AIKEN NEWS NETWORK JANUARY 24

[Pamela]

"Keep in mind that great love and great achievements involve great risk."
-Anonymous

Okay, but whatever you do, don't risk going into debt to get that elusive front row concert ticket!

Today is the official ticket release day, so let's all hope they held back some good seats for us!  (Because the only seats that came up for Raleigh yesterday were pretty craptastic!)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Let's get to the news!

BOBBLEHEADS ARE COMING!

[Pamela]

CLAY AIKEN SIGNED CD GIVEAWAY!

Women's Basketball vs. Maryland
Sunday, January 25th, 1:00pm

Be sure to arrive early to Reynolds Coliseum when the NC State
Women's Basketball Team hosts the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday,
January 25th at 1:00pm. Throughout the game, join Clay's brother,
Brett Parker, as he helps us announce lucky winners of the signed
copies of the new Clay Aiken CD.

GO PACK LINK

[Pamela]

RUBEN AND CLAY ON WHEEL OF FORTUNE!

"Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken" will be featured as a puzzle on the February 23rd, 2003 episode of Wheel of Fortune!

This year marks the 21st season of this game show, which is television's #1-rated series in syndication. With over 16 million viewers daily, airing in 207 markets representing more than 99% of the United States, it provides a great opportunity to get the word out about Ruben and Clay!

From the Fan Club.

[Pamela]

CLAY RADIO IS BACK UP

Message from clayaikenforums.com:

As of right now we are only letting on 50 people at a time with a
limit of 3 hours of listening time before it boots you off and you
have to reconnect. The reason for this is because we want to monitor
the bandwidth usage very carefully so we don't have what happen last
time. We will slowly be bumping up the listener count to where it was
before and taking the limit off!

[Pamela]

THOUGHTS ON SPORTS WORLD AND BEYOND

- Really, I like Clay Aiken as much as the next guy, but ... well, is it necessary to play his song on the radio a bazillion times per day? The lyrics are slightly unnerving anyway: If I was invisible, then I could just watch you in your room. That’s really comforting.
Beyond that, however, when you’ve heard it as much as I have ... well, it starts to get stuck in your head. And then you start analyzing it. And that’s when Clay has finally gotten to you. -   Speaking of Clay, could Ruben Studdard get a new songwriter? It pains me to hear someone with a voice that golden singing things like “I’m Sorry, 2004.”

COURIER HERALD LINK

[Pamela]

More mathematically musical details.

I mentioned yesterday that Invisible had dropped off the Top 50 Hot Singles Billboard chart.   Invisible was #48 and fell to #63 on the chart.

Invisible holds still on the Adult Contemporary chart at #11.

[Pamela]

JUSTIN GUARINI, WE HARDLY KNEW YA

I couldn't help but watch some of the awful "talent" trying out for the latest installment of "American Idol" this week.
Yes, awful and talent can go in the same sentence, at least, I've decided so, because I think it truly takes a talent to be that awful. I was really, really embarrassed for some of those people. Fortunately for those people, they were not.

(snip)

Because we all know now after watching the show's second season that coming in second place is not a death warrant.

Clay Aiken managed to put his album out before winner Ruben Studdard finished recording his. And the Nickelodeon/MTV boppers are eating it up with a spoon. Less than a year after Cowell said he couldn't believe such a great voice was coming out of such a nerdy package, Aiken was a pin-up across America.
He's got a video in heavy rotation and Studdard is doing well with his on full length release now on shelves.

NEW JERSEY .COM

[Pamela]

IDOLATRY'S COMING TO THE ARENA

By Howrd Cohen

American Idol season one winner Kelly Clarkson and season two runner-up (and, by all signs, the real winner) Clay Aiken have joined together for a co-headlining tour and Miami's got 'em. The idols play the AmericanAirlines Arena on Feb. 28. Tickets are $46.50 and $36.50 and are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. Claymates, start the countdown. (As for season two winner Ruben Studdard, he's set to host his own tour soon.)

MIAMI HERALD LINK

[Pamela]

CLAY INTERVIEW ON THE BERT SHOW - Q100 IN ATLANTA

Clay will be in the studio for The Bert Show next Tuesday January 27 at 7:45 AM.  Attention all Atlanta area Claymaniacs:

And CLAY AIKEN fans get ready. On Monday we'll explain how YOU can win the opportunity to interview Clay IN STUDIO!!

Q100 ATLANTA LINK

[Pamela]

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WAKE UP WAKEFIELD REPEATS TONIGHT

Remember that cute skit you probably downloaded from SNL - the one where the student played by Maya Rudolph was such a Claygirl?

Guest host was Elijah Wood and he was in the skit looking all like Justin Guarini?

It was hilarious, and it's repeating tonight!  So tune in if you missed it the first time!

SNL - NBC - 11:30 PM EST

[Pamela]

CLAY ON LARRY KING LIVE JANUARY 25

Sunday, January 25
'Idol' chat with Ryan, Clay and Ruben
"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest sounds off on everything from Michael Jackson to Britney Spears. Plus, Larry talks with "American Idol" sensations Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard.

This may be a compilation of repeat footage from the past.  At this time, it's not listed on CLAY'S WEBSITE.

LARRY KING LIVE

[Pamela]

MORE LENO (IF YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH)

In some areas, The Tonight Show repeats a week later in the early morning hours.  So, the January 21 appearance may be repeated a week later on NBC at 2:05am. So Wednesday January 28 (which is really Thursday morning) at 2:05am you can watch again, or tape it if you missed the first time.

Check your local listings for details!

[Pamela]

ARE 'AMERICAN IDOLS' REAL MUSIC STARS?

We asked Rolling Stone music editor Joe Levy for his take on the "Idol" phenomenon.

AAS: Can "American Idol" keep pumping No. 1 recording artists onto the Billboard charts?

JL: They can and they have-so far, with Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, and Clay Aiken. Clay and Ruben's records debuted at No. 1, but neither will challenge 50 Cent or Outkast in terms of sales. Both will do phenomenally well for debut artists because most new recording artists don't have a built in audience of 19-25 million people.

AAS: But how many "American Idol" winners can the record buying public support? Won't recording executives balk if the next Idol's record bombs?

JL:Record companies will keep rolling the dice as long as the show has an audience because those viewers will keep the records from being complete disasters. But you can't talk about "American Idol" in terms of music. It's reality television.

AAS: Do any of the winners have music careers beyond their first, TV promoted release?

JL: Very few people have long term carees in the music business. These people are mainly TV phenomenons.

AAS: As a music critic, what do you think of the "American Idol" records to date?

JL: Clarkson's record was suprisingly good and did moderately well; Aiken's record is absolutely professional but hardly inspired. It's a middle-of-the-road album that has been a suprising success. Studdard's record is a suprising disappointment that's been a moderate success. Of all the "American Idol" contestants, Ruben wasn't just in love with being famous. He's passionate and knowledgeable about soul, hip hop, and R&B...but he's made a record that, sadly, is not a reflection of the depth of his passion.

NO LINK -From the January 20, 2004 edition of the "Austin American Statesman's" Life & Arts Section.  Thanks to FlipFlopChick at the Clackhouse.

[outthereforclay]

Of all the "American Idol" contestants, Ruben wasn't just in love with being famous.

Interesting...I've never really thought of Clay as being "in love" with being famous, although I know he loves the new-found attention flattering---yet at the same time bittersweet---since it also includes his loss of anonymity.

But I think it's ironic that Ruben is being referred to here as NOT being in love with being famous...he DID drop out of college after only 3 years in order to pursue this music dream, after all.

And, correct me if I'm wrong 8) , but didn't I read somewhere about that "scrawny sidekick" of his working independently and simultaneously during the American Idol madness to finish his college degree? :D

Sounds to me as if Clay is more in love with making a difference rather than being famous. But hey! It's all good, dawg! :