TIdbits 2/15

• Progressive U - An article about American Idol being more popular than politics says, "Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Katherine McPhee, Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson? These people have all received stardom and then some (keep in mind not all of them were the first place winners either.)"
• WSOCtv.com - For the first time since its inaugural season, "American Idol" will hold a competition without any contestants from North Carolina...Fantasia Barrino of High Point won the 2004 competition, while Raleigh's Clay Aiken was the 2003 runner-up.
• Raleigh News & Observer - Same article as above
• Los Angeles Times - AI article ... "It certainly is no longer necessary to win “American Idol” to become a star; losers from past top 12’s have gone on to produce bestselling albums (Clay Aiken), receive Oscar nods (Jennifer Hudson) and hold microphones on red carpets (Kellie Pickler)."
• Buzzle.com - another AI article... "Even a second place finish can make a career, as evidenced by season two winner Clay Aikens moderate success."
• FOX 30 Online - nicknames already popping up for AI6 contestants -

  Phil Stacey's fans have even already given themselves a nickname. Just like Clay Aiken had the “Clay-mates”, and Taylor Hicks had the “Soul Patrol”, Phil now has the “Phil-natics”.
  

• Reality TV World - poor representation for Southern "Idols" on AI6 ... top 24 revealed last night:

  Although the South has traditionally been a hot bed of American Idol talent -- former Idol finalists Ruben Studdard, Bo Bice, and Taylor Hicks all came from Alabama and Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, and Bucky Covington are all from North Carolina -- only a handful of Idol's sixth season semifinalists are from the southern part of the United States and neither Alabama or North Carolina are represented in this year's semifinals.

• Reality TV Magazine ... this is so similar to the preceding article, it makes us wonder whether someone plagiarized:

  Another Southern state which is typically well represented in the American Idol top twenty-four was also shut out. North Carolina has produced the likes of Fantasia Barrino, Clay Aiken, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, and Bucky Covington, but the state doesn’t have a single contestant in the top twenty-four for American Idol

• Blogcritics - AI article ... "Only those who were truly talented or unique enough can overcome obscurity — people like Clay Aiken and Bo Bice, neither of whom was featured at all during the early auditions."
• Los Angeles Times - article about a band called "Altar Boyz" and how one of the members is a "Clay Aiken type" (anyone care to tell me if this is in a good or bad sense?)
  
• Reality TV Magazine has also picked up the story about a possible "American Idol All Stars" special.
  
• ZNet - Celebs attacted to the power of Africa -

  Before the end of the year [2006], the continent somehow managed to attract the interest of big name stars – and therefore big media – beginning with Bono, then Clay Aiken, Jessica Simpson, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, George Clooney and a few others.

• Box Office Prophets - some random Clay mention in a music article.
• Since no one else is reporting this, this is probably just a typo. The Dallas Fort Worth Star Telegram says Clay is on Leno tonight.... they probably got confused with last night's Kimmel appearance.
  

• Nothing here today