ClayManiacs

CLAY AIKEN: HE CAME, HE SANG, HE CONQUERING (sic)
Michnews.com
By V. Davis.

It's October 14, 2002. Little did Clay Aiken ever dream that one year later he would be stirring the "pot" known as the music industry. As a college student, majoring in special education, possessed with a beautiful voice, his life would change by auditioning for a reality TV talent show.

He took a chance.  Even after being initially cut, he felt this need, or was it inspiration, to try again.  It didn't take long for the audience to latch on to this unlikely contestant.  I'm sure there were those who felt from first appearances, he would have a terrible voice.  Looks were certainly deceiving.  What a surprise emerged from the supposed nerd.

Kimmel better watch his back at AMA show

Late-night comedy guy Jimmy Kimmel admits he's concerned about hosting ABC's American Music Awards show Nov. 16. That's because ``so many of these people I've been making fun of randomly on my show -- knowing I'd never get to have them on. Now, I'll have to run into them all. It's always uncomfortable to run into people you've been making fun of.''

Kimmel knows of what he speaks. ``Once I ran into Fred Savage at a party, and I said, `Hey! Fred Savage! I always watched ``The Wonder Years'' growing up.' And he was angry with me. I started going through my mental Rolodex, thinking of what I might have said.''

Finally, Kimmel remembered guesting on David Letterman's show about three years ago and riffing on how ``Broadway is supposed to be the pinnacle of show business, but on the way in, I'd noticed that David Hasselhoff was starring in `Phantom,' and Crystal Bernard was in `Annie Get Your Gun.' And I said, `What's next? Fred Savage in ``Miss Saigon''?' Or whatever, I don't really remember. But he's never forgotten, and he's vowed to destroy me.''

So, who is he worried about encountering?

"Fred Savage, mostly,'' says Kimmel. "I've also made a lot of fun of Clay Aiken.''

Clay Aiken will sing at Cleveland concert

American Idol runner-up and growing cult leader Clay Aiken will bring his voice to Cleveland as part of the Kissmas Koncert 4 on Dec. 16 at the Palace Theatre.

Aiken, whose debut CD, Measure of a Man, has spent the last two weeks on the top of the Billboard album charts, performed in Cleveland this year on the American Idol Live tour.

Also performing in Kissmas Koncert 4 will be Frankie J and Baby Bash, redneck rapper Bubba Sparxxx and singer Stacie Orrico. Tickets for the show are $29.50 and $32 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the Playhouse Square ticket office, all tickets.com locations, or by phone at 216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048.

20 Questions With Clay!

Q: What one super hero power would you like to have and why?

A: to freeze time so I could take a break once in a while!

*Check every email for MORE Q&A's with Clay

AIKEN LEADS THE WAY AS BMG’S CHART ATTACK CONTINUES
November 4, 2003
   
Aiken, OutKast, Rod Stewart, The Strokes, Dido Land in Top 10, as R.E.M., Gerald Levert Debut
 
The bubbly is flowing fast in Gutersloh. BMG’s Rolf Schmidt-Holtz and Michael Smellie, not to mention Clive Davis and Antonio "L.A." Reid, are living the high life, as the German media conglom takes time out from their reported talks with Sony Music to celebrate five albums in the HITS Top 10, including four of the top five.  RCA’s three-time champ Clay Aiken leads the way at #1, followed by Arista runners-up OutKast (#2), J Records’ Rod Stewart (#3) and RCA buzz-band The Strokes, debuting at #5. Only WB’s R.E.M. greatest-hits package, bowing at #4, broke up the BMG hegemony, while Sylvia Rhone’s Elektra sported two in the Top 10, including EW’s debuting Gerald Levert at #7 and WSM’s Eagles best-of at #8.

Virgin Entertainment Group’s Jerry Suarez took a break from his vigil waiting for Britney Spears’ new album to arrive to comment: "BMG is going great guns, as Clay Aiken and Rod Stewart have big third weeks, Dido continues to deliver huge numbers and the Strokes have a strong debut, coming in at the top of our chart. R.E.M. also had a solid first week in the streets, as their fans came out in force. It’s almost enough to make me want to don a pair of lederhosen and celebrate Novemberfest."