POLL PATROL: DO YOU STILL WISH CLAY HAD WON AMERICAN IDOL?

[Pamela]

At the time, I was sad, tired and frustrated.  But now, not so much.



So you know what my vote is.  How about you?  
Do you still wish Clay had won American Idol?

Please tell us why.

[LuvMyClay]

No, I don't wish Clay had won.  I think it's working to his advantage.  He's not tied down to a contract with THOSE PEOPLE and, obviously, he's doing just fine without them.  I'm not forgetting where he got his start, and I'm sure he's not either, but now he's on to much bigger and better things.  Yay!!!

[Moonshot]

I was ticked off at the time but as he says about it "I'm doin' alright"!

It means so much more now that he didn't win because of all he has accomplished in spite of it. Not that he's trying to make a statement - or maybe he is -my mind reading capabilities don't seem to work with him, but it just says more that he's been able to do all he has.

You know, in my head this all sounded better but filter it through the pain and drugs of strep throat and it makes no sense. So I'll just leave it at:

No, I don't still wish he had won AI.

[fantasy]

I was terribly frustrated when Clay didn't win AI2 but he is so much better off. Kelly has done well winning but I don't know how Clay would have done. He can do what he likes and not be tied down to Fox or AI like Kelly, Ruben and Fantasia are. He has so much more freedom.

Though I must say when I hear BOTW, I still don't understand how he did not win after performing that. What were people thinking?

[clayMaine-iac]

When he didn't win I was sooooo disappointed!!  

Why???  
Number 1.  I thought he deserved to win.  He was the most consistent. He had the best overall voice.  He had tackled the variety of genres the best.(IMO)

Number 2.  I felt really, really bad for Clay.  I was afraid he would be extremely disappointed that he didn't win.

All of this anguish lasted until I was positive that he got a record contract!!:wink

Now, I am sure he is better off having not won.  This has allowed him to get out from under 19 Evil.  This has allowed him to try to move away from the AI "stigma" faster.

Just think about the Christmas specials.  He did not have to perform on the American Idol Holiday Special--he was able to do his own!!

[Her]

It really depressed me that he didn't win at the end of AI2, but now, two seasons later, I'm so happy because he's the BIG WINNER now!!!!

Had he won, just think how different, his tour schedule would have been, how different his TV appearances would have been...no book, I'll bet and never mind a solo Christmas Special...

Here's to hoping Clay continues to be the BIG WINNER as an AI Alumni!

[alli_aiken]

I was way upset when it happened, like everyone.  I couldn't believe it.  With that performance of BOTW I thought it was in the bag, but then I was stunned along with a lot of people across America.  I still am a little sad that he wasn't the "real winner", but then I think of the all the things he has done because he DIDNT win!!  I'm happy that he has been getting away from the title "runner up".  When people think of American Idol they think of people like Ruben and some others, but I think Clay has broken away from the reality tv star persona.  He's just...CLAY!

[Claymaniac2000]

Her and alli, Your posts said it all. The night he lost i was in total shock and stayed that way for a week. But now I am so thankful that he didn't win. WE all know he is the big winner anyway and he is just Our Clay.

[wil555]

Everything happens for a reason. This was Clay's destiny, and YAY it was awesome!

[!x!ClayxGirl!x!]

I wouldnt really care if clay won just because well ruben didnt really make it on the charts. He has like one video right?  And when ruben gets on stage the first thing that he does is sweat... and thats nasty.

[KSChristian4Clay]

At the time, I was upset. Now, I realize that if Clay had won, he'd be forced to do what AI obligated for him to do longer. I am perfectly happy now with the way things turned out.

[Mary]

Now I'm overjoyed that Clay didn't win for all the reasons stated above but at the time I was really, really, really ticked.    

Who else has been on tour 4 times and planning a third album and another tour in the spring and maybe another Christmas tour? Who else had their own Christmas show on TV? Who else started a foundation? Who else represented McDonald's and UNICEF? I guess the list could go on and on.

MCWL was a fantastic album and I think now that Clay isn't such a newbie to the industry that he had power to influence decisions on his second album.

I still vote for Clay everyday!

Mary

[tessie]

I wanted Clay to win.  He was my favorite...the one whose performances I looked forward to each week.  I was afraid that if he didn't win that that would be the end of getting to see him.

Things turned out just fine.  He is doing very well and I have certainly had plenty of chances to see and hear him.

We have no way of knowing what would have happened if he did win.  Perhaps nothing would have been so very different.  Perhaps he would have the title and the successful career that he has now.  After all, we were all his fans.  We loved him then and we love him now.  We followed him when he didn't win, I am sure that we would have followed him if he had won.

Actually, it turns out to be a great lesson.  Keep on working hard even if you don't get exactly what you want....perhaps there will be even better things than you were aware of.

[aikenseeker]

I have mixed feelings about this.  At the time I was devastated when he lost.  I remember the announcement and just screaming at the TV in disbelief.  I was soooooooo sure after his performance of Bridge Over Troubled Waters that he was going to win.  The day of the finale that was all anyone was talking about.  I remember everyone raving over it and how incredible it was.

In the long run though I have to say that Clay is probably better off having not won.  He's been able to do so much that he might not have been able to do had he won the show.  

It would have been nice for him to have the title but I think he'd doing just fine without it and will continue to do so.

The one thing I am thankful to American Idol for is bringing Clay to all of us.

[kendall]

I was devastated when he lost but now I'm thrilled. He came out looking like the winner and I think that's even better. But the biggest thing is that he was able to get out from under their control after one year!! Way to go, Clay!!!

[heater]

At the time I was so disappointed that Clay didn't win AI2.  I too thought that he deserved to win.  He was the most consitant and he also was one of the most talented people on the show.

With hindsight being what it is, I am SO glad now that Clay didn't win.  He has been able to do things his way and has paved his own way into the hearts of his fans on his terms.  The fact that he has been so successful even though he didn't win Idol shows that he was meant to be in the position he is in and I don't believe it was luck that got him there...I believe it was destined to be that way!

[Prissy]

I remember the first evening of that final AI2 very well.  I tried and tried to get through and vote, and not even one vote got through.

But, the next evening when they were getting ready to announce the results, I had the feeling that Ruben would win. And I just knew it was best for everyone.

I also "knew" that Clay had the most votes.  They just did not get through.
The fact that Ruben "won" just made Clay fans more determined that Clay would be successful.  Clay's album would be the better selling.  Clay would win, win, win everything that the fans could possibly make happen.

Had Clay won AI2, would the fans have been as diligent?  Would the determination have been there to make Clay Number 1? We'll never know.

"From something bad comes something good."  I believe this.  Whenever a situation seems really awful, on down the road, we see that it really was for the best.

I think this is a quote from one of Clay's songs:   "If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans."   I think Clay is following God's plan for him.

Prissy

[LadyC]

Yes.  Just to see him singing with all that confetti falling down on him.  He deserved it.

I know he's past it.  But, as I can be very immature, I'm still stinging just a lil' bit.  

Yup.

[claymatefanforever]

I was upset when Clay did not win. But now it doesn't matter because he is now more successful and more
popular then Ruben. To many People Clay was and still is the real American Idol even if he didn't win
the title!!

CLAY YOU ARE MY IDOL!!!!!!!!!!!!