AIKEN NEWS NETWORK JANUARY 18

[Pamela]

"Each today, well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of
happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life."
--Sanskrit poem

I hope this Sunday is the masterpiece of your week.

Here is some news!

CONFIRMED

Clay will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live February 7!

APPEARANCE PAGE

Thanks to patti for the confirmation!

[Pamela]

'AMERICAN IDOL' VETS CLAY AIKEN AND KELLY CLARKSON TEAM FOR ARENA TOUR

by Rob Evans
liveDaily Editor
January 16, 2004 03:37 PM
- Kelly Clarkson, who won the 2002 Fox-TV talent competition "American Idol," and Clay Aiken, who was 2003's runner-up, are set to join forces for a 30-city tour of U.S. arenas.  
    
The outing launches on Feb. 24 in Charlotte, NC, and runs through mid-April, RCA Records announced on Friday (1/16). Aiken and Clarkson will alternate as headliners. "I'm really pumped about touring with Clay and can't wait to get out and see all the fans," said Clarkson, who is nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Female Pop Vocal Category this year, said in a statement. Said Aiken: "Kelly and I are thrilled about sharing a stage for this momentous next step in both of our careers."

Clarkson's single "A Moment Like This/Before Your Love" picked up a Billboard Music Award for best-selling single of 2002, and her debut album, "Thankful," entered The Billboard 200 album chart at No. 1 in April of 2003. Aiken's debut album, "Measure of a Man," entered The Billboard 200 album chart at No. 1 in October. It houses the single "This is the Night," which was 2003's top-selling single. The "Thankful" and "Measure of a Man" albums have sold more than 3 million copies apiece in the U.S., according to RCA. "American Idol" returns for its third season on Monday (1/19).

LIVE DAILY LINK

I'm assuming the bolded sentence is an error.  They need a new fact checker!

[Pamela]

HERE COMES THE JUDGE(S)

The American Idol judges were on hand to talk about the latest installment of their show, which begins at 7 p.m. Monday on Channel 10. And, just like with the show itself, the only real reason to watch was Simon Cowell.

It's not that Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson aren't entertaining. It's that . . . wait. Yes it is. They aren't particularly entertaining. And while Cowell's act gets old, at least he's a good quote. To wit: Asked which popular-music stars are good looking he said, "Well, Britney is cute, isn't she? Beyonce is good looking. Jennifer Lopez is good looking. Madonna used to be good looking."

Jackson immediately objected, asking, "You think she's beyond it now?"

"She's a housewife," Cowell replied.

All three judges, by the way, said they thought Clay Aiken, the runner-up in the last competition, was a lot more ambitious than his aw-shucks personality implied.

"I honestly think Clay Aiken has changed this competition forever," Cowell said. "I think he did, because I think it's becoming incredibly personality-led now, inevitably."

Good to know.

It was nice to hear that Cowell likes the same thing about the show that the rest of us do, even if most people won't admit it.

"If I'm talking personally, forget being involved on the show," he said. "I wouldn't watch the show unless there were loads of bad people, because that's what I like watching."

Who doesn't?

AZ CENTRAL LINK

[Pamela]

AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE DELIVERS THE UGLY TRUTH
 

By BILL BRIOUX, Sun Media HOLLYWOOD -- Don't just sing pretty, look pretty. That's the word from Simon Cowell, the bitchy Brit judge and American Idol's greatest headline grabber.
(snip)
Last time out, beefy teddy bear Ruben Studdard edged Alfred E. Newman-clone Clay Aiken. The two may have turned American Idol into Average Joe Idol. "Clay Aiken has changed this show forever," said Cowell, who imitated for critics how last year's runner-up would grab other contestants' hands and swoon before every vote. Judge Randy Jackson, who looks like he's lost weight, said Aiken should be given credit for spiffing up his image since the series ended. After all, he's currently outselling Studdard in the record stores. "Clay has had the Ryan Seacrest makeover," cracked Jackson, taking a shot at Idol's over-styled host.

OTTAWA SUN LINK

[Pamela]

'AMERICAN IDOL' SET FOR THIRD SEASON

 Joanne WeintraubE-MAIL  |  ARCHIVE   
Hollywood - For the record, at Fox's "American Idol" session Friday, it took less than three minutes for Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson to start acting like tall, well-dressed, preposterously overpaid children.

Appearing before critics to promote the third season of the monster hit, which premieres next week (7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Channel 6), the three talent judges were asked about the fact that "a couple of ordinary-looking guys," as the questioner put it, had won last year's "American Idol" sing-off and the recent "World Idol" competition.

Ordinary-looking? The irrepressibly snarky Cowell begged to differ: The "World Idol" winner "wasn't ordinary-looking," Cowell protested, "he was ugly!"  Abdul, giggling naughtily: "Simon said he looked like a Hobbit!"
Cowell, warming to his subject: "He was really, really ugly!" Jackson, indignantly: "Ugly? He was not ugly! (The audience choice of the 'World Idol' winner) says not everyone has to look like a quote-unquote pop star!"

Cowell, firmly: "I can take it as it comes, (but) we have ugly people on that show! It just so happens that the people with personalities right now are ugly! It would be nice to have some cuter people on the show!"
But Cowell may not get his wish - at least, not if it means tinkering with a winning formula.

With last year's "Idol" and its winner and runner-up, extra-large Ruben Studdard and pint-size Clay Aiken, having scored huge successes, co-executive producer Ken Warwick said he'd be foolish to make too many changes this time around.

"There's a lot to be said for the 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' school of thought."  If the judges couldn't agree on how the singers looked, they did, surprisingly, agree on how too many of them sounded: gimmicky.
Jackson blamed the gospel influence for what he believes is an overemphasis on vocal pyrotechnics. Cowell said he longed to hear someone come before the judges with the effortless vocal style of, say, the late Nat King Cole.

"It's like a breath of fresh air when someone comes in and sings pure melody," Abdul agreed. And, in a moment of rare humility, the three pop professionals even reflected that perhaps they themselves were not blameless in encouraging flash and frills over stylistic elegance and purity of tone.

"I think the audience is probably a better judge of singing talent than we are," Jackson admitted. They also were in agreement about the increasing role that theatrical gestures have played in "American Idol" - not just those of the ever-hammy judges, but those of the contestants, too.

Jackson and Abdul smiled knowingly as Cowell called last year's Studdard and Aiken "incredibly media-savvy." Cowell noted with amusement that the diminutive Aiken, whose aw-shucks, country-boy demeanor made him a crowd favorite, liked to clutch at other contestants in exaggerated agony as important results were about to be announced. "And he absolutely knew he wouldn't lose," Cowell said with a laugh.

Speaking of losers, were there any particularly horrible songs in the weeks of preliminary judging the trio recently endured?
"Oh, yes, that Disney song," Cowell said, staring into the middle distance as if remembering dental surgery or childbirth. " 'A Whole New World.' Yes."

JS ONLINE LINK

[Pamela]

CLAY FEATURED IN PEOPLE YEARBOOK 2004

The American Idol winner and runner-up became fast friends

Considering the photo-finish ending in may that had some fans crying foul – Studdard beat out Aiken by a mere percentage point to become the second American Idol – the two amateur pop singers, both 25, should have been as chilly to each other as Bush and Gore.

Instead, the rivals embraced, went on the AI tour together and even made plans to do a movie (as had '02 predecessors Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini). An Alabama native weighing in at some 360lbs., Studdard was hailed by Jay Leno as "the sumo of soul." A former music-ed major at Alabama A&M university, Aiken declared, "I'm on a new fork in the road." one with some happy twists. His summer hit "This is the Night" became one of the year's biggest-selling singles. But he refused to crow, and the competing idols did not become dueling egos. He and Studdard are "very supportive of each other," said Aiken. "He's a friend of mine, plain and simple."

Two more errors in this People mention.  Where do I apply for a fact checker job?

[Pamela]

15 THINGS CLAY-MOMS LOVE

  1. "He's a son every mom wants."
   2. "It's nice to listen to music where you can actually understand the words and the musicians are not shouting or swearing."
   3. "Clay appears to be a sensitive, caring, down-to-earth spiritual man. I would be very happy if my son turned out to be just like him."
   4. "I want him to marry my daughter."
   5. "I see the joy in my 4-year-old son's eyes when Clay is on. Clay makes my son happy; he makes me happy."
   6. "He was going to be a special ed teacher; he wanted to make a difference in the world."
   7. "I was struck by his intelligence. I was struck by his sense of humor, his wit and his humility. I was struck with his caring about other people and his wanting to stay true to himself."
   8. "He's got more wisdom, grace and confidence in his 25 years than most 40-year-olds have."
   9. "I haven't felt this crazy since Ringo Starr."
   10. "He gets to you. Goosebumps, at my age!"
   11. "He knows how to put a song over."
   12. "He doesn't need to sing about sex to prove a point."
   13. "'Bridge Over Troubled Waters:' He rips me apart when he sings that."
   14. "His mother brought him up wonderful."
   15. "The family that Clays together stays together."

   Source: Mid-Hudson women interviewed after the Buzz posted an inquiry looking for Clay-Moms.

   
RECORD ONLINE LINK

[houstonclayfan]

Where do I apply for a fact checker job?

I would be more than happy to be one of your references.

[Pamela]

I would be more than happy to be one of your references.

Thanks Houston!  I may have to take you up on that.    :

[Pamela]

BOBBLEHEAD NEWS

A limited number (less than 1000) Clay bobbleheads will be made available through the BAF store in the near future.  Check often so you don't miss them!  Here is the link; it's also located in the CLAY LINKS thread stickied at the top of the News & Appearances forum.

THE BAF STORE

[Sundancer]

I hope this Sunday is the masterpiece of your week.

Pamela,
That's such a wonderful and touching sentiment. Thanks!  :D

[songbird457]

15. "The family that Clays together stays together."

yes, I do believe this is the best fact on there. I really think that I am slowly Clayverting my mom and my dad - hehe.