The Express-Times Previews Easton, PA Concert

The Express Times has posted a nice pre-concert article/interview for tonight's show in Easton, PA. Here's a preview:

Clay molds nicely to life's offerings
"Idol" Clay Aiken takes all in stride with Christmas show tonight at State Theatre
By JOHN A. ZUKOWSKI
The Express-Times

"I enjoy everything I do," says Clay Aiken with a laugh. And he sounds like he means it.

But it could have been anything he's done recently -- from his appearances on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to preparing to star in "Spamalot" on Broadway to his current tour "Christmas in the Heartland," which brings him to Easton's State Theatre tonight.

The "American Idol" runner-up may be enjoying things so much because he's carved out a niche for himself.

The revenge of the wholesome might be the best way to put it. He's like the kid who was in high school plays but never hip enough to become the star. Aiken has become Opie in an era of Britney.

Last year on Aiken's Christmas tour, he took a break to visit Lower Nazareth Elementary School. Aiken is co-founder of the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, which published the students' book "Our Friend Mikayla" written and illustrated by Mikayla Rush's third-grade classmates two years before.

Aiken's foundation works to have children with special needs included in the world around them.

The stop in Nazareth must have been one of many appearances he's made over the years. So one would think it's iffy whether he would remember it. But he does.

"Of course I remember it," Aiken says before going into great detail about the book and the events of the day.

And that includes the limousines he ordered for the students to be taken back to school after an assembly.

"I wanted the kids who wrote it to stay so I could talk to them," he says.