#58: The man is made of awesome!

[jmh123]

Glad you all had such a great time!

jmh, for us non-Raleighites - what is Broughton?

Clay admired Lauren when she was at Broughton and their show choir won nationals and she was doing local theatre.

Sorry, Broughton is a high school. There's a definite hierarchy among Raleigh high schools, or there was. Broughton is THE high school, the one with the most successes at everything. Sharon Lawrence went there too. I didn't.

[merrieeee]

US Magazine online

Not on the market

Us: Lastly, I have to ask everyone: Are you single or dating?

CA: I am not on the market. I don't know what I am. I am not looking, let me put it that way!

[cindilu2]

Oh man - I just watched Those Magic Changes. I think I may have a new favourite live Clay performance. GAHHHH!!!!

That ending was inspired - even the conductor turned around with a wtf grin on his face. He was so into the character. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I may never stop grinning.

[luckiest1]

Cool interview, a bit different Q&A than we've heard. And I want to see that performance cindilu2, can't wait until home time!

[bottlecap]

Sigh. Clay, is it really that hard to say just once: “I’m in a relationship.” ? You talk your head off about Parker and Jaymes, so why does Reed have to be such a secret?

I’m grumpy because I can’t download any more Clack until I get home, which is hours from now. Grumble, grumble, grumble….

[claygalsal]

HEY Y'ALL, DON'T FORGET!

THIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23RD -- 12:00 NOON

ON SALE:

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS TO THE 2010 CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE GALA

OCTOBER 15TH & 16TH, 2010 -- RALEIGH CONVENTION CENTER

CHECK WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Here is a link to the Raleigh Convention Center. Hope it works.

http://www.raleighconvention.com/

[wandacleo]

I think "I'm not in the market" means he's in a relationship. LOL. Maybe he wants to allow Reed to be under the radar as much as possible. His fans know, but it's probably not universal knowledge.

ETA

Just in case anyone wants to send a "thank you for the great clack" donation to the NCT, here's the address:

North Carolina Theater

One East South St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

I tried to figure out how to donate online, but gave up on that. There must be a way, but I'm not seeing it.

[cindilu2]

I think I'm going to need an intervention to stop watching Those Magic Changes.

Seriously, yo. I'm screwed.

[luckiest1]

You are such a tease. I'm stuck at work here!

[bottlecap]

Just to be clear – Those Magic Changes is a song and not an educational filmstrip about puberty, right?

[cindilu2]

Just to be clear – Those Magic Changes is a song and not an educational filmstrip about puberty, right?

Maybe a little bit of both. Something hormonal anyway.

[claygalsal]

Sorry to double post here, but I just got this email from NIP and thought it would be good to pass along.

The 2010 Champions Gala will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, N.C. on October 16, 2010. VIP tickets are currently on sale and include a VIP Reception and photo with Clay Aiken on October 15, 2010 at 7pm. This event is an exciting opportunity to learn more about the National Inclusion Project, socialize with others passionate about inclusion, and give back to children across the country who deserve to be included in all that life has to offer. Please join us and purchase your ticket on Wednesday, June 23 at 12:00 pm EST.

You can purchase your ticket by clicking on or copying and pasting the following link in your internet browser:

http://store.inclusionproject.org/apps/GalaRegistration.aspx

Please note: The $250 ticket option will be available at 12:00 pm EST. If you do not see the option on your page, then you need to hit the refresh button on your computer.

Please feel free to pass this information along to anyone who might benefit from it.

Thank you for your support!

[cindilu2]

I think "I'm not in the market" means he's in a relationship. LOL. Maybe he wants to allow Reed to be under the radar as much as possible. His fans know, but it's probably not universal knowledge.

ETA

Just in case anyone wants to send a "thank you for the great clack" donation to the NCT, here's the address:

North Carolina Theater

One East South St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

I tried to figure out how to donate online, but gave up on that. There must be a way, but I'm not seeing it.

Hmmm. I thought I added this to my post earlier. I blame the hormones.

This is a great idea, wanda.

[liney23]

Oh man - I just watched Those Magic Changes. I think I may have a new favourite live Clay performance. GAHHHH!!!!

That ending was inspired - even the conductor turned around with a wtf grin on his face. He was so into the character. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I may never stop grinning.

cindi... DITTO!!! I LOVE that performance. I think everyone was flabergasted at that one! I may, just for curiousity, see how many times I watch it tonight before being able to go on to the next song. Anyone want to guess??? LOL

Sigh. Clay, is it really that hard to say just once: “I’m in a relationship.” ? You talk your head off about Parker and Jaymes, so why does Reed have to be such a secret?

I’m grumpy because I can’t download any more Clack until I get home, which is hours from now. Grumble, grumble, grumble….

bottle... I think he knows that Reed's privacy and the privacy of his (Reed's) family would be invaded big time if he was revealed as Clay's significant other. Neither of them are hiding it, but they are not looking to get into People mag either.

TMC is stupendously awesome and when I get home it will be on re-run for sure. I was only able to watch it once here at work during lunch and now I'm counting the minutes.

[aikim]

Finally had a chance to watch "Those Magic Changes"...work is so over-rated...prays to all that is holy that he sings that song during The Timeless Tour...

Kim

[bottlecap]

Finally got a chance to watch Those Magic Hormones, er Changes.

That ending was inspired - even the conductor turned around with a wtf grin on his face. He was so into the character. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That's the kind of reaction I always longed to see from Jesse to Clay's hijinks, but he was always so serious.

[cindilu2]

Finally got a chance to watch Those Magic Hormones, er Changes.

That ending was inspired - even the conductor turned around with a wtf grin on his face. He was so into the character. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That's the kind of reaction I always longed to see from Jesse to Clay's hijinks, but he was always so serious.

Agree! And it all seemed so spontaneous - makes me think Clay did not sing it that way in rehearsal. The wail on the last word was just amazing. Clay really looked like he was having a blast.

[aikim]

Finally got a chance to watch Those Magic Hormones, er Changes.

That ending was inspired - even the conductor turned around with a wtf grin on his face. He was so into the character. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That's the kind of reaction I always longed to see from Jesse to Clay's hijinks, but he was always so serious.

Agree! And it all seemed so spontaneous - makes me think Clay did not sing it that way in rehearsal. The wail on the last word was just amazing. Clay really looked like he was having a blast.

What blows my mind is that he could sing that song without seeming to take a breath...I don't know how the man does it and he didn't even seem winded when he was finished!

Kim

[FearofH2O]

What blows my mind is that he could sing that song without seeming to take a breath...I don't know how the man does it and he didn't even seem winded when he was finished!

Kim

Listen to the entire audio, he did say afterwards that he was out of breath. I couldn't believe the effort Clay put into the song as it evolved. I'm so glad there is clack so everyone can experience it unlike the PBS taping where we talked about UM but couldn't get it across to those who could not attend. It's so good to be a Clay fan, even if he waited until I left the bar to show up.

[justclay12]

I haven't read anything anywhere yet but wanted to post what I could remember of last night. Then I'm off to catch up everywhere else. This is what I posted at NNHB.

I'm back. The trip home was not nearly as horrible as the trip down. Between traffic jams and then some big accident (2 1/2 freaking hours sitting in barely moving traffic), it took me 9 1/2 hours to get there. Only took me 5 1/2 hours to get home. My friends were nice though because they knew I didn't have a chance to eat so they kept half of their dinners and gave it to me when I got there.

Now to the important stuff. YYG has already pointed out the Clay was amazing and for that Grease song, he sang some stuff that was jaw dropping. Terence Mann got up to clap for that. He was funny and has a good voice. Lauren was good too. Sharon was ok singing wise but she does have a good stage presence but very tiny. I suck at recaps so I'm just gonna ramble about some of the stuff I remember. When Clay was singing, Sharon was really into it, bopping her head and stuff. She said she had Lauren's cd in her car but she was going to have Clay's and I believe her because she really liked him a lot. I think she may have been clayverted. At the Sheraton after, she went over to Clay and told him that he was fantastic or terrific or something like that, and she got a hug. I don't think the lady next to me was a Clay fan because she was talking to some young lady in front of us and I gathered that they were local people. But after MTK and TITM, she said wow. Only other time I heard her do that was after one of Quiana's songs. It was so nice to see the respect among those performers on stage for each other, but what was also sweet was that whenever Quiana was singing, Clay would spend most of the time watching her like a proud daddy and was smiling or swaying and sometimes even had his eyes closed listening to her. And after Clay finished TITM, Quiana was the first one to raise her hands up high to clap for Clay.

Quiana was amazing tonight, and I actually got to meet her at the Sheraton and tell her how great she was and how gorgeous she looked that night. But do you think I could do that with Clay. That's a big fat no. Between him always have someone around and me getting brain freeze everytime he's around, I couldn't do it. One day I really need a meet and greet so I can ask for a hug. I've wanted a Clay hug for 7 years now. I was at the bar when he came in, not expecting him to show up, and my friend comes up to me and turns me around and there Clay was. God he's so damn cute. I could just watch him all night. And if he'd stayed, that's exactly what I would have done.

Lauren has a great voice too and I can see her as LOTL in Spam because she's funny too. I didn't like the first song she sang but it was funny. She came out with a sash and tiara and went into the audience. Clay was picking on her at one point being older than him. Terence was also funny. The one song he sang, something about girls, and he was kind of flirting with the girls but then he sat right on Clay's chair with him. Clay wasn't expecting it so he looked so funny but then he started acting like he was having flashes and he layed his head on Terence's shoulder. He also ran his hand up the conductor's leg. Like I said, he was very funny.

Clay called him Terry so that's what I'm gonna type cuz it's easier. They both told about when Clay auditioned for 1776 and Clay said that he was 17 but they were casting for like 21 to 26 or something like that. And that's when he brought up Alison who he said was in the audience, and she had told him to go ahead and try even though he wouldn't get it but it would give him experience. Terence said that Clay was so nervous and was real quiet when he asked him a question and just stood there. And that's when he said something about asking about the stick standing over there. Clay (today's Clay) thanked him for giving him another line to use. Terry then said he told Clay to come up and sit and Clay kind of creeped over and then he sang and Terry said he was blown away. Said he had a great voice but too bad he'd never do anything with it. Made everyone laugh.

Another funny part was when Lauren wanted to sing one of the last songs but she didn't want to mess it up so she asked for a stand. Well Clay brought over the mic stand and she picked on him about it and then they brought out the sheet music stand and Terry came over and fluffed her hair and pretended like he was fixing her hemline.

When Clay introduced Quiana, he said something about how he didn't know why they bonded in Hollywood, other than he was marvelous. He also joked that if she had made it, then he wouldn't have won. But he said that Quiana couldn't remember what he sang last for the judging so he obviously wasn't memorable to her, but he remembered that she sang Somewhere and blew the roof off the place. I think that's the Quiana song that got the wow from the lady next to me. She also gave me chills when she sang the song from Dreamgirls and she got the only other standing O (Clay was the first with the Grease song). And Clay was the first to take his big old shoes off and throw them at her, and then all the rest of them did too. Terry took off his jacket and threw it at her too. She doesn't move me like Clay does, but she sure knows how to belt out a song, and she has one of the best voices out there.

I met Snowluv from CV who is this young woman from Korea who has been working here. I told her she looks about 16. She's so tiny and adorable. But this was the first time she has seen Clay live and she loved it. She also said that the couple next to her didn't know who Clay was but were so impressed with him after.

It was such an incredible and fun evening and it was worth every second I had to sit in that damn traffic. If I can think of anything else, I'll post more later, but now I'm off to catch up everywhere.

[liney23]

Finally got a chance to watch Those Magic Hormones, er Changes.

That ending was inspired - even the conductor turned around with a wtf grin on his face. He was so into the character. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

That's the kind of reaction I always longed to see from Jesse to Clay's hijinks, but he was always so serious.

Agree! And it all seemed so spontaneous - makes me think Clay did not sing it that way in rehearsal. The wail on the last word was just amazing. Clay really looked like he was having a blast.

What blows my mind is that he could sing that song without seeming to take a breath...I don't know how the man does it and he didn't even seem winded when he was finished!

Kim

aikim... despite what Clay says, he always has a ball singing the faster songs... and he does them so well! Maybe fast Broadway songs are different from fast pop songs in his head. LOL I think Terrence's starting the clapping and getting the audience going fed the enthusiasm to Clay who just started playing with the song and hit it out of the park!!!

And, all those words!!! The AikenRandomLyric Generator was noticeably absent! Wow!

Well, it's 5:50pm and I've listened to TMC 6 times and there is 4 more hours in the evening for me. I hope Scarlett was filming and her view was slightly different... I want another view of this magic moment... oh, wait... wasn't that another song??? LOL

[luckiest1]

I'm hoping for a full body view, too. I read somewhere that he was really moving and getting into the song with his legs. But man, those vocals! Wow. I remembered about the first two lines from Grease, have no idea how he remember all those words.

[FearofH2O]

Great recap justclay12. Sorry I didn't see you there. You reminded me of things I forgot.

I also loved the song Clay sang with Terrence and Lauren from Big River? I hope toni or scarlett got it.

[justclay12]

I wish I'd seen you too Fear. It was such a great night and it's so much fun sharing it with friends and making new friends.

And I think Clay is just trying to keep his private life as private as possible. Even when he talks for Parker, or even Jaymes these days, it's in a very general sense. Clay's not hiding anything, just like he wasn't really hiding his sexuality before, he's just not sharing it with the general public. I'm just so happy that he seems so happy in his own skin these days. Gosh I love that guy.

[bottlecap]

I was remiss earlier in not thanking you guys for your recaps of the show. I love all the details and comments about reactions and whatnot.