Clay Mentions 12/28

More mentions about whether AI4 runner-up Bo Bice will be the 'next' Clay Aiken.

Idol worship is the aspiring "Idols" rocking the music charts

He may not have reached the finals of the "American Idol" but Bo Bice is still a hot man for fans who follow his talent in music and longhaired good looks even if he is less than a winner. All of 30 years, the Alabama resident Bice ended up as a runner-up in the popular show's fourth season. But all his dreams of fame and glory are not shattered at least yet.

He has set his sights on aping Clay Aiken another also-ran, who landed a handsome fortune topping the charts. The past Idol Fantasia is going strong a year after her debut album Free Yourself was released while Clay Aiken has done very well two years after his TV appearance with his album Merry Christmas With Love.

Will Bo Bice be the next Clay Aiken?
TV Squad

Bo Bice is having a busy time of it lately. His new album "The Real Thing" is being released, and the singer is said to be "very excited" about it. As you no doubt know, Bice came in second to American Idol winner Carrie Underwood (who, by the way, was just named Oklahoman of the Year), and there has been much speculation about whether Bice will pull a "Clay Aiken". Aiken, who placed second behind Ruben Studdard in Season Two of Idol, has far surpassed Studdard in album sales and fan base.

Not that Ruben was any slouch--his first album beat out Kelly Clarkson's debut, and his second album went to the top of the gospel charts--but Aiken still outsold him, and his fan club, the Claymates, are almost as obsessive as Harry Potter fans. Actually, perhaps more so -- if you really want to wear your heart on your, er, sleeve, you can actually buy a Clay Aiken thong.

Rowling to finish 'Potter' in 2006
Scoop!

Bice 'n' easy
"American Idol" runnerup Bo Bice is out doing the publicity thing for his new CD, "The Real Thing." "I'm obviously very excited about the album, to see what people think of it," the 30-year-old told The Birmingham News. "I had quite a bit of creative control, and I was extremely pleased with that. I had a lot of input." Apparently, Bice is striving for more a Clay Aiken-type success than Justin Guarini. And if you are asking, "Who the heck is Justin Guarini?" then we rest our case.

Tuning In
Washington Times

Bo's 'Real' debut
Second place isn't the worst place to be for "American Idol" contestants.
Famous "AI" runner-up Clay Aiken rode his underdog status to a hit-making career, and now singer Bo Bice is hoping to do the same.

AI4 contestant Anthony Federov was compared to Clay.

Top 10 of 2005: No. 9 - Fedorov fever
By JO CIAVAGLIA
Bucks County Courier Times

Some people sing for their supper. Anthony Fedorov sang for his survival.

For 15 weeks this spring, the amateur Bucks County nightclub singer outperformed more than 100,000 competitors, then eight fellow finalists on the wildly popular reality show "American Idol."

With his blond, boy-band good looks and signature eyeglasses that played hide-and-seek during the season, Fedorov captured hearts with a passion for love songs and a moving life story, including a doctor's prediction a childhood tracheotomy would prevent him from speaking.

During the audition process, his style drew immediate comparisons with second-season runner-up, Clay Aiken, winning him more popularity points. Fedorov, 20, climbed into the Top 4 before his record skipped.

Clay's comments in May about the 'Paulagate' scandal that rocked American Idol.

Notable quotables in the music biz
SPEAKING THEIR MIND:

"Obviously, at this point, FOX has done a full investigation of it, independently, and found out that he is full of crap."
- Clay Aiken on [AI Season 2 contestant] Corey's Clark's claims he had an affair with American Idol judge Paula Abdul

Pittsburgh Blogger make some, uh, interesting predictions. :)

2006 Predictions

9. As the last remaining item from popular culture not resurrected during the recent "retro" craze, Southern Fried Rock will once again gain popularity in 2006 when American Idol phenom Clay Aiken releases a stirring rendition of the Molly Hatchet classic "Flirtin' with Disaster."