I was totally indifferent to this performance. Didn't like the song. Did like the lighting effects (and didn't notice the glowing crotch until Clay pointed it out to me. Thank you, Clay!). Of course, by the tour and especially for AI3, he did it perfectly. I tend to watch those instead of this. Randy loved it. This was the most impressive guest judge reaction - Neil Sedaka cried listening to Clay sing this. Paula babbled something but she liked it. Simon was trying to take credit for Clay's changes but agreed it was a great performance.

Results: Trenyce got totally hosed - Josh was totally flabbergasted, but hell, she woulda only lasted another week. I don't think she could have caught Kim because Simon was too busy hating on her. I remember watching this live and thinking "Josh knew he was supposed to go home". I felt a little bad for Josh.

Next week - the BeeGees that Clay claims to know none of their songs. Hmph. The heathen!

[Couch Tomato]

Thanks for the great recaps ladies. I was feeling so stupid..had to PM CG and ask her why everybody was saying verrra verrra all of a sudden. heh. Well only 4 more weeks!

Great Idol recap KAndre!! And I agree...the Solitaire love didn't hit me until I saw it live for the first time in Greensboro NC. It was absolutely performance art and I was mesmerized.

[cha cha trusty]

Anyhow - I noticed there is an offer for discount Spamalot tickets up thru May 4.

scroll down a bit to where it says "EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR CLAYMATES"

(does that help anybody??)

that's for tickets through March 23...wah! I wanna discount ticket.

My neice has forgotten about her pedicure I think. I may be safe! Thank you Zack and Cody.

couchie - it DEFINITELY says "NOW THRU MAY 4"

go check it out!!

[Couch Tomato]

I saw that Cha Cha and got happy but I think they just mean Clay is in it until May 4th..because when you look at the small print of the "restrictions" it says through Mar 23 for the discounts.

[cha cha trusty]

I saw that Cha Cha and got happy but I think they just mean Clay is in it until May 4th..because when you look at the small print of the "restrictions" it says through Mar 23 for the discounts.

I think you should call the number and get a clarification!

Because it is very confusing - which one is right?

[annabear]

I can't sleep! It's like the ridiculously strong coffee I made this morning had a delayed effect.

Thanks for the reviews CG & muski!

Anyhoo, while I'm up surfing the boards here's one explanation about the Playbill OMWH ad/no ad mystery from CantGoADayWithoutClay at CH:

…just a quick post to straighten out the MyPlaybillHasAPicture/MyPlaybillDoesn’t calamity. Clay straightened us out about it at the stage door tonight. (gasp… he was so gorgeous). I handed him my prized BlackAndWhiteCDPromotion page from tonight’s Playbill to sign, and in passing he snarked [paraphrasing] “So I hear some folks were causing quite a commotion rummaging through all the Playbills.” As he was about 4 people past me, I turned to winky next to me and said, "It’s a shame that Playbill screwed up.” But boyfriend hears all! He turned back to me and said “Playbill didn’t screw up. One is March and the other is April”! Duh! [or should I say DIOI !!!]

Well I think Clay had better straighten out the ushers, who were advising patrons this afternoon, that if they got a Playbill without a picture, it’s not their fault – that “Playbill made a mistake.” And that if they got a Playbill without the [now famous] black and white Clay picture, they should write to Playbill.com and explain. And maybe they will send them a new one. Hell, tonight I overheard a second floor usher who came down to the first floor, advising first floor usher to “Go get your Playbills that you have stored on the on the step by the stage. Some fans are going through your stacks looking for the ‘right’ Playbill.”

Oh, and a short while after they took down the barricades this afternoon, a group of about a dozen women were escorted INTO the stage door about 20 minutes after the show ended. The few of us still standing around the Stage Door all looked at each other in wonderment. Nobody knew who they were, or why they were being escorted inside. . . and not US! hee

All I can add to that is that my DH was still in the theater (expecting me to be at the barricade for some time), taking his good old sweet time retrieving his coat from the coatcheck, and making a last minute mensroom pitstop. When he came outside, he was surprised there was no great crowd still at the SD [when it was announced that Clay would not be coming out, the majority of the crowd quicky disbursed.] But DH reported that as he left the theater, some of the "actors were still on the stage" and they were talking to some people sitting in the front row(s). Perhaps I need to teach him to get details!

eta: More about the Playbills: It seems that the March and April issues appear the same from the outside. They both have a colored cover (tthe back covers are 2 different black/white Mercedes ads. The Month is only displayed on the INSIDE ~ on the 5th page. The March issue has that wonderful full-page article about Clay on pg 44. The April issue has the CD promotional picture right adjacent to the cast photos. Neither issue has both.

[luckiest1]

Glad that someone figured out the Playbill confusion........so if anyone is going to the show in April and has an extra, I'd be ever grateful for one. I have my autographed March one, and I will get one in May when I go, but no April shows for me.

ETA: clearer scan of the Playbill ad from morganette at the CH:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m248/mo...laybillomwh.jpg

I wonder if we'll get any new OMWH promo this week? It's so exciting! Seems like way less waiting than last time, but still so much an-ti-ci-pa-tion. I checked out Amazon last night and it's so cool to see the track listing up there. Wonder when we'll get song snippets?

Unfortunately, I missed AI Rewind again yesterday (didn't get the right channel) but hopefully next Saturday I can watch both episodes back-to-back. The Neil Sedaka episode was my eye-opening, fall-off-the-couch, never-look-back episode, so I can't wait to see it! But I just read this over on the CH, from GAD:

Just an FYI -- the Finale episode of AI Rewind is actually the "Where are they now?" episode. Along with updates on all the AI2 Finalists, the show will highlight Clay's post AI career including Spamalot and his new CD.

The First Run airs the weekend of April 26; 2nd Run (the repeat) airs the weekend of May 3. Just in time for the CD release.

Woo hoo!

[jamar1700]

Opening DAY!!!!

Go Twins!

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

No tinglies but I did have a dream last night that the Press Release came out today; I have had dreams that have come true, so here is hoping this is one of them!

34 Days until The Closing Night of Spamalot!

36 Days until "On My Way Here" is Here!

91 Days until The Summer of Clay!

"Hey Chicago, What To Do You Say, Cubs Are Gonna Win Today! Go! Cubs Go"

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[luckiest1]

Are we expecting more "new" news in the press release? Seems to me that we've had quite a bit of PR already with tons of info, not sure what more we can be told. But I can't wait for the song snippets, whether from Amazon or Promosquad or the Sneak Peak lady or whatever!

[playbiller]

Yay, I was hanging around chewing the fat with a bunch of people after the show last night and Hannah came ut and I got her autograph!!! Now, just a few more. We wer on the left, so I didn't have much of a shot being in the fourth row to add Clay to my cast listing. And Tom, I have to get Tom.

I don't know why people couldn't figure out the fact that playbills are published monthly, seems pretty obvious. I got a March, everyon around me got March, so no photo.for me, this month.

Yay, I finally heard the sung Amen, verra verra nice.

[playbiller]

This is ldyjocelyn, posing as playbiller. At this point, she and I will be going to breakfast, and then she'll be taking me to LaGuardia. I have loved my entire weekend, although at this point, I want to go home.

I had two great thrills last night . One was getting to hear the sung "Amen" via Brother Maynard. That was so cool to finally get that. The other was getting up-close-and-personal with both Rick and Hannah -- got autographs from both. I'm also very grateful that I got an autographed March Playbill from Clay on Friday, an April Playbill on Saturday, and then two more autographs, sadly on the March Playbill, for Sunday.

I've got a lot of processing to do in regards to the weekend, but I've got to say that I had a wonderful time with my official husband-sanctioned boyfriend. I also loved meeting up with roomie for the weekend muski, CG, playbiller, and so many more. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see treenuts.

Well, need to run. I'll try to work on a recap while I'm waiting for flights today.

[annabear]

May you have safe - and on time! - travels today, ldyj! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

It's Monday. Again.

[luckiest1]

I hate Mondays, especially rainy ones. Thankfully I have my iPod with me and I can play my favourite pick-me-up song to get me going this morning.....Right Here Waiting!

[merryclay]

I freaking love this song. He is going to kill us all.

From CV

Clint Lagerberg was just online at his My Space page. I'm guessing he's a busy man, what with adding new friends and scratching his head at the 3874 hit's his song "Draw the Line" received over the weekend.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endid=264088654

[luckiest1]

Is there some new info that leads you to believe that this is indeed the song Clay has recorded? I can't click on My Space links from work (damn filters!) so I can't see what you are referencing.

[merryclay]

I believe it is. That's all I can tell you. I hope it is.

[luckiest1]

Oh, ok thanks. I thought maybe it was something more definitive than that and I just couldn't see it! LOL

I've listened to the artists' demos of the ones we know are the right ones (i.e. The Real Me, etc) but I'm holding off on the ones where there are various versions based on just the song titles.

[jmh123]

He has been on the radar since last December, because he wrote in his MySpace that he was writing a song for Clay--or to be more specific, "clayeyes at RHT found via a blog by Chris Sligh from AI6 as he is working with this guy." No one has quoted exactly what clayeyes at RHT found, and I think they would if there was anything to quote, so perhaps she found only this guy's MySpace. He has written for Mandisa, Chris Sligh, and Phil whatshisname from AI (and a bunch of non AI people). The song on his MySpace actually has a slightly different title: "Draw the Line" but does include the phrase "where I draw the line." So we really don't know for sure, but it may be. I think the song is OK, but I'm not in love with it (sorry merryclay). I've made a point of only listening to these demos or versions by others once (did it twice for this one because of this conversation) because I'm saving myself for Clay. In this case, the guy can't sing that well, so it would definitely be better with Clay doing it.

Lyrics (spoilered):

Where I Draw the Line

It’s all as it should be

You’re the best thing that ever happened to me

I melt every time we kiss

Never felt anything like this

It’s almost too perfect

Just like the thunder brings the rain

Something beautiful brings on the pain

Looks like it’s gonna be the same this time around

I wanna let you in but I don’t know how

I’ve been here one too many times

Seems like whenever I let somebody get this close

I’m right back where I got hurt the most

That’s why

That’s why

Around my heart is where I draw the line

I wish I could just forget

Not have one more regret behind me to remind me

Of what I’ve given up

Could I ever live with this

Knowing that I might have missed

My last chance for love to find me

I could stay here drowning in the rain

Unless you have the strength to save me

Nothing’s gonna change

And it’s gonna be the same this time around

I wanna let you in but I don’t know how

I’ve been here one too many times

Seems like whenever I let somebody get this close

I’m right back where I got hurt the most

That’s why

That’s why

Around my heart is where I draw the line

Whether you’re gonna rescue me

Or you’re gonna be the death of me

It’s gonna be the same this time around

I wanna let you in but I don’t know how

I’ve been here one too many times

Whenever I let somebody get this close

I’m right back where I got hurt the most

And that’s why

That’s why

Around my heart is where I draw the line

Around my heart is where I draw the line

[cha cha trusty]

This is the first time I've done this, but I am trying to remain unspoilered insofar as listening to others' versions of the songs on Clay's album. I want to hear his versions first.

I listened to "On My Way Here" once and then I decided I didn't want to hear more!

Just "not gonna do it" (tm Dana Carvey)