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# 64: A super smart, caring, determined, classy, easy-going, and genuinely good, likeable guy

ldyjocelyn

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ldyjocelyn Campaign Manager

ldyjocelyn

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Woohoo! Just set the TiVo for it. Sadly, I won't get to watch it until late that night. This is gonna be an interesting show; I hope Clay can help knock some sense into those people who will be there who fully believe they can "pray the gay away."

Half of dinner for tomorrow is done. All I really need to do is bake the turkey! I'm making much of the dinner "lighter" this year, so actually cooking ahead helps. It's only my husband and I too, which makes it very simple. I think he and I will go see "Lincoln" tomorrow night.

I can't believe the concerts are almost here too! Speaking of which...

browardpalmbeach.com

Clay Aiken on His Joyful Noise Tour: "I Have a Thing for Christmas"

Clay Aiken on His Joyful Noise Tour: "I Have a Thing for Christmas"

By Matt Preira Wed., Nov. 21 2012 at 9:35 AM

It's hard to escape the long shadow of American Idol.

Thus far, only Kelly Clarkson has truly satisfied the long-running vocal contest's basic premise of introducing the American public to a bonafide pop star. Adam Lambert is a close runner-up. But unless someone leaks a NSFW video of the flamboyant runner-up on the shows 8th season, his relevancy is shrinking exponentially.

One might imagine Clay Aiken has had an especially hard time post-Idol, considering he lost to Ruben Studdard. And, to be frank, who the fuck is Ruben Studdard?

Lucky for Aiken, he stumbled upon a passion that rivaled the one he has for music. The cherubic southern gentleman is absolutely obsessed with Christmas. This Friday, he kicks off his Joyful Noise tour in West Palm Beach. We hit him up to learn more about his love of the allegedly most wonderful time of the year.

New Times: Were you ever in any Christmas pageants growing up?

Clay Aiken: A show or two in high school. Strangely enough the Christmas show that they do at the community theater in Raleigh is Cinderella. It's not really a different story, but it's part of the Christmas tradition. I don't understand it, but I was in it.

What did you play in the Christmas version of Cinderella?

I was just a townsfolk. I never got any good parts.

What is your set like on this tour?

Its culled off the two Christmas CDs we've done. It's original and traditional music. There are a few that are more contemporary. I sprinkle in a few new ones each year. I try to keep it original and fresh.

Would you ever put out an album for a different holiday?

We talked in the past about doing something. My third album was intended to be a Valentine's Day album, and then it got pushed back. But I dont know that there's another holiday that I would be equipped to do an album for. We've talked about doing another Christmas album.

How are you celebrating this year?

I'll be on the road. This is my tradition. It doesnt feel like the holidays if I'm not doing the show. I took a year off to do Broadway. It was great, but it killed the Christmas tour. It's my first time back since 2007. I'm excited.

Every year, I've had trees in the house and decorated the yard, but it didn't feel like Christmas. This year I havent even put anything up. I haven't even put red candles out. And it already feels more like the holidays for me. My Christmas starts on Friday in West Palm, and I get a full month of it.

You get a lot of mileage out of Christmas. Do you consider yourself a "Christmas artist?"

My manager would kiss you on the mouth if he heard that. We talked about that in the past. It's sort of my wheelhouse. I have a thing for Christmas. It fits me well. I'd be happy as hell if I could do this every single year and nothing else.

Clay Aiken's Joyful Noise tour 8 p.m. on Nov.23 at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach. Tickets cost $25. Visit Kravis.org.

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ldyjocelyn Campaign Manager

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tbo.com (Tampa Bay Online)

Clay Aiken Bringing Christmas Songs to Clearwater

Published: November 21, 2012

Clay Aiken bringing Christmas songs to Clearwater

By Ed Condran

Christmas apparently isn't as cool as it once was with recording artists. There is considerably less holiday albums released these days as there was a generation ago.

But Clay Aiken's reaches for Christmas music at this time of year. The pop artist doesn't care if Christmas isn't cool.

"That doesn't matter to me because I'm not cool either," Aiken said while calling from New York where he is taping a segment for the "Dr. Oz" show. "I can see why Christmas isn't cool. It can be schmaltzy and cheesy but that's fine for my personality. That's why I'm out on another Christmas tour. I love it."

The American Idol alum (class of 2003, runner-up to "A.I." champ Ruben Studdard), will perform Sunday at the Capitol Theatre. Aiken will tour behind Christmas music each year in perpetuity. "I'm going to do it annually since I hope to become the next Andy Williams," Aiken said. "I don't think anyone else wants to be the contemporary Christmas artist and that's alright with me. I would love to be able to be known as the Christmas artist."

Expect Aiken, who will be backed by an orchestra, to belt out an array of Christmas classics. Such seasonal favorites as "Winter Wonderland," "Joy to the World" and "Silent Night," which are on Aiken's 2004 release "Merry Christmas With Love," will be rendered.

"I had the greatest time making that album," Aiken said. "From that point on, I knew I wanted to be a part of the holiday season every year. You don't have to see me the rest of the year."

Well, Aiken is just kidding. "You'll hear plenty of my non-Christmas albums in the upcoming years," Aiken said.

But expect much of Aiken's future material to be retro. Aiken was born too late and he knows it. The pop singer would have been perfectly at home during the '60s singing hits from legendary Brill Building songwriters, such as Neil Diamond, Carole King and Neil Sedaka.

Aiken revels in singing love songs from a bygone era.

"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," penned by the aforementioned Sedaka, Henry Mancini's "Moon River" and Roy Orbison's "Crying" is some of the tunes Aiken loves to croon.

"I have to agree with your born too late line," Aiken said. "I just hope it's not born too late, died too soon. I think my voice fits those songs from the '60s and '70s and I just love those songs. They are wonderful songs from a wonderful period. I feel like I relate to the songs from that period."

That's why it was so uncomfortable watching the post-"Idol" Aiken be dressed up by the corporate machine into something he isn't. You couldn't help but wince watching Aiken in a leather jacket.

"I think it's so important to stay in your own lane," Aiken said. "When I put out my first two albums, they were dressing me up like I was going to be the next Justin Timberlake or how Justin Bieber looks today. That image just doesn't work for me. But there is a type of music that works for me, it's Christmas music."

Clay Aiken appears Sunday at. Tickets are. Show time is 7 p.m. For more information, call

CLAY AIKEN

When: 7 p.m. Sunday

Where: Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

Tickets: $55 and $75; (727) 791-7400 and www.rutheckerdhall.com

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luckiest1 Stylist

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Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans! Just a normal work day here. I'm loving all the pre-tour press and interviews. I have my mom coming out tomorrow for the weekend, so I'm not sure that I will be able to listen to the CV cellcert on Friday night, but I'm hoping I can. I don't have my first tickets to the show until Dec. 8th so there is no way I will stay unspoiled!

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aikim Chairman

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:GM_FCA:

My turkey is still lounging in my bathtub..been soaking all night. Hubby normally gets a turkey from work but this year they forgot to order them so I had not bought one. He calls me at work yesterday to tell me so I had him go buy one. He did not want to buy a fresh turkey because they were too expensive so he comes home with a 19 pounder that was harder than a rock. To boot..I have a very old stove from the 1950's with a small oven and I don't even know if this turkey will fit..going to be interesting around here in a couple of hours or so. So off I go to check and see if Mr. Tom Turkey is thawed out.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Kim

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ldyjocelyn Campaign Manager

ldyjocelyn

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aikim, if you can position that turkey so that it's under a dribble of cold water, that's the fastest way to thaw the thing! Good luck!

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends here at FCA! You have blessed me in so many ways.

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aikim Chairman

aikim

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Success..turkey is in the oven. Finally found a roasting pan to fit the oven although my husband had to bend one of the handles back so the door would close. He will be taking that sucker out of the oven in a few hours..no way I will be able to lift it. Now on to the side dishes!

Kim

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ldyjocelyn Campaign Manager

ldyjocelyn

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If anyone has a few minutes to spare...

I'm looking for some American Idol tour pictures of Clay. I'm trying to put together calendars for the year, and am planning a "year by year" arrangement. However, I'm woefully short of pictures from that tour. If anyone can help, please let me know.

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merrieeee Baby Sitter

merrieeee

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From Facebook:

All of us at Team Clay wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! We're thankful for friends, family, working with Clay, and of course, YOU...Clay's fans! What are you thankful for?

There is a pretty pic too!

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aikim Chairman

aikim

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Dinner is done and the turkey carcass is in the stock pot; everything else is put away..still some dishes to do and some bowls.

By far the best turkey I have ever made despite all the drama with it; I used Alton Brown's method..roast at 500 degrees for 30 minutes to brown the outside and the lower the temp to 350 for about 2 1/2 hours until the breast meat is 165..the moistest turkey I have ever made. It got rave reviews! Forgot..put an apple, an onion, some cinnamon and a cup of water and microwave for 5 minutes, put in turkey cavity with sage and rosemary!

I also made the stuffing in the slower cooker...sauted the veggies put them in the cooker with the bread and apples and raisins, added chicken stock and set it for 4 hours. I checked every once in awhile and added more stock if it was getting dry and then at the end added a ladle of turkey gravy...it was very moist and flavorful!

These two will be on my list for future Thanksgivings!

Kim

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ldyjocelyn Campaign Manager

ldyjocelyn

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aikim, Alton's method is the ONLY way I'll make a turkey anymore! I had the time to do the brining as he usually does, but I roasted just as you did.

My day has been food and historical dramas! My husband and I went to see "Lincoln" today -- excellent movie. And then, we started with episodes one and two of "Downton Abbey." We should finish up with the first season by the end of the weekend (gotta love Netflix!), and then hope to find a copy of season two somewhere (boo on Netflix, who doesn't have it yet!).

I'm not sure if I'll be around for the concert tomorrow night. Hopefully someone will be around here to bring red reports and concert recaps! Pictures are also much appreciated!

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