Tidbits 5/27

Clay in today's "Big Nate" comic strip. (isn't that cute?)

Even more American Idol (although things are starting to calm down... today's Google News on Clay Aiken was only 3 pages... contrasts with Thursday's which was more than 20!) I apologize if there's repetition here. With all the articles floating around, I'm starting to lose track.

• Clay's appearance on American Idol was the topic of discussion on Ace & TJ's syndicated radio show. The DJs say "Clay Aiken is awesome... On the DVR I hit rewind 4 times... I had to watch it 4 times! I love Clay Aiken. That guy is just unbelieveable... the voice! And you Claymates... that kid has one of the best voices I've heard in my life." MP3 available for download here. (Thursday May 25... ""Clay Aiken")
• What is the best season of American Idol? Entertainment Weekly poll. (scroll down a bit)
  
• VH1 Best Week Ever blog: "Was it Taylor Hicks who stole the title of American Idol? Or was it Clay Aiken's new strategically rockin' haircut which stole our hearts? You tell us..." (Programming note: Clay was mentioned on this week's Best Week Ever show on VH1. This will repeat throughout the weekend, so check local listings)
• Celebrity Cafe: "Many critics have asked if coming in second on American Idol permanently handicaps your career. The inevitable Clay Aiken example is given as reason to explain that you can have a career while still finishing second. I loved when Clay Aiken came out (no pun intended) with his crazy bangs, rocking look alike Michael Sandeki to his very core with 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me.' "
• Hattiesburg American: "But the grandest moment of the night was the entrance of Clay "Bangs" Aiken and the look on the permanently-surprised face of Michael Sandecki during their rendition of 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me.' "
• Varsity.co.nz: "the biggest show-stoppers were Clay Aiken, who debuted a jaw-dropping new hipster hairdo, and Prince, who performed two songs solo before an ecstatic audience."
• Palm Beach Post blog: "That fake Clay kid who couldn't sing even after a second chance is singing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me." Who's that behind him...Clay Aiken!!! He's almost hot. Did you hear that, Claymates? I said he was hot! Did you hear me? Are you happy now?"
• Teen People: "This year's finale was the most star-studded yet, with appearances by last year's winner, Carrie Underwood, season two's runner-up, Clay Aiken, as well as music megastars like Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Live, Al Jarreau, Dionne Warwick, Meat Loaf, Burt Bacharach and a surprise performance by Prince. But it was Taylor's performance of "Do I Make You Proud" -- his debut single -- that not only brought the audience to its feet, but his dad to tears. "
• Salon.com: "The pairing of Michael Sandecki, "American Idol" contestant and recipient of one of the dubious awards on the show's big Wednesday finale, with former runner-up Clay Aiken, who surprised his young fan by joining him mid-song for a duet of Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," was maybe the most entertainingly strange moment in the show's history. Props to Aiken for agreeing to appear with Sandecki who, impish and gawky, resembles nothing so much as a funhouse version of Aiken"
• Another one a Salon: "Sandecki began singing, displaying the same relationship to pitch that a drunk has to a straight line. Then, Aiken came out -- rescuing his young fan from embarrassment and sending him into a tizzy at the same time. It was impossible not to smile."
• Bored? Sony BMG has a new video player. Clay's The Way and Invisible videos can be found here.
• Reality TV Mag: Recap of last night's Larry King (see this post for more info)
• The State: "The Clay Aiken wannabe/Clay Aiken duet was the single funniest thing I've ever seen on TV."
• Check out this cool montage of Clay singing DLTSGDOM from 2003 and 2006.
• Electric New Paper Asia: mentions AI2 Ruben/Clay "conspiracy theories"
• Home News Tribune: columnist isn't a Clay, AI fan...
• The Vancouver Province... article about Idol and Instant Celebrity, "Kelly and Clay are obvious examples."
• Philidelphia Inquirer: Stranges AI moment... "It had to be the new 'do that Clay Aiken was sporting. It looked like he had spent way too much time watching the Charlize Theron bomb Aeon Flux on SpectraVision in his hotel suite. Either that or he had swum to the stage through a thick bed of kelp."
• MediaFiends: very good Clay article... new look.
• Charlotte Observer: 'Top surprise this week on "American Idol" was Clay Aiken's new hairdo. The Raleigh runner-up in Season Two traded his Bart Simpson stand-up for a floppy mop suggestive of early Beatles."American Idol" series was the most-watched prime time show this year, and the final two shows clobbered the competition, including the season-ender for ABC's "Lost."'
• Nashua Telegraph: local talent contest not only for people who are like "more William Hung than Clay Aiken"

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, American Idol, Invisible