#56: Clay's going to sing. Life is good.

[gbmifan]

It has been very exciting reading all the positive articles about Clay's speech this weekend. It sounds like we may get a recap from a few attending. I really like it that he has written the speech himself.

I can not wait for March 12th to occur. For all those going please give us as much recap as possible. I would of loved to be able go but not at this time. I tell myself if he tours this summer I will not miss it. If it happens when I am bike touring I will find another state close by that I can attend. My concert friend is a go to travel.

[justclay12]

Well, I watched both nights of AI this week, and right now, I'm not feeling the love for any of them. Some of the girls were ok, was not impressed with any of the guys, based on last nights performances. And that includes Casey. He's cute enough but I thought the only reason he sounded half way decent was because the others were so bad last night.

I read this over at CV. Apparently is was a quote from someone who follows AI but not specifically Clay. I love when others see it too.

QUOTE So far no one sings nearly as good as Clay or Carrie U! I'm not impressed as of yet! Hopefully they will get better but as always, if Clay walked on and sang anything "he would WIN"!!!!

[Carolina Clay]

Before music lessons, I added yet another blog about Clay's HRC speech this weekend: Carolina On My Mind: Clay Aiken Plans Speech of Hope. A "sold out" segment, with graphic by cindilu2, follows.

The Internet Clay bloggers appreciate your visits and comments, which help with Google placement.

It's really nice to read a positive article. Make that many positive articles. I hope the N&O sees how much interest a positive article gets. Clay is overdue for the repect he deserves.

DITTO:

Well, I watched both nights of AI this week, and right now, I'm not feeling the love for any of them. Some of the girls were ok, was not impressed with any of the guys, based on last nights performances. And that includes Casey. He's cute enough but I thought the only reason he sounded half way decent was because the others were so bad last night.

I read this over at CV. Apparently is was a quote from someone who follows AI but not specifically Clay. I love when others see it too.

QUOTE So far no one sings nearly as good as Clay or Carrie U! I'm not impressed as of yet! Hopefully they will get better but as always, if Clay walked on and sang anything "he would WIN"!!!!

Thnx for the report. My students have asked if I have a favorite. Sheesh, I'm still on the Olympics!

Have a great weekend, all!

Caro

[luckiest1]

I looked up Casey James on youtube..........just to see what y'all are talking about...........and since I'm all about the VOX, he's definitely not my cuppa. Kind of has a Carmen goat thing going on, if you know what I mean, and I think you might.

[bottlecap]

I've mostly tuned out of the auditions, so I was pretty much watching and listening to the Top 24 for the first time this week. Crystal Bowersox (acoustic guitar and harmonica) is a hometown girl, so I'll be rooting for her on Idol. She's got a great, smokey voice.

[Couch Tomato]

Simon has had flops before in the US so not everything he touches turns to gold. Do I recall something called Cupid? I've always thought that the singers are the stars of Idol and any 3 monkeys they have sitting in the judges chair would work. Seriously, they need to quit going for gimmicks (ELLEN?) and give some serious thought to who the judges will be -- get rid of them all - and come back with a clean slate. That's a winner format that can go for years if they take care of it. But what do I know I quit watching years ago. But I'm surrounded by idol fans.

[keepingfaith]

Well, I watched both nights of AI this week, and right now, I'm not feeling the love for any of them. Some of the girls were ok, was not impressed with any of the guys, based on last nights performances. And that includes Casey. He's cute enough but I thought the only reason he sounded half way decent was because the others were so bad last night.

I read this over at CV. Apparently is was a quote from someone who follows AI but not specifically Clay. I love when others see it too.

QUOTE So far no one sings nearly as good as Clay or Carrie U! I'm not impressed as of yet! Hopefully they will get better but as always, if Clay walked on and sang anything "he would WIN"!!!!

That could have something to do with it, but from what I saw last night it was Casey and a group of bad singers, so he sure looked like a likely winner to me. I didn't think anything about his looks until he started to sing, but I liked the way singing made him light up, and he knows how to handle that guitar. I haven't heard any of the girls yet. My sister liked the girl who played the harmonica.

As to the quote, there's no doubt about it. Season 2 put Idol on the map for a reason - it was exciting to watch the inevitable every week. The judges on Idol focus on tone and who sounds like who, and rip them in comparison, and the same with style and performance as to who they may be trying to channel, or mimic. Nothing like that was ever mentioned with Clay. He was unique in tone, style, performance, versatility and personality. He owned the stage, derivative of no one. And there's been no one like him since. He had so many things going for him simultaneously that it was stunning.

[justclay12]

Well, I watched both nights of AI this week, and right now, I'm not feeling the love for any of them. Some of the girls were ok, was not impressed with any of the guys, based on last nights performances. And that includes Casey. He's cute enough but I thought the only reason he sounded half way decent was because the others were so bad last night.

I read this over at CV. Apparently is was a quote from someone who follows AI but not specifically Clay. I love when others see it too.

QUOTE So far no one sings nearly as good as Clay or Carrie U! I'm not impressed as of yet! Hopefully they will get better but as always, if Clay walked on and sang anything "he would WIN"!!!!

That could have something to do with it, but from what I saw last night it was Casey and a group of bad singers, so he sure looked like a likely winner to me. I didn't think anything about his looks until he started to sing, but I liked the way singing made him light up, and he knows how to handle that guitar. I haven't heard any of the girls yet. My sister liked the girl who played the harmonica.

As to the quote, there's no doubt about it. Season 2 put Idol on the map for a reason - it was exciting to watch the inevitable every week. The judges on Idol focus on tone and who sounds like who, and rip them in comparison, and the same with style and performance as to who they may be trying to channel, or mimic. Nothing like that was ever mentioned with Clay. He was unique in tone, style, performance, versatility and personality. He owned the stage, derivative of no one. And there's been no one like him since. He had so many things going for him simultaneously that it was stunning.

I agree with what you said, and Clay still is the only one who has the whole package. I know some have acted and sang, but none have that versatility and personality that Clay has. He definitely has it all.

I did watch the girls, and harmonica girl was one that I liked. Can't say I thought any of them were awesome, but there were some (very few) who I thought were ok. I was really disappointed with the guys though because even the ones I liked during Hollywood Week underperformed big time last night.

Couchie, I think AI could go on for years too if they focused more on the actual singing and less on the judges and all of those backstage dramas. That stuff gets old after awhile. And I really wish they would actually pick singers for the show because they can sing, not because they look the part or because they think the person will create controversy or drama. I've just started fast forwarding most of that crap and just watching the singing, or dancing like on SYTYCD. They even show those family dramas for contestants that don't even make it. What's the point of that.

[luckiest1]

Sadly, among a lot of those who watch AI, the bad auditions, the drama, and the judges are what they seem to like the most. Present company excluded, of course! I haven't watched the show since AI3 really. I can't stand it. But people at work continue to talk to me about it as though I care, because I like Clay. They just don't get it.

[Couch Tomato]

Sadly, among a lot of those who watch AI, the bad auditions, the drama, and the judges are what they seem to like the most. Present company excluded, of course! I haven't watched the show since AI3 really. I can't stand it. But people at work continue to talk to me about it as though I care, because I like Clay. They just don't get it.

I know what you mean. I just say I'm a Clay fan not an AI fan.

TGIF! I know what that means again!

[aikim]

1 Day until Clay speaks at the HRC Convention!

14 Days until The Tried and True Special is taped!

23 Days until The First Day of Spring!

:glasses:

4 months until The New CD/PBS Special!

:04:

Clay addresses The Key Club Convention in July!

Happy Birthday to all celebrating!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[Claymatron]

I haven't tried to post in this new format, hope this works. Just testing!

[ldyjocelyn]

[FearofH2O]

Hi ldyj,

I was beginning to think you all go to bed early. Or perhaps you all just get up late.

[aikim]

13 Days until The Tried and True Special is taped!

22 Days until The First Day of Spring!:glasses:

4 months until June and The New CD/PBS Special!

:04:

Clay addresses the Key Club Convention in July!

Happy Birthday to all celebrating!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[ldyjocelyn]

I like this blog...

Pam's House Blend

NC: Raleigh native Clay Aiken to give equality speech at Saturday's HRC Carolinas Gala

NC: Raleigh native Clay Aiken to give equality speech at Saturday's HRC Carolinas Gala

by: Pam Spaulding

Sat Feb 27, 2010 at 01:02:49 AM EST

American Idol star and Raleigh native Clay Aiken will appear at this year's HRC Carolinas Gala, held at the city's new convention center Saturday night, and he will deliver an address on LGBT equality at the event. (N&O):

"There are people who are loud and make noise, and there are people who are deliberate and slow and steady," Aiken said during an interview this week at a downtown coffee shop. "Right now, at this point in my life, I feel like a slow and steady person."Aiken, a Raleigh native and platinum-selling pop singer, made headlines in 2008 when he appeared on the cover of People magazine with the headline, "Yes, I'm gay."

...Since it was announced that Aiken would speak at the HRC gala, organizers have received e-mail from his fans. Some have said that Aiken's appearance has caused them to have conversations about sexuality they wouldn't have had otherwise, said Joni Madison, who is helping to organize the gala.

..."It's more important to me, as a parent, that my son have all the rights - if he's gay - than it is for me. I don't want to do anything today that's going to inhibit or be a detriment to his rights."

The visibility of Aiken, who doesn't consider or present himself as an "activist," speaks volumes in a state like NC. We have few statewide rights (we do have hospital visitation parity, and an inclusive anti-bullying bill), but our metro areas are surprisingly fertile and vibrant ground for LGBTs to plant roots and live comfortably out of the closet. And that's what Clay means by slow and steady - we're not going to receive our rights on a fast track; we have to effect change by living our lives out when it is safe to do so. I know it's sometimes hard to explain to those from gay ghettos how things are different here, it's not entirely oppressive, but it's not the Castro by a long shot. Neighbors and colleagues know and accept their LGBT neighbors because we're everywhere, but you've got a bunch of good old boys in the legislature that are going nowhere fast to give you rights on the books. The change is coming from the many private employers that provide employment benefits and non-discrimination policies. The best way to effect social change is for those who are safe to live life out of the closet. And that's why I do so -- andspeak out when I can locally. It's why we need to be visible and visit with our state legislators so they cannot deny we exist. It's why more LGBT people in this state need to step beyond their comfort zones and kick the closet door open.

Too many are too comfortable in the safety of private employers' forward-thinking policies and ignore the many, many fellow LGBTs in this state living in small, bigoted towns who need us to be visible for them. It's all a microcosm of what happens in deep Blue states that forget the battles and lack of basic civil rights in flyover country.

Since Clay Aiken publicly came out relatively recently, and after he already had a high profile, he is now giving North Carolinians -- who saw him as a local boy made good -- a chance to see him through a new prism, as a father, an artist and a human being who is also gay.

When you have ignoramuses like Rep. Virginia Foxx demonizing gay people, she demonizes Clay Aiken. She demonizes me. We're all North Carolina natives with roots here, and we're all human beings. Living out of the closet means something. That in itself is powerful activism in the South, or anywhere LGBTs are politically behind the 8-ball for now.

Good for Clay, good for civil equality goals in North Carolina.

***

SIDE NOTE: I was supposed to be in NYC at a forum on immigration equality, but as you might have noticed, they had a little snowpocalypse and my blogmistress flight of the damned thing kicked in and my plane never left NYC to return to RDU to get me -- it was canceled; but at least I found out before going to the airport.

The good news is I have press credentials to cover the HRC dinner and I'll be able to share some photos and video.

A funny Clay Aiken story - he emailed me a while back, maybe a year ago, saying he was a fan of PHB. We played email tag for a while and never managed to connect to have lunch. One day I'm at work and my cell rings (I almost never answer it at work), I by chance pick it up and it's Clay Aiken on the phone. I recognized his soft polite Southern twang and he said he was calling to apologize about not connecting. Of course this was amusing since I wasn't offended -- the guy probably travels all over for gigs, so I assume he's on the road a lot So anyway, hopefully I'll catch him tomorrow and grab a short interview or finally nail down that lunch date.

Wow, I like "copy and paste" with this new board...

[FromClaygary]

OK, nevermind.....the "multiquote" thingy didn't work!

Loved that blog!!

[ldyjocelyn]

From notacanuck at the CH:

Your Weekend with Jim Brickman

UPCOMING GUESTS

February 2010

6th-7th

Jamie Lee Curtis

13th-14th

Sheryl Crow

20th-21st

Michael McDonald

27th-28th

Clay Aiken

Listing of stations that broadcast this show

I don't get this one in my area, hopefully someone will be able to catch it this weekend.

[claycherie]

I am dvring the Olympics so that I can ff when I watch and none of my regular programs are on. So I watched AI, (the men's night) and as they now have more bells and whistles and are allowed to play musical instruments and have a band behind them and are singing current songs, plus most of them are already professionals, I wondered how Clay would have measured up in this climate! I have AI Rewind on my dvr so in the middle of the guys' singing I interrupted with the week where Clay sang Solitaire and it was unbelievable how much better he was than any of the others! He just blew them out of the water just like he did in 2003!

Oh wow for Jim Brickman! Clay is going to sing on the radio! Yey!

Oh wow for the Jim Brickman radio show! Clay is going to sing on the radio! I am going to dash off to see if I can get one of the radio stations!

This is my first edit on the new board, I hope I did it right!

edited again. CV is reporting that this is a repeat of an old interview! Well drat, but how odd! It is on YouTube.

[Carolina Clay]

I have enjoyed the Olympics, some sports I know nothing about; but I am ready to move on to MORE CLAY!

ldyjocelyn posted:

I like this blog...

NC: Raleigh native Clay Aiken to give equality speech at Saturday's HRC Carolinas Gala [snip]

SIDE NOTE: I was supposed to be in NYC at a forum on immigration equality, but as you might have noticed, they had a little snowpocalypse and my blogmistress flight of the damned thing kicked in and my plane never left NYC to return to RDU to get me -- it was canceled; but at least I found out before going to the airport.

The good news is I have press credentials to cover the HRC dinner and I'll be able to share some photos and video.

A funny Clay Aiken story - he emailed me a while back, maybe a year ago, saying he was a fan of PHB. We played email tag for a while and never managed to connect to have lunch. One day I'm at work and my cell rings (I almost never answer it at work), I by chance pick it up and it's Clay Aiken on the phone. I recognized his soft polite Southern twang and he said he was calling to apologize about not connecting. Of course this was amusing since I wasn't offended -- the guy probably travels all over for gigs, so I assume he's on the road a lot So anyway, hopefully I'll catch him tomorrow and grab a short interview or finally nail down that lunch date.

I agree, Idyj -- great blog! "Snowpocalypse" is a wonderful description for this winter. I hope Pam has that belated lunch date and interview with Clay!

Have an awesome weekend, all!

Caro

---------------------------

Drop by anytime: Carolina On My Mind

Click to stream Clay Aiken at MySpace

Click to stream Clay Aiken at Decca

[Desertrose]

Well, I watched both nights of AI this week, and right now, I'm not feeling the love for any of them. Some of the girls were ok, was not impressed with any of the guys, based on last nights performances. And that includes Casey. He's cute enough but I thought the only reason he sounded half way decent was because the others were so bad last night.

I read this over at CV. Apparently is was a quote from someone who follows AI but not specifically Clay. I love when others see it too.

QUOTE So far no one sings nearly as good as Clay or Carrie U! I'm not impressed as of yet! Hopefully they will get better but as always, if Clay walked on and sang anything "he would WIN"!!!!

I have been watching also, and I am not feeling the love for any of them. I was really disappointed in the top 24. I just do not get what some are seeing in Casey. He does nothing for me. I just do not see the sex appeal. Maybe it is a case that one has to be there to see it, feel it, whatever. I see nothing special in his voice either. I sort of like the one that looks like Janis Joplin, Crystal. But she did not do so great either this past week. I hope that they all get better as I am finding this season very boring. Maybe, like Simon, it is time for this show to go.

[keepingfaith]

If you want to hear a brilliant discussion of same-sex marriage as a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution, I highly recommend this video of last night's "Bill Moyers' Journal" on PBS with his guests, Bush v. Gore adversaries, Ted Olsen and David Boies, who are on the same side in challenging the constitutionality of Prop 8 in California.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02262010/watch.html

[Couch Tomato]

Look what's back...

Finding Clay Aiken

[gbmifan]

Look what's back...

Finding Clay Aiken

Thank you, I missed it.

[gbmifan]

Well, I watched both nights of AI this week, and right now, I'm not feeling the love for any of them. Some of the girls were ok, was not impressed with any of the guys, based on last nights performances. And that includes Casey. He's cute enough but I thought the only reason he sounded half way decent was because the others were so bad last night.

I read this over at CV. Apparently is was a quote from someone who follows AI but not specifically Clay. I love when others see it too.

QUOTE So far no one sings nearly as good as Clay or Carrie U! I'm not impressed as of yet! Hopefully they will get better but as always, if Clay walked on and sang anything "he would WIN"!!!!

I have been watching also, and I am not feeling the love for any of them. I was really disappointed in the top 24. I just do not get what some are seeing in Casey. He does nothing for me. I just do not see the sex appeal. Maybe it is a case that one has to be there to see it, feel it, whatever. I see nothing special in his voice either. I sort of like the one that looks like Janis Joplin, Crystal. But she did not do so great either this past week. I hope that they all get better as I am finding this season very boring. Maybe, like Simon, it is time for this show to go.

I also can not get into Casey. I thought during his audition that it was tachy to take off his shirt. Kara response was horrible while he was singing. My husband watched part of both nights and said after Wed. night. Were are the voices like Clay and Carrie.

Sorry for the second post, just getting use to the overall feel of the board. I have never quoted before because I had problems so I will see how this works.