AIKEN NEWS NETWORK OCT 27

[clayMaine-iac]

Good Morning everyone!!

Today's Christian Reader: November/December 2005

Clay Aiken became a superstar on TV's American Idol, but this Christian kid from North Carolina insists he'll always stay true to himself and to God. Look beyond the TV glitz and glamour and see the real Clay Aiken in this issue of Today's Christian Reader!

Inside this issue you'll find:

Heart of Clay
Clay Aiken became a superstar on TV's American Idol, but this Christian kid from North Carolina insists he'll always stay true to himself and to God.

Yahoo Store

[clayMaine-iac]

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation Showcases Success With New Look

The Bubel/Aiken Foundation (TBAF) recently announced an updated look including a foundation logo and Web site. Since its inception in 2003, TBAF has served to bring full inclusion to children with disabilities into all society has to offer. TBAF has accomplished major strides including Camp Gonzo, a summer camp program that brings the YMCA experience to children with disabilities. The new branding program showcases the accomplishments of the Foundation by centering on the children whose lives programs like Camp Gonzo have enhanced.

Read the rest at ©TBAF


©TBAF

[clayMaine-iac]

FYI :: Jacob's CD is scheduled to be released November 1st. 

Details will be available at his website, also scheduled to go live on or before November 1: 

http://www.jacobluttrell.com

[clayMaine-iac]

Attn: Fan Club Members!

10/26/05 / New Joyful Noise Meet & Greets!!

We have confirmed meet & greet events for the following performances:

November 16 Denver, CO
November 18 Council Bluffs, IA
November 19 Kansas City, MO
November 21 Minneapolis, MN
November 22 Chicago, IL
November 25 Louisville, KY
November 26 Cincinnati, OH
November 27 Youngstown, OH
November 29 Pittsburgh, PA
November 30 Reading, PA

If you are planning on attending any of the Joyful Noise 2005 shows listed above, you can sign up now in the "Tour" section of the fanclub for the Meet and Greet location of your choice and get the chance to meet Clay Aiken in person!

10 lucky winners for each show date will be chosen at random to meet Clay!!!  Entrants must have tickets to the show to enter the Meet and Greet. Signups for the meet & greets listed above close at 10 a.m. PST on 11/07/2005.

Stay tuned to the news for the latest on meet & greets for Joyful Noise 2005 - there are more dates to follow!!

OFC

[clayMaine-iac]

Never mind the fact that Axl Rose hasn't been seen in years — not since his reconfigured Guns N' Roses pulled out of their 2002 tour with eight stops to go. Forget that Guns N' Roses haven't released fresh material in more than six years (the track "Oh My God" appeared on the "End of Days" soundtrack in 1999). None of that matters to the teenage readers of Ellegirl magazine.

To them, even though Axl hasn't been a blip on pop culture's proverbial radar for years, he's still rad.

According to the results of the magazine's latest poll, which can be found in the new "Cool" issue, Rose, at the ripe age of 43, is one of the world's coolest old people. He ranked second in the survey (that's 10,000 girls worldwide, with about 4,000 of them U.S. citizens), right behind top vote-getter "grandparents." Whose grandparents? Everyone's grandparents, it seems.

Called "The Second Annual International Cool Survey," the poll covers all the basics — coolest couple, coolest guy celeb, coolest band, and coolest person to be stuck in an elevator with (that person being Clay Aiken), among other categories.

MTV.COM

[clayMaine-iac]

From the Clayboard:

BREAKING NEWS FOR NORTHWEST FANS

[clayMaine-iac]

NOTABLE SHOWS
Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2005

UPCOMING SHOWS

Nov 6 Clay Aiken, McCaw Hall

SEATTLEWEEKLY

[clayMaine-iac]

From the Ideal Idol:

CLAYZHEIMERS

[clayMaine-iac]

It's closing time for Charlotte Coliseum
TOM SORENSEN

He was here when the Charlotte Hornets came and left and when the Charlotte Bobcats arrived. He was here for Frank Sinatra, and Frank Brickowski, for MC Hammer and Clay Aiken, for Mother Teresa and George Shinn.

Adonis "Sporty" Jeralds was assistant manager of the Charlotte Coliseum when the building opened in 1988 and manager since 1990. In his office Tuesday afternoon is a pile of T-shirts, caps and posters he has collected in 17 years here. He would give them to the 300 ushers and ticket-takers he invited to the Coliseum's farewell party Tuesday night.

CHARLOTTE.COM

[clayMaine-iac]

'American Idol' is the proven short cut to fame
Fri Oct 21, 2005
by Steve Holsey
For New Pittsburgh Courier

LaToya London, who was the fourth place winner in the third season of “American Idol,” made an impressive first-week appearance on the national R&B and Pop sales charts with her introductory album, “Love & Life.” Which is not a surprise considering the popularity of the show. (snip)

Clay Aiken, who was narrowly defeated by Ruben Studdard, in the second season, enjoyed platinum success with his introductory album, “Measure of a Man.” Unfortunately, a lot of Black people turned it into a racial issue. I, for one, like Ruben a lot (he was nicknamed “the Velvet Teddy Bear” by celebrity guest judge Gladys Knight), but I believe that Aikin is a better and more versatile singer. I don’t believe in voting by race.

NEWPITTSBURGHCOURIER

[clayMaine-iac]

I miss my Morning Buddy and I hope to hear from her soon!!

I am sending best wishes to all our Florida members!

Here you go:

[ANGELA]

I miss me Morning Buddy and I hope to hear from her soon!!

I am sending best wishes to all our Florida members!

Here you go:

I HEAR YOU DEANNA,  I MISS HER TOO & ALL OUR OTHER FLORIDAIN CLAYMANIACS.

THANKS FOR THE NEWS DEANNA & HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.

 HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!!

ANGELA

[stargazer]

Good morning Deanna and Angela.
Thanks for the news Deanna.
If you all hear from the claymaniacs from Florida let us know.
Hoping they are all okay.

 Here is coffee and cookies for the rest to enjoy
 
 

[ILClaymate]

Good morning Maniacs! 

Colonial Theatre set to 'Get The Led Out'

<snip>
Playing keyboards and guitar that'll give the audience the full Led Zeppelin feel is Paul Hammond. Not only is Hammond a professional musician, but he's also a producer/engineer, songwriter and owner of Fat City Studios in Blue Bell, Pa. He worked with former Hooters member Eric Bazilian on the Clay Aiken 2004 hit "Invisible."

PHOENIXVILLE NEWS

[ILClaymate]

Do you have extra concert tickets that you would like to donate?  Click below for more information.

THEWAYWEMAKEADIFFERENCE

[ILClaymate]

Ms Marmalade from CH

Full article from Vancouver Sun (available only to subscribers) accompanied by yummy picture from GMA:

Quote:
American Idol loser one of show's biggest winners
If adoration and record sales are the measure of success, the singer's album is double-platinum and his 'Claymates' legion

Elaine Corden
Special to the Sun

October 27, 2005

At 10:30 on a recent Saturday night, there are 198 people on the "Clayboard," perusing some 3,124,421 posts made by the board's 12,630 registered members. The posters have screen names like "WhatWouldClayDo?" and "Claysladylove" and they post with astonishing regularity. The topics range from the functional ("Tour Dates 2005") to the inane ("What do u think Clay's favourite colour is?"), to the downright disturbing ("How many freckles do you think Clay has?").

There is fan fiction, artwork, picture-trading and prayer circles, from devotees (usually women) who range from 18 (the site is adults-only) to 81 years old. The fans, or "Claymates" as they have dubbed themselves, speak in a sort of obsessive Esperanto, wishing each other a "Happy Birthclay" and referring to Clay pictures as "Clack," a derivative of "crack" and "Clay." To say it was over-the-top would be an understatement.

It has been more than two years since Aiken, who starts his Joyful Noise Christmas tour in Vancouver this week, found his way into North American homes via the Fox network's ratings juggernaut, American Idol. Awkward, jug-eared, and looking like a hybrid of Howdy Doody and Ritchie Cunningham, Aiken's Broadway-ready voice and dorky appeal distinguished him immediately from the hoards of half-topped honeys and preening players that normally make the AI cut.

Aside from the normal throngs of tween girls that follow the show, Aiken's southern grace and mild-mannered demeanour won him adult fans as well, and soon grandmothers and granddaughters alike were side by side in their love of the red-headed singer, voting in droves to keep him on the show each week.

As most of are now aware, Aiken did not prevail on Idol, losing to the girthful Ruben Studdard in the final vote. But today, if adoration and record sales are the measure of post-Idol success, it is Aiken who stands the victor, with a double platinum album, and, more to the point, a legion of fans whose devotion evokes the hysteria of Beatlemania.

While "Claymates" might argue that Aiken's voice, which is often found crooning FM soft-rock and MoR ballads, is the reason for his immense popularity, there is something, surely, larger at work.

Over the phone from L.A., Aiken, fresh from the dentist's office, seems as flummoxed by any other outsider by the enthusiasm of his fans.

"We don't call them 'crazy,' " says Aiken in his famously endearing North Carolina twang."We call them energetic. You know what? That's probably been the biggest blessing. Of course, I went on American Idol, and that was a big blessing, and then having an album was a blessing, and being able to go on tour and all that was great. But probably the most surprising thing is that more than 10 people actually want to hear [me] and that more than 10 people have stuck around for so long. "

He's surely underestimating. Two years on from Idol, Aiken is still selling out shows and inspiring adoration.

"What's amazing, as well, is more than 10 people have gotten passionate about what I'm passionate about. I work with UNICEF, and I work with a foundation that I help start for children and people with disabilities. It's amazing that people donate not just their money, they donate their time, they talk about it to other people. It's just amazing."

He sounds genuinely bewildered.

Elaine Corden is a Vancouver freelance writer.

- CLAYMOTION

From the message boards of ClaytonAiken.com (an unofficial Clay Aiken fan site):

"I pray for Clay and his family everyday. I wish I knew specifically what he would want prayers for, but I know God knows."

-- nebclayfan. Posts: 1134

"Today I feel like talking about Clay's Neck . . . specifically that patch of tender, smooth white skin on his throat between the ending of his beard and the beginning of his chest hair. . . . It looks tasty."

-- Georgia Girl. Posts: 1043

Ran with fact box "Claymotion", which has been appended to the end of the story.

© The Vancouver Sun 2005

[ILClaymate]

Posted at CV
Link not provided as we don't want to give them any hits
Claymaniacs mention....

Music Previews
Idol’s Aiken more than proud to be a mama’s boy
By deena cox

Publish Date: 27-Oct-2005


Clay Aiken talks like Dr. Phil, acts like Mister Rogers, and looks like Alfred E. Neuman. He’s the freckle-faced kid from Raleigh, North Carolina, who parlayed a loss on American Idol into a career belting out androgynous love songs, Broadway-style. He is the Barry Manilow of a new generation, adored by a growing army of Claymates and reviled by music critics everywhere. According to a Mike Usinger review of Aiken’s 2004 Xmas album, Merry Christmas With Love, he also bears a passing resemblance to Scut Farkus, the “über-hideous” bully from the cult-classic movie A Christmas Story. In that review, Usinger suggests one way to make the horrendous collection of holiday songs more palatable would be the “mental image of Ralphie Parker taking out Aiken’s eye with a geniune Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle”. When told about the write-up, Aiken lowers his annoyingly upbeat facade for just a moment to go Donald Trump on Usinger’s ass, questioning his reputation and suggesting he be fired for taking pot shots at an album that clearly should command the respect of all mankind.

In a conversation punctuated with outbursts of maniacal laughter, rhetorical questions, and more sloppy gushes than a Slurpee machine, Aiken, 27, is clearly most comfortable chatting about his being named the world’s most-beloved reality television star by TV Guide. Or how he’s cast his Grade 9 choir teacher in one of the lead roles in the theatrical component of his upcoming Joyful Noise tour. He’s not terribly interested in talking about music, however. With no new original songs since his post-Idol debut effort, Measure of a Man (2003), Aiken seems unconcerned about milking Merry Christmas With Love for another holiday-season tour.

“Well, we did the Christmas album last year, so why would we do another one?” he quips, on the phone from tour rehearsals in Los Angeles. “We can’t do a new Christmas album every year now, can we? It’s Christmas. Christmas doesn’t change every year, does it? It’s always on the same day—at least it is here in the U.S.”

Claymaniacs will most certainly ensure this tour, which kicks off at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Wednesday (November 2), will sell out city after city. After all, they seem more taken by Aiken’s twitchy left eye and over-the-top stage presence than his musical chops. Seas of fans swinging, swaying, and screaming as he belts out saccharine versions of “Joy to the World” and “Winter Wonderland” are a residual perk of Aiken entering the industry via a show that is as focused on the personalities of its contestants as it is on their talent, or lack thereof. His continuing success can be attributed to the millions of American Idol votes cast by lonely housewives who saw Aiken as the scrawny little good guy who deserved a break. He could rap about dead puppies and earthworm-flavoured ice-cream while playing a banjo with his dong and these same people would still buy his records and go to his gigs. Aiken is grateful for their unwavering encouragement.

“I could probably sit here and talk to you for an hour and a half about how fortunate I feel, but [my fans], without a doubt, are my favourite thing,” confesses Aiken, who recently started his own foundation to assist kids with developmental disabilities, and currently serves as a UNICEF celebrity ambassador. “They are extremely supportive and sometimes they think they’re my mamas. I get letters saying ‘I’m worried you’re not eating enough, are you getting enough sleep?’ But that’s sort of flattering, too, because it shows how much they care. I can’t complain.”

[Pamela]

Over the past few months, Bonnie Markowski collected board and other lapel pins in order to offer them up for auction to benefit the Bubel/Aiken Foundation.  The time is here!  Check these three links to see what is surely a pin lover's dream, and bid if you are interested!

eBay Pin Auction #1

eBay Pin Auction #2

eBay Pin Auction #3