#32: Man with titanium balls and the voice to back them up!

[luckiest1]

Great story. I am having my poster framed, also. Would you mind saying how much it cost to have it framed? I was shocked at how much it cost and I'm wondering if the prices are similar.

I was shocked too! But the guy was so friendly, and he spent so much time working on laying it out, and we were talking Clay.....heh......so when it came time to tell me the price (and this was a 50% off sale!) I just kind of blinked and said "do it". Hee. Um, it was in the neighbourhood of $250, and that was with the regular glass, not the non-glare stuff. The mattes were about $20 each and there are actually 4 of them......black, gold, red, and then of course the off-white. I admit that I was thinking "$250?????? I could have seen Spamalot 2 more times for that!" I guess by adding in the playbill & brochure I made the thing twice the size it would have been.......ah well, live and learn. It's v.v. pretty.

So I am off to the great white north today (except it had better not be white any longer, I'd have to scream) to visit my cousin and also have lunch tomorrow with FromClaygary, if everything works out. I probably won't be online much until tomorrow night. Have fun, y'all!

P.S. I, too, think that Clay did not enjoy the bangs, because they required too much styling and fussing. Every time I can remember seeing a picture of him in his downtime he had them swept back or to the side (I don't consider the hockey game with Kristy or the Ruben concert "downtime", those were public appearances). I loved the dark brown hair, especially during the JNaT06, and I used to be of the opinion "the darker, the better" but this new blonde 'do has totally changed my opinion on that. I'm loving it! Hee, having seen it up close and personal in the Spam stagedoor experience might have something to do with that........

[claytonic]

P.S. I, too, think that Clay did not enjoy the bangs, because they required too much styling and fussing. Every time I can remember seeing a picture of him in his downtime he had them swept back or to the side (I don't consider the hockey game with Kristy or the Ruben concert "downtime", those were public appearances). I loved the dark brown hair, especially during the JNaT06, and I used to be of the opinion "the darker, the better" but this new blonde 'do has totally changed my opinion on that. I'm loving it! Hee, having seen it up close and personal in the Spam stagedoor experience might have something to do with that........

What does JNaT06 stand for? I know it is a tour, but which one?

Hey it took me forever to get to bodyguard, I just realized I got there weeeeee for me. OH hmm SRHP we are SO not done. However, since we made a decision to do two CITHL and have had some suggestions about a third, maybe we could take input. Assuming some people are lurking.

SRHP?

I like Clay's bangs, when they are properly in place, he looks fantastic. But when they aren't (e.g. Tribute to Sedaka performance of Solitaire), I find them a total distraction.

[KAndre]

SRHP - Soft Rock Hard Place tour - official name of the 2006 summer tour

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

Just checking in before I go make the Sunday pancakes and slice up strawberries, love strawberries with my pancakes

Takes a moment of silence for the dear, departed countdown; by the Grace of God, may it rise from the Ashes and be a valued part of the Clay fandom As Long as Were Here.

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[duckyvee]

What I am going to do is use it as an excuse to email the only AC station in my area that MIGHT one day be willing to play Clay (ducky - I speak of WJBR).

CG, I checked out WJBR's website today, hoping to find a playlist or list of artists they play - nothing. Is all communication with them through email? I've also checked out B101 (WBEB), another local AC station. Same thing. They sure don't make it easy. At least I've been rating songs there to build up some sort of listener credibility. No Clay yet. WPST (Princeton, NJ), who played Clay in the past at least has some useful information on their site, but I don't know whether they're AC. I want to help in this way. I'm just not a radio listener and am not sure the best way to go about sincerely.

[laughn]

What does JNaT06 stand for? I know it is a tour, but which one?

<snip>

SRHP?

I like Clay's bangs, when they are properly in place, he looks fantastic. But when they aren't (e.g. Tribute to Sedaka performance of Solitaire), I find them a total distraction.

JNaT06 = Joyful Noise (Not a) Tour, Christmas 06. It was the tour that really wasn't. Clay started out by stepping in for someone (I can't remember who right now) who had to cancel several of her shows and then he built the rest of the tour around those dates. hee. visual aids, click 'em

I happen to love JNaT06 hair myself. I think Clay wore it well, and actually, other than the color and the bulk of the hair, the front/bangs are similar to what they are now.

SRHP = Soft Rock (and a) Hard Place Tour. Last summer's tour. That's what Clay called it when he blogged while sitting watching the ocean in Mexico.

I don't think Clay likes the bangs in his face. I know he's mentioned it in a couple interviews, but for the life of me, I can't remember where now. (sorry) As of last summer he was still wearing the bangs on stage, but in his down time, combed them off his face.

Now his hair, I think is more comfortable for him. I mean he seems to be wearing it closer to the same style on and off the stage. Because of that, I think this new style suits him.

[jamar1700]

I know hair coloring from years of experience. I started coloring my hair at 14 and it's been every shade that Clairol or L'Oreal sells. Going blonde, or bleaching always required stripping and toning, while going same shade or darker is much easier on the hair. I've seen some pictures where Clay's hair is becoming straw-ish, which is definitely a symptom of over-bleaching.

My bet is that whoever is coloring his hair is NOT using your random off the storeshelf box of Clairol or L'Oreal. I go to a board licensed colorist. She uses only professional grade products that do NOT dry the hair in any way shape or form. There is a BIG difference in both the quality and chemistry of the product. Which is why I have to pay so much more for it than a box of Clairol. *g*

Beyond that ... I think pictures can be decieving. Most of the harshness seems TO ME to be from the studio lights. In any case, I don't think his hair looks either bleached or strawish.

And I volunteer to slowly run my fingers through it to prove it.

Takes a moment of silence for the dear, departed countdown; by the Grace of God, may it rise from the Ashes and be a valued part of the Clay fandom As Long as Were Here.

Nice....

[keepingfaith]

Clay wearing bangs on his own time:

First ... what's wrong with the Sedaka bangs??? Nuttin' to me!

And then there are all the other times ....

[Clayzorback]

I wanted to post something. I didn't go out to get extra steppin out mags today, nice day did other stuff, I will try tomorrow. But.....the person who interviewed Clay has other stuff there and is the biggest douche of all times. I want to rip him apart for his trashing of Al Gore and he did include his e-mail. Would I be considered a crazy Goregal if I did? Sheesh, what an asshole.

Oooh dog question - dogs take after their owners. One way I am decrazying my dog is by stgaying calm. Calm Clay, noone to follow around ans he works of his nervous energy.

You go for it girlfriend..........I love Al Gore and missed the whole Stepping Out thingie. You want to talk about trashing people? Just wait untill Howard Dean, Donna Brazille, the whole DNC, and Nancy Pelosi hear from me. The whole flipping fiasco they have caused the Democratic Party, is inexcusable. I've never been more disappointed in my party, and their voting system. NEVAH!!! Is it even legal? What they've done to those voters in Florida and Michigan is against the law, in my book.

I wanted to post something. I didn't go out to get extra steppin out mags today, nice day did other stuff, I will try tomorrow. But.....the person who interviewed Clay has other stuff there and is the biggest douche of all times. I want to rip him apart for his trashing of Al Gore and he did include his e-mail. Would I be considered a crazy Goregal if I did? Sheesh, what an asshole.

Oooh dog question - dogs take after their owners. One way I am decrazying my dog is by stgaying calm. Calm Clay, noone to follow around ans he works of his nervous energy.

Play, Go for it! But first take a look at what I just posted in the YouTube thread:

Just 1.26minutes.... how scaringly succinct.

Ooooooh thanks for that video. It should be scary because, that is exactly what is going on right now. He succintly described 8 years of George Bush and The Republican Party, in general............

luckiest1 your framed Art is beautiful..........Framing can be very expensive. I have had several things framed. I always took them to Hobby Lobby. They have a great assortment of already made frames to choose from. Or, you can custom pick one. Very reasonable pricing.

keepingfaith, I looooved the bangs and dark hair. He was absolutely stunning when he came out on AI5.........Drop dead gorgeous. I love this look on him as well as the Blonde OMWH look. Especially the CD cover pic of his profile. Two of the best looks he's ever had. Turns me on........ Of course he was competing with his tie from that AI5 appearance, as far as turning me on went. I loooooved that tie the best of any he has ever worn. Oh hell, now you have sent me on a search for brown hair/bang pictures.............Must see and live the experience again........

Don't know who to credit for these, but they might make nice avatars for you.......Hee:

Hot as hell pictures of dark hair and bangs:

The piece 'de Resistance:

A couple of my favorite dark hair with spikes pics:

[footloose]

i LOVE the bangs when they're done professionally, like during ATDW promo. But the bowlcut kinda "freaked me out" (tm CHA).

<-- i think this is my favorite after the ATDW look and the AI2 spikes

[aikim]

According to Corabeth at the CH, the AOL Sessions will be aired on May 27th...so it looks like the countdown is already rising out of the Ashes!

Kim

[playbiller]

You go for it girlfriend..........I love Al Gore and missed the whole Stepping Out thingie. You want to talk about trashing people? Just wait untill Howard Dean, Donna Brazille, the whole DNC, and Nancy Pelosi hear from me. The whole flipping fiasco they have caused the Democratic Party, is inexcusable. I've never been more disappointed in my party, and their voting system. NEVAH!!! Is it even legal? What they've done to those voters in Florida and Michigan is against the law, in my book.

Oh YES!!!

Or how about the bullying of the voter if we aren't voting the way they want? Calling us names.

When Clay wore bangs at Cary to perform or when he went to see Kelly, it was plastered against his forehead. he doesn't exactly get to sit in calm cool air. First, I don't like the Cary venue (the venue is actually not bad, the weather ifs horrific) and second Clay does not exactly get to sit around. I can't wear bangs inthe summer, drives me nuts. - That's too easy, isn't it?

[merrieeee]

I miss him already! I was so spoiled by having reports every day from Spamalot. How will I ever survive?

I guess seeing those fabulous pics up there will help.

[liney23]

Clay wearing bangs on his own time:

keeping... you have a point about his teenage self, but most of the other times was when he knew he'd be photographed. The ATDW cover art was the very best he looked in those dark, long bangs. Man, he looked so hot in those. THUD!

Do you see the autograph in the pic above... it's Clayton Aiken... isn't that cute??? Also, his ears stuck out more back then. I think as his face has filled out, his ears stick out less. They just aren't as straight out to the side as they used to be to me.

So, AOL Sessions on the 27th. Wasn't there something being released on the 29th? I thought there was, but I'm still fuzzled by Ashes at Kimmel... I may not be the same for awhile! Especially if they do, indeed, put it up on the Pontiac Garage. (I always feel funny typing that out, cause I grew up in Pontiac, IL... hehe)

Claytonic... to me, JNaT06 is just Joyful Not a Tour 06. And, CITH is Christmas in the Heartland. Heartland is one word, so... One thing on the initials that has always bugged me are the people who use LAL for Lover All Alone. I have never understood how Alone becomes an "L", but lots use it for some strange unknown reason. LOL

[keepingfaith]

Clayzor, the Dem party rules may be against the law in your book, but they're not against the law in THE books. Dems and Reps make up their own rules for the presidential primaries -- which is why Reps have a winner take all system, and Dems have delegate apportionment system. The Florida and Michigan "penalties" were established in August 2007 and December 2007, respectively, at times when I doubt anyone at the DNC imagined that the primary season would extend beyond February 5. Had that happened and Hillary had run away with the nomination, as was expected since the 2004 elections, it would have been a non-issue. But, that ain't what happened. Florida and Michigan delegates will be seated at the convention -- something will be worked out. But at this point, I think it's time to accept reality. The fact is, as much as I love Hillary, last year and in the snows of Iowa she made a fundamental mistake by looking past the nominating process to run a centrist general election campaign. It flopped because Democrats are pissed off and have been voting in unheard of numbers to CHANGE. When she finally began campaigning as a change agent and champion of working people and poor people, it started turning around for her ... but too late. Her advisers were completely unaware of the political climate in the country -- but she kept those honchos and continued to listen to them for far too long. Sometimes loyalty doesn't work out.

Back to important things here ... like the seminal moments for me:

It's pretty silly I suppose to have a discussion over which Clay hairstyle or color or whatever is the cutest or sexiest or whatever ... because it's in the eye of the beholder. And I refuse to prefer any hairstyle because of a perception that it's Clay's favorite, because although it is his hair, I am the beholder, dammit! *g*

And Clayze ... you are so right about that tie!!

[Thankful4Clay]

Great story. I am having my poster framed, also. Would you mind saying how much it cost to have it framed? I was shocked at how much it cost and I'm wondering if the prices are similar.

I was shocked too! But the guy was so friendly, and he spent so much time working on laying it out, and we were talking Clay.....heh......so when it came time to tell me the price (and this was a 50% off sale!) I just kind of blinked and said "do it". Hee. Um, it was in the neighbourhood of $250, and that was with the regular glass, not the non-glare stuff. The mattes were about $20 each and there are actually 4 of them......black, gold, red, and then of course the off-white. I admit that I was thinking "$250?????? I could have seen Spamalot 2 more times for that!" I guess by adding in the playbill & brochure I made the thing twice the size it would have been.......ah well, live and learn. It's v.v. pretty.

You got all three of them done for $250? I paid that much just for the poster. I don't even have it back yet. I ordered filigree to go inside the frame and when they tired to put in, they found out the frame wasn't square. They had to order a new frame and that was a week ago.

I saw your picture and yours looks amazing. If I ever get mine, I'll take a picture and post, also.

[annabear]

Lots of purdy pictures this morning! Honestly, there have been very few times that I haven't cared for his hair - brown, red, blond - whatever he wants to do with it. It's usually when he goes to the extreme with the straightening that I'm not crazy about it. Absolutely FLOVE the natural wave in most of the Spam stage door pics!

totally exhausted. will post tomorrow.

Hmmmmm..... if the eHp is totally exhausted, I can only imagine how Clay is feeling.....

So I am off to the great white north today (except it had better not be white any longer, I'd have to scream) to visit my cousin and also have lunch tomorrow with FromClaygary, if everything works out. I probably won't be online much until tomorrow night. Have fun, y'all!

Love your framed poster, playbill & brochure! I've got several items - Clay & otherwise - that I need to have framed. I usually go to Hobby Lobby, too, as someone else mentioned. I'm an art geek and I got spolied for a while right after high school because my first job was working for Ben Franklin Crafts (anyone remember those stores??) and our store also did custom framing. Can't beat an employee discount + a sale!

Have fun heading north, luckiest! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Takes a moment of silence for the dear, departed countdown; by the Grace of God, may it rise from the Ashes and be a valued part of the Clay fandom As Long as Were Here.

Hear hear!!

One thing on the initials that has always bugged me are the people who use LAL for Lover All Alone. I have never understood how Alone becomes an "L", but lots use it for some strange unknown reason. LOL

Yes - that one always bugs me, too!

Off to refill my coffee cup & then back online to look for condos today. I've had it with my PITA neighbors and the new mgmt. team that won't do anything about them, so ready or not, I'm planning to move when my lease is up in Nov. If filling up the car didn't cost nearly as much a ticket to Spamalot, I'd drive around looking for open houses, but online will have to do for now! Have a good day, everyone!

[jamar1700]

Just wait untill Howard Dean, Donna Brazille, the whole DNC, and Nancy Pelosi hear from me. The whole flipping fiasco they have caused the Democratic Party, is inexcusable. I've never been more disappointed in my party, and their voting system. NEVAH!!! Is it even legal? What they've done to those voters in Florida and Michigan is against the law, in my book.

Well I don't want to get into a political discussion but I am sort of a civics nerd.

What is happening is most definitely legal. It has nothing to do with either political party...the United States of America (since 4 July 1789) IS a Constitutional Democracy. This is the same system that has been used to elect all of our Presidents.

If there is blame to be laid in Florida and Michigan it is with those STATES Democratic parties. They flouted the rules, clearly understanding the consequences stated in those rules. All of the candidates signed the agreements pertaining to primary/caucus dates. It really isn't the national parties fault if some want to go back on that pledge NOW.

---

Yesterday I bought my brick and mortar CD at Target. The one I'll keep in plastic for posterity. My checker pointed to it and said how much she liked him. She'd seen him on The View and was very interested to hear about my seeing him in Spamalot.

[Ansamcw]

SRHP - Soft Rock Hard Place tour - official name of the 2006 summer tour

Soft Rock and Hard Place Tour is what other boards called the 2007 summer tour. In FCA we called it the DCAT tour, Doing Clay Aiken Tour.

no summer tour on 2006

Clay tours...

IT...Independent Tour 2004

NAT...Not a Tour Tour or 2004 solo summer tour

JNT04...Joyful Noise Tour 04

JBT...Juke Box Tour 05

JNT05...Joyful Noise Tour 05

JNT06...Christmas Symphony Tour 06

DCAT/SRHPT....Doing Clay Aiken Tour/soft rock hard place tour or summer symphony tour 07

CITH07....Christmas in the Heartland 07

WOW 8 tours in 5 years...

I think there will be at least 1 tour this year

[ldyjocelyn]

Belated HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to the cha cha family!

Yes, Ansa, that amount of tours Clay's done in 5 years is really astounding. And, when you think about it -- he's done 4.5 albums in that time frame as well. Then, start adding that he wrote a book, started a foundation, became a UNICEF ambassador, starred in a Broadway musical...geez, I'm tired just thinking about it. I think a vacation would be a good idea for Clay. Of course, I think most of us here think he deserves one too.

I think, for me, the hair is something that I simply need to get used to. I remember when this picture came out:

This was him singing for someone's retirement (I think in the military -- maybe they knew Brett? Can't remember the details....) Anyway, this picture came out in April 2006, and I remember the outcry -- "OMG Clay, the long hair looks terrible! Get a haircut dude!" Have to admit, I said the same thing myself. Then May 2006 hit -- and I still was like "hmmm....this could take a while to get used to." But I did. Same thing happened when he first started showing up as a blond -- and now I'm used to it, and really like it. OTOH, when I watched the OMWH video the other day, and the cover of ATDW came up, I literally gasped -- I had forgotten how sexy that look was too.

Moral of the story? I think, no matter what the hairstyle, or the clothes, or whatever -- it's still Clay. It's the man I fell for, with that humor of his that makes me laugh so much. The outer appearance can change....but the inner man is always there.

BTW -- kf, I really appreciated you saying yesterday about the people you know who don't like Clay's music per se, but will happily tune in to hear him tell stories on talk shows. It made my heart glad....

[wandacleo]

I remember a documentary about Garth Brooks (back when he was still at the top of the heap before his semi-retirement). Anyhow, the gist of the point of the documentary was that one of the primary reasons he became so popular was that he relentlessly toured NON-STOP, putting his name and face out there. Clay's no dummy. The money is in touring.

[keepingfaith]

[ This is the same system that has been used to elect all of our Presidents.

If there is blame to be laid in Florida and Michigan it is with those STATES Democratic parties. They flouted the rules, clearly understanding the consequences stated in those rules. All of the candidates signed the agreements pertaining to primary/caucus dates. It really isn't the national parties fault if some want to go back on that pledge NOW. --

But the Constitution doesn't speak to party rules. For many years there weren't any presidential primaries -- just smoke-filled rooms. Then for a while all the primaries were winner take all. The Dems changed their rules in, I think, 1972. Some states have primaries, some have caucuses, and some have both -- I'm in a both state. And delegates are apportioned by voting percentages, which is infinitely more fair, but then I'm not a fan of the electoral college either.

State parties do their own thing, but they are an extention of the national party and must abide by the national rules. Michigan has a Democratic governor and legislature and they voted to go their own way in spite of the national party rules. The people of Michigan should be unhappy with their state party for screwing them out of a vote. In Florida, the Republicans have the governor and legislature and re-set the primary schedule mostly to mess with the Democrats, therefore it was unfair IMO to penalize the state party in Florida. But, it really doesn't matter at this point. That horse has left the barn because it'll come down to Obama winning the nomination even counting both Michigan and Florida. It's over.

But, I can't hold Hillary blameless for this. I had so many family members and friends who were Hillary supporters last year and she completely turned them off talking jingoism and a commission to study social security AGAIN, and not admitting a mistake over Iraq, and a hundred other things. My son who loved the Clintons in the 90's started calling her Republican Lite -- and saying "if I liked Karl Rove tactics I'd be a Republican." Writ large, that's what happened to Hillary.

[playbiller]

FYI - the playbill frame is still on sale in the playbill.com store for under 20 dollars.

Hair shair, don't care, just sing to me with that voice. I can close my eyes. All is well.

[ldyjocelyn]

FYI, anyone who wants to pick up a copy of OMWH this week (and I had planned on buying one more as a gift) -- Best Buy has it on sale for $7.99.

[justclay12]

My problem with the blond right now is threefold: it washes him out, it makes him look older, and it seriously dries out his hair.

I don’t know jack about hair dying (because I’m naturally gifted in this one single area – bwahahahaha), but wouldn’t ANY dying at all dry out your hair???

My vote on hair is that Clay lets the chemically-colored hair grow out while he's on hiatus, and then let's see the real thing!

I dunno, despite what I said last night, I am rather passionate about the blond – for whatever reason it made me go from mild lust to total lust. <g> It could simply be because it was timed, somewhat with his return to trim AND his Spamalot run (sorta). For whatever reason…I love it. <g

ETA: Everyone does remember, right?, that I was grabbed by the hair -- the AI5 hair -- and therefore always love to talk about it. Clay can wear his hair however he likes, as most everyone does. Clay's hair can change his appearance dramatically, so I guess it depends on whether he wants to look like the kid next door, a college professor, or that hot sexy man down the street -- and I suppose he doesn't mind being all three!

One of the many things I find attractive about him. Actually, I love the AI 5 hair too – I remember vividly seeing him walk out, and I just started screaming. Literally. At first it was in disbelief, but then that SMILE peaked out and I was totally gone. Moreso than before, that is. Did I know you were an AI5er? Did we talk about that?? Dude, we were sisters in many ways. <g>

I don’t think boyfriend really likes those bangs though, which is a bit of a shame. <g>

I know hair coloring from years of experience. I started coloring my hair at 14 and it's been every shade that Clairol or L'Oreal sells. Going blonde, or bleaching always required stripping and toning, while going same shade or darker is much easier on the hair. I've seen some pictures where Clay's hair is becoming straw-ish, which is definitely a symptom of over-bleaching.

Regarding blond vs. brown ... for me it's the difference between devilishly cute and hotter'n hell.

Heidi, OMG I thought the whole world was aware that my atomic structure was rearranged by Clay's AI5 appearance. It was my Waterloo moment. I watched Scarlett's xvid at least once a day for better than a year, and would frequently get up in the middle of the night to watch it. What's more I know at least a half a dozen women who hadn't seen Clay since AI2 and who were right there with me in Clay fascination for a few months after AI5, but it was the guy on stage that night they had fallen for and when Clay seemed different to them months later, they fell away. Me, I had swallowed an adult dose of Dr. Feelgood's Magic Potion and I've been on the real magical mystery tour ever since the mind altering experience of AI5. I'm sensitive to medication. *g*

i can't say i blame him about not wanting bangs. i don't think i could handle bangs in my eyes even if it made me look like angelina jolie or someone as equally gorgeous.

There are plenty of times when Clay was out and about and the camera caught him wearing the bangs, so he did elect to have the hair in his face on his own time. I haven't had bangs for about five years now, but I'm thinking about having them cut again because although they are more work, I know they flatter me. Vanity vs. convenience ... eh!

Clay has to know that women all over the world were blown away by the AI5 look. That he didn't go with it tells me that being a HotSexGod isn't on his list of things to do. But for my personal enjoyment, I wish it were. It's so him.

But I have to ask you, in all seriousness .... you'd turn down looking like Angelina Jolie?

I am going to have to learn how to just quote certain parts of posts, although I am too tired to look now. Yes, I would give up looking like Angelina if it meant I had to work at it. I'm all about being comfortable, plus I am way too lazy to want to work at my looks. However it would be nice to be able to afford to have someone do that stuff for me. Still wouldn't want to fool with the bangs though.