Archive through May 22, 2003
TV ClubHouse: Archive: American Idol (FOX):
The Clay Aiken Fan Club (ARCHIVE):
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Archive through May 22, 2003
Hermione69 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 09:08 am     Realfan, thanks for sharing. Everyone else, too! |
Djgirl5235 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 09:10 am     Well my fellow Claymates, our period of mourning began last night, and I'm still feeling very disappointed, but getting better throughout the day. I really thought about this last night as I was folding my laundry in a huff not even watching once they announced the winner... Boy did I surprise myself there! Anyway... American Idol isn't just about crowning one person, it's about showcasing the best in the nation (well, yours anyway - mine is just starting next month - you ready LL???) and jumpstarting careers. What I realized is that if you don't agree, you don't have to support that person, be it Kelly from last year or Ruben this year. Kelly's style was more my cup of tea, as was Clay's - nothing against Ruben, as I feel he is extraordinarily talented, but just not my thing... Anyway... the thing is, if you didn't like the outcome, then boycott - only buy the ones you like... Here's another way to put it - say there was a contest with Pink & Jewel (for the sake of the argument - both are very different styles)... Pink won, but you didn't care for the music she sang - but you did like Jewel - Who's making you buy Pink's album??? No-one... see now you know why I feel better..... That and the fact that I'm getting out of this horrendous office two weeks earlier than originally planned - woohoo!!!!! Love you all!!!! You guys made this season a blast!!! See you around the TVCH since I never seem to leave!!! Deej |
Daisymae | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:28 am     I'm new here & glad to meet you all. I totally agree with Realfan & DJgirl. I've had so many emotions & been up all night. One of my frustrations is that I'm wanting to know if Clay is going to have an "official" fan club & how to find out. What is the purpose of a fan club & does Clay benefit, how? Also, how to find out how to start a fan club if one is needed in my area. (Phoenix). Would love to help make Clay a real star. Daisy |
Llkoolaid | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:31 am     I am so ready Deej, I just can't wait. I have my fingers crossed it doesn't conflict with BB or AR, but I have 3 tv's and 3 vcr's in this house if you count my daughters so if they conflict I will just take over the house. |
Hermione69 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:33 am     Hi Daisy, if I hear anything about an official club, I will post the info. Nice to have you here! |
Djgirl5235 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:34 am     I only have 2 tv's & vcr's but I'll have both of them humming if I have too!!! We'll definitely have to take over the CI board!!!lol |
Daisymae | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 10:58 am     I did a search "ask jeeves" & there is alot of information on what it involves to start a fan club. It wouldn't be for me. However, I still would like to be a member of one that is approved by Clay. So, if anyone knows of one, please post. Thanks, Daisy. |
Daisymae | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 11:03 am     Thanks for the welcome Hermi. |
Nanarobin | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 11:26 am     Clay’s X-Factor by Sherry Sochacka -- 05/22/2003 What is it about Clay? What is the X-factor he’s increasingly developed throughout the competition? Why have fans all over the world been going wild for him? American Idol 2 has run its course, and Ruben Studdard has won the crown, leaving Clay Aiken a very close second. Clay fans are now in mourning, but determined, now more than ever, to stand by their idol. As a testimony to this, the following is from the owner of ClaytonAiken.com, expressing the sentiments of Clay’s millions of fans: Know that YOU are our WINNER and time will show that you are what legends are made of. You have a rare and beautiful gift and you have touched lives all around the world. (...) Thank you for sharing your gift with us. So what is it about Clay? What gives him this difficult-to-define allure – the X-factor? More and more every week, he has evoked massive adulation around the globe, being revered and adored in equal measure. It has been suggested that such worldwide fervor has not been seen since the days of the Beatles. A new language has built up around him. There are Claynadians and fans from the UClay. Clay is ‘acclaymed’ and his fans are ‘infatuaiken.’ At least six websites have been created specifically around him – and counting. Message boards are legion and have been constantly active, day and night! Women declare their love for him. His cause, autism, is receiving much-needed attention because of him. So what is it about Clay? What has given Clay Aiken the X-factor? Here are my top ten Clay-factors: 1) That voice! Well, what can I say. That amazing voice became more searingly beautiful every week. It could have come straight from Heaven. Off-stage, Clay, by his own acknowledgment, is more hyperactive. On-stage he acquired a groundedness, depth and resonance which was almost ethereal. His voice spoke to the depths of the soul and touched emotions we didn’t know we had. 2) Love. Clay is loving and caring. This is very evident on stage. When he smiles, hearts melt. He seems to express such joy that people’s hearts go straight out to him. A fan explained this much better than I could: “Clay puts love and joy out there ... he gets it back ... and gives it out again ... that’s why we stay in love with him.” “And when he smiles ... he just has you smiling back. He is thoroughly enjoying himself ... and we enjoy him back.” He also loves his mom, and is very tactile towards women. How sweet was that to watch. No matter what country they were in, women would have been mesmerized. The same fan said, “And he’s so sweet and gentlemanly - what’s not to love. He stands there before us with OPEN ARMS ... and we just want to fall right into them.” 3) The ‘geek to chic’ factor. Clay has transformed himself before our very eyes. At his audition he was an ordinary student – crumpled, thickly bespectacled, red-haired, skinny, and with prominent ears. The judges didn’t think he looked remotely like an idol and were even unsure whether to allow him into the next heat. Then he transformed himself into a love-god. Turned out all the time he was not an ugly duckling at all! He got a makeover, or several. He stopped contorting his face. He got sharp suits and leather jackets. He got lighting. He got great songs to sing. His voice was fabulous. The mix became irresistible. So what emerged? A swan. 4) He forgot his words once, but he picked himself up again. During a potentially beautiful rendition of Don McLean’s “Vincent,” the unthinkable happened, and Clay forgot his words in two places. Did he collapse in a heap, show visible signs of nerves or flunk out of the contest? No way. This is Clay! What Clay did was blithely carry on as if nothing had happened, finishing, as Paula Abdul noted, with dignity. And when Ryan asked him how you pick yourself up from something like that, he said, “You bring it! You bring it next time!” And he proceeded to do so, and then some, knocking us out with “Mack the Knife” and “Unchained Melody.” What Clay was doing here was saying in not so many words, “It’s okay to mess up! We’re all human, and humans go wrong sometimes. When you do, you don’t have to rip yourself to shreds because of it or hope the floor will swallow you up. You don’t have to brand yourself a failure and give up. It’s okay! Just carry on, and you’ll get there in the end.” People love him for it. 5) Clay learned on the job. To start off with, all he had was potential – a fabulous voice and not much else going for him that anyone could see. Oh and self-belief. He told the judges he thought he could be the next American Idol. Every week, he listened and learned. He took Simon Cowell’s often abrasive comments and looked for the gold nugget in them. Je practiced relaxing his facial muscles so that he suddenly looked gorgeous while he was singing. He listened to Paula and injected more pizzazz into his performances. He learned to look into the camera so he was staring straight into the viewer’s eyes. As another fan said, “I feel like Clay is singing just to me through the camera.” He learned to exude sexuality, but probably didn’t even know he was doing it. So the rest of us could see that we didn’t have to be perfect, or even anything special to start off with. If we just focused on something, we could get better at it with practice, like he did. Anything became possible. We realized that there was a swan inside all of us, just waiting to get out. 6) He’s suffered. I don’t think that life has been a bed of roses for Clay Aiken. He hasn’t led a charmed existence. He’s just like the rest of us. His background may not be extremely poor (although he may have known some hardship), but it wasn’t wonderful either. He had a father with whom he wasn’t close. Clay felt strongly enough about this to change his name to his mother’s maiden name. He must have watched his mother struggle to bring him up. He also had to contend with acquiring a stepfather, and then his stepfather died last year. Clay has had his share of troubles in life. All of this gives him the depth of expression he always exhibits when he sings. 7) Humility. Clay Aiken doesn’t just say he has humility. He actually does really have it. He could be quite self-deprecating and genuinely didn’t understand what all the fuss was about – why he touched so many people’s hearts. If he were arrogant, then people may want to knock him. As it is, they love him. 8) Sincerity, kindness and thoughtfulness, being open and trusting. This young man is nothing if not sincere. He is genuine and straightforward. He is a Southern Baptist and wants to do good in the world. He wants the influence and exposure from American Idol to be able to help autistic children. And through everything, he has maintained an ability to be open and trusting, and let his emotions shine through. Singing “Solitaire” especially, he let his vulnerability be clearly seen. It endeared people to him. 9) He demonstrated a lovely sense of humor and didn’t take himself too seriously. His endearing smile lit up our TV screens. His sexual gyrating was done with glee. He found this funny! He demonstrated a quick wit and was more than a match for the judges, dealing with them with humor and dignity, or sometimes flirting with Paula. Paula: “I want to give you a hug.” Clay: “Is that a date?” 10) He and the other contestants saw us through a potentially dark period of human history. If love often arises out of adversity, then this could explain some of the depth of emotional attachment being felt. Perhaps Clay’s greatest achievement has been to give hope in what seemed an uncertain world. He has been like a beacon of light in the dark. He has given us hope that we could find our own path in life and fulfill our wildest dreams. If Clay could do it, then so perhaps could we. He made us feel special, and he made anything seem possible. It doesn’t really matter that Clay “lost.” Clay has the X-factor. He has already won people’s hearts around the globe and that is what really counts. http://www.foxesonidol.com/cgi-bin/ae.pl?mode=4&article=article1217.art&page=1 |
Realfan | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 11:41 am     Wow. Awesome article! I hope there are a lot of articles like this published in the next few days, devoted to Clay and what makes him special to us. |
Marymc | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 11:49 am     i agree with the article...all i can add is that clay makes this 40 year old feel like a teenager again. i grew up in the era of the stones and zepplin vs. shaun cassidy and the bay city rollers....NOTHING was all that impressive to a 13 year old looking for her idol. clay is it...27 years later. i watch him and my heart flutters. i get giggly and girly and gushy. nice to know i still have it in me. thank you clay. better late than never. |
Nanarobin | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 11:59 am     There are a ton of articles over on the index page of FoxesOnIdol site....for both trains of thought..mostly the titles tell it all. The writing that I have read the past couple of days is very well done. ...both Clay and Ruben fans should go there. JMHO |
Crossfire | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:07 pm     Couldn't find an idol in Zeppelin? Hehehe, I wasted most of my youth trying to play guitar like Page. Hehehe. It is good to hear you finally got your turn though. |
Mak1 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:09 pm     I'm just getting caught up on this board and want to say that the same things that annoyed Realfan (on previous page) also annoyed me. The thing that really bothers me the most about the whole thing is the comment that Simon made last night right before the winner was announced. He said that this year's competition was about image versus talent, and talent won, the voters got it right. (paraphrased) Does that mean he doesn't think Clay has talent?! At least 49.72% of the AI voters see and hear his talent! I'm really happy for Ruben, his family and fans. If Clay so chooses, I think his career will outlast and outshine Ruben's (and maybe outwit and outplay too, lol). I expect we will have happy things to discuss in this thread for a long time to come. |
Crossfire | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:14 pm     No, I don't think he was talking about Clay and Ruben as Opponents, I think he meant them vs everyone who did not make it. I think he is happy that people picked talent (meaning both of the final two) to win instead of a cutie like Carmen or a Josh because he was a marine, or one of the boytoys because of their image, things like that. |
Jimmer | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:24 pm     I don't think Simon's comment was a dig at Clay at all. It was a comment in support of BOTH Clay and Ruben's talent. |
Nanarobin | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:24 pm     Marymc.... you are soooooo right....Clay does the same thing to this 58 yr old heart...last year I discovered Josh Groban after his performance on his PBS special. He also enthralled me! I find myself addicted to Clay in past weeks..not in a teen screaming manner...but in an adoring way with much respect for his raw talent/drive/personality/stage presence/honest humor/etc.--BUT MOST OF ALL--his willingness to change to meet the idol goal. In my mind, he won just by meeting the critical challenge. I am certain that it will make a huge effect on his future in the entertainment world..if Simon will just leave him alone. I hope TPTB do not put him on the melisma train, but keep him singing as he is now---that strong voice and vocal power range. The more I read about his life history in the past couple of days, I admire him even more with each new fact. While I would not call me obcessed....I am sure smitten with him. So is that a bad thing?? I think NOT!!! |
Marymc | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 12:44 pm     nana....josh groban is my other crush.... great minds (and hearts) think alike! |
Nanarobin | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 01:07 pm     I think I have posted this before, but on his website http://www.joshgroban.com/ you can listen to all his songs. I have both cd's and his DVD...love listening to his voice...heck, I am even coming around to the Italian songs now!! For those who do not know Josh...he sang at the closing of last year's Olympics(s duet with Charlotte Church out on the ice), has had an hour long PBS special, a million selling album. He is classically trained and currently being mentored by David Foster, renowned producer---who I wish could get ahold of our Clay and work with him, too, as he had the contacts/knowledge and seems to not just be out after the all mighty pop bucks! Josh Groban is another cutie, like Clay...has sparklingly haunty eyes and curly hair--although not as unkempt as Justin G's...but that is the current style...so who am I to comment??!! If you love Clay...you will also like Josh Groban, trust me!!! The one HUGE thing Clay has over Groban is his stange presence where his personality really shines! Nana Robin |
Scbookworm | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 01:09 pm     Nanarobin - I agree with you completely. I am a 60 year old Mom who shared this obsession with my children and actually got them involved to begin with! As for the aftermath: I am voting with my dollars and have already bought several copies of Clay's CD on Amazon for myself and other far-flung family members. And for anyone who didn't see this yet, there is a vote on MSNBC today for whether or not you agree with the result. You get to vote for Clay again if you are so inclined! Go to: http://www.msnbc.com/news/916836.asp?0si=- Best to all and keep supporting our Clay! He is so well-balanced that I am sure he will be just fine and go on to even greater success. |
Nanarobin | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 02:27 pm     Scbookworm...BEEN THERE DONE THAT...WAY EARLIER TODAY..just forgot to post it, as I only saw the pole on the way from one article to another..I have been an avid reader today to help heal my heavy heart over Clay's loss. |
Nanarobin | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 02:29 pm     oops...I think I have what Ryan has....he can't read and I can't type.... that was poll, not pole!! sorry |
Mak1 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 03:35 pm     Thanks, Cross and Jimmer. I haven't rewatched the tape yet. That comment really bothered me, and I'm glad to hear I took it the wrong way. |
Iscreamer1 | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 04:06 pm     61 to 39 % for Clay on that MSNBC poll. In trying to find something positive in my dissapointment I have decided that it may be better that Clay didn't win. In this way he is free to persue many other non-Idol opportunities that Ruben will not. We know that Simon signed them both but Ruben is now committed for a year to do whatever the Idol people want him to do. Clay is much freer to make his own choices. Maybe we'll actually see more of Clay than Ruben. This is not a slam to Ruben but I just don't understand this line about him being more marketable than Clay. Sure when he's singing his smile lights up the room and he is like a huggable teddybear but once the singing stops man the light goes off! I really don't see his personality without the song. |
Maris | Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 04:50 pm     Ruben is more marketable because he is an R&B singer, and while Clay has a great voice, it is a voice that is geared for Broadway, not for the hit singles. A style like Clays is not going to churn out hit singles every two months. Clay will do well but will do well on Broadwaay and with people like Neil Seadaka and Clive Davis pushing him. Ruben will do well because he will appeal to a greater audience. |
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