#31: The Very Handsome Sir Clay of Aiken

[Gibby]

Thanks for bringing over the article, ldyj!

BTW, this seems rather out-of-sync with the rest of the conversation today, but I finished my CITH recommendations, just in the nick of time! I had the jazzy medley to review, and it was so enjoyable to revisit that wonderful medley. I put my ratings in the CITH recommendations thread.

I love this pic taken while he was on the marquee last night - look at the lipstick marks on his cheek!

[ldyjocelyn]

newsobserver.com

Aiken is on His Way to New CD

Aiken is on his way to new CD

By Matt Ehlers, Staff Writer

For a man who loves to brag on his hometown, Clay Aiken has barely seen Raleigh in recent months.

Since the beginning of the year, the former "American Idol" contestant, pop hitmaker and Broadway star has spent exactly one night in his own bed. It was a couple of weeks ago, when he flew down from New York on his day off, just to see home for one evening.

So after he finishes promotional duties for his new album, "On My Way Here," which comes out Tuesday, Aiken, 29, plans to spend the summer in the Triangle. Touring will have to wait.

"I'm going to enjoy the backyard a little bit," he says on the phone from New York.

The last few months have been extremely busy for Aiken, as he just finished a 15-week run in the role of Sir Robin in Broadway's "Spamalot." He spent his days in the studio working on the album and his evenings at the theater.

"On My Way Here" is Aiken's first album of original material since 2003's "Measure of a Man." It's also the first album in which his label, RCA, gave him control over which songs to sing.

"Measure," which included the hit "Invisible," featured poppy songs intended for top-40 radio. This time around, the self-described "Barry Manilow II" chose songs he felt were a better fit. The title track is a mellow yet contemporary song that would fit the play-lists of stations such as WRAL-FM.

The album features eclectic sounds, he said, from pop to a bit of R&B, as well as a couple of songs with big string parts, which he called "almost orchestral."

But lyrically they have a common thread. Aiken chose songs that he thought people could relate to.

"I wanted to find songs that, lyrically, could be universal," he says.

A certain freedom comes with choosing his own songs, but it brings some responsibility as well. Aiken, though, doesn't feel any added pressure.

"The truth is, if this does beautifully, excellent. If it doesn't, at least I can't blame anyone else."

Anyone else, say, like the record company.

"They've always tried to fit a square peg into a round hole with me. This time they said, you know what, 'just let him do what he wants to do.'"

He believes it worked.

"We finally put a square peg into a square hole, because we were allowed to do what we felt most comfortable doing."

Wait. Has Clay Aiken admitted that he's square?

He burst into laughter.

"Have I ever said anything different?"

[bottlecap]

I love this pic taken while he was on the marquee last night - look at the lipstick marks on his cheek!

Hmmm, so many possibilities...

[playbiller]

BC, you can't fool me, you were not in NYC yesterday! However, several other FCAers were. hee.

[ldyjocelyn]

New York Post

Over "Idol"

OVER 'IDOL'

CLAY AIKEN SAYS SHOW THAT LAUNCHED HIS CAREER IS TOO SLICK

By DEBORAH STARR SEIBEL

May 4, 2008 -- Clay Aiken doesn't have time to watch "American Idol." But the season two runner-up says that even if he did, it wouldn't be on his must-watch TV list.

"I would never in any way negate the fact that it's put me where I am," says Aiken, who will wrap his Broadway run in "Spamalot" on Sunday and drop his fourth album ("On My Way Here") on Tuesday. "But I miss the innocence of 'Idol' of seasons one, two and three."

That innocence, he says, was expressed in the raw, unpolished look and lack of experience of the kids who were competing.

"Me, Ruben (Studdard) and Kim (Locke) had no chance [in the record industry]. We were all misfits in some way. If you look at Ruben and me, we looked like a really bad version of Laurel and Hardy."

Aiken says it bothered him when he heard that one of this year's contestants - Carly Smithson - already had a record deal. And that another, frontrunner David Archuleta, won the junior version of "Star Search." Says Aiken, "After Fantasia left, and after Kelly [Clarkson] won her two Grammys, I feel like it's been a little more polished, not the boy and girl next door that America wanted to help."

Aiken has sold six million albums, despite the fact that, with his emphasis on power ballads, he gets little radio airplay. "I'm not cool enough to be on the radio," he says. "Even with the first album ("Measure of a Man") five years ago, people were trying to put me in these [cool] clothes and get me to sing certain songs. And I said, 'You know what? There's a point where you become a caricature.' On tour, I'll do 'When Doves Cry' or 'Baby Got Back.' But they're done tongue in cheek because I know for a fact that I could never sing them."

But he can sing Broadway. Reminded that "Idol" judge Simon Cowell predicted that after the show, Aiken could have a huge career on the Great White Way, Aiken says, "At the time he said it, Simon meant it as an insult. But if you can do Broadway, you can do anything. Simon can kiss my foot."

[ldyjocelyn]

denverpost.com

Clay Aiken Finally Has a Record (Sort of) of His Own

Clay Aiken finally has a record (sort of) of his own

By Ricardo Baca

Denver Post Pop Music Critic

Article Last Updated: 05/02/2008 09:23:56 PM MDT

What is the measure of an artist?

When it comes to Clay Aiken, you certainly can't tell from 2003's "Measure of a Man," a CD released just five months after he lost to Ruben Studdard on "American Idol."

"When that first album came out, the music on it was predetermined before 'Idol' was even done," said Aiken, who has a new recording due this week. "At the time, I was just so excited that I had this opportunity, I was like, 'I'll sing "The Crawdad Song" if you want me to!' "

Aiken didn't write any of the songs on "Measure," but his cooing delivery made him an even bigger star in the adult contemporary world. And after sporadic touring, it was time to cut another record — this one a holiday CD. "Merry Christmas With Love" was released a year after "Measure," and six weeks later it reached platinum status.

It goes without saying that selling a million copies of a holiday record is uncommon territory, the kind typically reserved for Kenny G and Celine Dion. Then again, Aiken fits in nicely with that crowd.

But even with Aiken's birdlike "Winter Wonderland," we still didn't know him.

After that one, he thought: Nowis the time for my "me" record. Little did Aiken know that mogul Clive Davis had different plans for him.

Two years after the Christmas record came "A Thousand Different Ways," an album of familiar covers from Richard Marx ("Right Here Waiting") to Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)."

"They wanted me to sing songs people knew, like what I did on 'Idol,' " Aiken said. "It was stuff that people recognize. And it made sense in some ways to say, 'You sang Richard Marx on "Idol." Sing it now.' But it wasn't what I really wanted to do. . . . I was miserable. I fought to get four original songs on the album."

Fans and critics were in awe that Aiken had released three incredibly impersonal records in three years of being a ubiquitous pop-culture idol and punching bag. But what Aiken took from the "Thousand Different Ways" session was a friend — and a producer.

While working on the covers record, Aiken hit it off immediately with producer Jaymes Foster. Together they agreed to work on his next album, his first personal statement as a pop star, five years after we met him. And that's where we find Aiken now, introducing "On My Way Here," in stores Tuesday, as a document of the singer's life.

The record is heavy on the melodramatic ballads and light on substantive songwriting. Apparently the new Aiken isn't all that unlike the old Aiken, as they're both achin' for bombastic slow jams that walk the thin line between light R&B and adult contemporary. They're wallpaper.

But a lot of people still like wallpaper, especially when it's representative of Aiken's journey as a celebrity.

"In the last five years, I've gotten more used to saying no," Aiken said. "I'm almost 30 years old, and now it's not frightening for me to tell people no. You learn to stand your ground."

While Aiken says "On My Way Here" represents the last five years of his life, he again didn't write any of the material. The singer said he's "not great" at songwriting and that he'd rather "let the people who are experts in that field do what they do, and I'll do what I do."

The lead single and title track on the new record was written by a Denver musician, OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. When Aiken and Foster came across "On My Way Here," it resonated so much with the artist that they scrapped most of the previous songs they'd demoed and started anew.

"When we heard that one a year ago, we changed the whole direction of the record," Aiken said. "We had no theme before. We were just going to make an album. But with this song, everything rang so true. Right there we started looking for songs that talked about something that I had experienced in the last five years or something that explored a feeling I'd had."

The process of finding the right songs wasn't easy. Aiken estimates he listened to 500 demos and that Foster listened to 10 times that many. "It's a long process," Aiken said. "For us, it lasted three years."

Even if Aiken didn't write much on the new record, his fans have a better idea of his plight and personality now than they ever did before. And for a guy like Aiken, whose character and lifestyle is pondered daily on blogs, TV shows and stand-up bits still, that's saying a lot.

[ldyjocelyn]

More Spamalot recappage....

From dancermom2 at the CH

Last night was a perfect last page in an amazing chapter for Clay and the start of a new one. What can I remember from the show?? Sitting there and seeing with extra clarity...the respect of his peers in the show. They knew that the applause was going to raise the roof of the Shubert again...they just knew...and they played it for all that it's worth. The appause was deafening for Clay whenever he appeared....but the applause was pretty loud when Tom, David, Rick, Jonathan, Bradley, Hannah or any of the main characters came up the crowd showed them the love. When Tom first came out as the historian the applause went on and on...and he pringed us....it was funny!!!!

I saw Bradley Dean when he first started and I was disappointed. He has gotten so much better now and I can honestly say that he is filling those huge shoes of Chris Seiber now. He is holding his accent and making the role his own and finding his timing. He was awesome.

The Steve Rosen who plays the new Belvedere and the mother was a hoot...he added little things that made the role his own...not that I can remember a dang thing this morning about what he added.

The King was also less a straight man last night....he still was...but he was a looser straight man. It's hard to explain...he was adding flourishes to his singing that I had not heard before and he seemed a tad less stiff in his performance.

It was truly amazing how they made the show all about Clay but didn't break the flow of the play nor compromise the integrity of the show. It was just little things...like the nun who went in front of Clay in the Camelot scene and just stood in front of him in prayer....for a pretty long time. It was sooooo funny and so Pythonesque yet was giving Clay his kudos at the same time. It was Hannah singing Invisible. It was the attention the Girls in Nasty tights and in the Prams gave him...circling around Clay in the group numbers and playing around with him....but all within character.

Clay was loose last night like someone who had taken a part and truly just made it a part of himself deep down in the muscle memory. Last night it was as if he put in all the little things that he sometimes didn't do....it was all there last night. He sang the Amen as Brother Maynard and I was soooooo happy because I hadn't seen that before in the 3 other times I had gone. And all the knights sang amen too....it was great. And the sing song that he did in his swallow scene was there...and sooooo funny. He shimmied...he thrusted with his hips when he danced...and he just glowed on that stage. YCSOB, he had to tell us a couple of times to stop applauding as he went to the piano to play...and then he flipped that tunic up so high...a verra verra nice view of his tush....and LOUD SCREAMS. The bottle dance...oh yeah...the tongue action was there....ah...yesssssss. And the determination...and the SCREAMS....and at the end of the song when he is playing to the audience before he goes...oooooops King...right...King....it went on and on and on and on...and we just gave him the love...and he kept playing with it...and we would give him more love...and then he would work it...and we gave him more love...it was sooooo funny. Then the King just said...Oh Gosh....and the place erupted.

The Prince Herbert scenes...what can I say?? I was in stitches and dying from laughing so hard. Clay was doing this ribbon thing...he was loving the ribbons..and braiding the ribbons...and looking at the flowers...and braiding the ribbons...and iiiiifff iffffff ums...and he and Bradley had us laughing so hard. It was all in the pregnant pauses...and the looking at each other...and the timing that just made it a hoot. When Prince Herbert sat down while Clay was braiding the ribbons the laughter was hillarious...then the other guard sat down...then Bradley sat down...and there went Clay...braiding his ribbons...and I have never laughed so hard in my life. Stomach hurting laughing. They never sit down...that was a way to acknowledge Clay...and it was a hoot.

The curtain call was amazing. Everyone got roaring applause...but Clay???? Clay???? My ears were ringing afterwards. And Jonathan...coming out and just kneeling in front of Clay and pointing to him telling him to bow again...I have no words for that gesture of respect towards Clay. The audience was on it's feet for the whole curtain call....from the Chorus to the end.

Let me tell you...Shubert alley was crammed...you could not move. It was even more crammed than opening night...it was wall to wall people...no kidding...in a way that it was hard to get out of the theater. I saw the guy up on the marquee/balcony that runs around the whole theater...and taking pics and I was like whoa baby...never saw someone up there before...but...the thought went through my head that that was what Clay should do...that it would be so neat for him to come out up there...where everyone could see him to wave. I saw Jerome come out up there...and walk around and then he ducked back in and Clay came out. There are no words....he waved...he looked stunning....he blew us a kiss...and then raised 6 fingers. I was okay until then...but I started crying then.

This ending and the turning of the page...was perfection...what can I say?? It was like he was slipping from Broadway and back to the pop star....and oh what a star...in one gesture.

Clay....my kudos and bravas to you. You took the risk...and you triumphed. Find your grail...I know you will...in ways I will least likely expect because I could never have forseen Shubert Alley last night.

From toni7babe at the CV

Wow what a night it was!! I don't even have a voice this morning from cheering during both shows and last night was something I will never forget. I seriously have larangitis and cant talk ..lucky you guys haha I couldnt even talk much to get on stream last night....my voice is gone from wild cheering last two shows! I did try and call xxx with some reports for y'all and I am sure she posted them! Thanks xxx!

The love and respect showed to Clay by his fellow cast members and the love and support from the fans brought tears to my eyes. The 2 standing ovations during the show after his big number and Guard scene showing him the love and then at the end the standing ovation for everyone and the applause for Clay was ...just ON WOW!! I can't even describe it!!!

I laughed and laughed till I had tears in my eyes during the guard scene. Poor yaknelle who was in front of me must be sore as I kept hitting her hee!!

Damn we are lucky to have this man in our lives!!

I so loved spending time with so many of my fellow CV'er!! We had some incredible times this weekend!!

Angela and Quiana looked wonderful last night ...gorgeous!! Nick looks good in a beard!!! Nick laughed like crazy during the show when I could see him. He was 2 rows in front of me.

When Clay came out on the roof/ledge last night.....I couldnt even attempt to take a pic it was fast and just had to soak that moment in...it was so touching....he just glowed all weekend I thought!

No one wanted to leave the Schubert alley. We were all hugging and EEEEEEEEIng and tears of happiness and being so damn proud of our guy!!

I love that man!!

I haven't read much this morning so I dont know exactly everything that was posted or not.....but in case it wasnt the peasant our very own falcon94...a gorgeous beautiful 19 year old girl was so great and her exchange with Clay was so cute and funny!! He liked her and flirted back and forth with her in the scene, it was soooooooooooooo cute!! The King told her he liked her shoes haha!!

I am so happy for falcon94 she is a doll!!

canuck if your reading I just woke up sorry I missed breakfast hug2.gif

Well, flying home later to day...NEED COFFEE

Thanks CV for letting me share my reports, recaps, pics etc with yall. I have been so blessed to make 6 trips here and I have loved Spam more than I could ever say.....I have such special memories of my trips here and I will NEVER forget last night!!

I am rambling so sorry...guys it was just beyond words last night!!

Love to all!!

Pic of photographer on ledge/roof

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/ton...be/IMG_7863.jpg

And my favorite (and I'm sure muski's too....):

From DeepSouthGurrl at the CH

One quick wonderful story from Saturday night.

I was lucky enough to have Clay sign my Playbill ....I said "Thank you, gorgeous." He actually looked at me, smiled and said "You're so welcome".

Then Hannah came out.....I handed her my Playbill and said "Hey gorgeous" (it worked for Clay..thought I'd try it again...and it's true for both) I then said "I want you right here under Clay." She gave me a great smile and said "Ooooh, I'd like that, too!"

I love the friendships (or more) that Clay has made with this cast.

[Clayzorback]

I'm not gonna bring anybody's sexy back."

Oh honey if you only knew.

I'm so happy!!!

I caved and listened to the full cd. So far I llike all the songs with the exception of a few. I just can't get into Something About Us....He sings it real purdy, he does. BUT, it is what I call a lounge lizard song. I don't care for that type of music. Not crazy about The Real Me either. I think LAA fits better in this theme, but I'm still not crazy about the music for it.. I can't tell a difference. It does sound the same. I'm going to have to listen to EIDN a bit more to decide on it.

I really, really like these songs immediately when I first heard them. Meaning they won't have to grow on me. Some real nice hooks:

1. Falling

2. Ashes

3. Where I Draw The Line

4. Weight Of the World

5. As Long As We're Here

6. Grace Of God

I also think Falling and Ashes are the radio hits to go for. I love the range he is singing in. Is that Clay Aiken?

Speaking of radio, OMWH has made it from the spincrease chart to the taking off chart. For anyone who is interested.

[KAndre]

Now that's an article that makes Clay sound like "poor, pitiful whiny me that had a lot of sucky CDs that inexplicably sell a lot" . And talk about damning with faint praise, "Fans and critics were in awe that Aiken had released three incredibly impersonal records in three years of being a ubiquitous pop-culture idol and punching bag." "Sporadic touring" "They're wallpaper. But lots of people like wallpaper". "his fans have a better idea of his plight".

What was the point of it? Ewww.

[Clayzorback]

Now that's an article that makes Clay sound like "poor, pitiful whiny me that had a lot of sucky CDs that inexplicably sell a lot" . And talk about damning with faint praise, "Fans and critics were in awe that Aiken had released three incredibly impersonal records in three years of being a ubiquitous pop-culture idol and punching bag." "Sporadic touring" "They're wallpaper. But lots of people like wallpaper". "his fans have a better idea of his plight".

What was the point of it? Ewww.

This is what I think of him KAndre.

[KAndre]

Heh.

I have about 80% of the CD memorized. And transcribed. Except, I swear to God, Everything I Don't Need doesn't make a bit of sense - catchy, though.

[Gibby]

Hey, KAndre, will you be putting the lyrics in the thread here at FCA? I'd love a copy of some of the lyrics!

[merrieeee]

Hee Kandre I take it you won't be doing "first listen' at my house tonight then? And here I have been holding out!!

::merrieeee rushes over to AOL::

[KAndre]

You know perfectly well I have no self control when it comes to glorious music! Slutdom is much more fun for me than virginity ever was!

I'll post what I have but I expect corrections - misheard lyrics are a way of life for moi!

[Desertrose]

I have heard from Amazon and Walmart that my pre-orders are on the way, but have not heard anything from Itunes. I looked at my account and no longer see my pre-order. Will they send me email to download my order? The only information I found was that "all my orders had been downloaded already." NOT! Have any of you heard from Itunes?

[Desertrose]

Hee Kandre I take it you won't be doing "first listen' at my house tonight then? And here I have been holding out!!

::merrieeee rushes over to AOL::

Hi Merrieeee,

I wish I wasn't so far from you. I would have loved to do "first listen" with the eHP.

[Ansamcw]

I have heard from Amazon and Walmart that my pre-orders are on the way, but have not heard anything from Itunes. I looked at my account and no longer see my pre-order. Will they send me email to download my order? The only information I found was that "all my orders had been downloaded already." NOT! Have any of you heard from Itunes?

as far as I know...we will be getting an email on May 6 that has the link that will allow us to dl the whole album. I am really excited now to get the extras. I likes what I heard of the walmart song. I am curios about Itunes. with the music pass extra it seems like we will end up with a 16 track CD.

I was going to post my rankings but its so tough to do that cos I like all of them. I think though that LAA still is my no.1 fave and right now OMWH is probably my least fave. SAU I also like but maybe only slightly above OMWH, just not my type of music too. But right now my fave is As Long as We're Here....love the build up of this song!!!

[liney23]

And now he has to re-enter the world of a "pop" singer and be subject to belittlement and put under a microscope and gossiped about.....

I wonder if its really worth it?

On the train home I kept thinking he seemed so much more at peace and so much more at home on Broadway than he ever has in the pop arena.

I wonder if he's feeling that too......

CG... Clay is someone who likes/responds to/needs a challenge. He had to be to survive his growing up. His work with children with autism. Trying out and going thru Idol. Critics/tabloids (ugh!) The label. Doing Spamalot was a challenge, too... one he mastered and obviously loved.

It must have been a balm on his soul to be accepted and appreciated on Broadway and I'm sure he'll be back, but he's not done cracking the egg that is the music industry. That's one that may take him a looong time. I think he'll keep on working it until he gets something he might want more... a family or a talk/variety show, whichever comes first... LOL.

The balm that Spamalot was will carry him thru trying to be accepted for who he is elsewhere... a unique singer who doesn't fit in anyone's stinkin' box!

KAndre simply wallows in Clay's voice...

Falling and As Long As We're Here and On My Way Here are MY jams...back off, bitches! I have a spork and will use it!

I'm just fooling around with Everything We Don't Need, Something About Us and Sacrificial Love.

Flirting with the rest, especially the last 2/3's of The Real Me...I admit, the first third is not thrilling me.

Wonder if Clay will be headed to Myanmar?

KAndre... I'm skeered of your spork, but I love Falling too much to let you have it all by yerself, woman! Share, or... I'm trying to think of something that might scare you enough to make you share... how bout if I threaten to take away all your bling????

OMG, chills chills chills chills chills chills chills chills chills chills chills chills

Thread title????

Someone said that many have trouble with Clay singing the uptempo songs cause they've never seen him do it. I think they may have something. I hope GMA gives him a chance to sing one uptempo song. That might help a bit.

Even on Idol, he said he tried to alternate ballads and mid/up-tempo songs, but all he's remembered for is the ballads cause he did them soooo well that they made the most impression. He and the label need to take one of these uptempo songs and ram it down everyone's throat until the perception that he can sing uptempo, too sinks in. The second single will be uptempo, I'm sure. We'll see how it is supported and received.

[luckiest1]

Are we sure we are getting an extra with the Music Pass, or is that just speculation still? Sorry, I am not caught up yet. But I am HOME! No delays, everything was v.v. smooth today (except for the minute or two in the Buffalo airport where I was sure I'd left my car keys in the NYC hotel room). LOL.

Am I the only one being a "purist" and waiting until 12:01 a.m. tonight to listen?

Absolutely not! I've made it this far, I'm gonna wait until midnight.

BTW, this seems rather out-of-sync with the rest of the conversation today, but I finished my CITH recommendations, just in the nick of time! I had the jazzy medley to review, and it was so enjoyable to revisit that wonderful medley. I put my ratings in the CITH recommendations thread.

:F_05BL17blowkiss: YAY!

(thanks to cindilu2 for the blinkies)

[Claygasm]

As I struggle to stay awake (does this mean I am too old to party???) I have been thinking....

I will not have my first listen on AOL - even if it means I don't hear it until after work tomorrow. I want my first listen to be on my stereo on the good speakers. I want to be able to savor it.

I am kind of hoping the one I chucked all the morals for and ordered from Walmart will be at my house when I get home. I got a notice it was shipped Saturday. But I rather doubt it.

I can wait.

I am still in the after glow of Spamalot anyway. The entire soundtrack has been running through my head all day. I so loved that show and I loved how they treated Clay. You know, they could have easily resented his presence there - hadn't paid his dues etc., stunt casting, who the hell does he think he is - that kind of thing. But I think its not only a testimony to Clay's character, but to the character of the cast members that they embraced him with respect and affection.

And they even seemed to like "us"! And "we" showed the loved to the entire cast as they welll deserved it.

I miss it already.

I'm not sure I am ready to move on. Maybe that's why I can wait to hear the CD. I kind of feel when I do listen that will officially mark the end of Clay and Spamalot.

And that to me is bittersweet.

I once thought the Wilkes-Barre MOAM was as special an experience as I could ever hope to get in this fandom. Then I thought opening night at Spamalot was. But now it is last night. How lucky am I to have been there. I know I don't need to write a recap of the show - its been recapped many, many times (although in reading some I think people were either hallucinating or seeing what they wanted to see...). I don't even need to do a recap of the post show experience, as that too has been done. So all I can do is tell you what I felt, and what I felt at the show and after was magic. And not just for and from Clay.

And then actually having a real FCA post-something gathering - just like a real board! It was fun meeting EVERYONE who was there. I just wish everyone here could have been there. That would have made it even better.

Ok, enough of this schmoopie stuff. Obviously I'm really, really tired. I haven't mention his hair or the eyeliner all day!!!

[aikim]

Not listening either, I actually like going out and buying the CD; spending 15 minutes trying to open it, reading the linear notes...the whole CD front and back and then listening to it.

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Kim

[laughn]

I am still in the after glow of Spamalot anyway. The entire soundtrack has been running through my head all day. I so loved that show and I loved how they treated Clay. You know, they could have easily resented his presence there - hadn't paid his dues etc., stunt casting, who the hell does he think he is - that kind of thing. But I think its not only a testimony to Clay's character, but to the character of the cast members that they embraced him with respect and affection.

And they even seemed to like "us"! And "we" showed the loved to the entire cast as they welll deserved it.

I miss it already.

I your schmoopieness. I say enjoy and wallow in it. Last night was something special. As for moving on to the next thing...heck, I'm dragging my feet and I wasn't even there in person!

I was thinking about something this morning. I know Clay took a lot away from Spamalot. A lot of knowledge given to him by some immensely talented individuals. Individuals who were big enough, kind enough, talented enough to open their hearts to an outsider. Clay grew because of them, I'm sure...but at the same time, I wonder what they took from him? Surely this was the first time for many to come out of that stage door to barricades and rows and rows of fans. Yes, I know that was put in place for Clay, but Tom and Rick and Chris...all of them...got to experience that. They got our overflow of love too. Did their whole experience with Clay give them a little glimpse into what the life of a 'pop star' must be like? Did they admire his talent like he did theirs? Probably. People so stinkin' talented, living in the same city at the same time, working the same job, yet lives so different. Never saw a blogger write about Jonathan Hadray shopping at Whole Foods, did you? I just wondered what they thought of it all.

[Iseeme]

Laughn - I bet there was a teensy bit of "who the F is this?" when Clay first arrived. Stunt casting is a way of life on Broadway and it doesn't always turn out so good. But I'll bet when they realized what a humble guy Clay is, not impressed with himself, and someone who worked really hard to get it right.....he probably started earning their respect. THEN when they saw how talented he is....funny, sweet, etc.

I wonder what ticket sales are going to be now that Clay has left the cast.

I admire anyone who's been able to wait.......I'm not a wait kind of person. I hit AOL so fast this morning.....and have been listening to it ever since. SusanDavis et.al. stayed in NY for the CD release party. Clayanne has an iPhone so I called them and gave them the link. Don't know if they got it downloaded or not. Supposedly Virgin is playing the CD during the party so that will be their first listen. I raved appropriately and made them all jealous...hah! I was the one sitting home while they were Spammin' this weekend!

I am really loving how Clay sings the word "love" in these songs....

[jmh123]

I so loved that show and I loved how they treated Clay. You know, they could have easily resented his presence there - hadn't paid his dues etc., stunt casting, who the hell does he think he is - that kind of thing. But I think its not only a testimony to Clay's character, but to the character of the cast members that they embraced him with respect and affection.

And they even seemed to like "us"! And "we" showed the loved to the entire cast as they welll deserved it.

I was thinking the same thing today--after the topic of the weekend being fans, whether the PYTs should be in front and us uncool old folks should hide ourselves, and last week it was OTT fans driving venues insane--the Spam Clan could just as easily have decided we were just too much trouble. They could have resented the scrabbling for extra Playbills and Playbills with the ad in them, rolled their eyes at repeat attendees, been disgusted with the lack of theatre savvy and various incidents that resulted, or creeped out by the crazy folks (and I'm sure there was some of all of that), but they loved us, just as they loved him. Perhaps it was the Broadway Cares efforts that won them over completely, or maybe they are just good and decent people, but whatever it was, I'll never forget it.

[Gibby]

CG, I'm so happy (and a little jellus) that you got to go to opening and closing nights of Spam! I don't blame you at all for wanting to savor that experience. What fantastic memories for you, and for everyone else there!

laughn, I wonder what Clay's Spam castmates thought of all of the stuff surrounding him, too. They may have been a little envious of some of the attention, but likely found some of the things that go with fame somewhat distasteful. Clay seems to have reached a point where he has adjusted pretty well to all of it, but to those just introduced to all of the craziness it would seem overwhelming.

I do think that most people involved in Spamalot were grateful and happy to have him there, as a fellow performer and friend. If not at first, certainly by the end of his run. And, Clay brought some amazing stuff to Spamalot - great ticket sales, excellent publicity, enthusiastic audiences and a buzz about the show. Such a win-win situation!

I'm enjoying listening to the album so much today. And now I can't wait to get the bonus tracks from Itunes and Walmart! I'm looking forward to my QVC CD, too, but that one won't be here for awhile.