Clay Mentions 12/13

A roundup of mentions of Clay on the internet that do not deserve their own post.

Um... not sure what this is. Maybe a reference to a Winston-Salem Journal article that said Clay is a registered Democrat? Clay is stopping by in Washington today for the JN 2005 tour

Gossip Roundup: The Twins in 'Fancy Tops'
Reliable Source: Advisors to Kathleen Babineaux Blanco had their own concerns about the Louisiana governor's wardrobe during the Katrina aftermath. . . Bush twins spotted "in fancy tops and jeans, dining on sushi, scallops and sea bass at Oya with eight other gals" on Friday night. . . Clay Aiken checked into the Madison Hotel under the name Jimmy Carter. . . Dr. Phil seen at Georgetown Haagen-Dazs. [WP]

The name Clay has become less popular. Clay mention.

Celebrities' names hit, miss
By MARIA PUENTE and BREANNE GILPATRICK
Gannett News Service

Drop into any preschool in a few years and you're likely to see a lot of backpacks marked with names like Paris and Mariah. But don't expect to find any mini-Madonnas or Clays; some names just don't fit with the times.

The celebrity influence on baby names has been with us since the Bible, but now you can track it online: The Social Security Administration Web site (www.ssa.gov) has a searchable database that shows the rankings of popular names by year, going back as far as 1880.

Clay had been losing steam since 1995, and when Clay Aiken appeared on American Idol in 2003, it spiraled further, Satran says.

Clay Aiken Christmas CD mention:

Christmas movies fail test of time
By Bill Everhart

Sunday, December 11
Where are the new Christmas movie classics? It's always fun at this time of year to dig your favorite version or versions of Dickens "A Christmas Carol" out of the VHS or DVD rack, but why don't they make Christmas movies like they used to?
(The same can be said of Christmas music — a Bing Crosby Christmas album has it all over one offered by Lindsay Lohan or Clay Aiken — but that's not my department.)

Article about Bo Bice and Canadian Idol 3 runner-up Rex Goudie.

New Releases: One Idol Runner-Up To Another
Monday December 12, 2005 @ 06:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

There's a funny thing about CD release cycles: Record companies put all their great albums out between the beginning of October and the end of November so you're well aware of them when it's time to buy that music fan in your life something for Christmas. Those golden days have sadly passed and now we're solidly in the dregs. Not complaining or anything, just warning you in advance for a slightly abbreviated New Releases column.

The big battle this week is between two former first runners-up from the Idol shows.

Our first contestant is Canadian Idol heartthrob, Rex Goudie. Under The Lights, the debut album from the Newfoundlander ("Sexy Rex" to his fans) comes hot on the heels of the first CD from recent Idol winner Melissa O'Neil. Clearly this will be an epic battle between a teenager singing adult contemporary material and a 20-something doing exactly the same. Who will win? Does anyone care? Find out in Top Of The Charts next week.

Of course, neither Goudie nor O'Neil are going to outsell insanely popular American Idol runner-up Bo Bice (or Bob Ice, as it's more fun to refer to him as). The long-haired "rocker" releases his The Real Thing debut on Tuesday. You may recall that Bice lost to country-tinged Carrie Underwood. Or you may not.

It's really hard to tell with these Idols. Remember Justin Guarini? Well, you wouldn't if he hadn't starred in one of the worst movies in history (From Justin To Kelly). It remains to be seen whether Bice will be a Clay Aiken or a Ruben Studdard, and whether Goudie will be a Ryan Malcolm or a Kalan Porter. But the holiday shopping masses will sort some of that out.

Review of Bo Bice's new album

Bo Bice, "The Real Thing" (RCA)
"American Idol" season four runner-up Bo Bice is touting the fact that, unlike many of those who came before him on the Fox reality TV show, he helped write and produce this record and plays on it, as well. But, will it stand out? Musically, yes, because it's not the dance pop or Top 40 of Kelly Clarkson, and it's not the feel-good saccharine of Clay Aiken or the sugary R&B of Ruben Studdard. But aesthetically, the record is the same as his predecessors' debuts - sweet-sounding, easy and OK.

Article about Kelly Clarkson

Since you been on
The biggest 'Idol' breaks out of her box and visits Fresno.
By Mike Osegueda / The Fresno Bee
(Updated Sunday, December 11, 2005, 9:45 AM)

Maybe it's too soon to tell.

In 10 years, when someone mentions the name Kelly Clarkson, will "American Idol" still be the first thing that comes to mind?

When she won the show's first season, it gave her a music career and skyrocketed her to fame.

She's one of only four artists to have an album debut in the top 20 and stay there for a year. It hasn't happened for five years.

Yes, it's been a good year for Kelly. Beyond all the numbers, though, "Breakaway" did something else for Clarkson, 22. It helped her break away from the "Idol" stigma. It helped her stand on her own, without having to be associated with Simon or Randy or Paula.

After this year, there's no question that she's the biggest star to come from "American Idol."

For a while, it seemed like she and Clay Aiken were neck-to-neck in the fight for that honor.

That's a start.