Tidbits 4/25

• There are now even more photos of Clay singing with Steven Curtis Chapman in Greensboro earlier this year up on 1ElevenImages @ SmugMug. On Friday, 3 photos were posted onto that same website.
• Sendspace - Jimmy Kimmel mentioned Clay on his show Tuesday night. The clip of this is up at Sendspace for download. The Kimmel bit was concerning Russell Simmons wanting to ban lyrics in hiphop music. Jimmy said, "If those restrictions go through, this is a serious thing, I don't see how Clay Aiken is going to be able to record another album." Ya gotta love Jimmy's snarky humor!
• News today that Rosie O'Donnell has opted not to renew her contract to be on The View:
• Playfuls.com - "Rosie also accused Kelly Ripa of homophobia because Ripa had the gall to object to American Idol fame fader Clay Aiken putting his hand over her mouth on live TV. She created another controversy by claiming 'radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam.'"
• MSNBC -

  After the last year on "The View" it's a wonder O'Donnell is standing at all, what with her feuds (Clay Aiken, Miss USA, Donald Trump, etc.), the backlash against her tasteless jokes (imitating Chinese by saying, "ching-chong, ching-chong"), plus whatever did or did not happen between her and Barbara Walters, cohost Elisabeth Hasselbeck and anyone else she's supposedly fighting with on a regular basis.

• AZ Republic -

  Rosie's going after fellow daytime star Kelly Ripa -- accusing Ripa of making homophobic comments after the Regis & Kelly Live host made a joke about where Clay Aiken's hand had been, even though Aiken has never publicly discussed his sexuality -- seemed curious at best.

• Washington Post -

  "Live With Regis & Kelly's" Kelly Ripa's annoyance at guest host Clay Aiken's attempt to silence her by placing his hand over her mouth. Ripa said: "I just don't know where that hand's been, honey." Ripa vehemently denied that the comment was homophobic.

• Chicago Tribune - "she accused talk-show host Kelly Ripa of homophobia when Ripa objected to Clay Aiken putting his hand over her mouth."
• TIME Magazine blog
• The Hollywood Gossip
  
• Top 40 Charts - PR about a new CD by Lisa Palleschi ... co-writer of one of the songs, Jeff Franzel also wrote "I Survived You" for Clay.
• MTV - AI - uh...

  They're calling this two-night extravaganza "Idol Gives Back." (And let's face it. After "From Justin to Kelly" and Clay Aiken, "Idol" owes us BIG time.)

• Hartford Courant - why American Idol voting is "broken" -

  Considering past results - Reuben Studdard's victory margin over Clay Aiken was reportedly less than 1 percent in spite of tens of millions of votes tallied - along with currently observable busy signals, results to date could have been dictated by phone capacity constraints rather than true fan appeal.

• Detroit Free Press - busy line up this summer at Freedom Hills Amphitheater including Clay concert.
• Philadelphia Tribune - another mention of the tour... i think they have a typo on the date. Should read July, not June.
• Asheville Citizen Times - one more tour mention.
  
• Dallas Morning News on AI6 contestants choosing to perform previous Idols' songs -

  The kids had to pick a meaningful tune all by their lonesome. Which may explain why La-Kisha Jones went with Fantasia's Idol single, "I Believe." (Carrie Underwood last week, Fantasia this week – what's next, a little Clay Aiken number?)

• Lewiston Tribune - AI6 contestant Jordin Sparks delivered a showstopping performance on last night's Idol -

  I remember a few incredible performances from the years of watching “American Idol” — Fantasia’s “Summertime” and Clay Aiken’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” — but I was awestruck tonight watching Jordin sing.
  

• Nothing here yet.