AIKEN NEWS NETWORK FEBRUARY 4

[Pamela]

Happy Hump Day!

Today's words of wisdom:

"Don't squat with your spurs on."  -Will Rogers

Figuratively or literally.

 : RISE AND SHINE!  IT'S CLAY AIKEN TIME!  :

TIPS TO KEEP SUPER BOWL SAFE, SOUND

Paul Tagliabue, the commissioner of the NFL, would have us believe that he -- and everyone else even remotely connected with the National Football League -- is shocked, I say shocked, about the ending to the Super Bowl's halftime show.

(snip)

Sorry, Fox. Tags and Co. have crossed over the line, so expect at least a one-year backlash. We are returning to the kind of entertainment that our grandparents claim they loved. And, yes, the Cheap Seats is here to help by providing a list that just reeks of wholesomeness:

Top 10 Wholesome Performers for Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime

8. Clay Aiken. Who says we don't have something for today's generation -- as long as he promises to do something about his hair.

ORLANDO SENTINEL (registration required)

What took them so long to think of this? And how nice, that by keeping this in the media, the perpetrators achieve their purpose.   :

[Pamela]

Moam was not in the Top 50 for sales last week according to the final Hits Daily Double numbers today.  Hopefully when Soundscan tallies the final sales numbers he will reappear somewhere on the chart.

There have been some reports that the CD was out of stock in several places.  I hope the non availability of stock is not the reason MoaM fell off the Top 50 sales chart this week.

I have a feeling it's because everyone was waiting until this week because of the Operation Val Day event this week. Which is one reason I don't really agree with these fan sponsored buying frenzies.

I did post about it, and I will support it because I feel like the majority of our members here do. But it looks like it may have hurt Clay this week.

Personally, I would have rather seen him been anywhere on the chart both weeks rather than off the chart one week and back on the next.

Just my opinion. I gotta be me!   :roll:

[Pamela]

Today is the last opportunity you will have to see the VH1 All Access special.  Until they decide to rerun it anyway!

Wednesday February 4

03:00 pm EST
11:00 pm EST
 
VH1 All Access: Spotlight Clay Aiken – VH-1

[Pamela]

A GENTLE REMINDER

Be sure and check The Polling Place thread for information on how to support The Way on national countdowns as well as locally.  

Thank You All!

[Pamela]

CLAY AND LUANN

[Claymate16]

as long as he promises to do something about his hair.

Whats that supposed to mean?

[AdoringClay]

:) He "did" do something about his red, nerd hair...he spiked it up, highlighted it, and it is absolutely adorable on him!  Sue G.

[Pamela]

SPEAKING OF HAIR....

He touches the hair of anyone who goes onstage at American Idol.

He's Dean Banowetz, otherwise known as the Hollywood Hair Guy.

"On American Idol, I have five months to change someone's image," he said. "I'm very calculated about what I do."

(snip)

Perhaps, one of Banowetz's most talked-about transformations is with last year's Idol runner-up, Clay Aiken.

"During the wildcard show, I'm looking at Clay," Banowetz said. "I thought, 'This kid has one of the most amazing voices,' but I couldn't concentrate on his singing because he had these huge ears."

Letting the hair grow, adding some color and the magic of a flatiron changed it all.

"My most proud moment, one of them, is when Clay's out on stage and Simon says, 'I can't believe how handsome this show has made you,'" Banowetz said.

TIMES HERALD LINK

[mcraig2]

Strange....that was one of MY proudest moments too!!! I was so happy that someone NOTICED what a doll Clay is!

[cjrmax]

Pamela wrote:

Personally, I would have rather seen him been anywhere on the chart both weeks rather than off the chart one week and back on the next.

I couldn't agree more. What good does it do for him to fall off the charts one week, be on it the next, and then off it again?  It will just support the claim that the only reason MOAM has sold so many copies is because of the crazy fans that buy hundreds of copies!

That said, I hope he sells lots and lots for the Valentine event.  Personally, I would have rather seen another campaign to raise money for the BAF like for his birthday.  Instead of the money you would have spent on the cd, donate that amount to the BAF. Think how much money could have been raised! I just think he would have liked that Valentine's Day present more.

But that's just me.

[shaikeninseattle]

I'm one of the culprits that bought another copy, but my motive was pure. I bought it for my mom who had generously given her copy to my brother.  Her birthday is Valentines Day. Personally, I can't think of a more romantic gift to give someone than the gift of Clay's voice.  I agree with the theoy of buying just because we want to see him skyrocket on the charts though. I want to believe that more and more intelligent people are recognizing what a special gift he is to us!  :D  :D  :D

[redhead]

Pamela wrote:
Quote:
Personally, I would have rather seen him been anywhere on the chart both weeks rather than off the chart one week and back on the next.  

...It will just support the claim that the only reason MOAM has sold so many copies is because of the crazy fans that buy hundreds of copies!

That said, I hope he sells lots and lots for the Valentine event. Personally, I would have rather seen another campaign to raise money for the BAF like for his birthday. Instead of the money you would have spent on the cd, donate that amount to the BAF. Think how much money could have been raised! I just think he would have liked that Valentine's Day present more.

Excellent points by both of you.  This type of thing does little but line the pockets of those involved with this album. It has always seemed to me these organized buying frenzies do little to support either the causes that are so important to him, or his long-term career.

 His best interest is served by supporting causes that are important to him, and to be supportive as he tries to make his own way in an industry that is fickle at best.  His best chance at long-term success is to grow and improve as an artist, and increase his fan-base, not by selling multiple copies of the same cd  to the same people just because it's got his name on it.  If he's not able to do those things, we may not have the pleasure of listening to his music and enjoying him throughout a long career.

I love MOAM, but like many others, I think it probably could have been better.  We all know that he has the talent, personality, and charisma for a long career. Hopefully, he'll have the support and be able to make the types of the decisions that will allow that happen.
 
If I think a friend would like his album, I play it for them, and a couple of them have been pleasantly surprised, and bought copies.  I'm just not the type of person who believes in buying multiple copies just because it's his.  Sorry, but I just don't see this as being all that constructive.  
(I'll climb down from my soapbox now)

[tiff]

 Personally, I would have rather seen another campaign to raise money for the BAF like for his birthday.  Instead of the money you would have spent on the cd, donate that amount to the BAF. Think how much money could have been raised! I just think he would have liked that Valentine's Day present more.

I was thinking the exact same thing!  Because we all had copies of MoaM, and it had already gone double platnum, it would have made more sense (to me atleast) to take that money and do something for the BAF.  Maybe setting up some sort of carnival for all the kids (disabled and non-disabled) so that they could have an event to go to for Valentines Day.  Or even just donating it would have probably have meant more to Clay than his album sales.

Just my opinion  :roll:

[cjrmax]

I wish we had tried to organize such an effort earlier!  To put it in perspective - to get MOAM back to #1 would mean sales of well over 100,000 copies - probably over 200,000 at least.  If instead of buying MOAM, just 50,000 of those people who would have spent let's say $10 on a copy of it donated that $10 to the BAF, that would be a whopping $500,000!!!  If only 25,000 people who would have otherwise spent $10 on MOAM donated that $10 to the BAF, that would be $250,000!!  

Now THAT would be a Valentine's Day gift that would knock Clay's socks off!!

[ClayBuf]

I am so glad to see that someone else shares my opinion of the MOAM "buying frenzy". From the very first time I saw something about it - I thought it was silly and unrealistic. The first thought was NO way was this going to get MOAM back to #1. For crying out loud - it would have to sell copies in the middle 6 figures for that one week. There is no way that a couple of thousand (at best - probably more like a few hundred) internet fans could possiby pull that off - even buying multiple copies. Then I thought what a horrible waste of money it was going to be. My thoughts were exactly what you all had - that money could have been put to much better use, such as a donation to the BAF. (This is where the Fan Club would have come in handy - to organize something more realistic)

I belong to another Fan Club. This particular celeb has three favorite charities that he always requests we donate to in lieu of buying him gifts for his birthday and Christmas, etc. There are about 1800 of us in the Fan Club. We always set up projects that anyone can contribute to (even outside the fan club membership). One of the charities is a Ronald McDonald House. So far we have created a reading room for the kids and their families. We have furnished it with comfy chairs and stocked it with books and games for kids of all ages. Any money we have left over on a project gets split between the other two charities. It is staggering the amount of money we have raised just from no more than a 5 or 10 dollar donation from everyone.

I only bring this up because I can't help think that some kind of project geared to what is near and dear to Clay would mean a heck of a lot more to him than frivolous spending on something that will truly have absolutely no effect on anything. He's already multi-platinum. He's already made his mark on the charts. The money spent on this foolishness could have provided the Foundation more funds for grants to organizations that are having a lasting effect on a child's life. What a shame this opportunity was lost.

~Buffi

[clayfan19]

:) He "did" do something about his red, nerd hair...he spiked it up, highlighted it, and it is absolutely adorable on him!  Sue G.

Hey! I like that red, nerd hair!! It looked cute!! But, Clay is and always will be a cutie!