Tidbits 4/2

• Southern Girl has an absolutely wonderful recap from Saturday night's Bubel Aiken Foundation Champions of Change gala... fantastic read:

  Last night in Raleigh, North Carolina was a charity gala for The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, founded by Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, a woman with whose son he worked in his pre-American Idol days. TBAF states their mission this way -- We will serve to bridge the gap that exists between young people with special needs and the world around them. We will support communities and programs in creating awareness and opportunities for full inclusion where barriers break and doors open. It is our goal to create an environment for children where inclusion is embraced.
  
  Keep reading at Southern Girl's blog

• There Was A Man also has a nice compilation of recaps from various members of the Clay nation. Here's one from CV's Butterflyshine:

  One of the most touching moments for me was Diane Bubel talking about her son Mike, on the video. He is autistic and is non verbal. She says she imagines conversations with Mike and believes he would tell her, "I just want to be a kid, Mom, I just want to play." Diane tears up at this statement and i think most of us did the same in the audience. The last few minutes of the video is of TBAF children playing with Clay singing Because You Loved me in the backgroud. It was the perfect song and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the it, it was a no longer a song about a man and a women, but it about anyone who is lifted up b/c of love...it was beautiful and another tear jerker moment.

• Last but not least, ClaySpots also has a nicely done recap & some photos.
  

Rest of today's news:

• Raleigh News & Observer is looking for the "Greatest TV Character" as part of its TV Tourney (Clay was announced as a celebrity participant last month). Clay's entered his answer... "Florence Johnston of "The Jeffersons" fared a bit better, being named as champion on three ballots, including the one submitted by Clay Aiken."
• KSAT San Antonio -

  Even Clay Aiken, who seemed destined to ride the shoulders of the Claymates to stratospheric heights, has largely disappeared since a holiday-themed disc dropped to execrable reviews.
  

• Glossip - negative mention ... Idol related.
  
• Houston Press - "not impressed" by Clay Aiken. I guess everyone's entitled to their opinions. There's another random mention in another article at the Houston Press here.
  

  Now, for something non-sports related. You Clay Aiken fans. I’m happy that you like the guy. But I don’t have to attend a concert to know that he’s not a musical genius. I never attended a Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin concert. But I know that they’re musical greats. I never got the chance to see the Beatles in concert. But that’s probably the greatest band of rock history. Now, I did see Clay perform on American Idol, and I wasn’t impressed. And I saw him perform on Ed and Scrubs, and I still wasn’t impressed. To compare Clay Aiken to Elvis Costello insults not just Elvis Costello, but also Elvis Presley and Elvis Grbak.

• National Ledger - old news ... more Rosie O'Donnell.