AIKEN NEWS NETWORK JULY 23

[Pamela]

Welcome to the weekend!  

This is the place for news - please post today's news here!

Reminder - we are converting to our new forum on Monday.  The board will be shut down from approximately 3 pm EDT until 9 pm EDT.

At that time, we'll reopen with a new format and lots of new features!

Check the front page of the website for further details as they become available.

[Pamela]

Got any extra concert tickets?

The Way We Make a Difference, Inc. promotes inclusion by providing concert tickets so that people of all abilities can share the magic of Clay in concert.

 Thanks to the generosity of Clay’s fans, 1,667 tickets were donated in 2004. While Clay was “napping” we were hard at work to make 2005 even more of a success and to give you all a chance to play a greater role.

Message Board

Please join us today as we launch a message board that will make it easier for you to donate tickets, ask questions, or play a greater role on a local level. Come on over, register, and say hello! Then let's get busy; we've got concerts to plan!

Web Site

We’ve also updated our website so come see exactly how your tickets are used.

 PINS

As a way of recognizing our generous donors, we have designed a ticket project pin. If you donate at least $10 -- either in cash or in the form of tickets -- you will receive a pin as a gift of thanks. A limited number of pins will be available for shipping before the tour begins.

Those who have already donated tickets or cash towards a ticket for the Jukebox Tour are included in this offer.

Paypal donations can be made here - The Way We Make a Difference but Please include your address in the paypal window so we know where to send your pin!

Since we know many of you like to collect multiple pins, we will accomodate subsequent donations with pins as long as supplies last.

Won’t you help us to make a difference?

Donating is easy.

** Tickets**  If you have an extra ticket or more, you can donate it by posting on our message board in the venue thread or by emailing us at ticketdonation@thewaywemakeadifference.org

** Cash Donations** You can donate towards the purchase of group of tickets by clicking on the paypal link  here. If you prefer to send a check please email ticketdonation@thewaywemakeadifference.org
 for an address.

Finally, Thank you to ALL of you for helping take our little idea and making it grow into something we can all be proud to be a part of.

Live8 UPDATE

All of the tickets haven't even arrived yet but so far we have received the following amounts of tickets from the Live8 promotion:

 I almost feel like I should be saying drumroll please.....

35 tickets for Boston

64 tickets for Darien Lake

 and 22 tickets for Rochester Hills

 
THE WAY WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE

[Pamela]

People in the News: Even good guys come under the gun

Angelina Jolie isn't the only do-gooder celebrity. Geek-turned-idol Clay Aiken co-founded the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, which aims to help disabled kids by spreading awareness and funding special programs.

Critics, though, have acted like hounds ready to chew up and spit out Aiken's efforts. You'd think that instead of criticizing a celebrity using his star power for a good cause, they'd focus on far-more-obnoxious stars who spend money washing their faces with Evian water or buying their fifth beachside mansion.

But, no. Critics point to an IRS document suggesting that the Bubel/Aiken Foundation raised more than $1 million, with less than a third going to grants, according to MSNBC.

But WRAL-TV in Aiken's hometown of Raleigh, N.C., consulted an independent accountant, who found that about 85 cents of every dollar donated went toward program services.

Also on WRAL-TV, foundation co-founder Diane Bubel said, "We're volunteering and doing something good, and all we hear is complaining."

SEATTLE PI

Alright!

[Pamela]

Excerpted from Viewfinder BLUES: Operation Idol
An account from a news photographer about filming Clay when he visited the governor's mansion in Raleigh at the conclusion of AI:

"Now Clay, if you could favor us with a few bars of a song from your upcoming album. Now I don't wanna plug your album..."

"OH! I'LL plug it !" the alleged singer gushed and chortled - in much the same manner Charles Nelson Reilly did back on Match Game 76.

Looking up at the oval of young faces staring down at him, Clay Aiken cleared his throat and for a moment gained the composure of someone totally enlightened and free.

"YES - YOU BELONG TO ME! I'M YOURS EXCLUSIVE-LEE-EEE"

With a force of nature unexpected from such a birdlike chest, Clay's voice rang out rich and true. Preteens and media jackals alike fell silent as his majestic voice filled ever crevice of the historical structure.

"INSEPARABLE IT SEEMS! WE'RE FLOWING LIKE A STREAM"

The VU meter on my camera pegged at precisely the right point, as my wireless microphone on Clay's collar captured every nuance of his incredibly powerful pipes.

"RUNNING FREE FLOWING - ON THE WINGS OF LO-O-O-VE"

Through my viewfinder I zoomed in on the rapturous expression that floated over the psuedo-celebritiy's visage. As he attacked the refrain with a voice that would send Jeffery Osbourne back to his singing coach, I followed his voice with my camera, panning up to the frozen throng of onlookers - their mouths forming tiny O's at the undeniable glory of this unlikely heartthrob's golden throat.

"TOGETHER , FLYING HI-I-I-GH!

FLY-ING HIGH UPON THE WINGS OF L-O-O-O-O-O-O-V-E!"

As the apparently seasoned showtune-belter wrung the last syllable for all it was worth, a collective gasp of serendipity floated over the frozen onlookers. Even the ivory-white busts of long-dead lawmakers seemed to smile and sigh. When the expertly bent final note finally echoed to a close, a burst of enthusiastic applause took over the room. I would have clapped myself had my hands not been full of badly-aging television equipment. Trying to regain my well-earned armor of nonchalance, I no longer wondered what made this jug-eared kid special in the eyes and ears of viewers. Simply put, the dude could WAIL - wherever the current craze took him, he would definitely earn his living with his golden pipes. And no doubt it would be a very good living indeed. For a moment I felt a bit foolish for having so heavily disparaged the American Idol juggernaut. But that feeling quickly turned to panic as the Governor dismissed quickly himself to a cadre of awaiting handlers. As the pack of media hounds surged toward Clay for the traditional torrent of questions and answers I couldn't help but notice my 'weak battery' light flashing furiously inside my viewfinder.

There was no time to switch out batteries however as well-dressed arms jammed logo'd-microphones under the singer's chin and the talking hair-do's took over. Through the pack I noticed a patch of canary yellow growing bigger as Cindy stretched by and reached over a fellow anchor-lady , finally clearing enough room to slither through. Her normally expertly-groomed appearance paid dearly in the process but the plucky veteran of a thousand newsroom wars wasn't going to let a few out-of-place hairs deny her 'The Get' she'd worked so long and hard for.

"So, Clay" - she continued as if the two were gossiping idly at the corner deli, "Tell us all about that mean nasty Simon..."

Read the rest at B-ROLL.NET

[Her]

Good morning Miss P....thanks for the news and have a starry kind of Saturday!

[Her]

Camera man....another testament to OMC's "IT" factor! thanks....

[Pamela]

Here's the full text of the article found by Micki and linked by Christie yesterday.  Thanks to you both!!

After Idol, Clay Aiken Measures Up

For a few select performers, "American Idol'' has become a dream vehicle through which to enter the music business. But the fact is, success on "American Idol'' doesn't guarantee popular contestants a place in mainstream music once they finish their run on the show.

Just ask Justin Guarini, who quickly faded from the public eye after finishing second to Kelly Clarkson in the inaugural 2002 season of the hit show.

Clay Aiken, who finished second to Ruben Studdard in 2003, embarked on the making of his debut CD, "Measure of a Man,'' knowing he needed to bring more to the table musically than he showed on "American Idol.''

"I think that with "American Idol,' you perform a lot of classic standards stuff, and a lot of times people come out of there wondering, "Will this person have the ability to compete in a mainstream market?'‚'' Aiken said. "I think that's what we were really trying to show with the album. Yeah, I sang "Build Me Up Buttercup' and "Solitaire' and "Mack the
Knife' on that show, but that's not all I can do.''

Whether fans see the songs on "Measure of a Man'' as adding a new dimension to the musical personality he established on "American Idol'' may be open to debate. But there's no arguing with the popularity Aiken … who along with Clarkson is a headliner at the upcoming Toms Riverfest event … continues to enjoy.

"Measure of a Man'' debuted in the fall of 2003 with first-week sales of 613,000, the second highest total ever behind Snoop Dogg's "Doggy Style'' CD. The record spent two weeks at No. 1, has now topped two million in sales, while its lead single, "Invisible,'' became a major hit. A holiday album Aiken released last fall, "Merry Christmas With Love,'' became the highest-debuting holiday release ever, opening at No. 4 on the Billboard magazine album chart and shipping more than one million copies.

It's all an amazing series of events for someone like Aiken, who never saw singing as anything other than a hobby.

The 25-year-old native of Raleigh, N. C., was an outgoing kid who first began crooning country tunes he heard around the house when he was all of 16 months old.

By age 5, visits to a local Sears store where his mother and stepfather worked would often result in shoppers giving the young Aiken a dollar to get up on counters or on carpet samples and sing. He sang at the Baptist church he attended and, not surprisingly, performed in musicals in high school.

But Aiken said he never thought of music for a career, and in fact was in the midst of earning a degree in education when everything changed. During college, he had begun working with autistic children. The mother of a boy Aiken worked with, Diane Bubel, had heard him sing during visits to her home, and she convinced Aiken to audition for "American Idol.''

"I was going to be a teacher,'' Aiken said. "That was my goal in life, to teach and to do that. I had my life planned out until I was 50 years old. I was going to be a teacher and maybe a principal at some point…Music was not in my five, 10, 20-year plan. And so I would have never auditioned had it not been for someone (Bubel) who convinced me to do it.''

Ironically, Aiken failed in his first audition for the Fox network affiliate in Charlotte. But Bubel convinced him to travel to Atlanta where national auditions were held. He made the show and emerged alongside Studdard as a leading contender to win "American Idol.''

In the season finale, viewers voted Studdard the winner by a margin of less than one percent, but Aiken's showing was easily strong enough to earn him his deal with RCA Records.

Teaching went on hold, and singing became the priority as Aiken went to work on "Measure of a Man'' with the help of label president and music industry legend Clive Davis and an impressive cast of songwriter/producers that included Desmond Child, Clif Magness (who was a major contributor to Avril Lavigne's debut CD), Rick Nowels (known for his work with Cher) and Steve Morales (familiar to many for his work with Christina Aguilera).

Despite the considerable involvement of such heavyweight outside talent, Aiken said he retained a good deal of control over the material that makes up "Measure of a Man.''

"I went in with standards that said, "I don't want to do this, I don't want to do that and I'm OK with doing this,'‚'' Aiken said.

"So they played me, like, 15, 16, 20 songs. I said, "I don't like this one. I don't like this one. I do like this one. This is the kind of sound I like. This is what I'm interested in doing.' And we all bought into the same type of vision that I have.''

ASBURY PARK PRESS

This is mainly a redux of the first CD, but it's a great article to promote the Toms Riverfest concert coming up in just 4 short days!

[Pamela]

Celebrities make special deliveries for Amazon.com's birthday

NEW YORK -- Clay Aiken lurked outside a house, Emmylou Harris stopped by a university, Nick Lachey dropped in on a stranger's workplace and Moby played with dogs while making special deliveries in honor of online retailer Amazon.com's 10th anniversary.

Over 10 days, 23 Amazon customers received a surprise visit from a celebrity associated with their order. "American Idol" runner-up Aiken dropped off his memoir, "Learning to Sing." Lachey delivered all three seasons of MTV's "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica" on DVD, while musicians Moby and Harris showed up with their CDs.

The moments were captured on tape and the videos are available to view on Amazon.com. Other celebrities who participated in the surprises included Harrison Ford, Don Cheadle, Jeff Bridges, Minnie Driver, Fat Joe and Michael J. Fox.

Says Aiken on his video clip: "It's very rare that you get to go up and meet fans and especially at their house and surprise them. To come and knock on somebody's door is kind of a neat experience." (AP)

MAINICHI MSN (JAPAN)

[Pamela]

It's not exactly what fans have been asking for for over two years now, but it's something!

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Suffering from American Idol withdrawals? Have no fear. The show's first four seasons are coming to DVD just in time for the holidays.

(snip)

DVD
'American Idol' hits high, low notes on DVD

American Idol is returning to DVD, this time in triplicate. Due Nov. 22 are three compilations of highlights from the show's first four seasons: The Best of American Idol, Seasons 1-4 ($20); The Worst of American Idol, Seasons 1-4 ($20); and a limited-edition gift set combining the two ($35).

Segments to be featured in the collections have yet to be determined, says Pete Kalhan of Fremantle Media, co-producer and licensor of American Idol.

"From some of the funniest auditions we've ever seen to the most inspiring performances, these DVDs will have it all," he says.

USA TODAY

[Pamela]

Clay will perform on Good Morning America Friday July 29.  If you are thinking about going, this may help make up your mind!

GOOD MORNING AMERICA CONCERT SERIES

STARRING: AMERICAN IDOL'S - CLAY AIKEN!

WIN VIP ACCESS

Keep listening to 95.5 'PLJ for the latest on the 2005 GMA Summer Concert series at Bryant Park in Manhattan (West 41st Street & 6th Ave) on Fridays from 7-9am. You do not need a ticket to attend.

However, if you'd like to receive VIP access close to the stage for an upcoming concert, you can qualify below.

(snip)

Entering to win Clay Aiken VIP access is easy!

If you are already a 'PLJ Loyal Listener, all you have to do is log in and enter! If you are not a member simply click on the link below and sign up to be a 'PLJ Loyal Listener!

Click HERE to enter yourself in the drawing.

Deadline to enter is July 27th at 12 Noon.

WPLJ 95.5 FM

[Pamela]

Clay's RCA website was recently updated to add this:

7-21-05 :: ONE.ORG
Clay supports ONE: The Campaign to make Poverty History. Check out their site at www.one.org

You can also read more about it in our GOOD DEEDS FORUM

Clay is donating a portion of his ticket sales in several cities to ONE.org.

[Pamela]

Something is definitely coming up on Access Hollywood!

They have now added a Clay Photo Gallery (mostly old pics, but that's OK!) to their website.  

Click on Calling All Claymates!

ACCESS HOLLYWOOD

[Pamela]

Here's an account from a fan who was in the audience at the Tonight Show, and got to give Jay Leno a very special gift...

OK, Everyone… I have a story to tell you……….

I went to see a taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno yesterday, as some of you might know. It was a TOTALLY AWESOME & GREAT experience… get comfy… LOL

I made up a certificate making Jay an Honorary Member of the CDB Board, got a frame for it, and took it with me to the show, along with a CDB pin. I tried mightily (while waiting HOURS outside in 100+ heat in line to get “up front”) to get an usher to get the certificate to Jay.

Well, no one would… they kept telling me they were not allowed, and I would have to take it home and mail it. NOT A CHANCE!!! Anyway, once they finally let all us wilted people into the nice, cool studio…. Hubby and I ended up in the SECOND ROW!!! It was totally cool.

Anyhow, there was this really nice security guard there talking to several of us and he was telling us Jay would come out for a warmup, etc., and I asked him if he could maybe get Jay the certificate and pin. He looked at it, said How Cool… I remember Clay when he was here, what a NICE guy he is!!!

Anyway, I asked if he could get it to him and he said he was not allowed, but that I could!! Long story short, he told me and a Cute Young Thing (CYT) behind me (who got more attention, trust me, but she was REALLY nice and REALLY excited) that Jay would come out and do a warmup, tell us about the show, make jokes, etc., and then would ask if anyone had any questions. CYT was supposed to jump up and ask if she could have a picture. I was supposed to then jump up, holding my wonderful framed certificate (yeah, right). Well, CYT missed her cue and Jay picked someone on the other side.

Then CYT jumped up and he picked her… then he went to the other side and we were running out of time, so guess who THEN jumped up, waiving the certificate and making a total fool out of herself!

Well, I guess Jay likes fools cuz he motioned for me to come up!!! I got to go on the Tonight Show stage!!!!! He said this looks interesting, I am getting another award!! I said not quite, but it WAS very special.

So I gave him the framed certificate, of course saying Clay Dream Believers VERY loudly (not THAT loudly), and I said because he supported Clay so well, we wanted him to have this special honor.

He was sooo cute, read it & stuff, then I gave him his Own Special CDB pin! He said he was honored… hahahaha, and then he said I already AM a member of the Clay Fan Club in this very dramatic voice… and some people up in the audience clapped really loud. He said Clay was a real nice guy!

By this time, I knew we were getting close to taping, and he said, OK, Picture Time… and we had our picture taken!!! He then said something to the effect of you will probably have it downloaded before you even get home!!! He then gave me a hug, and I floated back to my seat!!!

He was sooooo very nice and sooooo just really friendly. CYT behind me and I kept waiting for our pics to “develop” cuz they were fancy Polaroid type pictures… it was just sooooooooo awesome! The rest of the show was great, it was a lot of fun watching how they tape it. Jay never once left the stage once the taping started. All during commercials he was there, smiling at the audience, making faces, etc. It was just GREAT.

Brad Garrett is a mountain of a man… you think Clay has big feet, you should see Garrett’s. He was very entertaining and also friendly during commercials.

Kathy Griffin was Kathy… she was dissing Oprah a bit… found that rather interesting, but smiling all the while.

The musical guest, Phil Vassar, was really good! I was VERY pleasantly surprised. I kept thinking he was singing right to me… then realized CYT was right behind me… LOL. Anyhow, that is what happened The Day I Got My Picture Taken With Jay Leno On The Tonight Show Stage!!! SIGH.....By the way, that’s us below… LOL

Here's the picture. I put this in You can see Clay's picture in the corner
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/windtalker64/JudyandJayLeno.jpg

Posted by Windtalker at the Clackhouse.

[Pamela]

Visit the Writer's Corner for Dianne Austin's take on the TV Guide article.

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

[Pamela]

And......here's another take on the article.

CLAY IN TV GUIDE

[lorraine]

PAM THANKS FOR THE NEWS.  MY DAY HAS FINALLY BEGUN.  LOVE THE NEW AVIE.  DO WE KNOW WHEN CLAY WILL BE ON ACCESS HOLLYWOOD?

WILL CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.  HAVE A WONDEFUL WEEKEND.

HUGS
MRS. RAINEY AIKEN

[lorilovesgolf]

A little Clay in my newspaper, The Sun Herald, this morning:

 Posted on Fri, Jul. 22, 2005
 
 
 

Stars deliver in honor of Amazon.com

Associated Press


NEW YORK - Clay Aiken lurked outside a house, Emmylou Harris stopped by a university, Nick Lachey dropped in on a stranger's workplace and Moby played with dogs while making special deliveries in honor of online retailer Amazon.com's 10th anniversary.

Over 10 days, 23 Amazon customers received a surprise visit from a celebrity associated with their order. "American Idol" runner-up Aiken dropped off his memoir, "Learning to Sing." Lachey delivered all three seasons of MTV's "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica" on DVD, while musicians Moby and Harris showed up with their CDs.

The moments were captured on tape and the videos are available to view on Amazon.com. Other celebrities who participated in the surprises included Harrison Ford, Don Cheadle, Jeff Bridges, Minnie Driver, Fat Joe and Michael J. Fox.

Says Aiken on his video clip: "It's very rare that you get to go up and meet fans and especially at their house and surprise them. To come and knock on somebody's door is kind of a neat experience."

ON THE NET

Sorry Pamela, I see where you posted this article already - I just got so excited seeing Clay's name in my daily newspaper!!

[ANGELA]

GREAT NEWS TODAY--THANKS DEANNA & PAMELA---I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK & EFFORT ON THE ANN.

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY EVERYONE!!

ANGELA

[Marilyn]

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INTERESTING ARTICLES

DIANE AUSTIN IS A VERY SWEET AND ASTUTE PERSON. I MET HER IN CHARLOTTE- AND SHE IS JUST A BIG A FAN AS ANYONE, AS YOU CAN TELL BY ALL SHE WRITES ABOUT CLAY.


LETS JUST SEE HOW CLAY REACTS ON THE BEGINNING OF HIS NEW TOUR- I AM SURE HE WILL FEED OFF OUR JOY AND IT WILL ELEVATE HIS OWN- AND HE WILL BE SINGING AGAIN- WHICH WE KNOW HE LOVES


I AM SOOOOOOO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!!

[Pamela]

Sorry Pamela, I see where you posted this article already - I just got so excited seeing Clay's name in my daily newspaper!!

No problem Lori.  Too much Clay is better than not enough Clay.

Or something like that!  Thanks for posting!