AIKEN NEW NETWORK JUNE 12

[clayMaine-iac]

Good Afternoon, Everyone!!

I am going to save the "news" I found for tomorrow.  News is a little slow right now.

Today I am going to post a couple of articles from a year ago.

Middle Age Clazy
Commentary By Bonnie Lini Markowski
June 14, 2004    
Sometimes life just gets in the way of living. Sometimes the problems just block out the sun. So I couldn't wait to tell my best friend that the sun had finally broken through in my life after a long winter. The complications were becoming simplified, the crises waning -- I'd had a terrific day. It was refreshing.

As we sat chatting over coffee about my good day, I began to notice a strange pattern. Oddly, our conversations invariably reverted back to one topic: Clay Aiken. Yes, the pop superstar, Clay Aiken. At the particular moment this realization hit me, we were wondering how we were ever going to get tickets for his next Pennsylvania appearance when those tickets, which weren't even on sale yet, are rumored to be "gone already" to VIP's.  
Before that we meandered through topics like: how much we enjoyed his Wilkes-Barre concert during the Independent Tour: How nice it was that we were able to take my 10-year-old daughter and act like kids again. We gossiped about what the Internet says he's up to now; how well his new single is doing on the charts, and how cute he was.

"WAIT!" I thought. "Did I really hear myself say that? Me? A middle aged married, professional with a graduate degree, about Clay Aiken." Even more horrifying, it suddenly occurred to me that this is not the first time that we've had these "coffee and Clay" conversations. I burst out laughing at the absurdity of it. But, absurd or not, I admit, the man just makes me feel good. For goodness sake, he makes me giddy. Cringing at the reality of it, I had become obsessed with a Pop Star 20 years my junior, but so was America. I don't know what it is (and that is a mantra I see over and over again when it comes to dissecting Aiken's popularity) but we had gone Clazy.

Being an ever-curious academic, I was determined to figure out just what it was about this young man (who was making grown women goofy) that was causing such a phenomenon in our culture. His first single, "This is the Night," debuted at number one a position held for ten years by Elton John. Why did he make women of all ages weak in the knees and giddy with joy? Google his name, and you'll get over 400,000 hits, thousands of websites and message boards dedicated to the subject of Clay Aiken. Being an English instructor I was fascinated to find that "The Claynation" (his exceptionally dedicated fan base) have even formulated their own Clay language developing a lexicon of specialized Clay-word used among fans: Clayventions, Claymates, Claydough, and my favorite, Cluppy (Clay with his puppy). I understood perfectly when one woman wrote in a message board, "I need a Claybotomy." I was even more determined to find a rational explanation for this Clay madness setting out to examine just what it is about Clay Aiken that has America on fire. After exhaustive, albeit unscientific and totally fun research, here is what I've come up with:

The centerpiece for this phenomenon is, of course, is his undeniable talent. Coming off the oft-maligned "American Idol" show, many critics seem to see him as just another reality game show winner. But, his voice is extraordinary, even more so in person. In fact, at times, I wouldn't think it exaggeration to say it is awe-inspiring. It moves us. Its power and range transcends the mundane-ness of our real lives and lifts us to a place where music is supposed to take us; to that intangible, sublime dominion where we connect with pure spirit.

And the man knows how to work a crowd, from his audacious entrance into arenas through the middle of a frenzied crowd, to the playful way he banters with and teases his audience. Claymates (individual members of the Claynation) even keep track of some of the ways he incites the crowds. The" Clay Moves" that are making girls and women alike feel like swooning again. The Clay Tug, the Jacket Flash, the Growl, the Aiken Wink . . . and (blush, blush) don't even get me started on the moves he makes during his cover of Prince's "When Does Cry" during his recent concerts. Aiken is a natural entertainer who knows exactly what we want. Far from most of today's, sex-sells -- shove it in your face -- expose your breasts pop icons, he plays with his fans just enough to get a peek of a slightly wicked side with which, I suspect, he is only now becoming comfortable. Then, he leaves the rest to our imaginations, and isn't that really more exciting?

Now to the part with which he is least concerned but which cannot be ignored: he is absolutely adorable. He has an odd and subtle sensuality about him. I've heard him called, puckish, elfish, and awkward and those tags leave me wondering if we are all talking about the same performer -- He's drop-dead-gorgeous! But what they may be picking up on is that he has just a smooch of Opie Taylor innocence thrown in to make us say, "AAH and want to giggle. He has the whole package.

But there is more to him. Something indefinable. He stirs something in our souls that has long been asleep. He reawakens a part of us we forgot we wanted in a celebrity having been so desensitized by a blatant, raunchy, bootilicious pop culture. He brings back the green-ness of our youth when we had crushes on heartthrobs in Tiger Beat Magazine. And Bobby Sherman and David Partridge lined our lockers and bedroom walls.

He's the son that every mother wants: Doesn't drink. Doesn't smoke. Doesn't do drugs. What's more, (mom's sit for this one) he's not afraid to honor his mother in public and routinely does.

He is the man that every mother wants her daughter to marry: Clean cut, moral, ambitious, intelligent (he speaks a language little used by many of his contemporaries - formal English).

He's a "superstar" who loves God openly and joyfully (Smirk if you will. That takes courage that most of us don't have or are too sophisticated to think important). He's the first star to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelet in clear view of the camera lens refusing to take it off. And he seems to consciously choose to live his life as an example of Christ. In that respect, he is like an apostle. Not in any divine sense, of course, but a true and faithful follower. No matter what your spiritual beliefs, you've got to admire that.

We also admire him for showing his vulnerability, something men are not supposed to do. Boldly and candidly admitting to a painful past, rather than use it as an excuse for bad behavior or carry a chip on his shoulder, he found a way to channel it in a positive direction. I think he has a rare sense of himself as one small part of a bigger picture, one link in the chain of a race who forgot we are all supposed to be working together for the better good of all people. More than anything else, he wants to make a difference. This, I believe, will keep him grounded. As a mother I have to say, "well done, Ms. Parker!"

He's a conundrum. One of his greatest qualities (and oddly enough the one for which he suffers the most) is that he refuses to fit neatly into one of our artificially constructed social categories, something we, unfortunately and ironically, seem to insist everyone do in a country that is supposed to prize individuality over everything else. He defies labeling as I think the music industry is finding out. Call him Vanilla or middle of the road, and he's ok with that. Call him a geek and he's say, yep. I'll be happy to carry that banner. Speculate about his sexuality because dating isn't currently a top priority, and he laughs and lets it roll off.

Perhaps we are amazed at him because we witnessed his metamorphosis in our very living rooms as we brought him back week after week on American Idol. And when he was cut, we demanded him back. We feel like we raised him ourselves. We watched him develop from a gangly, lanky, kind of goofy kid with funny glasses from Podunk with one heck of a voice, to maturity as America witnessed on his most recent appearance on AI3 where he strode onto the stage an impeccably dressed, handsome, confident man and belted out a rendition of Neil Sedaka's "Solitaire" that once made Sedaka himself say he had forever lost his song to Clay Aiken. We watched his career, like a baby, learn to stand on its own: toddling initially, then walking, and finally, running full out. Although we cannot pinpoint when, that night, we all knew somewhere along his short journey to success, Clayton Aiken had became a consummate professional.

He's adored because he's the underdog we Americans so love to root for, and we watched him win the lottery. He's Clark Kent made good. And because he didn't deliberately plan out his life to earn big bucks and achieve fame that is precisely why we are ecstatic to see him get it. We feel like we are part of his success because we had a voice in choosing his voice over this revered "idol" image we have shoved down our throats. He is respite from an industry gone over the edge.

We feel like we helped mold him (no pun intended). We feel partially responsible for his success because he tells us we are. He rarely fails to acknowledge his fan base when talking about his success. "My success is your success," he says often after appearances. And we believe he means it because many times over the past incredible year, we've seen him tear up in public, as I witnessed myself at one of his concerts, so perplexed and overwhelmed by the adulation.

For me, the best part about him is his sincere desire to make a difference the best way he can. Before his rocket ride to fame, it was working in Special Education. Now, despite his fame, no, precisely because of his fame, now that his "voice" is stronger, he speaks for children who are otherwise marginalized. The best thing about his new found fame, he says, is the ability it gave him to establish the Bubel Aiken Foundation. TBAF's mission is to break down the barriers for special needs children who are routinely excluded from the simple joys of just being kids. And as a mother of a 12 year-old-son with Aperger's Syndrome I know what that will mean to these children.

He's already made a difference to my son in a way he'll probably never know just by insisting on being himself. We try to celebrate difference in our home but once our son goes out into the world, he's a target to ridicule. After one particularly bad day of taunts at school he said, "Well, that geek thing is working for Clay Aiken. Maybe there's hope for me yet." I laughed at his wit, but then saw him lift his head and stand just a little taller. Aiken doesn't just pay lip service either. At a time when he should be solely fixed on establishing his own new career, he's out there working for these children in between what must be an exhausting celebrity schedule.

If this sound like a love letter, in a way it is. I don't know Clay Aiken, but I wish I did. He makes me feel like I want to be his friend. If I made him out to sound like a saint, I didn't mean to. He isn't. Just by virtue of the fact that he's human, he has frailties and I, suspect, readily admits these. And they will probably be exposed publicly somewhere along his road to stardom. Yes, he's fresh, he's young, he's just started in this business, the dogs of cynicism have not yet begun to chew on his brain. But I have a feeling his humility, sincerity and sense of responsibility are deeply rooted having been planted long ago by the woman who raised him. I am a natural born skeptic, but when my daughter tells me he's her idol, that's fine with me because, if even for a moment, he reminds us of the way it should be. So I'll continue to adore him unabashedly and ignore the criticism because Clay Aiken is the measure of what a man should be, what we once demanded in our idols. We lost that somewhere in our sophistication and it's sad. Maybe we don't understand it fully. Even Clay Aiken is, admittedly, confounded by his enormous popularity. But, that's what it is about Clay Aiken. He makes us remember what we had forgotten we wanted. And isn't it refreshing?

"We came for the voice. We stay for the man."
 

RELITYTVCALENDAR

[clayMaine-iac]

IN RALPH ENGELSTAD ARENA: Clay Aiken: The pop star next door
'American Idol' heartthrob serenades REA Thursday
By Emily Tobin

Two years ago, Clay Aiken was just a regular Joe from South Carolina. Now, with No.1 hits and music videos airing on MTV and VH1, he's a recording artist who has spawned a legion of "Clay mates" and "Claymaniac" fans. What the heck happened?

Aiken, who will be in concert Thursday in Ralph Engelstad Arena, became famous after appearing in Season 2 of the hit show "American Idol." There, judge Simon Cowell, known for his biting remarks, told Clay he sounded like a huge pop star, but didn't look like one.

The emerging star took note, and with new hair, clothes and contact lenses transformed himself from geek to chic. He ended the show as runner-up, with less than 1 percent of the votes separating him from the winner.

Aiken has a large female fan base, and when you hear his velvety voice on his song "The Way," it's easy to see why.

"There's something 'bout the way your lips invite," he sings. "Maybe it's the way that I get nervous when you're around. And I want you to be mine." Cue the screaming girls.

No longer is a Backstreet Boy physique necessary for stars to accumulate the crazy 'tween' masses of fans aged 10 to 14. With his big blue eyes, flat-ironed hair, and Southern charm with a drawl to match, Aiken has become a force to be reckoned with.

In a sex-saturated market, Aiken is safe for mothers and daughters to enjoy. Before "Idol," he worked with special education children and called his mother, Faye Parker, "the strongest woman I know."

Aiken now uses his growing fame to work for causes near to his heart. Anyone attending the Grand Forks show will be welcome to bring spare change to donate to the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, an organization that provides services and financial assistance to help children with disabilities. To make a donation, bring your spare change to the Hilton Inn from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday during the pre-concert party. There will be a $15 charge at the door.

Aiken is starting a national tour. His first CD, "Measure of a Man," is in stores now and includes his current hits "This is the Night" and "Invisible."

Cherie, a 19-year old native of France, has a hit single "I'm Ready" and will open Thursday for Aiken's Grand Forks concert. Still, she says she's experienced moments of supreme stage fright.

"Yesterday, I was at a show about to sing, and I was with my friend," Cherie said in a telephone interview. "I was like 'I want to be a journalist. I don't want to sing. Why do I want to do this? I could be at home and relaxed. I'm here, and I'm stressed. I hate this!"

Although the fear may make her question her career choice from time to time, she knows the feeling will evaporate on stage.

"I know why I want to do this," said Cherie, a newcomer to recording company Lava Records. "I didn't wake up one day and decide I want to be a singer, I just always was a singer. I've always loved it."

Cherie's self-titled debut CD will hit stores Aug. 3. She described it as a semiautobiographical storybook with songs about love, becoming a woman and finding your way.

"You can have songs like 'I'm Ready' that talk about being a young girl ready to be a woman and ready to experience life and go for it, not care," she said. "And on the other end of the album, you have 'My Way Back Home,' which talks about (how you) don't forget where you come from. The most important thing for me has always been my roots. That's what the album is about."

Cherie's first single, "I'm Ready," hit the No. 1 spot on Billboard Dance Chart and is playing on local top 40 radio stations.

GRANDFORKS.COM

[clayMaine-iac]

From two years ago:

Clay Aiken: The Star Factor
by Rosanne Simunovic -- 06/09/2003
 
Are singers born with the elusive "star factor" or are such stars created by record companies and image-makers? Rosanne takes a look at Clay Aiken, who just a few months ago was a teacher known only to those around him, to see the "star factor" at work.

During the course of my career as a voice coach and conductor, I have encountered exceptional young vocal talent. Many have the essential attributes that would plausibly contribute to their success in the arts. However, for some intangible reason, that elusive"star factor" - the quality that sets the most exceptional and unique artists apart from the rest of their peers - is not readily apparent in many of these singers. Yes, they perform well - oftentimes with stellar vocal quality and stage presence - yet, it just isn't quite enough to "put them over the top."

Are certain performers born with this mysterious star quality or can it be manufactured or acquired through proper training and guidance? In other words, is genetic destiny a key factor here? For example, one of my most gifted students, Patricia O'Callaghan - a star waiting to be discovered when she walked into my studio at the age of 16 years - has received international acclaim over the past three years and has been singled out by Billboard Magazine as "the foremost cabaret star of her generation." The star factor was always there - it was the discovery on a global level that took time, patience, and perseverance. One would argue, then, that Patricia's determination and resolve played an important part in her success. Likewise, by the time the general public became aware of Celine Dion or Billy Joel or Barbra Streisand, they were bona fide superstars and had struggled for years and years before their names became household words. So, of course, one could assume that their hard work, talent, and charisma, nurtured over time, would result in their success in the entertainment world. Stars are created, not born, correct?

The answer can be found in two words - Clay Aiken. Just six months ago, Clay Aiken was carrying on his admirable work teaching autistic children in Raleigh, North Carolina. He scarcely looked beyond his chosen career as a Special Education teacher. Yes, he had gained excellent musical experience through his participation in his high school choir, but, according to all news sources, this was the extent of his musical training. Then, a mother of one of his students encouraged him to audition for American Idol Season 2. He was hesitant at first, but through this parent's encouragement, he agreed to give it a try.

After being rejected at the Regional competition, Clay tenaciously journeyed to Atlanta and tried again. After completing the preliminary rounds, he confidently performed for Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, who, thankfully, saw that something special, that spark, that star quality - despite the fact that his "image" was not correct according to today's standards. Of course, the rest is history. Within six months, Clay was a superstar. Yet, in order to achieve this status, this young man had to perform live and flawlessly each week before millions of viewers. The transformation of Clay Aiken, teacher, to Clay Aiken, superstar, is, in my opinion, nothing short of spectacular.

Yes, American Idol spiffed him up and transformed him - but the other contestants - including our AI 2 winner Ruben Studdard, who I absolutely adore - were treated in the same manner and yet, Clay, almost instantaneously, emerged as a superstar. It really is a phenomenal music success story that confirms the basic fact that true stars are born, not manufactured. His talent, his persona, his charisma were not created from technologically-enhanced music videos, glitzy sound recordings, or management hype, but from a more reality based platform that American Idol and its parent Pop Idol have formulated. Superior talent, spark, and that elusive star quality all played a part of Clay Aiken's destiny 24 years ago and today it has come to fruition. How else can you explain the fact that, as of this writing, Clay's new CD has been sitting at #1 on Amazon.com for over three weeks - outselling every major artist.

Yesterday, he was a talented, nurturing Special Education teacher, unaware of the depth of his outstanding vocal abilities and charisma. Today he joins the ranks of our true stars - like Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Celine Dion, and so many others - who embrace excellence first and everything else second and set the standard for future performers to follow. Let's hope that 19 Management, RCA, and all the "powers that be" that are now involved with Clay's career really take advantage and market this young man judiciously and astutely. Also, let us hope that the American Idol team and the producers of the highly anticipated Canadian Idol show never lose sight of their mission to celebrate and value excellence and unique star potential in our future Idol finalists.

FOXESONIDOL