Clay's Ripa Goof Spoofed By Raleigh's "A Christmas Carol"

The CH's Raleighlady says Clay was mentioned several times at last night's "A Christmas Carol" show in Raleigh:

Clay mention in Raleigh last night.

A few friends and I attended Ira David Wood's production of A Christmas Carol in Raleigh last night. Ira is the father of actress Evan Rachel Wood. He's been doing this production for 32 years and it is a Raleigh tradition. Although the play is set in the time period of the book and the costumes are all period clothes, it is a musical comedy with lots of topical national and local references. I know that sounds weird but it works and there were parts where I laughed until I cried. He included references to Britney and her lack of underclothes, Extreme Makeover Home Edition (Ty and the crew were in Raleigh this week building a house in downtown), Scrooge did an Elvis impersonation, and the Ghost of the Future was "Howie Mandell" in Deal or No Deal complete with the bald head, knuckle bumps, phone call, and models with silver briefcases.

I haven't seen this production in a number of years but I had heard that Ira always includes a Clay Aiken reference. Ira is also famous in Raleigh for being the one who TURNED CLAY DOWN when he auditioned for this production when he was a child. Bill and Sheri on Mix101.5 gave Ira a hard time on the air last year for not recognizing talent.

So we were sitting there before the play began and they were playing recorded Christmas music. We were talking and I realized I was hearing Clay's MDYK.

No Clay reference in the first act. At the beginning of the second act, I heard Scrooge say "Clay Aiken" but I missed the reference because my friend was talking to me. I thought that was the gratutious Clay mention but there was more to come. A bit later, we're in the scene where Jacob Marley visits Scrooge in his bedroom. They're standing there talking when Scrooge reaches over and clamps his hand over Marley's mouth. About 5 other people and I started clapping, cackling, hooting and laughing. He went through the entire "Was that a no no?" "That was a big no no" routine and by the time he got to "I don't know where that hand's been" the entire audience was whooping and hollering and applauding. He never mentioned Clay's name at that point but the scene was instanteously recognizable to most of the audience.

An enjoyable time. If anyone is ever in Raleigh in early December, you would try to attend.

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