AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG MAN--an LKL Review

[outthereforclay]

AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG MAN
by Amy R. Lee

Before Monday, November 15, 2004, I had never been particularly enamored of Larry King. The  infrequent times I had watched his show had usually left me unimpressed and even irritated by his interviewing style. After seeing the interview with Clay Monday, I hold fast to my opinion of his skill as an interviewer, but with this report, I hereby declare my new love affair with Larry as public record.

Anyone who more than once on CNN calls Clay Aiken an “extraordinary young man” is on my Christmas card list.

I had been looking forward to this terrific opportunity for Clay for some time but with trepidation. Most Clay fans, I imagine, had created some pretty hairy scenarios in their minds---how Larry would force Clay to dwell on the unpleasant and at times painfully raw information revealed in his book. How Larry would make it impossible for Clay to skirt a ticklish issue and cause our one and only love to resume that nasty habit he used to have of putting his big foot in his mouth---if not by biting his toenails, then speaking off the cuff to the consternation of some subgroup or another. How poor Clay had “done it now” with that book and he was going to be open to all kinds of blistering interrogation. (I admit to being one of these worriers.) How Clay would, in the end, prove to be twenty five years old and new to this world of public scrutiny and would, finally, act his young age---in front of a whole new audience of potential fans.

Oh we of little faith!

Of course, there was also the acid-reflux inducing concern over what Clay was going to wear and what his hair would look like and most importantly, whether or not he would be wearing those glasses again. (Although I am tempted here to digress into a discussion of Sunday night’s AMA appearance, I will resist. That night deserves its own, separate scrutiny.) Lordy, lordy, lordy. Please, Clay!  Cried your faithful glasses-hating fans. You’re going to be on television with millions of new Clay viewers. Please don’t wear those things again. We love you but there’s only so much we can take two nights in a row.

Well, Larry didn’t skewer Clay Aiken; he didn’t embarrass him; he didn’t fluster him; he didn’t do much but provide cues for Clay to tell the general public what we fans have known for-EVAH and ask questions that to us well-informed admirers seemed downright embarrassing for Larry! Please! “Is your mother still here?” This after asking about the death of his birth father and his stepfather. Larry! You don’t even know if Clay’s mother is living? From what far flung planet did you emerge?

Back to Clay. First, let’s get the obvious out of the way. Clay Aiken is absolutely gorgeous. If anyone you know out there still has doubts about this, please show them clips from this interview. To all the glasses-haters out there: vindication is sweet, no? The man’s eyes were alternately lethal weapons and soothing balm during this oh-too-short visit with him. It took this humble viewer a humiliating number of minutes to recover from that very first direct gaze into the camera as Larry was droning something or other in the background. All I saw was Clay in his so-dorky-it’s-hip sweater, perfect hair and those eyes!---eyes that let me know I was right to assume he was looking only at me. Larry could have been saying he had just found out that Clay was a serial killer and I would have just been staring into those eyes, waiting for Clay to tell me what to do.

Once we got past the eye candy factor, though, the true measure of the man swept the minds and hearts of any viewer who was equipped with such things. From his obvious joy and excitement whenever he talked about music and teaching, to his calm and thoughtful responses to personal questions about his family history, to his anticipation and humility about being chosen as UNICEF’s ambassador for education---this extraordinary young man made us fans so very proud. Proud of him, of course, but…come one, admit it…proud that we had been right all along and all kinds of non-believers were seeing the proof.

As we sat there listening to his articulate, poised answers and his deft fielding of occasional shoddy questioning, we grinned and puffed up as if we were responsible for his maturity and intelligence. While we watched him win over Larry and any viewer not already in love with him with his sparkly eyes, quick wit and infectious, joyful smile and laugh, we couldn’t help but smirk at all the public nay-sayers and detractors of the last two years who constantly poked fun at Clay’s physical appearance or mannerisms. Again, we wanted to say to them, “Hey, why don’t you put on YOUR glasses; you might see the truth.”

And the truth is what we’ve always known it was. Clay Aiken is no fluke of reality television. He is no flash in the pan, lucky country boy given a break because of the insatiable appetite of a brainwashed fan base. Clay is not an accident.

And he is most definitely no mistake.

As the interview continued and I, along with Clay I imagine, continued to be amazed at the absurdity of some of Larry’s questions, I almost got angry. What in the WORLD? First, the repeated reference to this being the “first live interview since the death of his father”. Huh? Verbally wasn’t enough; they continued using that as a banner across the bottom of the screen. I guess I just didn’t expect such a tabloid approach.

I guess I thought Larry would be prepared. I had even been so naïve as to expect Larry to have actually read “Learning to Sing”! That assumption was quickly proved to be what many assumptions prove to be---absurd. But as more obtuse questions flew across that table, I couldn’t help but wonder…had Larry King even read a quick bio of Clay before sitting down on national television to “interview” him?

Clay handled all this with his usual aplomb and grace. He answered the questions, however obviously superfluous, without showing impatience or irritation. In my opinion, there was only one time that Clay showed a reaction to something he thought was inappropriate. At one point Larry was confirming something about the young man who will be awarded at the Los Angeles BAF Gala Benefit Dinner. He said, “He’s autistic?” And the briefest flash appeared in Clay’s eyes before he looked down---I hadn’t remembered his eye contact wavering before that---and he said, “Yes, he has autism.”

To Clay and to many who know how important adjusting language to get rid of labels of exclusion is to Clay, that one question from Larry reflected little to no knowledge of Clay’s work with children with disabilities or his understanding of the whole purpose of BAF. I imagine that that one thing, more than anything else Larry might have forcibly elicited from Clay’s candid revelations in Learning to Sing, would sem the unkindest cut of all.

But, in the end, it was all good. Before the end of the show, it was clear that Clay had done once again what he has been doing since that fateful day in Atlanta, GA, when that unbelievable voice echoed with “Always and Forever”. He has been winning over one critic after another after meeting them and surprising them with his intelligence, genuineness and easy charm. He has disarmed one foul-mouthed comedian or arrogant talk show host after another with his ability to laugh at himself, yet demand---and command respect. He has convinced one music critic after another that his talent is real, a force to be reckoned with; and he has slowly, but steadily caused them, even if only one at a time and even if only after a personal encounter, to acknowledge that he is a presence that will just not go away.

So I am now a fan of Larry King. I still think he’s a lousy interviewer and don’t quite get why he’s such an institution. But I love me some Larry King, the man, now. Because he---like Leno, Letterman and Kimmel--- “learned to sing”--- He gets it. Larry is “one of us”.

Hey, Clay! You sly dog, you! Another one bites the dust. Another one falls victim to the power and joy of the true measure of the man.

Larry King knows now what we have known---always and forever.

Clay Aiken is an extraordinary young man.

copyright. No reproduction of this article is allowed without expressed written consent of the author.

[ChrisieD]

Thanks you Amy for that review. As always, your writing astounds me !!!

Clay Aiken is an extraordinary young man.

You can say that again !

[lorraine]

THANK YOU AMY FOR THAT REVIEW.  ONE FANTASTIC REVIEW I MIGHT ADD.  IT ACTUALLY GAVE ME GOOSE BUMPS.  


LORRAINE

[lovinclay]

AMY, DEAR, YOU'RE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH!  BRAVO!!  WHAT A WONDERFUL REVIEW!  LOVE YA, GIRL!!

[cjrmax]

Amy, what a great review!

I was one of those who was worried for awhile about this interview - for all the reasons you mentioned.  But my concern increased 1000 fold after Sunday!

Of course, there was also the acid-reflux inducing concern over what Clay was going to wear and what his hair would look like and most importantly, whether or not he would be wearing those glasses again. (Although I am tempted here to digress into a discussion of Sunday night’s AMA appearance, I will resist. That night deserves its own, separate scrutiny.) Lordy, lordy, lordy. Please, Clay! Cried your faithful glasses-hating fans. You’re going to be on television with millions of new Clay viewers. Please don’t wear those things again. We love you but there’s only so much we can take two nights in a row.

Boy you hit the nail on the head with this one!  

But our worries were for nought!  Clay was amazing.  I could never have put my thoughts as to why together as beautifully as you did!  Its as if you have some kind of private access into Clay's heart and soul!  Thanks for sharing that insight with us!

Clay truly is a wonderful muse for you, my dear!

[LadyC]

Amy, that was absolutely awesome!  You're very talented, my friend.

The man’s eyes were alternately lethal weapons and soothing balm during this oh-too-short visit with him. It took this humble viewer a humiliating number of minutes to recover from that very first direct gaze into the camera as Larry was droning something or other in the background.

I'd think you took that right out of my own head, but I know I couldn't have put it together that well.  I felt that way, too!

this extraordinary young man made us fans so very proud. Proud of him, of course, but…come one, admit it…proud that we had been right all along and all kinds of non-believers were seeing the proof.

Yes!  Exacty!!!  I thought it flew right in the face of all those who think Clay's only famous because of AI.  He got noticed on AI, but he's dazzled us continuously ever since.

As the interview continued and I, along with Clay I imagine, continued to be amazed at the absurdity of some of Larry’s questions, I almost got angry. What in the WORLD? First, the repeated reference to this being the “first live interview since the death of his father”. Huh? Verbally wasn’t enough; they continued using that as a banner across the bottom of the screen. I guess I just didn’t expect such a tabloid approach.

Oh, yes!  It was completely sensationalism.  It was disrespectful to Clay, and exploitive in nature.  It bothered the hell out of me.

He has been winning over one critic after another after meeting them and surprising them with his intelligence, genuineness and easy charm. He has disarmed one foul-mouthed comedian or arrogant talk show host after another with his ability to laugh at himself, yet demand---and command respect. He has convinced one music critic after another that his talent is real, a force to be reckoned with; and he has slowly, but steadily caused them, even if only one at a time and even if only after a personal encounter, to acknowledge that he is a presence that will just not go away.

Amen!!!

Amy, you amaze me.  You capture what we feel and the way so many of us see Clay, and you do it in such an upfront and beautiful way.  You honor Clay and share it with us as you do it.  Thank you.  Really.  It was incredible.

Love,
Kris

[fantasys about clay]

thanks for the recap! i can't watch it till saturday! but i did listen to him on the phone! while my aunt was taping it! so i guess you can say i have been on the phone with CLAY AIKEN! as well as john heffron and leland grant! comedian and actor! but clay is still the best to ''listen to!''

[heater]

Well done, Amy!!   :claps

[quynn]

Clay is not an accident.

And he is most definitely no mistake.

 :claps  :claps  :claps

Thanks Amy!

[grammaof6]

Actually it was kinda fun watching the Claying of Larry King right before my eyes. I too thought in the beginning he coulda cared less that Clay Aiken was sitting across the table from him. But as the interview went on, and Clay continued to astound you could just see Larry's respect for him grow. "You are an extraordinary young man!"

Great job, Amy. You captured my thoughts perfectly!

[mrs. c.]

Amy, you are a force to be reckoned with also, your writing mirrors so many things we all think, I too almost barked at my husband to be quiet when the show started I was so nervous for Clay, yes I admit, wondering what he'd wear, and ooohhhh gggooodddnnnesssss, please not the glasses again, he was beautiful, and gorgeous, and the lethal weapons of green, were magic!!! Amy god write a book or something, I'm sure it would be a best seller!!! Hugs friend!!

[Marilyn]

AMY WHAT A BEAUTIFUL RECAP- YOU PUT INTO WORDS WHAT WE FEEL BUT ARE UNABLE TO ARTICULATE- CLAY HAS SOARED BEYOND THE REALITY SHOW CHAINS AND SHOW THAT HE IS A WONDERFUL ENTERTAINER WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT HIS FANS.

AND FROM THE INTERVIEWS I HAVE SEEN- I USED TO WORRY ABOUT HOW LONG HE WOULD LAST, IF HE COULD KEEP GOING. AND IT BECAME CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT- WHEN HE DECIDES THAT SINGING IS NOT WHAT HE WANTS TO DO ANYMORE- THEN HE WILL HAVE FOUND HIMSELF AS THE PHILANTHROPIST, THE AMBASSADOR OF MANY CHARITIES, THE ONE WHO KEEPS GIVING BY WORKING FOR CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD. CLAY WILL BE JUST FINE.

AND WHILE I WOULD BITTERLY MOURN THE FACT THAT HE IS NOT THERE FOR US TO FLOCK TO AND LISTEN TO, IT WOULD DO MY HEART GOOD TO KNOW THAT HE IS DOING SOMETHING HE LOVES.

I DONT THINK THAT CLAY WILL EVER SINK INTO OBSCURITY- HE IS TOO MUCH OF A VISIBLE PART OF THE WORLD TODAY.