AIKEN NEWS NETWORK JUNE 14

[clayMaine-iac]

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE!!!!

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF CLAY FROM THE AI3 BOOK:

CLAY PICTURES

[clayMaine-iac]

A Perfect World
From 'American Idol' to 'The Swan,' we rate the shows that rate us

By Kim Morgan
MSN Entertainment

What is going on?

If television is a barometer for current trends in "regular" life, then there is a nation-wide epidemic going on of distorted self-image -- involving not just our bodies, but our clothing, housing and basic organizational habits. If you judge by shows like "Extreme Makeover" (both Body and Home editions), "The Swan," "American Idol" and just about everything that airs on TLC, it seems everyone and everything requires a make-over.

Fame Game

"American Idol"
The skinny: The overweight, geeky and musically challenged are allowed entrance into a talent show during which a trio of overweight, musically challenged and nasty judges pass judgment. Oh... and they all get makeovers!

The highlight: No, not Fantasia (duh, we knew she would win); it was when the geekish Clay Aiken brought the old-lady appeal of Barry Manilow and vocal stylings of "Cats" to the masses. Even if terrible, it was something different. And the make-over crew did a bang-up job of covering up his disturbingly enormous ears.

Rating: 8. For tension, talent and Tarantino's guest spot.

ENTERTAINMENT.MSN

[clayMaine-iac]

HERE IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL STORY BY DIANNE AUSTIN:

Pointe of Révérance For Clay Aiken
“Here, There, and Everywhere”
 
Note: A grand révérance is a "big reverence or curtsy. The elaborate curtsy performed by the female dancer to acknowledge the applause of the audience". Often, the réverancé is done for the teacher after ballet class is over. In this case the reverance is for Clay.


For many fans of Clay Aiken, a dream-come-true would be to watch him in a one-man live concert on any stage, but maybe preferably, a smaller-venue stage, from the first row, dead center. So close, you are part of every expression on his face, and every move that he makes. Am I right? Yeah, I bet I’m right.

And the reason why, for those of you who may not consider yourself a fan, is because he doesn’t just entertain, he lifts us up, enlightens, inspires and even educates. Those of us who are his fans see the talent in this performer, but also know something of the man and his other endeavors in life.

But now, let’s turn it around and mix it up. Tell me what you would do if Clay Aiken were sitting in the very same seat, in that same theater, watching YOU. How would that make you feel? Every expression on your face, every move that you make. Would you be able to handle it? Well, let’s see, sometimes such bizarre things may not be so hard to imagine.

***

“Here, making each day of the year
Changing my life with a wave of her hand, nobody can
Deny that there’s something there”

The first few strains of the guitar strings begin to play over the sound system and then, that haunting voice.

She holds in fourth position, effacé en pointe, with head tilted up and face in the spotlight, eyes closed.

***

The art and study of dance is a curious and fantastic activity. Narrow it down just a little to the study of Ballet, and you’ve really got something strange, beautiful, exciting and full of passion. Ballerinas devote a good part of their lives to this endeavor, and I am afraid, it’s a bit of a strange life. All right, I’ll give you, it can be fulfilling and exhilarating, but its got to be somewhat unusual. Because, as true as it is that any one of the arts requires dedication and hard work, the study of the most basic and purest form of dance, the Ballet, has got to be the hardest,
most strenuous and rigorous of them all. And because of this, it just follows that the ballet dancer must become the workaholic, since the practice of the art must be constant and all-consuming.

I am not a ballerina. Aside from the fact that God didn’t see it in the grand scheme of things to give me the talent it takes to be a ballerina, I don’t think I have it inside my soul to be one either. It requires a lot more than just possessing innate talent to pursue such a career. But God did think I should have some involvement with the ballet, and when I am taking class, I often think of him. It’s just that sort of thing, that while you’re engaged in it, God comes to mind. And I really like that, because while I’m dancing, its almost like I’m closer to what I believe him to be.

***

“I want her everywhere,
And if she’s beside me, I know I need never care,
But to love her is to need her everywhere”

That voice singing those words. It’s just what she needs to get her off to a strong start. It’s why she chose that music. It’s what can inspire her to be the best she can be.

Two balancés, waltz turn, chassé into attitude turn, and then bourrée quickly, covering lots of ground across the stage.

And as she’s crossing to stage left, she takes a breath before beginning the chainés turns and looks for her spot off at stage right in the wings. Her eyes fall on a silhouette, a man, standing there in the darkness. The form looks somewhat familiar, but she can’t see the face. She begins the turns and uses his face, which is in shadow, as her point for spotting.

***

Ballet will always and forever begin at the barre. It’s where we get our “center“ and where you stretch and stay limber. You begin with pliés and tendus. Then, dégagés, rond de jambe, fondu, usually ending with petit battements, developpé and grand battements. Those might just sound like some pretty French words to some of you, but to me, it is the language of ballet, and it has great relevance. The same order, sometimes the same combination, but the same points of technique, every day. Discipline.

Moving to the center of the room, and away from the barre is what you look forward to. The elements that are studied to the Nth degree at the barre can now be applied to movement across the floor.

But before you actually move across the floor, you have to stay in one place in the middle, whole class, beginning with tendus and adagio, a “succession of slow and graceful movements which may be simple or of the most complex character, performed with fluidity and apparent ease”. These are followed by petit allegro, “bright and brisk” movements that usually entail some kind of jump or elevation change. After this, you are able to actually cover some ground by practicing various kinds of turns, and ending with grand allegro, large brisk movements, across the floor.

***

“Knowing that love is to share,
Each of us thinking how good it can be
Someone is speaking, but she doesn’t know he’s there”


As the turns bring her closer to him, she tries to focus on any distinguishing factor that can tell her who it is that’s watching her from the wings of the stage, but she must concentrate on her dance. All she knows is that he is tall and thin and he stands very straight, with legs slightly apart, arms folded, chin down, but eyes looking out. The chainés turns melt into a little run that must take her in the opposite direction, away from him. He stands in the dark, but before she leaves that side of the stage, she notices the fedora tilted forward on his head.

***

Always, on every side of you is the ever constant mirror, reminding you of what your stance is like, if your toe is pointed, if your turn-out is right. Are your arms in the correct position, is your head turned the right way, are you spotting on your turns, do you plié enough when you leap and land?
The mirror doesn’t lie, and you are told to check it constantly, so that you really develop somewhat of a strained sense of yourself that can, if you let it, effect the rest of your life in the world outside of dance; you may become somewhat self-absorbed, sometimes a little too critical of yourself, and yet at other times, a little too “puffed-up” perhaps, also. No wonder the ballet world sees a lot of people that seem to be kind of snooty and yet can be so self-deprecating that they sink into lives of anorexia and bulimia.

But that’s the subject of a paper in and of itself. And I don’t believe the people I go to class with have those kinds of extreme problems, thank goodness.

Let’s get away from the negative, and dwell on the positive.

***

“I want her everywhere
And if she’s beside me I know I need never care,
But to love her is to need her everywhere”

She notices her fast heart-beat that normally, at this point in the piece, should not be so accelerated. Once more, she tries to focus on what she needs to do with her dance.

More balancés, going towards the back of the stage which will take her right into the preparation for pirouettes, then into arabesque, back chassé into fouetté. All of this done too far away from that side of the stage where he still stands. But she manages to glance his way just one time and she notices he’s holding something.

***

After technique if you are lucky, if your body will still let you, if you really want to begin or continue to pursue such an extraordinary effort , you may take pointe class.

For some, at my level, after coming to the class for only a short time, or maybe even after a long time, it is finally decided that it is only excruciating work. After awhile, these students noticeably drop from that class, and don’t often come back.

Yes, a good part of it is definitely a strength thing, and I think I was born with the kind of legs it takes to execute some of the combinations.
But aside from just strength, beautiful ballet on pointe is always precluded by doing well in the technique class. So, however dedicated we become by taking every pointe class we can possibly fit into our schedule, we must be just as involved with technique class, forever trying to improve our turn-out, our extension and the correct positioning and coordination of the arm movements with the legs and feet.

***

“Knowing that love is to share,
Each one believing that love never dies,
Watching her eyes, and hoping I’m always there”

She notices, as she’s doing the grand jetés that she’s losing it on breath control, because her heart rate is too accelerated. “Just don’t open your mouth and look like your panting” she says to herself. “Keep breathing through your nose, and calm down”. Funny , she wasn’t that nervous when she started. But the man that was still visible in the wings seemed to change that for her.

The leaps land her very close to him. The last one, finishing almost completely off-stage, ends practically on top of his toes as he stands there watching. He’s caught off-guard by this, and as he takes a step backward to avoid impending contact, he lets out a giggle, puts his hands up and out to his side, and whispers “whoa, where are ya goin? You’re not done yet!” She looks up into his eyes, sees the smile, and gasps. Her eyes move down to his left hand, in which he holds a single, long stem yellow rose.

And then, she hears the words of the song, the count of music to start again, and she has to turn away from him, with very fast and frantic piqué turns to the other side of the stage.

***

As time goes on and strength and endurance are developed, along with a mastering of ballet technique, all that remains to consider is the grace and beauty of the dancer herself. I’ve seen many students of ballet that have taken class for years, that study the terminology, that practice diligently and make dance a huge part of their lives, present a dance piece on stage, and still not have what it takes. And what then does it take, you may ask?
Well now, that’s the hard part. I wouldn’t even call it just talent, which of course, is necessary. I would rely more on words like beauty, passion, grace and a real and intense love for the dance.

Speaking of “presenting” on stage: that brings us to our next consideration.

***

“I will be there
“And everywhere
Here, there and everywhere”

The last few phrases of the music bring her to center stage, and on the word “everywhere”, she ends up in the same position she started, in fourth position effacé en pointe, with the spotlight on her face, once again. This is perhaps the hardest part, because her breathing is fierce, her heartbeat hugely accelerated, and she must hold that position for as long as Clay Aiken holds his note. And as anyone who has heard him hold a last note will tell you, she could be having to hold her position for quite a long time.
But she does it.

And, it finally ends. Applause. The stage lights go to black. She comes down off her pointe and waits. Can’t see a thing. Can’t see if he’s still there. Just have to wait until lights come up again.

Enthusiastic applause is heard beyond the curtain.

Lights up. She’s center, but deep, and can’t see off in the wings at stage right. Walking forward towards the curtain and stopping there will be the cue for the stagehand to open the curtain for her. As she moves in that direction she looks, and he is there.

He is applauding along with the rest of the audience. The curtain opens, she looks out, smiles and takes her bow. Someone walks up on stage and hands her a presentation bouquet of traditional red roses. She takes another bow and turns to the side of the stage where he is standing. He smiles and holds the single yellow rose out towards her and bows quickly. Then he applauds again. She responds in his direction with a dramatic reverance. When she raises her head up from her curtsy toward him, he winks and tips his hat. She turns back to her audience and bows once more.

She takes one step back. The curtain closes in front of her. She looks stage right, and he’s gone.

***

If you’re one of the lucky ones, and all of the elements jive and mesh at the right point in time, you may find yourself, along with your teacher, deciding to prepare a piece for performance on the stage.

I think the two single most important pre-existing factors for this decision are; am I ready and what music will I choose?

Of course, only you and your teacher will know if you’re ready, and even when both of you think you may be, that remains to be seen, because performing on the stage, in front of an audience, is an entirely different ball-game. As a dancer, you may have reached that level where you are confident of your talent and technical skill, but you can never really know if you can pull off the performance for the people, until you get yourself out there and just try it. You’ve heard of the phrase “dance like there’s nobody watching”? Well, when you’re out there under the lights, with the audience staring up at you, you want to be able to take that idea and make it your own.

The music. Second most important factor. If the music doesn’t inspire, if it doesn’t lift you, get to you, do something to you, then you won’t be the best you can be. Because, I truly believe, that ballet is ultimately a combination of the talent and heart of the dancer along with the emotional and spiritual effect of the music. The music is important, and you must choose it wisely.

***

The sound blasted from the radio, and it was some horrible hip-hop droning that offended the senses. She reached for the button to try to stop it. Why was it tuned in to that station to wake her from her sleep? She managed to turn it off, and then sank back against her pillow.

Wow, now that was one hell of a dream!

As she lay there, slowly coming around to an alert state, the images of the dream slipped in and out, and she smiled. The dance, satisfying, yet a little frantic. The yellow rose. The achingly melodic sound of the voice providing the music. The audience shrouded in darkness. And, Oh my God, the shadowy figure! Then she laughed a little, because she realized who it had been. She began to analyze her dream and herself, wondering if she was a little crazy, but then finally deducing that the whole thing was pretty understandable for her.

Over the past few weeks, she had been entertaining the idea of perhaps trying a solo pointe piece for the recital that was coming up. She’d go back and forth with it, since the thought petrified her, but it was something exciting to at least consider. And lately, she’d been listening to Clay Aiken on a CD her daughter had given her, with older songs recorded on it. One of them, her favorite, was “Here, There and Everywhere”. So it made perfect sense, since the prospect of the pointe piece was on her mind and that song kept playing over and over in her brain, that she put the two of them together in her dream.

But then some very odd occurrences took place during the rest of the day.

When she got to class, the normal chit-chat was taking place amongst the students prior to the start of the warm-up at the barre. A woman she had befriended several weeks before asked her how all the writing was going, and was some of it still about Clay Aiken? Before she could respond, another young woman that had just started in the class a couple of weeks before, heard Clay’s name mentioned, and asked if she liked his music. After an affirmative response, the girl began talking in run-on sentences with one thought barely ending before the next one began. From what she could understand, this young lady was also a fan of his, and mentioned a lot of the music he was known for. And then, the girl said a very strange thing.

It was, “I don’t know if you’ve ever heard him do this one particular old song that he sang on American Idol, but its called “Here, There and Everywhere” and its really fantastic, and you should think about maybe asking the teacher to choreograph something with it for you, because you’d be good and . . . . .

And on and on it went. But all that really registered was the name of the song.

***

That evening she got home after he did, since she had errands to run and an appointment that took up her time late in the day. When she came into the house, she saw his briefcase and keys on the back entry sideboard where he always left them so he’d know where they’d be again the next morning. Very organized habits, actually for a man, she thought.

“ Hey, I’m home”, she called up the stairs to their room, where she figured he’d be, changing his clothes. “Hi you. I’ll be down in a minute”, was the response. She then walked into the kitchen to search the frig for what could possibly be turned into dinner that night. There, staring at her from its lovely position on the counter was a bud vase holding one, long-stem, yellow rose.

She walked back to the foot of the stairs and called up. “Thanks for the rose! What was that for?” “Oh, he yelled down,” just thought of you today and how your beauty and grace overwhelm me!”

Wow, wonder what he’s he up to?, she thought.

And as she walked from the foot of the stairway towards the kitchen, her eyes caught something on the bottom step of the staircase that she hadn’t seen the moment before. She picked it up and turned it over in her hands.
It was gray, soft and velvety, and a little crushed on the crown.

“Hey honey,” she shouted up to him one more time. “What’s with the funny hat?

And before he answered her, she thought again of her dream and the mysterious figure that stood and watched, the entire time from the wings. She hugged the fedora to her breast, and smiled.


Dianne Austin

WRITER'S CORNER

[clayMaine-iac]

FROM A REVIEW OF A NEW SHOW CALLED "NEXT ACTION STAR":

Television - Variety
Next Action Star

Sat Jun 12, 8:00 PM ET
   
Phil Gallo, STAFF

Series; NBC, Mon. June 14, 10 P.M.

 Just as "American Idol" delights in displaying off-key singing at the start of each season, "Next Action Star" opens with an hour dominated by bad acting and clumsy martial-arts moves, but presents the auditions without a judge as witty or cuttingly honest as Simon Cowell. There's a lot of raw "talent" that knocks down "Action Star's" door in auditions, but as much as the show possesses the visual style of "The Bachelor," "Survivor" and "Idol," the attraction of those ratings winners rests in the differences among the contestants -- and that's hardly apparent in this star search. It's hard to find someone to root for.

Granted, the casting directors have a predetermined notion of the physical nature of an action star and a set of parameters within which they need to work. Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard types need not apply. Chief casting director Victoria Burrows -- in the Paula Abdul (news) role among the judges -- has succeeded in bringing together a relatively exotic collection of women to duke it out for one starring role, but the men are all cut from the same mold: short-haired, muscular and chiseled.

YAHOO

[clayMaine-iac]

STORY OF A BOOK SIGNING IN RALEIGH:

RALEIGH -- They came in masses, armed with pens and ready to stand in line until midnight, if need be.

"Line must be for some rock star," a passer-by said.

"Maybe it's Governor Easley," a woman suggested.

"Clay Aiken wrote a book," yelled a freckle-faced girl who looked ready to erupt into the screaming fit usually reserved for her favorite baby-faced pop star.

Wrong, wrong and wrong. This kind of crowd could only be for David Sedaris.

Sedaris, 47, was in Quail Ridge Books on Saturday signing copies and reading from his latest book, "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim."

NEWS OBSERVER

[clayMaine-iac]

This Week's Hits: Usher, Black-Eyed Peas, Hoobastank
   From James Maguire,
Your Guide to Top 40 / Pop.

The sound of summer of 2004
6/14/04(snip)

Clay Aiken's single "Solitaire/The Way" is #4 on the Nielsen Soundscan chart -- in other words, copies are still running out the door after 11 weeks on the charts.

Aiken will soon kick off his 42-date summer tour, beginning in Bismarck, North Dakota, concluding this September. If you can't make it to see him live, the tenor will be performing on July 2 on Good Morning, America on ABC.

About poll: Which musical artist is totally groovin' -- this week? Go to poll

Choices: Usher, Avril, Hoobastank, Avril Lavigne, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Counting Crows, Yellowcard, Trashcan Sinatras, Nelly, Clay Aiken, Britney Spears

TOP 40

[clayMaine-iac]

REMEMBER THE REVIEW OF "SSB" ON ONE OF THE RACING SITES I POSTED LAST WEEK?  HERE'S A FOLLOW-UP ARTICLE

I Was Just Wonderin’...Where's the Fried Chicken?
By Carol Einarsson

June 12, 2004

I wonder if all those Clay Aiken fans that wrote me last week questioning my hearing ability heard Ronan Tynan sing Amazing Grace on Friday. You wanna talk about moving? THAT was moving.

And I wonder how many CDs will sell, now, of The Very Best of the Irish Tenors when people do a search for Amazing Grace and Ronan Tynan.

INSIDER RACING NEWS

[ACcountryFan]

And I wonder how many CDs will sell, now, of The Very Best of the Irish Tenors when people do a search for Amazing Grace and Ronan Tynan.

=================
well, i've never heard of those Irish Tenor people so i won't be making a trip to find their CD. i've already got Amazing Grace by LeAnn Rimes and that's all i need so there.

i wish there was a smilie/emoticon that blew a raspberry cause i'd use it about now! well, i'll write one: pfffffftttt!!! which reminds me of something from one of my favorite shows, Hee-Haw. Hit it, boys...feel free to sing along...

I just read an article, by a woman named Carol
It says she enjoyed, Amazing Grace by a tenor
But when i read the words that she had scribbled down there
I immediately learned that she wrote like a beginner

Where oh where are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the world over and thought i found true love
But you met another and Pffffftttt You Was Gone!!
 

anyway, i've heard of the Three Tenors, i think it was Lucianno Pavrotti, Domingo, and someone else...

well, all i can say is an eye for an eye. if you weren't so smug with your National Anthem comments you wouldn't have been royally greeted by the ClayNation via e-mails! and just what is your topic meaning? something about fried chicken!? :roll:

Well, i say, i say i think you all's done insulted my south'rn heritage; listen up, i come from thuh south and that's an insult back where i come frum and if i was a chicken...no make that a rooster, i'd strut right on over and peck yo' head, yo' head that is!

[aikenseeker]

And the make-over crew did a bang-up job of covering up his disturbingly enormous ears.

DISTURBINGLY ENORMOUS EARS??? DISTURBINGLY ENORMOUS EARS???

*stomps foot*

But I like Clay's ears! I find them oddly well sexy.  Yes, that's right I said sexy!  His ears are a turn on for me... yes, yes I already know I'm sick.

They aren't distrubingly enormous.  Big, yes, but not distubingly enormous.

Harrumph!

[ACcountryFan]

The highlight was when the geekish Clay Aiken brought the old-lady appeal of Barry Manilow and vocal stylings of "Cats" to the masses. Even if terrible, it was something different

=====================
i think she needs to case a few Manilow shows. there's quite a few young women and men in his audience and not just "old ladies". i hate it when people pass off ignorance for the truth. what's the person meaning when stating "vocal stylings of "Cats" to the masses"? Everyone knows about that play. It isn't a cult hit...so i'm pretty sure the masses already know about "Cats" and so Clay didn't bring the vocal style to the masses as you put it. just come out and say it: you think he belongs on Broadway and you mention "Cats". Do you want him to personally serenade you with "Memory" anytime soon and knock you over backwards when he reaches out to you when he sings "Touch me, it's so easy to leave me all alone with the Memory of my day in the sun! When you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is..." :

[lorraine]

I have a very busy day just getting back from vacation but I needed to check out all the news on our Clay.

As far as the irish tenor music each to his own.  I don't particular care for that kind of music but apparently the writer this.  

I loved Clay back before they made all the changes to him and I love him even more for all he has changed in my life.



Lorraine

[LiftClayUp]

Do you want him to personally serenade you with "Memory" anytime soon and knock you over backwards when he reaches out to you when he sings "Touch me, it's so easy to leave me all alone with the Memory of my day in the sun! When you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is..."

I DO!!!!!!! I DO!!!!!

And when supposedly it is an insult to claim old ladies prefer you.  We have had years of listening to singers to refine our taste in music.  I loved Manilow before I got to be an old lady and still do.  He has stood the test of time so what is the problem.

Clay is more than a singer.  He is an entertainer.  NOT BOOOOORING!!!!

AC - I enjoy you comments immensely.  You always make my day with your humor.

[Glory]

I LOVE CLAYS EARS HIS NOSE AND EVEN HIS TOES,I wonder what some people are thinking sometimes,or are they thinking,What does a persons EARS have to do with his singing,GLLORY(NOTE)

[ACcountryFan]

"Manilow has stood the test of time, so what's the problem?"

===============
well, this Kim Morgan is perhaps a young woman who doesn't "get" the point of a singer who sings songs without a lot of flashy stage antics. the only thing flashy at a Manilow show are the bulbs from the audience camera's! Take that, Morgan!

anyway, a very, very brief history lesson is in order. Back in the '70s, artists like Barry Manilow were part of the adult-revolution as i call it. The '50s and '60s pop music was saturated with the kids and teens and what they liked but in the '70s adults were recognized as a profitable demographic...and so the birth of AC was born. Adult-Contemporary, meaning contemporary pop music that was recorded specifically for adults to enjoy, was known as Easy-Listening until 1979. The format, in the beginning, played acts who were pre-rock'n'roll like the Sinatra, Crosby, and Bennett-era of the '30s and '40s but as the '70s went forward, the "easy" format embraced contemporary pop that wasn't "kid-driven". Barry Manilow, while played on Top-40 radio because his songs were so popular, was nevertheless hated because his songs and his "image" were so crooner-like that modern rock audiences automatically hated him.

That goes for rock critics, too, who had to review his music because he was marketed as a "pop" singer but who was at the same time more appealing to the older AC crowd. see, any similarities starting to take shape?

now, as each successive audience grew older, and radio formats splintered into many formats, the radio listeners weren't stuck listening to just what Top-40 said was popular. They could now listen to what AC radio said was popular. Or they could listen to Country radio and hear what's popular. For the first time, Top-40 radio's control over the musical landscape was slipping.

Now, as Clay has shown, you don't need Top-40 airplay or hip music critic acceptance to find an audience and be a success...and like Manilow, Clay wasn't destined to be a big singing star...both of their entrances into the music business was by accident or by chance...neither set out to be a singer and so that's why i predict Clay will go through much of the same things Manilow went through but in these days of the internet, Clay's tantrums, if he throws any, or any bad days he has will be all over the place as if it's breaking news...

[STEPHANIE1130]

:D Thanks for all the info & articles!

[Jan]

GO, ACOUNTRYFAN

As usual you are the VOICE of reason!!!!!

Jan
Keeper of Clay's LipBite

[CT loves Clay]

I ditto everyone who feels insulted with those rude comments!!

I thought it was all about a person's voice, not their ears!! Wow, how did Lyle Lovett make it!?!?!   :

I love every inch from top to toes of Clay.


Linda
CT

[lorraine]

Go ACountryFan!  Your posts just put my mind at ease instead of me getting all stressed out when they talk bad about our Clay.


I will take Clay anyway I could get him.  It is all in the eye of the beholder and I sure would like to beholding him.


Lorraine

[mrs. c.]

Ditto Lorraine!! AC you rock!!!

[fhmmany2]

Thanks for the link to Top 40 - without you and Pamela, I would forget to go to that site to check for polls, With almost 9,000 votes, Clay is winning by 88%. (It is around 3 p.m. on Monday.)