Clay Mentions 12/21

About this week's record sales.

Eminem Holds Billboard #1 As Carrie Beats Bo Again
12.21.2005 11:00 AM EST
Bice's The Real Thing opens on Billboard's albums chart at #4, with 227,000 copies sold during its first week in stores. Underwood's Some Hearts debuted at #2 with sales of more than 314,000 when it was released last month. And Carrie isn't the only "Idol" veteran to top Bice's initial take. 2004's "American Idol" champ Fantasia sold more than 239,000 copies of her 2004 LP Free Yourself. 2003 winner Ruben Studdard's 2003 debut Soulful topped Billboard with 416,000 scans, while runner-up Clay Aiken's Measure of a Man, released that same year, also debuted at #1 with 613,000 copies sold. And Kelly Clarkson's inaugural LP, 2003's Thankful, opened at #3 with 297,000 sold.

Another one about Carrie and Bo with some other Idol stats stuck in.

"Idol" Rerun: Bo Battles Carrie on Charts
by David Jenison
Dec 21, 2005, 1:00 PM PT
E! Online

Nothing quite captures the holiday spirit like American Idol stars fighting for stocking-stuffer supremacy.

And once again Bo Bice's strong showing was no match for the force that is Carrie Underwood. The country songbird, who beat the country rocker on the fourth American Idol last spring, proved her supremacy in record sales.

Moreover, Clarkson's quadruple-platinum smash has now spent 55 consecutive weeks in the Top 20, a feat not accomplished in more than five years, and Clay Aiken's holiday-themed Merry Christmas with Love just passed the million-copy mark. The new American Idol season premieres Jan. 17 on Fox.

Kimberley Locke

Our Critics Picks
KIMBERLEY LOCKE The second most popular iTunes download for this American Idol alum-after her smash debut single "8th World Wonder"--is a boisterous version of "Up on the Housetop," one of the least hip tunes in the canon of beloved Christmas carols. That Locke, a gifted R&B vocalist who probably should have bested both Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard on AI2, pulls it off so skillfully is a testament to her versatility. Her debut album, 2004's One Love, included dreamy, soul-soaked ballads and high-energy dance pop (some of which has been remixed for the club scene), as well as a handful of classic covers like "I Can’t Make You Love Me" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," another borderline cheesy pick she manages to carry off with her magnificent voice. The local gal-she graduated from Gallatin High and Belmont University-comes home for the holidays to perform a mix of seasonal favorites, lustrous ballads and upbeat grooves that will be right at home at one of Nashville's trendy clubs. Play Dance Bar --KATIE DODD

Apprentice runner-up is the 'new Clay Aiken'

The Apprentice Finale: Randalgate Continues

Although I'm on vacation, I've been unable to escape Randalgate. How could I? I caught NBA Tall Man Randal, Evil Eye Rebecca and The Trumpster on Larry King Live last night. If you've read my blog on The Apprentice's controversial finale, you already I know I believe Randal made the right call by refusing to share his hard-earned victorious moment with Rebecca.

I thought I got past Randalgate and my angry feelings about it until I watched the butt-kissing King interviewing all parties involved. Randal won. Fair and square. Move on, people. But there he was, basically being put on the defensive by The Suspendered One. You would've thought Rebecca won instead of Randal. Which, in a way, she did. Even The Suspendered One gushed and fawned all over Evil Eye Rebecca, saying being runner-up would turn out to be best thing that ever happened to her.

"Your name is up in lights," King raved.

It's official: Evil Eye Rebecca is the new Clay Aiken.

Meanwhile, The Donald gushed just as much, even going as far as saying how he was "staring right at her very beautiful face" when he asked NBA Tall Man Randal that "little question" about whether Rebecca should be hired.

Let's let him do that, people. He's earned it.

New Finnish Idol looks like Clay Aiken?

Finland, meet your new Finnish Idol!

So the other day at Brogue's, my friend Meri, who knows more about music than anyone I have ever met, asked me if I knew anything about Finnish Idol, the singing sensation that's sweeping that nation. I, of course, did not, because I am an ignorant American and don't always know about that stuff. (I am ashamed of me.)

Meri, who, we have already established, knows this stuff, so she sent me some stuff about the new winner, Illka Jaaskelainen (I am missing some accents and puncuation and things that would make his name make sense in Finnish. But you get the idea.)

Cute, huh?

I assume the story is saying how awesome and talented he is, and how much he looks like a less Howdy Doody Clay Aiken. (Hi, Claymates! Please keep your hate mail to a festive holiday minimum, 'kay?)

New York Times article on the Miss America pagent. Clay appeared on the pagent broadcast in 2003 and 2004.

Miss America as She Used to Be
By JACQUES STEINBERG
Published: December 22, 2005

NASHVILLE, Dec. 15 - When the Miss America Organization announced this year that its next pageant would be broadcast on Country Music Television - a basic cable channel where, heretofore, the standard of poise and elegance was probably set by Daisy Duke strutting past the General Lee in popular reruns of "The Dukes of Hazzard" - die-hard followers of the competition worried that an American icon was about to get chicken-fried.

Also gone in January will be a head-to-head talent contest between the two remaining finalists that had been added last year and was meant to channel "American Idol."

In case anyone missed that hint, Clay Aiken, the runner-up in the second season of "Idol," was on hand last year to sing, "There she is ..." - imagine Bert Parks's hair restyled with gel and spikes - as was Chris Harrison, the host of "The Bachelor," who acted as master of ceremonies and gentle executioner. Neither will be back in January.