AIKEN NEWS NETWORK MARCH 9

[Pamela]

ABC's 20/20 program featuring Clay was pre-empted in some cities by a one hour special on Billy Graham.  If this occured in your area, contact your local ABC affiliate to find out when it will be aired.

If you were fortunate enough to see the program, and enjoyed it, drop a note to ABC and thank them for doing a feature on Clay!

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/2020/2020_email_form.html

[Pamela]

Confessions from the Claynation
A grandma finds she's not alone in her obsession

ZOOM The Associated Press
Clay Aiken's debut album, “Measure of a Man,” has sold more than 2.5
million copies.

By ARLINE GREER
Sun theater critic

I am Claymate No. 2,932.

I'm a proud member of the Claynation, the Aiken-Breakin-Broads, Red Hot Topic, the Ideal Idol, Aiken for Clay, Hip-Shakin’ Aiken and, my
favorite, R-rated Lecherous Broads for Clay.

All these groups live online inside my computer. Just for fun, I
counted up my Clay Aiken sites to find I have 39. Make that 40. I just added another one. Who could resist ClayManiacs?

I fell in like with Clay Aiken last year when he performed on the FOX
hit "American Idol." On first appearance, Clay was dorky looking, but
when he sang, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," my heart went out of
whack; my knees became raw hamburger; my eyes leaked.

I was hooked. In later weeks, he sang "At This Moment, "To Love
Somebody" and "Somewhere Out There."

I was already hooked, but Aiken's "Somewhere" put me in the "bewitched, bothered, bewildered" and hot realm.

This behavior is not even slightly typical of me. I don't like pop
music. I prefer classical — opera, chamber music, art songs. And, I should add, this is not the time for me to act bewitched, bothered, bewildered and hot. You see, I am (sigh and pause) old. There! I said it.

Clay is 25 years old. Our age difference brings to mind the Rocky
Mountain Canyon. I have been married to the same man for 52 years. I have four grown children and have been blessed with seven grandchildren.

I am a Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in nearly everything artsy from
Brooklyn College and Bryn Mawr College. I should be well past the age of
pop-star swooning.

Falling for a pop star makes no sense, but who said love has to make
sense?

After all, this is Clay Aiken, that adorable knave whose debut album,
“Measure of a Man,” has sold more than 2.5 million copies, nearly 1
million more than the debut from Ruben Studdard, the singer who beat Aiken in last season's “American Idol” contest.

And while my children frown upon all this fuss, I know I am not a lone.
Fact is, Claynation has a huge and diverse population. Aiken is an
inter-generational phenomenon with a powerful voice, an overwhelming appeal and a love for charity.

In my family, my children tend to change the topic to Bruce Springsteen
or James Taylor whenever the words “Clay Aiken” fall out of my mouth.
Only my 10-year-old granddaughter Rachel shares my passion.

I gave her one of the spare copies of "Measure of a Man" I bought at a
Clay party upon the urging of my fellow Aiken-Breakin-Broads (they
recommended purchasing seven copies each to help boost the disc to No. 1). My granddaughter plays it every night before bedtime. Now there's a
child of my own blood!

But how bad is my obsession?

Last year, I found a person online who, for a price, agreed to
illegally download all of Clay's recordings — and I mean everything he ever sang. I have that CD, and I'm smug about it.

I also own a DVD made by another person — perhaps illegally — of the
entire season of “American Idol 2.” I watch every episode of that golden
season, waiting for Clay to sing. He should have won. I used to be
bitter, but I'm past it now.

Clay Baby definitely is past it. He's very OK. Better than OK.

RCA's “Measure of a Man” did hit No. 1 on the charts. He sang at the
World Series and the Miss America Pageant. He's appeared on "Oprah," the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, "Regis and Kelly," "Saturday Night Live"
and "Entertainment Tonight.”

He found time to graduate from college and head up a foundation for
autistic children. He is a role model for young and old.

So imagine my elation when Clay's tour came to Florida.

"I'm going!" I announced to my family. They gave me one of those
"Sure-you-are" looks. What is it Shakespeare wrote about grown children
likened to the serpent's tooth? On the bright side, I enlisted my daughter
in buying tickets.

My husband, a man who knows little about pop music and, at that point,
even less about my online life with the Claymates and the Lecherous
Broads, agreed to go with me.

I had hoped to meet Clay and gaze at his sweet freckled face and
winsome smile that breaks my heart. That didn't happen. The man is surrounded by body guards at all times and only lucky people with radio passes get by the dragons at the gate.

I was going to play the "I'm old and don't have that much time left"
card, but I just couldn't sink that low.

We arrived early for the concert at the large St. Petersburg Times
Forum. While we didn't have seats up close, we were able to see the
performance on the screens on either side of the stage.

When Clay came out singing and walking through the arena, a
high-pitched roar erupted from the crowd of 15,000.

Behind me was Diana, a 40-something St. Pete resident who shrieked each time Aiken sang a new line. She told me she's followed Tony Orlando for 30 years but Clay has replaced him.

I took Diana's address and promised to send her a new magazine with
Clay on the cover.

Mike and Louise, a Canadian couple in their 50s, sat next to Diana.
Louise wore a T-shirt with four "I love Clay" buttons pinned in strategic
places. She and Mike were following Aiken's tour.

They had been to Charlotte, Atlanta and, now, Tampa. They were heading
to Miami, Raleigh, Philadelphia and points north. Louise gave me and my
husband two heart-shaped lights to flash when Clay sang "Invisible."

Darren, the man sitting next to Diana, gave me a hand-lettered sign
that said "Thank You" on one side and "THUD" on the other. I never did
find out the meaning of "THUD," the word used by all 40 groups to which I
belong.

I figure it either refers to hearts that go "thud" when Clay sings, or
bodies that "thud" to the floor in total ecstasy.

A lot of people were feeling ecstatic the night. I had thought only
adolescent teeny-boppers would attend and I'd feel out of place. I was
wrong.

Clay's fans included dating couples, middle-aged couples, old couples,
children, young singles, middle-aged singles and entire families. The
feeling of togetherness, the incredible happiness we all felt that night
when Clay sang was palpable.

We were part of a love-in with O.M.C. (the acronym used by all groups
for "Our Man Clay"). Clay is a magical performer, a pure voice who
reaches into people's hearts and souls.

He is that rare performer who comes along once in an Elvis, once in a
Beatles, once in a Sinatra.

Claymate No. 2,392 salutes you, Clay, and gives you her old heart.

SUN ONE

::waves to Arline! thanks for the shout out!::

[Pamela]

Clay Mania
 

March 9, 2004
 
Clay Aiken, America's favorite second place winner is number one on the Lycos Top 50. Aiken pushes Paris Hilton, America's favorite amateur video star, to the number two spot. Clay Aiken has a gift for parlaying his second-place American Idol position into a recording contract with RCA, magazine cover stories, a Diane Sawyer interview and even a spot on People magazine's "Sexiest Men Alive" list.

In fact, following the death of his father, searches for Clay Aiken have quadrupled. Aiken has never been shy about discussing the estranged relationship with his birth father, Vernon Grissom, who died two weeks ago at age 68. Clay did not attend the funeral.

LYCOS

[Her]

Thank you Pamela.  Okay, which Gramma Claymaniac is this speaking of?  This article is great and pretty much sums up how I feel as well and I know many, many others!!!

[Pamela]

WORCESTER

Bubbly `Idol' stars give concert real pop

By Renee Graham, Globe Staff, 3/9/2004

WORCESTER -- It hardly matters whether one thinks "American Idol," and the ready-made pop stars it produces, is a great egalitarian pop-culture phenomenon or simply the opening act for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Last night, there was no denying the effervescence exuding from "Idol" alums Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken.

So what if it was all cheesier than the lunchtime menu at Papa Gino's? Both Clarkson, the winner of the show's inaugural season, and Aiken, the second season's runner-up, performed hourlong sets so filled with gratitude and energy, there was no room left for airs and attitudes common among many pop stars. Both seem to understand that they're just a couple lucky so-and-sos who were plucked from obscurity to become concert draws. If Clarkson was supposed to be the headliner, no one told the sold-out crowd. The evening was all about Aiken, who has emerged as a kind of people's champion after losing the "Idol" title last year to Ruben Studdard. (Of course, it was the people who voted for Studdard, so go figure.) Prepubescent girls, and some well on the shadier side of adolescence whooped and hollered for Aiken, holding such colorful signs as "Clay is a Hottay." Accompanied by two Studdard-size guards, Aiken entered the arena through the crowd as if he were a conquering hero, singing "Kyrie," by the long-forgotten '80s band Mr. Mister.

Looking like a cuddly cross between comic book character Archie and E.T., Aiken chatted with the audience between songs, and even signed autographs while he was singing. He has a big, warm voice, though one that still seems more suited for show tunes than pop songs. Then again, most of his songs -- from "Invisible" to "Perfect Day" (not to be confused with the Lou Reed song of the same name) -- are fairly schmaltzy. Most regrettable was an ill-advised cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry."

If Aiken seems fresh from "Idol," Clarkson was ready to stretch. Dressed in black T-shirt, and ripped jeans complete with dangling wallet chain, Clarkson was eager to project an image beyond the carefully crafted pop chanteuse. Barefoot and playing acoustic guitar, Clarkson displayed a soulful, versatile voice that often seemed superior to the songs, such as "Just Missed the Train" and "Anytime." She went for a bit of PG raunch on "Bounce," but mostly this was a show that even the FCC could love.

© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

BOSTON GLOBE

[Glory]

What a lovely article,I am new to all of this claymania stuff, but I should have joined in a log time ago my heart is so full of the love this forum provides I can feel it whenever I log on. sounds silly but true.                  Glory

[ANGELA]

Pamela,
I loved the confessions of a Claymate Grandmother.

THANKS FOR BRINGING IT OVER!

TAKE CARE,

ANGELA

[cjrmax]

Most regrettable was an ill-advised cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry."

Ok, how could any self-resepcting woman call WDC, as performed by Clay and Angela, "ill-advised"?  :

[GWENN]

ILL ADVISED??? WDC??? IS THIS WOMAN DEAD?

GWENN

[clayfannj]

They can be a bit full of themselves up there  in the Boston area...

Pompous and supercilious!!!

 See.. We know big words too!!  But still are smart enough to know what is HOT!!

[ANGELA]

clayfannj WROTE;

They can be a bit full of themselves up there  in the Boston area...

Pompous and supercilious!!!

I WENT TO THE CONCERT LAST NIGHT AND CLAY WAS FABULOUS FROM BEGINING TO THE END OF HIS CONCERT.  SO PLEASE DON'T LISTEN TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.
CLAY IS ALWAYS BETTER THEN HE HAS TO BE.

TAKE CARE,

ANGELA

[clayfannj]

Thanks, Angela.  I needed that... :  :  :

I feel much better...

[ANGELA]

Thanks, Angela.  I needed that... :  :  :

I feel much better...

we claymaniacs are always there for one another.  WE ARE ALL JUST LIKE THAT,  DON'T YOU THINK???

TAKE CARE,
ANGELA

[lorraine]

Angela is right because I was across the isle from her and Clay put on a performance to die for.  I did almost die but I survived!  I wanted Clay to be able to revive me and unless you are there at the concert yourself that woman doesn't know what she is talking about.  Angela did you survive?  

Lorraine

[ANGELA]

LORRAINE ASKED

Angela did you survive?

I HAD AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE WHILE  WATCHING CLAY DO WDC.


ANGELA

[Sasha]

I agree with Angela I was there last night also , words can't describe how great he was from the beginning to the end.  The only bad part was when it was over. Don't listen to the Boston Herald, I went to the Jingle Ball concert in December and the didn't give him a good review then either but he was the best part of the whole show, they put him on second last and half the place cleared out after he was on. They knew who everyone was there was to see.

[Her]

What? Is this Renee person absolutely nuts or what????--Ill advised rendition of WDC, pu leeze---

WDC was one of the highlights in Miami and what I've read, everywhere else he's done it as well.

[ANGELA]

Sasha  wrote:

I went to the Jingle Ball concert in December

I WAS THERE TOO,  AND I LEFT AFTER CLAY---WE HAD TO SEE A LOT OF JUNK BEFORE CLAY CAME ON.  BUT HE WAS WORTH THE WAIT.

TAKE CARE,

ANGEA

[CT loves Clay]

I am still out of my body from WDC.  What the H---!  Did that lady (did I say lady) forget her eyeglasses and hearing aid?  When his backup singer, Angela, put her arms around Clay's neck and rubbed his leg, I thought I would pass out.  I keep asking, why can't I take her place????  I can do that dance.  Honest.  I am older, but I tell you I can do it.  That woman  is probably jealous that he wasn't rubbing up against her.  Okay, I am getting carried away.  Lorraine, Clay isn't going to give us mouth to mouth.  But, we can dream about it.  LOL  Oh, I am overtired.  Hey, I kissed Jerome and I was sober.  What would I do if I was in front of Clay.  Girls, that is one to think about.  What would you do??

Linda in CT

[shaikeninseattle]

That's easy! THUD! THUD! THUD! :  :  :  PICK YOURSELF UP AND THUD AGAIN! :  :  :