ClayManiacs

1 - 1 Aladdin (Special Edition) Walt Disney Home Entertainment
31552
 G
2 - 1 Fahrenheit 911 Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
08670
 R
3 1 2 Walking Tall MGM Home Entertainment
1006933
 PG-13
4 2 3 Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen 4 Pack) FoxVideo
22341
 PG
5 4 2 Barbie As The Princess And The Pauper Lions Gate Home Entertainment
16151
 NR
6 7 4 Man On Fire FoxVideo
23965
 R
7 - 1 Saved MGM Home Entertainment
60600
 PG-13
8 8 4 Home On The Range Walt Disney Home Entertainment
36060
 PG
9 3 2 Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Widescreen) Universal Studios Home Video
23959
 R
10 6 3 Mean Girls (Pan & Scan Special Collector's Edition) Paramount Home Entertainment
53954
 PG-13
1 - 1 Aladdin (Special Edition) Walt Disney Home Entertainment
31552
 G
2 - 1 Fahrenheit 911 Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
08670
 R
3 1 2 Walking Tall MGM Home Entertainment
1006933
 PG-13
4 2 3 Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen 4 Pack) FoxVideo
22341
 PG
5 4 2 Barbie As The Princess And The Pauper Lions Gate Home Entertainment
16151
 NR
6 7 4 Man On Fire FoxVideo
23965
 R
7 - 1 Saved MGM Home Entertainment
60600
 PG-13
8 8 4 Home On The Range Walt Disney Home Entertainment
36060
 PG
9 3 2 Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Widescreen) Universal Studios Home Video
23959
 R
10 6 3 Mean Girls (Pan & Scan Special Collector's Edition) Paramount Home Entertainment
53954
 PG-13

Clay Aiken confirms more Christmas shows, holiday album due

by Rob Evans
liveDaily Editor  
   
 
October 21, 2004 02:47 PM - Singer Clay Aiken has confirmed several new dates for his Joyful Noise Christmas tour, which will be on the road in November and December to back his upcoming holiday album.

Tickets for a few of Aiken's confirmed shows are on the market now, with others scheduled to go on sale in the coming weeks. Details are in the itinerary below; organizers are expected to announce a handful of additional dates soon.
Aiken, who has parlayed his runner-up status in the 2003 season of the Fox-TV talent show "American Idol" into a thriving career, will be backed on the tour by an orchestra.

The singer, who has been on the road for much of 2004, recently wrapped up a tour that focused on the U.S. fair circuit. Earlier this year, he embarked on a co-headlining run with 2002 "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson.

Details about Aiken's upcoming holiday album remain sketchy, but the set is titled "Merry Christmas with Love," and will be in stores on Nov. 16.

Meanwhile, Random House will release the Aiken memoir "Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life" on Nov. 16. According to the publisher, the book tells how faith was integral to Aiken's rise from an aspiring teacher to stardom on "American Idol."

Aiken will make many television appearances to tout the book and album, including Nov. 15 on CNN's "Larry King Live," Nov. 17 on ABC's "Live with Regis and Kelly" and NBC's "Today," and Dec. 6 on NBC's "The Tonight Show." He'll also appear as a presenter on the Nov. 15 American Music Awards, according to his website.

Last October, Aiken offered up his debut album, "Measure of a Man." The set--which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart--spawned 2003's top-selling single, "This Is the Night," as well as the hit "The Way."


 
Tour Itinerary
 
[Note: The following tour itinerary has been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of 11-Feb-2003. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist web sites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
 
November 2004
21 - Pasadena, CA - Pasadena Civic (on sale 10/24)
22 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre (on sale 10/23)
23 - El Cajon, CA - East County Performing Arts Center (on sale 10/22)
26 - Costa Mesa, CA - Orange County Performing Arts Center (on sale 10/24)
27 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Center for the Performing Arts (on sale 10/24)
29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Aravenal Hall (on sale 10/24)

December 2004
2 - Sewell, NJ - Commerce Bank Arts Center (on sale now)
3- Providence, RI - Providence Performing Arts Center (on sale 10/23)
4 - Baltimore, MD - Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (on sale 10/29)
8 - Lowell, MA - Lowell Memorial Auditorium (on sale now)
9 - New York, NY - Theater at Madison Square Garden (on sale now)
15 - Tampa, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall (on sale 10/29)
16 - Orlando, FL - King Center (on sale 11/5)
17, 18 - Atlanta, GA - Symphony Hall (on sale now)
21 - Cleveland, OH - Palace Theatre (on sale 10/29)
23 - Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple (on sale now)

This Week's Hits: Sexiest Singer Poll
 From James Maguire,
Your Guide to Top 40 / Pop.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Sex appeal matters -- but people define it differently
It's one of the great truths of success for a pop singer: you can't be wildly popular if you don't have sex appeal.
Making it as a singer, you might think, is all about having great pipes and hitting those long high notes. But no. People have to think you're hot.

I've gone back through the records to find a major pop singer who didn't have sex appeal. The only one I could find was Mama Cass, the Mamas and Papas singer, way back in the '60s. All the rest of them, from Sting to Donny Osmond to Beyonce, have had some group of people who find them majorly sexy.

I've known musicians who find this really frustrating. They practice their scales, they go to music school, and then some chick with with blond hair gets all the attention while they get ignored. But that's life.

So let's face it.

Heck, let's enjoy it.
There are, thankfully, male singers and female singers, each with their own standards for USDA Government-certified sex appeal.

(You know, if I can find a few more excuses to use the word "sex," this article will do really well in the search engines. Google loves words like sex, naked and nude. And I never get to use them. Except for that one article about Britney posing nude, or almost. Whew, that's still getting hits.)

Ladies first. Who's hot and who's not is a matter of personal opinion, but millions of people find the following singers quite sexy. Do you? Or, more accurately, which of these highly successful singers do you think has the most sex appeal?

About poll: Who's your pick -- sexiest female singer? Go to poll

Choices: Beyonce, Britney Spears, Shania Twain, Gwen Stefani, Kelly Clarkson, Queen Latifah, Norah Jones, Madonna, Christina Aquilera, Sheryl Crow.


Now, onto the men. Sex appeal in a male singer is a trickier thing than it is for a woman. Mere machismo alone doesn't work -- singing requires a show of tenderness mixed with the hunkiness. Even Kurt Cobain, a really rough-edged fellow, sang some pretty tender verses.

But don't think about it too much -- this is all about instinct, not intellectualism. So vote for who you really think has it.

About poll: Who's your pick -- sexiest female singer? Go to poll

Choices: Usher, Fifty Cent, Bono, Eminem, Josh Groban, Tim McGraw, Nelly, John Mayer, Clay Aiken, Jay-Z.

Quickie:
You aren't the only one with answers, but you are the best at articulating them.

Overview:
You'll be craving mystery and intrigue for the next month or so, and you'll certainly have it. Just be sure not to get involved in anything you can't talk about. You know how bad you are with secrets.

Daly Extended Forecast:
Your dedication pays off today. You could be celebrating an early triumph while others are still blinking sleepily over the rims of their coffee cups. Calm down before you explode. Patience is a virtue, especially when the stakes are this high. You have at least one more day before the batteries wear out, so make good use of your time. Talking to a stranger leads to a surprising conclusion tonight.

Daily Flirt:
Don't be shy about talking to strangers today. You never know what someone's backstory is. You might meet someone who's looking for the same things you are in life.

Daily Couples:
Clear some solo time in your busy calendar. No matter how much you love your partner, you still need to be alone to recharge your emotional batteries.

Daily Singles:
Are you feeling restless? Throw away all those unused phone numbers and start fresh. Check out some new options for love hunting and you'll quickly feel reinvigorated.

Daily Career and Finance:
Put aside the daily grind (or as much as you can) and look around for opportunities that haven't come knocking yet. You can afford to take time researching, and you really can't afford not to.

The honors may mean more to the artists than viewers who are inundated with awards shows, which serve as TV's last real variety format.

"They know it comes from radio. I think that means a lot to them, because everything else is television giving the artists awards. This is the program directors and music directors," Joseph says.

Janet Jackson is set to receive the Radio Legend Award. Other presenters or celebrities appearing include Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, Clay Aiken, the Black-Eyed Peas, Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne and Carmen Electra.

Koerbelin said it was her first time fishing, but she could tell it probably wasn't the best pastime for her.

"You have to be patient," she said. "And I'm not a (very) patient person."

Nobody caught any fish on the boat, even though Robertson tried giving suggestions to the fishermen and even changed the fishing spot once. It was his idea to serenade the fish, so Koerbelin pulled out a CD from her purse. The fish got a healthy dose of Clay Aiken, Martina McBride, 50 Cent and "Walking in Memphis."

They still didn't bite.

A huge article and positive words about Clay's concert in Orange County California today in the OC Register. Title is IF YOUR HEART IS AIKEN...... And then a nearly page size picture of Clay singing. Excerpts include: Clay Aiken, one of the most successful stars to emerge from TV's American Idol brings the holiday-themed Joyful Noise tour here on the heels of his new Christmas Album and book.

Clay in IN Touch Weekly Article!!!
Clay has a full page in the current InTouch weekly w/ Olsen twin on the cover. Clay is #1 for the Top 10 Reality Transformations.
#1 from geek to chic
CLAY AIKEN, AMERICAN IDOL

Out with the old: With his Coke-bottle glasses, bright red hair and dowdy duds, Clay, 25, seemed unlikely to win over viewers during the second season of American Idol in 2003. "I looked like Opie," admits Clay. "You can't do much with this mob."

In with the new: As his appearances on American Idol progressed, the North Carolina native got a real rock'n'rol makeover; Contact lenses, designer duds, hair color and a flat iron helped turn this nerdy crooner into a pop-star hottie. "I've stolen Ryan Seacrest's hairdresser," jokes Clay. "And we have exactly the same hairstyle!"

After-the-fact feedback: Clay's transformation helped him win the runner-up spot on American Idol--and the grateful thanks of ordinary guys everywhere. "Clay has made it fashionable to be a geek," says American Idol stylist Miles Siggins.

Where is he now? Clay took his chart-topping album on the road this past summer with a national solo tour--and frenzied female fans loved his new look. "We got a few panties," he says.

Captions read: "Initially he was quite resistant," says Idol stylist Miles Siggins, "but now he's opend himself up to being changed."

Clay has considered LASEK surgery to permanently correct his vision.

The spread as two full length photos, one of him at the Atlanta audition, and a photo of him wearing jeans and a dark shirt.

Clay mention on the radio this morning (Star 100.7 in San Diego..a Clear Channel station if I'm not mistaken). They mentioned that the tickets to the El Cajon concert go on sale today at 11 and were quite surprised to hear that people had been waiting in line since last night. The male DJ mentioned that he went to the IT because his daughter wanted to see Kelly, but he found her set very boring. Clay, on the other hand, completely won him over and made him a fan after the concert. (woot!). They were having a contest for front row tickets for the manliest man who would admit that they were a fan of Clay. I was a little worried that it would turn into a snarkfest on Clay, but it really didn't (although obviously the implication was that it was shocking that a "manly man" would like Clay). Anyways, winner was a guy with a special ed daughter who builds houses for the poor people of Mexico, etc. etc. It was pretty funny listening to all these guys call up and talk about how "manly" they are.
The funny thing is that they made no mention whatsoever of it being a christmas concert. They played invisible in the background the whole time and raved about the acoustics in the venue.

Letters to the editor of In-Style, who named Clay as sexiest singer:
Achin' for Aiken
I'm pleased to see that the readers of In Style recognize what many of us have known for a while, namely, that what makes one sexy ["Who Turns You On?"] is a lot more than traditional notions of physical beauty. What makes Clay Aiken sexy is a naturalness and inner goodness that few celebrities radiate. It's what defines charm.
Terry Piper
via e-mail
My daughters insisted that I buy In Style in September because Clay Aiken was in it (our whole family loves him). I did, and on top of the Clay item we jsut really are loving the magazine. The fashion, the perfume samples, and all the varied articles are wonderful. We are going to wear out this issue. Thank you--you've added some fun to our fall shopping.
Hille Peterson
Crofton, MD
Who Else is Sexy?
Some comments about the September issue: Thanks for that picture of Gavin Rossdale. Gwen Stefani is such a lucky girl. Yes, Ben Affleck is the sexiest. I hope he finds someone who deserves him. And couldn't you have made that photo of Clay Aiken just a little bigger?
Donna M. Brittain
Yadkinville, NC

From Entertainment Weekly re the AI alumni CDs:


Clay Aiken Untitled Christmas Album Nov 16 - Sound: Covers of Yuletide classics like "Silent Night." Pitch: With his religious convictions, this was a natural for him says Davis, who cites Manilow and Streisand as Clay's forerunners. Buzz: Don't underestimate Claymates. VIABILITY A

Fantasia Free Yourself Nov 23 - Sound: Missy Elliott and Jermaine Dupri helped prduce this R&B/hip-hop/gospel mix that has a cover of Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind". Pitch: Mary J. Blige's earthiness and soulfulness says Davis. Buzz: Must-have producers; high curiosity factor VIABILITY B+

Ruben Studdard I need an Angel Nov 23 - Sound: Gospel covers and two new songs, one written and produced by R. Kelly. Pitch It's not a followup to his studio records says J Records exex Tom Corson Buzz: Can the velvet Teddy Bear entice listeners with hymns? Hmmmm VIABILLITY B-

Kelly Clarkson Breakaway Nov 30 - Sound: Heavier and hard drivign with contributions from Grammy winning Evanescence members. Pitch: "Let's not kid ourselves, it's not Metallica or anything like that!" says Clarkson. Buzz: We're intrigued, and the title track is already a smash VIABILITY A-

Diana DeGarmo TBA Dec 7 - Sound: Ashlee Simpson with less attitude and more ballads. Pitch: I made something fun, ubeat and fresh, says DeGarmo. It's about as straight up pop as you can get. Buzz: Is there any? Not judging from the tepid radio reception of her first single. VIABILITY C

Finally, from Billboard:
Billboard Update
Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales - The Way/Solitaire #18 (last week #11, now 31 weeks on the chart)
Billboard AC chart - I Will Carry You now #29 (up from #30 last week, now 8 weeks on the chart)
Top DVD sales - Aladdin DVD now #1 (first week on the chart)

The Christmas performance in El Cajon CA is officially SOLD OUT! (http://www.ecpac.com/concerts_detail.php?id=43)

The Christmas performances in Atlanta GA are officially SOLD OUT! (http://www.atlantasymphony.org/aso_concert_details.aspx?Event=230)

The Christmas performance at Madison Square Garden is also reportedly SOLD OUT!

WRAL Transcript
*Promo of NC State Fair Commercial*
Bill: Live in the studio, Clay Aiken is in the house. Last time we spoke with Clay we had him on the phone for our marathon for St. Luke’s Children’s hospital.
Sheri: You were in Kalamazoo!
Clay Aiken: Where was I? I don’t even remember.
Sheri: You were in Kalamazoo and our big debate was whether it was central time or eastern time.
CA: I don’t even know.
SHERI: Oh it was a big debate. (Bill agrees)
CA: I don’t even pay attention to the clock. I just wake up when the phone rings and they say its time for a show.
SHERI: Well uh… and I uhh.. believe that because we saw each other at the airport last week. And uh…
CA: Was it last week? Already?
SHERI: Yes. Yes it was. Well Friday. It was Friday.
CA: Well that’s okay. I guess that’s last week.
SHERI: But the funny thing was he says “Oh you’re leaving town.” Well yeah. I’m in the airport.
CA: Well I didn’t know if you had gotten TSA. If you had any pull and you were just allowed to hang out in the airport.
SHERI: You obviously don’t listen Clay. We have no pull.
*Clay laughs*
SHERI: So Clay says, “Oh, so you’re not gonna be here for the show tomorrow?” I said, “Well Clay, tomorrow’s Saturday. Your show’s… your shows are on Monday.” And he’s like, “Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah I knew that.”
CA: I don’t even know what day it is now. The only reason I know its Monday is ‘cause you just said so.
SHERI: Is that really how you live your life?
BILL: You’ve got to be kidding me.
SHERI: Is it just a blur?
CA: When I have a day, when I have a little bit of time off I kinda get a little bit back on the calendar but I don’t, I don’t really know. When we’re on the road… Today is Raleigh. And yes, on Saturday was Charlotte. And in 3 day it will be such and such a day. So that’s really how I kinda do it.
Sheri: Really. That’s crazy.
CA: What day was it in Kalamazoo?
Bill: Do you ever… do you ever on stage try to reference the town that you’re in and mess up?
CA: Um I’ve only done that one time I think. Is that right? The first 2 tours I went on I had no trouble whatsoever, other people messed up. And then we started in North Dakota this summer and I think… I think we got to South Dakota and I said (dorky voice) North Dakota! *everyone laughs* So from then on the crew has stuck a sticker with the name of the city on it… So I’m sure there will actually be one, I’m sure there will be one tonight that says Raleigh, North Carolina incase I forget. But I think I’ll remember.
Sheri: Yeah probably.
Bill: So set this record straight on this rumor I picked up on the web. Of course there’s all kinds of rumors and stuff.
CA: They do those there? Rumors?
Bill and Sheri together: Yeah.
Sheri: Gosh darn it. How bout that? And they’re all true you know.
Bill: You’re on stage… you’re on stage and this young lady had traveled numerous places to audition with Jerome and she finally got on stage. And you… she came out and she just blew you away. And you were stammerin’ and stutterin’. Turns out she had worked in Sunday school and is a teacher of young kids like you do. See you’re lookin at me like you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about.
CA: Well we actually-
Bill: Wasn’t it like in Pennsylvania or something?
CA: We have somebody sing on the show every night. Typically they’re very good.
Bill: Well the reports were that this one was like a special one. Has there been a special one?
CA: We had a very nice looking young lady in Illinois.
Bill: Okay there it is. Springfield, Illinois.
CA: Springfield, Illinois is that what it is? But umm yeah she was…
*everybody laughs*
Bill: Well that ends that rumor.
CA: This is great.
Sheri: Well she was a um… she was beauty queen.
CA: Thank God this is radio and not on tv. *laughing*
Bill: Yeah radio doesn’t go that far.
*Clay laughing*
Bill: *whispers* I don’t remember her name.
*Clay mutters something and laughs loudly*
Bill: Cause I came in and I said, “I think this is it. I think Clay has met this woman-“
CA: Well I did for a second think so but you know.
*Bill laughs loudly*
CA: *whispering* What was her name? Was it Sarah? No.
Sheri: Something like that. Well let’s go with that.
CA: It was a beautiful name what ever it was.
Sheri: Well she was… she was a beauty contestant type person-
CA: No, no, no. We had one of those. Oh yeah. She was um… She was in um.
Sheri: Oh we had one of those.
CA: *laughing* She was actually in a…in…Well they’re a breed to themselves to be honest with you. Miss America 2 years… and they’re all just quite interesting.
*laughter* Um… she um… Well I’m just runnin a… digging a hole today.
Sheri: Oh trust me we do it every day.
CA: *laughing* She was in umm Springfield, Massachusetts. We had a young lady who had come from Springfield, Massachusetts and she had done a bunch of uh… she had auditioned a few times for Jerome and had not made it up. But she actually was like a Miss Ohio or something.
Bill: No, no, no. Miss Licking (??) County.
CA: It’s Licking County, Ohio. Is that what it was?
Bill: Yup.
CA: I remember her.
Sheri: Is it Monday?
CA: Yup its Raleigh.
Sheri: *laughing* Oh right. It’s Raleigh. Wow. Okay. So anyway, no chemistry there. That’s what we’re getting.
CA: She’s married!
Bill (with Sheri laughing hysterically behind him): Oh really, cause that’s not what the web said.
CA: She had a ring on.
Sheri: He noticed that. So that was good.
Bill: He noticed that. So how long did it take you notice that?
CA: Well she came… Well pretty quickly. Cause you know, you have to know how to behave. Usually we ask the age… well we had a girl up in Charlotte the other night and I misbehaved a little bit more than I should have.
Bill: Oh Clay.
CA: Well it wasn’t bad but it was a little bit less appropriate than it should have been. We have one… we always have some one come up and dance. And uh... and We have a lady named Ethel whose come to a number of shows. And you know if you’re there this afternoon you’ll see if she’s there. She’s quite energetic to say the very least, she just gets into it. And so um… we brought her up on stage for the dance in Charlotte and I just had to stop the show because I was laughin at her. WITH HER. With her. With her.
Sheri: Of course.
CA: And um… she uh… she was um… so when the girl came up to sing, she happened to be from the same town Ethel was from. And I started commenting about it.
Sheri: Ethel?
CA: Ethel. Her name is Ethel. But she’s from Detroit. Which you would think she’s from Georgia or North Carolina but no. Ethel’s from Detroit. And so umm… we noticed uh and we were talking about Ethel and I started dancing on this girl, this girl who was singin. Poor innocent young lady who’s come here to sing a song and I started getting on her dancing. And it was very… um... I think it embarrassed everybody who was involved.
Sheri: Well what possessed you to do such-
CA: I don’t… I just was moved by the spirit or something. Who knows? But…
Sheri: Oh my gosh. Cause you’re angelic aren’t you?
CA: Always. *laughing* Always.
Sheri: That’s what we hear.
Bill: Now at the fair today at 3 and 7:30 I read an article in the News and Observer last week that you’re not a big fair rider. Fair rider.
CA: Well I didn’t used to be. When I was a kid I used to… oh I was terrified of everything. We’d go see the pigs and the hogs and the chickens and all that stuff. And I didn’t… I was afraid of the rides. If my mom could get me on the little tea cups or whatever but I was really… but now I’m all about it. This summer we did… uh… we went… Through the tour we did a lot of fairs. And I got to be quite the dare devil. I was doing the little… you know the 150 foot free fall drop. I was kinda proud of myself.
Sheri: The tilt-o-whirl. Oh I love the tilt-o-whirl.
CA: Now that will make you throw up.
Sheri: Oh! It’s the best and they’ve got one at the fair now that’s like the tilt-o-whirl but the bottom comes up so you are perpendicular to the ground and still spinning. Awesome.
Bill: Cintrivical force.
CA: Perpendicular… cintriv.. hold on. It’s been a while since I’ve been in school. Perpendicular that’s not… parallel then perpendicular. Gotcha. WOO!
Sheri: Parallel would be too much.
Bill: And something new to the state fair this year, maybe you’ve tried it at other state fairs but it’s new to the North Carolina state fair… Is deep fried banana pudding.
CA: Oh really?
Bill: Yeah.
Sheri: Puddin.
Bill: You like banana pudding?
CA: I do like banana pudding.
Bill: Nanna pudding.
CA: Its got Nilla Wafers in it.
Bill: You gotta have Nilla Wafers.
CA: But they um… fry everything. We were… *Bill laughing* You don’t like Nilla Wafers?
Sheri: No. I don’t like… You… you know what…I… I say this and then I get 6,000 emails. I know it’s sacrilegious, but no.
Bill: Wait a minute Sheri. Don’t answer that.
Sheri: Rotten bananas…
Bill: We ask the questions. Clay doesn’t ask the questions.
Sheri: Rotten bananas and Nilla Wafers as the crust just don’t do it for me.
CA: They’re not rotten bananas. They’re just…
Sheri: Ripe. Just over ripe.
CA: Over ripe that’s right.
Sheri: But anyway you know you deep fry it. Slap some mayonnaise on it I may try it.
CA: If you fry… EW! Slap some mayonnaise on it?
Bill: Exactly. Slap some mayonnaise on it…
CA: I like mayonnaise but on banana pudding?
Sheri: Put it on anything. Bark and I will eat it.
*Clay laughing*
Bill: Man. That is sick. Absolutely sick.
Sheri: Okay… so. Do you have a girlfriend?
CA: Not right now. My dog is unfortunately the only female in my life.
Bill: Oh yeah. How is Raleigh doing?
CA: She’s doing well. She’s umm... at my mom’s house this week.
Bill: Alright.
Sheri: Now would you ever date a fan? Or would that like… be too weird. I mean if someone… I guess you wouldn’t want to date someone who wasn’t a fan cause that would mean they didn’t like you and that wouldn’t be good. But!
CA: *laughing* Once you’ve got the question ready you let me know.
Bill: There you go Clay. *rings bell* That’s the secret to this whole thing.
Sheri: See I was out of town. I didn’t rehearse.
Bill: And she hasn’t rehearsed the words to Invisible this time either.
Sheri: No.
Bill: She don’t know it. She still doesn’t know the words.
CA: Still doesn’t know the words… Um your question.
Sheri: Girlfriend
CA: Do you want me to just answer what I think you were going to ask me?
Sheri: Yes please.
CA: Umm. You know that’s been one of the complicated… one of the complicated things is trying to find somebody who wants to be with you or be your friend or in any relationship with you for who you are and not for what you are you know what I mean?
Sheri: Oh yeah. Cause I get that all the time.
CA: And so uh… Cause I’m sure you get that a lot. And so uh… *laughing* goodness. So you know I mean just anybody. The thing is I don’t know if I’ll end up with someone I knew before this all happened… who still treats me like a…
Bill: Regular person.
CA: The nerd that I am…So you know uh… it’s kind of… when people are…
Sheri: Aww.
CA: It’s not really that sad. It’s true. It’s okay.
Sheri: It is sad.
CA: It’s not sad.
Sheri: Well it’s not sad anymore but…you know. It sounds like it was sad.
CA: At a point it probably was.
Sheri: Do you think that um…you’re a nerd?
CA: I have no problem with that. Yeah… I think so. Why not? You can read the book. It’s much, much more… there’s this positive spin-
Sheri: That’s right you have a book!
Bill: Tell us about the book and tell us about your uh… Christmas CD.
CA: The book talks about me bein a nerd.
Bill: Real quickly I just adjusted the web cam and Clay is now on our web cam on Mix online WRAL FM.com WRALFM.com. Click on web cam… and there will Clay be.
Sheri: So what is the name of your book again?
CA: It’s called ‘Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life”.
Sheri: Did you bring any with you?
CA: I did not. They’re not quite… they’re not quite finished. They’re being bound and printed.
Sheri: Huh. Okay.
CA: Sorry.
Sheri: Well next time you’re organized you let us know.
Bill: Oh here we go. *laughter*
CA: I’ll print them a little faster.
Sheri: Speaking of rehearsal… But seriously that’s gotta be a really hard thing for you… not only girlfriends but just friends in general.
CA: Yeah I’m tryin to learn… I mean I’ve been extremely fortunate Nick who is… umm… was one of my best friends back there. *laughter* Are you okay? Did I embarrass you?
Sheri: He’s good.
CA: He don’t want to say anything. He’ll crack on me cause I’m sure he will… is out on the road with me now. We’ve got a really great group of people who work with us… Uh… at this point. But you know it’s kind of hard finding in LA people who are interested in being genuine. Not that there aren’t genuine people in LA but you know most people go out there to be actors and models and singers and whatnot and so… you know a lot of times they seem to be very interested in you because ‘oh there’s an in’.
Sheri: Yeah because of your celebrity.
CA: Uh huh, yeah we were at a restaurant… I’m not supposed to tell this story I don’t think but I’m gonna.
Bill: But we love those!
CA: Mary is sittin there ‘don’t tell it, don’t tell it’-
Sheri: Oh definitely tell it now.
CA: ‘Don’t tell it because it makes you sound bad.’ I don’t… I don’t… let’s just be honest. Be real.
Bill: Be real man. Be real.
CA: So um we were at a restaurant in uh… LA. I had gone out to uh look at the houses, had just bought a house and my mom was out in town with us. And so we went back to uh… we went to a little Italian restaurant and we were sittin there… and uh… I think we had just ordered our food and some waitress just marches right up and adamantly says, ‘I’m gonna sing for you. I’m gonna sing. Oh I mean can I sing for you?’ She did that. She corrected herself. She had demanded she was going to sing then she said, ‘Can I sing for you?’ And I was like “ooookay” I mean I was a little… a little nervous and then she said, ‘My boss told me that if I sang for you, if I did this, that I was gonna get fired.’ But she said, ‘I don’t’ care. I’ll just quit. Cause I’m gonna sing.’ And I went, ‘Well, well I don’t know that... I don’t know… I don’t want you to lose your job. I don’t want you to quit for me. She said, ‘I know you have connections. And so’ and I said, ‘Goodness I can barely connect myself. I don’t know… I can’t do anything at all. But I’m happy to hear you sing if you want to but I really don’t think it’s worth losin your job over. And her boss came over and tried to uh… tried to talk her out of it and tried to very politely tell her not to. And she just argued with him right at the table. She was just very, very adamant. A lot like you. *laughs* Kidding, kidding.
Sheri: ‘Oh I’m kidding’ you say that.
CA: I did say that.
Sheri: No you’re not.
CA: She was just very adamant that she was going to sing and I said, ‘You know if that’s really what you want to do but I… I really don’t want you to get in trouble so why don’t you do it afterwards? Why don’t we do it after I’m done eating and leaving. And so she said, ‘that’s what I was gonna do.’ She turned and yelled at her boss ‘that’s what I was gonna do. I was gonna wait. They aren’t even eating yet. They don’t’ even have their salads.
Sheri: Oh my gosh.
CA: So she did not sing for me there. She was apparently going to wait till after I was done but I think her boss had other plans.
Sheri: Yeah. So did you sneak out…
CA: No we were actually looking forward… I was gonna… you know at that point it became kind of interesting.
Sheri: Well the thing is um… You do have connections. But it’s not like you’re a producer or … you’re the performer!
CA: I don’t know who my connections are. I have connections to me but I can’t do anything at all so…
Sheri: People think that we have connections too like in radio. And it’s like no… Unless you want my job…*laughter* I mean that’s it. That’s the only connection I have.
Bill: Clay we don’t’ want to miss the chance… tell us about your Holiday CD. When is it coming out? What’s it called and all that.
CA: You know it’s as yet untitled. Umm… we’re thinking of a few names.
Bill: Christmas stuff with Clay.
Sheri: We, we… liked Clay’s Christmas. Thought that was really clever.
CA: Well…
Sheri: That’s what we came up with as a morning show.
CA: Man that’s a lot of brain power workin in here.
Sheri: We’re thinkers.
Bill: Yep.
CA: The uh… we have a few titles we’re that we’re working on. Cause I’m not completely sure whether or not… Well you know what? Let’s just do it right here. Should we… tell people… see… why don’t we do an online poll?
Sheri: There you go!
Bill: Oooh! Do you want to do that?
CA: Now I can’t gurantee that’s what it will be what it is.
Sheri: Of course not.
CA: Cause Clive Davis has his… has to put his stamp of approval on it.
Sheri: That’s right. Okay so what are they?
CA: He has to put his stamp on it. But I have a song on there that I really like called Merry Christmas with Love so that’s a possibility. And then there’s uh… there’s um… what are the other ones again that we’re thinking of?
Sheri: Clay’s Christmas.
CA: Joyful Noise.
Sheri: Okay.
CA: Joyful nose is one.
Sheri: I wrote down Clay’s Christmas.
CA: We’ll put it on there… um…Good News is the other one. And um..
Sheri: Good News?
CA: Yeah… Good News and then Clay’s Christmas is the other option.
Sheri: I wouldn’t go with Good News.
CA: You would not go with… What? You don’t think Jesus’ birth is good news?
Sheri: It’s just not-
CA: Oh! Send the letters to Sheri.
Sheri: I didn’t find it Holiday enough.
Bill: I like Joyful Noise.
Sheri: I do too. It didn’t sound holiday. I thought of the N&O.
CA: Good News? You thought of the n and o?
Sheri: The News and Observer.
CA: Oh okay.
Sheri: But it didn’t sound holiday to me.
CA: But you put it in stars and underlines… Oh… she’s crossed that one out. We should put that on there and then…
Sheri: I’ll put it on there…
CA: And then we should put Clay’s Christmas on there as well and see where it goes from there.
Sheri: Cause we put a lot of thought into that one Clay.
CA: Okay. *laughs*
Sheri: Pretty proud of it. Alright so we’ll do that. Get that up there.
Bill: Clay… do you have a headache now?
CA: I have a little bit of one…*Bill laughing*
Sheri: That was like a look inside the brain.
CA: Well that was my favorite.
Sheri: The look inside my brain. *Clay laughing*
Bill: Chris Lief is here and they have to make an announcement for the drawing.
CA: I win a car? *everyone bursts into laughter*
Bill: Come on over Chris and tell us what’s going on and I think you’ve got the winners name and we’ll go ahead and announce that while Clay is here.
Sheri: And Chris go ahead and tell us what ah… You have the name?
Bill: You’ve got it right here?
Sheri: Okay.
Bill: Watch me work.
Sheri: But this is from… ah… people that entered for the last couple weeks at your dealerships right?
Chris: Right. The last few weeks we’ve had people come by and register and um… It’s gone… it’s gone great. It’s amazing Clay the diversity of the fan base you have. We’ll see… little girls get out of the car.
CA: Well they can’t drive! How are they going to get a car?
Chris: No listen…
Bill: But they can pick the car!
Sheri: Some day they will drive!
Chris: Oh yeah and they come with their umm mother and their grandmother. And everybody’s just as excited when they jump out of the car. It’s amazing.
CA: Well thank you.
Chris: Very, very impressive.
CA: Well thank you. We’re very happy… we’re very proud of them ourselves. They’re very enthusiastic this morning outside.
Sheri: Yes they are. And is really truly we were just talking about it off the air. How diverse your fan base is.
CA: That was a tongue twister for you there huh?
Sheri: Well I thought diverse was nice.
Bill: Well it was only two syllables. That was the beauty of that.
Chris: When we were coming down here, and I had not been to the studio before… we were driving in and looking around and what drew our attention were the people standing outside. We said oops, that’s got to be it.
Bill: Yeah it’s got to be right here.
Sheri: I made the corner… I was out of town for the weekend and I made my way across I said “oh I guess Clay’s comin today’. I didn’t get the memo but I see the crowd so…they’re out there and they’re uh… Did… well how many people are out there?
Vana: A lot.
Chris: There were probably 30 or 40 when we first pulled up and now…
Sheri: Thousands probably.
Chris: Yeah probably now.
Bill: Well there will be at Dorton Arena for sure today. So a big boost in the fair crowd today with Clay performing two shows. 3 and 7:30. In fact speaking of the show, we’ve got some tickets to give away. I think there in the drawing from the folks that will be coming out of Chris.
Chris: That’s right. We uh…gave what 6 away last week and uh…the final winner is *announces name* of Raleigh.
*congratulations*
Sheri: Now Clay… for the um… state fair do you get a parking pass? Are you gonna have… *laughing*
CA: *laughing* Yes… well we had… well yesterday we went in to uh… we went to see Kim Locke… my roommate Kim Locke. Old roommate Kim Locke. And you know we kinda wanted to hopefully park close. And maybe sneak in a little more discreetly than we did. We walked… we drive up to the gate and 7 police officers flanking the car and start blocking people from the pedestrian traffic. So we uh… we didn’t sneak in too well.
Sheri: That happens all the time.
Bill: I couldn’t believe when Sheri said she saw you at the airport and there was nobody with you. You just came walking up. I mean you were like in communicado there.
CA: Oh yeah… every once in a while we can sneak… Nick was there with me. So uh… He’s the muscle if anybody tries to mess…
Bill: Nick’s the muscle?
CA: Oh he just said that with some type of-
Sheri: Yes he did! *Bill laughing*
CA: With some kind of surprise like what
Sheri: Sounds like something I would say.
CA: Like what… well in… compared to me.
Bill: Well no in compared to Jerome who normally follows you around.
CA: That’s true.
Bill: Jerome is a giant!
CA: *laughing* Yeah he is. Quite large.
Bill: Nick nice muscle. You got nice muscle over there. *Clay laughing*
Sheri: Muscles.
Bill: He said he’s the muscle.
Sheri: Okay.
Bill: Okay.
Sheri: Okay so today… the… the shows are sold out did you… had you heard about that. I think it was like 9 minutes and 14 minutes or something like that. You know they sold out just like that. Um in the Pringle.
CA: And there’s… too… I don’t know how many people got tickets from Raleigh because so many people came from out of state.
Sheri: Yeah.
CA: So we’re actually doing… we’re coming back… I don’t know. Can I… can I?
Bill: I’ve heard this rumor. I was going to ask you about this.
CA: Well… well… well… oh there I am on tv. WOO!
Sheri: *laughing* Oh you are! Yup we’ve got you on tv 5. We’ve got some cameras in the studio and there you are. That’s… that’s from your first your first visit.
CA: That’s from the Kelly show. I call it the Kelly show but it… it was just as much mine…
Bill: You were saying sir…
CA: Oh! Oh! See how he does that?
Sheri: I know!
CA: He just reaches around and pulls it right back.
Bill: Were you, were you going in the direction of a Christmas tour perhaps?
CA: I was going in the direction of a Christmas tour. It’s in the works now to be here in Raleigh on the… 13th of December. So we had a show…
Bill: I heard that last week.
Sheri: Oh really?
CA: I’m going to tour for the Christmas tour. And we’re planning on being in Raleigh. Umm… uh… At Mamandy.
Sheri: Oh! Nice.
Bill: Ooh… That will be a great place-
CA: On the 13th with an orchestra. And uh… it’s going to be a very classy… you know… Sunday clothes dress up type uh…
Bill: Sunday go to meetin’.
CA: That’s right… type of concert. Its gonna be uh… very nice… and um… um… we’re working on… and um… we’re going to cross our fingers… we’re working on some sort of priority for the hometown crowd as far as tickets go.
Bill: Right.
CA: So… you know… so that they can hopefully buy their tickets first.
Bill: That will be great.
CA: Um we don’t’ know if that will work and I’m probably gonna get yelled at when I leave for sayin that. Cause we can’t confirm it yet. But um we’re gonna try and do something so that people in Raleigh and the triangle can buy them… buy first. And we’d love to do another show… you know in um… Durham or Chapel Hill first we just have to find and see if there’s interest so…
Sheri: Well I’m pretty sure.
Bill: Well see…
Sheri: I’m pretty sure that there is. So um… Joyful Noise.
CA: That’s what she said. Well let me… let’s let the folks...
Sheri: Merry Christmas with Love.
CA: Look at that!
Sheri: I knew that… I knew that you would take that one.
CA: I think that’s my mom’s…
Vana: Naw… that’s too mushy.
CA: I think that’s my mom’s…
Vana: I mean I love it. *Clay laughing* But it’s a great song… It’s a wonderful song.
CA: Do you know song…?
Vana: Didn’t Sandi Patti record that?
CA: WHOA! WHOA! How did you know that? You know that she hasn’t…
Sheri: Actually I’ve sung that.
CA: Have you?
Sheri: Mmhmm.
CA: You know… I tried… I sang it in high school and… that’s the only time I’ve ever heard it.
Vana: Yeah… yeah. Okay let’s sing it together. 1… 2… 3. Go. *laughs*
CA: No… no… Vana chickened out.
Sheri: Come on Vana.
CA: You can’t find it anymore.
Vana: Wait.
CA: That CD’s out of print.
Vana: Oh really?
CA: You can’t find it anymore. So this will be the new… the new cover of it.
Vana: Oh I love it.
CA: Yeah it’s a good song.
Vana: You guys want to have lunch or…? *laughter*
CA: She’s getting jealous now so... so I have to go back.
Vana: Well how… what… how does the hook go? Merry Christmas with love. Okay 1… 2…3… we go. Merry Chri- sing it with me Clay!
CA: Oh well I-
CA and Vana singing together: Merry Christmas with Love.
*clapping*
Sheri: See?
Bill: That wasn’t bad.
Vana: That was pretty darn good.
CA: Think you can learn the words to that one?
Bill: So far she’s got them down. She wrote them down.
Sheri: Yes. Merry Christmas with Love, I’ve got that one. Invisible. Oops I already am. I got that part.
CA: Oops? I don’t know if it’s oops.
Bill: I don’t think it’s oops. I think it’s ‘Wait’. Oops… Britney Aiken.
CA: Send your letters to Sheri Logan! 101.5 PO Box…
Sheri: Oh my gosh… See now Vana you’ve sung with Clay Aiken.
Vana: I have sung with Clay. Gosh I… I’ll… I’ve… I’ll have to have an entourage to go out in public now. *Clay laughs*
CA: You can just… *every ones starts laughing*
Sheri: This is so good when it’s not tv.
Bill: If you come back in December 13th hopefully you’ll be able to rejoin us.
CA: Yes. I’d love to. Absolutely.
Sheri: Yeah. That’d be great. I know that you’re um… on the world tour now and so you’ve gotta go do your thing. But we’ll see you this afternoon.
CA: Okay. Absolutely.
Sheri: If we can find some parking.
CA: Sounds good.
Sheri: Because you know…
CA: My grandmother lives close to the uh… to the…
Sheri: Ooh! Maybe we could park in her driveway.
CA: Ooh maybe you could.
Bill: 5 bucks. 5 bucks parking.
Sheri: Cause we’ve got to park in the dirt like everybody else.
CA: You can park… you can park in Nanny’s driveway.
Sheri: Okay. Alrighty. Clay as always it’s great to see you. Can’t wait to see you-
CA: Thank you.
Sheri: Can’t wait for your shows today and this evening at the state fair and I’m sure there’s going to be just huge fair traffic out there and um… Umm We’re going to be signing autographs at the WRAL TV 5 and Mix 101.5 booth. So if you want to stop by we’ll sign a little something for ya. *laughing*
CA: Oh thank you! Oh good…
Sheri: Okay…
Bill: Oh boy!
Sheri: Kidding… Kidding.
Bill: Take that back to LA with ya…
CA: *laughing* Okay…Don’t’ forget to have people vote on the online umm…
Sheri: That’s right.
CA: WRAL FM
Sheri: That’s right…
Bill: We’ll get that posted… we’ll get that posted on
line.
Sheri: In just a couple minutes. We’ve got a little computer guy…
Bill: We’ll get the guru guy… No he’s a little computer guy…That’s great… That’s great Makin friends fast… Here we go! Clay thanks for coming down here.
CA: Thank you guys very much.
Vana: Thank you.
*Clapping*
Bill: Dorton Arena. North Carolina State fair today Clay Aiken in concert at the big Pringle Dorton Arena. 3 and 7:30. So Sheri and I will see you out there as well. Not singing.

Celebrities decorate masks for charity auction

What do Tiger Woods, Alice Cooper, Clay Aiken, Dolly Parton, Luciano Pavarotti, Rod Stewart, Sarah McLachlan, Phil Collins, LeAnn Rimes, Elmore Leonard, Dick Purtan and Carmen Harlan have in common?

They're among the celebrities who have contributed masks to the Hospice of Michigan fund-raiser, Michigan Mask Project, an online-auction which culminates Oct. 23 with The Mask Project Masquerade and silent auction at the General Motors Vehicle Engineering Center Tower Tech Center in Warren.
...
Some are elaborate, and some are simple. Leonard merely signed his name. Purtan and Cooper made caricatures of their own faces, while Aiken's is beautifully painted.

(snip)

The Mask Project Masquerade takes place Oct. 23 at General Motors Vehicle Engineering Center Tower Tech Center, 30001 Van Dyke in Warren. The event starts with a reception for benefactors, VIPs and sponsors, and a silent auction, at 6 p.m. The main reception is at 7 p.m., with dinner and a live auction at 8 p.m. There's a raffle of a 2005 Cadillac STS at 10 p.m. The afterglow immediately follows, and continues until midnight. Tickets are $250 Benefactors, $150 Patrons. For more information, visit www.hom.org or call (313) 578-6259.  

Tidol Wave Five American Idol albums crash into stores over the next six weeks. When will record buyers say, "Enough"?

Nicholas Fonseca
29 October 2004
Entertainment Weekly

SHE PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE time, but when season 3 winner Fantasia belted "Have you ever reached a rainbow's end?" this summer, she was foreshadowing the careers of some of her pals on American Idol. Over the next six weeks, the show's muscleand the public's desire for syrupy balladswill be tested when five former winners and runners-up release new albums. They face not only each other but an unusually strong fall slate that includes Eminem, Good Charlotte, U2, Destiny's Child, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, and Ashanti. The plan to unleash five albums in such a short period is risky: It could overexpose a franchise that still has enormous appeal (Fox's Idol finished last season as TV's No. 1 program) and hurt BMG, the conglomerate behind all the entries. As for the artists? Let's just say a slow start could ruin a career in less time than it takes Ryan Seacrest to do his hair.

To date, the public has proved its Idol worship only goes so far: About a third of the contestants who've attempted solo albums have generated hits. On the high end, season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken's Measure of a Man sold 2.6 million copies, while bombs included season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini's self-titled entry, which enticed just 142,000 buyers and assured his place in TV history as a perma-punchline. BMG North America CEO Clive Daviswho oversaw all five upcoming albumsis convinced that postshow success comes only by de-Idolizing contestants the minute they enter the recording studio. "There's a certain song that all of America loves when that confetti comes down, but it really has no relevance to their recording career," he says. "Once you get away from that single, you're dealing with an original recording artist. I'm not making American Idol albums."

Twenty-eight million fans might not appreciate Davis' disdain, but the singers' new offerings reflect his approach (see box). As if to prove his point, Aiken refused to speak with EW, a sign, perhaps, that the wildly popular 25-year-old is tired of his close association with Idol. Others were more forthcoming: "It's the reason I'm here," says Ruben Studdard. "[Album] producers do their best to scoot away from the Idol stigma, but I'll never forget where I came from." Kelly Clarkson agrees: "['American Idol winner'] is going to be on my grave," she says. "I'll be a trivia answer for life. And still, with everything that I do, the people surrounding me tell me that they think that [my next album] will be what breaks me away from American Idol. And I have to ask, Why are we running from it?"

Well, because it's a reality TV show and because there's the lingering stench from flops by lesser-known (and less beloved) contestants: Tamyra Gray, RJ Helton, and Josh Gracin all stalled, and none produced a Top 40 pop single. Says Billboard charts director Geoff Mayfield, "Idol is hugely successful at getting people to watch it on TV, but the artists have to make music that consumers connect with or they may not automatically buy their albums."

That's the conundrum facing Fantasia and her runner-up, Diana DeGarmo, who may be hurt most by the glut because there's so much talent on the market right now. Kevin Milligan, VP of product for Virgin Entertainment Group, warns that "they might find it more difficult to find their footing and get radio support because of their Idol competitors." And, indeed, neither of their debut singles (released in June) made a dent on Top 40 radio, though they were strong at retail. What a marked contrast to Clarkson, Aiken, and Studdard, whose singles all reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. "The show can hold us back. It can disappoint fans if they are expecting to hear what we sang on the show," says Fantasia. "But it's time for us to show our styles...to show what's behind the American Idol."

Clive Davis says amen to that. "It's understandable that there is a skeptical aura around any artist who comes out of a television show. But it smacks of guilt by association. You've got to forget what gave genesis to these artists. I don't even think about where they came from anymore." Easy for him to say.

It looks like the Chicago Christmas performance will be at the beautiful CHICAGO THEATER.

Clay has considered LASEK surgery to permanently correct his vision.