#43: Even more beautiful now, inside and out!

[cindilu2]

Clarification: I think it's great that Clay was there. I think Clay is a smart, savvy guy and has made many, many connections in the industry that we have no clue about. I think it's even better if he was there solely to laugh his skinny ass off at lowdown dirty jokes - just because he wanted to. I still say I think he'd be shocked at some of it. I've worked in the auto body repair business with nothing but sophmoric, sometimes gross guys for twenty years - and *I* was shocked. That's all I was saying. I know the atmosphere picked up elsewhere gets commented on here - but damn, I hate feeling scolded by association.

[KAndre]

Yeah, what aikim said...I think semi-private roasts like the Friar's Club tend to take it a step beyond the public notion's of "good taste"...it seems about on the same level as Comedy Central's Roast...hell, I was surprised at some of the things Betty White said to William Shatner...but then I and my cousins discovered my uncle's Redd Foxx recordings...woooo boy! And of course, I lived for the albums of Richard Pryor. Though I admit, if the blog was the quality of humor, most of it just seemed to be stupid.

[ldyjocelyn]

JEANS!!!!!!!!

I've read (but haven't found confirmation yet) that Clay was actually on the dais, so he was there to roast Matt as well.

I think this is just one more thing that is known as "Surprising Clay Aiken." He's always been that to me, but he's taken it to new levels this year. What a fun ride.

Hmmmm...."Surprising Clay Aiken" could be a good name for a message board...

[djs111]

Among the other big-table sitters were Luke Russert, Bob Costas, Aretha Franklin, Dominic Chianese, Neil Simon, Donald Trump, Tiki Barber and Clay Aiken. ...

Quite the coup, I think. Yes, the Red Foxx albums are quite, um, raunchy.

I think Clay is just starting to travel in circles and paths that those fans who planned his career would not have picked. (Not pointing at anyone on this board!)

That's why I love him.

However, I am never again going to bet that he can't top whatever his latest news is. Nope.

hell, I was surprised at some of the things Betty White said to William Shatner

Am I really the only person who remembers Sue Ann Nivens?

Betty as Sue Ann

At the end of this little retrospective, people note what a bawdy sense of humor Betty has.

In one scene, Betty is sick in bed and Ted comes in to see her, and he looks around the frilly overdone room.....and then adjusts his tie and hat in the mirror on the ceiling. And I totally had forgotten about Cloris Leachman, and Betty having an affair with Cloris' husband.

Heeee....I would not have been surprised if I found out Betty wrote half the jokes at the Roast!

[ldyjocelyn]

More stuff...

New York Post video Only a brief glimpse of Clay, though...

And an actual article about the roast: Lauer was Roast of the Hour Here's the Clay section from this...

The crowded dais facing the ballroom looked like an endless version of the Last Supper, that is if Apprentice terror Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth had been an apostle. Among the other big-table sitters were Luke Russert, Bob Costas, Aretha Franklin, Dominic Chianese, Neil Simon, Donald Trump, Tiki Barber and Clay Aiken.

But Lauer wasn't the only dartboard. Aiken was the butt of so many jokes you'd think he was being roasted. ("What does Clay Aiken have in common with my high-school letter jacket? They both have been in the closet for 27 years.") Al Roker, who hosted the event, also came in for an inordinate amount of abuse. And Gottfried went after Ann Curry unmercifully.

Well, there's my confirmation that he actually was on the dais -- quite an honor, really... And that joke (printed) I think is kinda funny...

[merrieeee]

Yeah it's raunchy to the extreme but also highly recognised as important in the entertainment industry. Clay really is making some important connections now and who know where that may lead.

The jokes about Clay may not have been the most tasteful (ahem) but the difference now is that he is no longer the butt of them but in on them and it will make a difference in how he is perceived. And in the business he is in perception unfortunately is very important. He is no longer the charicature to be made fun of but someone who becoming respected by his peers. (By peers I just don't mean music industry types.) I believe he really does have friends (and not just aquaintances) in high places.

He does show up at all sorts of interesting events and not just at a party to celebrate opening up a Target!

Methinks he is so smart!

[lilyshine]

As to the raunch level at Friars' - consider the source. The only real source we have for quotes is a blog by someone who wasn't supposed to be recording anything - even by writing. Of course, he's going to scribble down the worst of the worst.

This wasn't a factual account of the entire evening, just what some blogger picked out. I'm sure there was also a lot of relatively harmless stuff like the jacket/closet joke mentioned above.

What strikes me is how much attention was paid to Clay when he was just a bit player is the whole evening. On one of the clips - Access Hollywood, maybe - you can see that his chair was in the third row toward the end on the dias. He wasn't one of the prime players, but he was definitely noticed.

[Gibby]

The bottom line for me is that there was a big list of New York news and media types at the Friars Club dealie. To my mind, those are exactly the kind of people who might be in a position to help Clay's future TV plans along (whatever they might be), or who could facilitate promo appearances for upcoming projects (like a TOUR, maybe?) I sure don't think it was a bad thing that he got to rub elbows with these type of people, particularly if he got the opportunity to demonstrate his wit and humor, or maybe even his political knowledge. It seems like over and over again that contacts Clay has made doing one project leads to an opportunity to do another, completely different thing. Vulgarity and low humor aside, fans have made a lot of noise about why Clay didn't participate in this kind of high profile stuff in the past, so if he feels comfortable enough to do it now, more power to him. YMMV and all that jazz, as always.

:word:

What strikes me is how much attention was paid to Clay when he was just a bit player is the whole evening. On one of the clips - Access Hollywood, maybe - you can see that his chair was in the third row toward the end on the dias. He wasn't one of the prime players, but he was definitely noticed.

Yup, I agree! And the fact that they 'roasted' him, too, shows that people are taking notice of him. All of the insulted people were important and notable, so it's a compliment for him to be insulted. What a crazy world we live in!

But the jeans, and the stance, were mighty nice:

[Couch Tomato]

I think Clay is just starting to travel in circles and paths that those fans who planned his career would not have picked.

I doubt that. I think Clay doing this type of thing - the "in" things is what "we've" wanted since 2003.

Personally I don't even know what the Friar's Club does. I'm sure it's more that the sum of it's roasts. Too lazy to look it up.

And like Cindy, my comments about the roast had to do with my comfort level and not Clay's. That he would go to this isn't really a surprise moment for me. If it's a big deal and gets him something - a good time, one connection, a date LOL, then more power to him.

I just woke up and my family really did get up 6 and take off for the rally.

[FromClaygary]

I don't think anybody (okay, I don't think *I*) said he couldn't handle it - but that whole 'how do you get a gay man to have sex with a woman?' was OTT crude. It's not even a joke (said the girl who has file folder bursting with good, dirty jokes). I can swear with the best of them, but I have a visceral reaction to the 'c' word - doesn't even matter what the context is.

Yah, me too.

Where's the Access Hollywood video?

Right here Also in CV and CH vaults.

AH

Thank you! I swear to God I can never find anything in the vaults!

Thanks gdg! .....and Wanda, I'm withya....it's clear that what one person (not you gdg) thinks is a good "tree" to find things is not necessarily where another person would look.

Happens all the time at work too, when we file things at the offsite facility that then need to be retrieved years later for the taxman. Seems so simple at the time!

[ldyjocelyn]

I doubt that. I think Clay doing this type of thing - the "in" things is what "we've" wanted since 2003.

Oh yeah, I had that same thought this morning. This is the kind of party that more than a few fans thought Clay should have been invited to fairly early in his career (say, even, 2006). Well, now he's been invited...it just took a few years to get there. As much as some may not like it, sometimes acceptance in show business takes some time.

Personally I don't even know what the Friar's Club does. I'm sure it's more that the sum of it's roasts. Too lazy to look it up.

From what little I could get out of their website, it really seems like they are pretty much like a fraternity for show business types. They have a charitable arm that does fund raising for the performing arts.

And like Cindy, my comments about the roast had to do with my comfort level and not Clay's. That he would go to this isn't really a surprise moment for me. If it's a big deal and gets him something - a good time, one connection, a date LOL, then more power to him.

Oh, I understand yours and Cindilu's feelings, and yes, I shared some of your discomfort.

I don't know, I guess I feel like it is a bit surprising to me that he may have laughed heartily at some of those jokes...but then, "we've" never really known Clay now, right?

I bet his next book will be wildly fascinating, though.

[Lotus]

dsj11

Am I really the only person who remembers Sue Ann Nivens?

Betty as Sue Ann

At the end of this little retrospective, people note what a bawdy sense of humor Betty has.

In one scene, Betty is sick in bed and Ted comes in to see her, and he looks around the frilly overdone room.....and then adjusts his tie and hat in the mirror on the ceiling. And I totally had forgotten about Cloris Leachman, and Betty having an affair with Cloris' husband.

Heeee....I would not have been surprised if I found out Betty wrote half the jokes at the Roast!

Thanks for that link..I enjoyed the celebration of Betty's Sue Anne. I prefer humour that has a little subtlety about it. Humour that gives one credit for some intelligence which the "jokes" of Gilbert Gottfried are sorely lacking.

ldyjocelyn

But Lauer wasn't the only dartboard. Aiken was the butt of so many jokes you'd think he was being roasted. ("What does Clay Aiken have in common with my high-school letter jacket? They both have been in the closet for 27 years.") Al Roker, who hosted the event, also came in for an inordinate amount of abuse. And Gottfried went after Ann Curry unmercifully.

Well, there's my confirmation that he actually was on the dais -- quite an honor, really... And that joke (printed) I think is kinda funny...

I would think that Clay would have known that he would be the one guest who would be the target of the most jokes. I just hope he got some zingers in himself.

Couch Tomato

Personally I don't even know what the Friar's Club does. I'm sure it's more that the sum of it's roasts. Too lazy to look it up.

And like Cindy, my comments about the roast had to do with my comfort level and not Clay's. That he would go to this isn't really a surprise moment for me. If it's a big deal and gets him something - a good time, one connection, a date LOL, then more power to him.

I just woke up and my family really did get up 6 and take off for the rally. cry4.gif

The Friars Club is a private club for people in entertainment and I guess like all such clubs is a place to network and make connections as well as relax.

So sorry that you were not able to make it to the rally in what seems to be, IMHO, the most significant presidential race since the one which FDR won. Where would the country be today without the safe guards he put in place, at least the ones that subsequent administrations didn't gut.

I hope your mother's health is improving.

[Couch Tomato]

Yay I did the right thing. My mom is released! Going to get her.

[justclay12]

The bottom line for me is that there was a big list of New York news and media types at the Friars Club dealie. To my mind, those are exactly the kind of people who might be in a position to help Clay's future TV plans along (whatever they might be), or who could facilitate promo appearances for upcoming projects (like a TOUR, maybe?) I sure don't think it was a bad thing that he got to rub elbows with these type of people, particularly if he got the opportunity to demonstrate his wit and humor, or maybe even his political knowledge. It seems like over and over again that contacts Clay has made doing one project leads to an opportunity to do another, completely different thing. Vulgarity and low humor aside, fans have made a lot of noise about why Clay didn't participate in this kind of high profile stuff in the past, so if he feels comfortable enough to do it now, more power to him. YMMV and all that jazz, as always.

bottle, ITA. And I think Clay likes to face things head on, show he can give as good as he gets. Eventually, that attitude may stop him from being a whipping boy for late show comedians, etc. I think he knows what he's doing, and I applaud him for it. I just couldn't do it.

Hope Clay's ankle feels better soon (not his soon). Not understanding what's going on with the other regulars though. During Clay's first run, I don't think Rick missed any shows, and although Tom was out some then, not like he has been this time around. Selfishly hoping that they will all be there when I go back again because its just not the same without any of them.

I was reading on OFC in the Spam thread yesterday (I was a bit bored at work, my computer was taking ages to complete some tasks) and they were discussing Tom and his hip injury. Apparently it is a bit of a concern right now, and is the reason he has missed so many shows. No idea about Rick. I hope they are all there in December when I take ds, because he is probably looking forward to them as much as (ok, maybe even more than, little shit) Clay.

Well, I managed to sleep for 10 hours. Yay me! That's probably a record. I'm feeling a bit more rested this morning.

{{{couchie & mom}}} Glad to hear the bleeding has stopped, at least. Hope she is released soon.

Thanks for bringing that over. I didn't realize Tom was hurt too. Maybe Clay's bringing up Macbeth has jinxed the bunch. Hope they are all feeling better because they really are the best.

[aikim]

Cindilu I am not sure if your remark was aimed at my post or not, but I was not scolding you...just making a general observation of posts I have seen across the boards.

Like I said, it surprised me because the impression I got was that most fans were happy to see him at this event.

Kim

[muskifest]

Clay Aiken is a star. That is all.

My hubby, who has been gone since Oct. 1 to help his mother who is trying to self destruct, is finally coming home today. After dealing with her behavior in Delaware, closing down her apartment and dealing with all the paperwork of hospitals and doctors and landlords and portable oxygen compressor companies, he shipped stuff to Seattle, then packed up with her and rode a freaking train across the continent over three days and nights with her and her oxygen tank, all the while listening to her begging for cigarettes.

My hubby is a star, too.

He just called from the Seattle airport to say he'd be home in just a few hours. I cleaned our bathroom for him.

[justclay12]

I think most of us were happy for him to be there. Doesn't mean we appreciate the humor, or lack thereof. I think most of us agree also that Clay has probably handled much worse over the years but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I don't like humor that is mean or crude because I don't think its funny. If I wanted to hear crude jokes I'd just head over to a local bar and listen to the drunks. Don't think its very creative, just stupid. And this is from someone who thinks its hilarious to watch the French taunters scene.

[ldyjocelyn]

I don't think anyone is saying that just because Clay was there, "we" have to like the humor. I'm not getting that vibe at all. Sophomoric is a good description of the humor at the roast, in my case...

But, once again, as I've learned so much in this fandom...humor is subjective. There are people out there who truly do like this kind of humor, and I did find some of it truly funny.

My BIL loves Larry the Cable Guy; I can't stand him. I still love my BIL, though, and don't judge him (much LOL) because of his taste in humor.

OK, back to cleaning the house. I hate cleaning.

YAY for both couchie Mom and muski husband!

[luckiest1]

No word yet on today's matinee performance?

I was a bad, bad girl today. Somehow a 640 gb external hard drive fell into my cart at Costco......who could resist $99?

[ldyjocelyn]

No word yet on today's matinee performance?

From RVzLady at the CH:

I just spoke to Customer Service at Telecharge, they said Clay Aiken is DEFINITELY OUT for the matinee - but NO announcement has been made about tonight's show yet

[KAndre]

You do NOT wanna know how long I stood in line to frickin' early vote - but I did it!

Now to go with my BFF to pick a kitty for her...

[Clayzy]

Did you know M&Ms have vitamins in them?

That closet joke WAS funny. I wouldn't say it was bad that Clay was there, just surprising to me. I mean, I just got done listening to Learning to Sing where he was talking about the Billboard Music Awards. I'm still in catching up to Clay mode. It's great if he made good connections there!

Oh, by the way. Does anyone know a really good live version of "The Way"? I heard one once where he really kicked up the emotion near the end, but I can't find it anymore...

[cindilu2]

Well.. I'd say the difference with the BB Awards (besides 4+ years) is that his mother was there sitting with him. And I've always believed there's a difference between family friendly, and children's entertainment. Clay is not a children's entertainer. Plus I'd say Clay's become a tad more worldly since LTS. I know *I* have.

[Clayzy]

Well.. I'd say the difference with the BB Awards (besides 4+ years) is that his mother was there sitting with him. And I've always believed there's a difference between family friendly, and children's entertainment. Clay is not a children's entertainer. Plus I'd say Clay's become a tad more worldly since LTS. I know *I* have.

Well, yeah. I mean, I'm not saying that I expect him to be the same as he was there. I'm just saying for me, a new fan still trying to catch up on his five years in the business, it was surprising. I try to begin at the beginning, so I'm sort of stuck in the past on that account.

[Cotton]

You do NOT wanna know how long I stood in line to frickin' early vote - but I did it!

:clap:

Yay for early voting!

DH and I worked the phones today trying to encourage people to vote early!

There's more than line length and time as a consideration. Stuff I'd never have though of. Getting to the poles and finding out that - no matter you voted in the last 4 prez elections your name is not on the list and other such issues!

Can you imaging going to vote and not being able to vote cuz somebody messed up on the entries?!!!

I'm sorry for those who were planning to see Clay this afternoon! I sure hope he heals quickly! It's bad that so many are out!