#36: It ain't my life, just my passion!

[ldyjocelyn]

It works for me! Here's the text of the article:

Clay Aiken: Ruben Studdard's New Wife Is "One Lucky Lady"

Monday June 30, 2008

Clay Aiken is sending well-wishes to American Idol competitor Ruben Studdard, who got married Saturday.

"Ruben is one of the most wonderful guys I have ever known," Aiken, 29, tells Usmagazine.com. "He has such a great heart.

"Zuri is one lucky lady," Aiken adds. "I'm thrilled for both of them as they start this great chapter in their lives."

Studdard, 29, tied the knot with Surata Zuri McCants, 30, in front of 300 guests at the Canterbury United Methodist Church in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, Saturday.

The Idol season two winner — dubbed the Velvet Teddy Bear by fans — met McCants, a flight attendant, at a CD signing at a Wal-Mart in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2006.

"I was signing copies of my CD and she came in to get one signed for her friend who couldn't get off from work," he told the Birmingham News. "We started talking, and she was telling me about her friend. But I just looked at her and thought, 'She is so beautiful.'"

Studdard tracked McCants down in the toy department and asked for her phone number.

"We developed a friendship, and about two months later we started dating," Studdard told the paper.

[luckiest1]

OMG, HE'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!11!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!1

Hee. That's awesome that he is sending his congrats to Ruben & his new bride.

[annabear]

Thanks, ldyj.

[liney23]

Sooo, you humbugs think it would be better if Clay wasn't showing up on the AOL charts? He's been dominating both video and audio charts for WEEKS. If ya'll think that's meaningless, then why would Clay / RCA put his stuff out there? I know that the inclusion of OMWH in the Blender list of "must listens" was based on the AOL charts. Personally, I think people going to the audio and video sites and seeing Clay Aiken everywhere are checking them out. I don't think it's all us, but that popularity breeds interest.

If nothing else, this shows that Clay's fanbase is alive and well after five years. I think that's akin to crossing the Rubicon, because everybody's got to know this is no fluke, no passing fancy, no flash in the pan. Record sales are becoming immaterial these days and I've come to the conclusion that the only people actually buying CDs, other than hard core fans of an artist, are people who don't have internet access. People are stealing the music these days and everybody knows it and that's the way it goes. Maybe just about everyone who likes Clay Aiken owns a computer, and the NJU's have pulled off a million free rips.

Clay Aiken is still the biggest star to come out of Idol, regardless of how many records Carrie or Daughtry or anyone else has sold in the short term. Clay's star is more than the music. Clay is the only one of the American Idol alums who threatens their brand and has from the day he stepped on their stage. Again, you may say I'm a dreamer .... but when I came into the fandom two years ago, lot of people, FANS, were already writing him off. God, I hope they are the ones that are GONE!

Hey, I noticed on iTunes, that Something About Us is the second most downloaded song after OMWH. Think the Obama video had something to do with that?

I think I'll leave you humbugs alone today. I'm in a GREAT mood.

keeping... I, too, was framing my rebuttal to the idea that us streaming on AOL wasn't doing much when you posted your wonderful answer. WORD!!! Thanks for doing it better than me... :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Anything that keeps his name front and center in a positive way is all good, IMHO. I, too, have given his cd to several friends and gotten nada in response. Sigh! Their loss!

Something has to happen, tho, to get this fantabulous cd heard and I'm thinking that RCA and TC have not quit yet. We will see something more, I'm sure of it!

[Iseeme]

I GOT THE JOB!!!! I'm soooo excited!!! I know this isn't earth-shattering news but I'm really pretty happy about it.

WINY - I like this song but every time I listen to it I think about Clay singing it in concert and hamming it up! I will say this though - it sounds better than the original recording.

[ldyjocelyn]

Congratulations Iseeme!!!!!!! Woohoo!!!

[Cotton]

I GOT THE JOB!!!! I'm soooo excited!!! I know this isn't earth-shattering news but I'm really pretty happy about it.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely, if ya' gotta work, it's nice to have something you're excited about, right? Liking what you do is so important!

:04:

[Couch Tomato]

Congrats..send some of that mojo karma this way why don't ya.

ETA: Nice to hear from Clay ..even if it's just a word of congrats to Ruben. Hope he's relaxing and having fun.

[aikim]

Congrats on the job, Iseeme!

WINY...hate to admit it, but I have only listened to this song a couple of times...don't remember Clay hamming this up in concert...but then, I am not one that downloads every single performance of every single song, so maybe I missed something.

I think it is great that Clay has such a presence on AOL and I don't think there is anything wrong with the fans streaming the songs...as far as anything else, well I am a fan; I don't work for Clay...for me this is a fun hobby...if it ever got to the point where I was stressing out and getting frustrated because his career wasn't going the way I wanted it to, than I would leave.

Kim

[Iseeme]

I think it was NAT when he and all 3 backups were sitting on stools and singing.......at least that's how I remember it!!!

I am retired but still paying 2 mortgages and a rental space for a mobile home in the Bay Area. The mobile has been for sale for 2 years and it has been a huge drain financially. This job will help with the extras....and it's sooooo nice to be doing something - working with flowers and plants - that you like doing, relatively stress-free, not managing staff, not worrying about ATM outages or network disruptions, etc. and it's seasonal.

I thought it was interesting that Clay knew Ruben's wife's middle name was the name she went by. Did we know that? Awww - I hope they've had a chance to socialize.....

[Claymatron]

I GOT THE JOB!!!! I'm soooo excited!!! I know this isn't earth-shattering news but I'm really pretty happy about it.

You go, girl!!! Good for you!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I think it was NAT when he and all 3 backups were sitting on stools and singing.......at least that's how I remember it!!!

I remember him hamming WINY up a couple of times too.

"When I need YOU, I just close my eyes and I see YOU!" It was quite funny, actually!

[KAndre]

I gotta look for those - I mainly remember him singing it straight - and most of the hamming during the JT stuff and as I might have mentioned once or twice (or a couple of million times), I freakin' love Miami WINY. And I coulda swore that was IT, but I'll check. I thought NAT was just James Taylor and that occasionally so hammy I could hear them oink.

[Iseeme]

As I remember, he started out singing it straight and then as the tour progressed started getting hammy with it - like CM says, emphasizing the YOU.....and then there would be cliggles. So if you do look for it KAndre, try toward the end of the tour.... I do like the WalMart version though.......his voice sounds sooo good on it.

Wasn't this supposed to be on MOAM?

[aikim]

Don't remember him emphasizing the you; but I really think the only video I downloaded of that song was from Raleigh.

Kim

[jmh123]

I gotta look for those - I mainly remember him singing it straight - and most of the hamming during the JT stuff and as I might have mentioned once or twice (or a couple of million times), I freakin' love Miami WINY. And I coulda swore that was IT, but I'll check. I thought NAT was just James Taylor and that occasionally so hammy I could hear them oink.

You're correct. WINY was part of the acoustic set for the IT. And only the IT.

[ldyjocelyn]

WINY -- Independent Tour -- Kansas City

This song, during that tour, was his first attempts for the "note holding contests" that he had with Angela.

But this one is my favorite, by far -- Chicago:

[Iseeme]

Okay - well, then it was the IT. I knew it was an acoustic set.

I saw the IT in Worcester, which was early in the tour. Then saw it in Sacramento when the tour was almost over. By then he was emphasizing the last word in the sentence - for example, "when I need YOU,........or "when I need LOVE"

Anyway, it's a good song. Not one of my favorites, but he does a masterful job of singing it.

[merrieeee]

Wonder what Clay got his buddy Ruben for a wedding gift?

A Turkey Baster?

Woo Hoo!! Congrats Iseeme!!!!!!

[playbiller]

it is nice that we have Kim's countdowns again, if only for this week.

I think streaming or what ever is for people who want to feel they are doing something, admiring Clay and/or watching Clack is also a repectable Clay fan job. There are different places in the fandom for all sorts of fan actions. truthfully, I rarely download concert clack because I have been lucky enough to live where I can see the concerts live (8 last summer) and sometimes I relive the concerts in my mind, but I do download some from time to time when there is a darn good reason to do it - like the Brianna clip from Raleigh or when it wasnt to remember something better - like the bat remarks at Ashville. This does not mean that I don't appreciate the hard work of the people filming the shows or deny the enjoyment it gives to fans who can't make it to a concert or those that are addicted to seeing Clay in all his different personas.

When I suggest something it is only if you want to do it, not if you like, say, have a life.

Congrats on the new job, someone has to earn a living. it's not me.

[FearofH2O]

Congratulations Iseeme! It's good to be able to pay bills.

When I retired as a CPA, in order to keep my certificate I had to promise not to earn $1. ever again. Although I volunteer doing taxes people have tried to tip me quite often. I tell them to donate the money in my name.

I had my eyes dilated for an eye exam today so I'm having trouble reading. But whatever song it is I like it lots.

[KAndre]

Ah, thanks ldyj - as one of those who do download everything, the YouTube got me to trot my happy butt (happy because it's NO LONGER AT WORK! YAY!) to my stash. I see what y'all are talking about - though I think he's just playing a little, compared to the hamminess he is quite capable of. And man, does he sound pretty! I shall play them all over again!

[TayforClay]

Congratulations on the job Iseeme!

I was gone all day yesterday and most of today - visiting with the grandkids then staying to help get the twins on the schoolbus this morning (little boytwin has to go to summer school because of the autism and little girltwin goes as a typical child). DD and I went shopping and took the twins with us, so while we were driving I suggested we listen to OMWH. My daughter always says she doesn't have time to listen since she's usually on the phone, or when #1GS is in the car he wants to listen to Hannah Montana. So since he wasn't with us, we listened to Clay. Little girltwin was bopping along keeping time to the music in the back seat.

I must admit I've only listened to the "new" recording of WINY once, even though I do love the song, especially Clay's singing of it. But I just always listen to my OMWH CD.

[Scarlett]

Congratulations on the job, Iseeme!!! Fixin' you a Cuba Libre -- it'll also help with the air & allergies, per couchie.

I also thought WINY was sung straight -- guess I was stuck on Miami...

[Iseeme]

Awww Scarlett - thanks! And thanks to everyone else for the congratulations. I love me some rum and coke! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Surprisingly our skies are the clearest they've been in about 10 days. Now if it would just rain solid for about 20 minutes.....(but that won't happen!)

Thanks ldyj for finding the vid. And I had forgotten about the "holding your breath contest!!!!" Silly Angie thinking she could outlast Mr. Lungs! I swear he has a hollow leg. I've never figured out where he held all that air.

Tay, may I say again that it's good to see you posting here?

[muskifest]

Iseeme! Yeay for the new job playing around with flowers and plants and stuff. :09: I've always had a secret desire to do that for a living, actually---well, that and writing. sigh.

Lawdy, lawdy...I'm outta here!