Clay on Technorati Homepage

A lot of Clay activity in the blogosphere the past few days. Clay is a featured search term on the homepage of Technorati.com, a website that tracks blog posts.

Clay Gets Shoved By Woman on Continental Flight

Now, this is a story you really have to read. There are some real idiots in our society, ladies and gentlemen. And the fact the FBI (no, not the airport police!) was involved in this minor disturbance is a little bit hysterically disturbing itself.

Here's the write up from the Tulsa World:

Former "American Idol" singer Clay Aiken was apparently involved in a disturbance with another passenger Saturday while on an airplane headed to Tulsa International Airport.

The dispute occurred on a Continental Airlines flight between a woman and a man, whom FBI Special Agent Gary Johnson confirmed was a former "American Idol" contestant.

Johnson said he was told the dispute was over one passengerµs feet resting on another passenger armrest.

Apparently, a former "American Idol" contestant was asleep in his seat and a woman roused him to get him to move his foot, Johnson confirmed. An argument then followed.

There was an allegation that the woman gave the contestant a "minor shove" during the argument, Johnson said.

"At that point the flight crew was able to resolve the situation," he said.

Houston - The Classics

Well, we've seen and heard the Frisco classics set... so here's the set from last night's show in Houston. Enjoy!

Tidbits 7/7

• Tour concert listings:
• T.C. Palm
• Reality TV World - Clay & Jericho -

  Clay Aiken apparently has more control over his Claymates than one would think.
  
  "The show Jericho... I loved it. I started blogging about it on my fan site. It got canceled, and I blogged about how upset I was. I said, 'The Claymates can do anything. How do we get this show back on the air?'" Aiken told The Houston Chronicle on Tuesday.

• Entertainment Weekly - Clay takes credit for saving "Jericho"?

  Also amusing: the fact that American Idol alum Clay Aiken is claiming credit for the viewer revolt that made CBS bring the show back in the first place. "The show Jericho... I loved it," he told the Houston Chronicle this week. "It got canceled, and I blogged about how upset I was. I said, 'The Claymates can do anything. How do we get this show back on the air?' Honestly, within a week they had organized a campaign amongst Jericho fans to send nuts to CBS. It kind of started in that place."
  

• Frisco Enterprise - mention of the July 4 Clay concert in Frisco -

  July 4, 2007 will go down as one of the more memorable holidays so far this century in Frisco. Clay Aiken and the philharmonic orchestra began the concert around 8 o’clock. He and all the performers on stage gave a very energetic and entertaining performance for about 90 minutes.

• WebMetricsGuru - an analysis of Clay Aiken on the internet ... nice plug for LAA:

  There's probably no bigger group of Social Networking music fans as those who congregate around Clay Aiken, who just started another tour on July 4th, 2007. I happen to like Lover All Alone song as Clay sings it.

• Clay's classics medley is all the buzz on the internet:
• VH1 Best Week Ever - "Clay Aiken’s Impromptu Concert Medley Definitely Brings Heterosexuality Back"
• Rickey.org - "Clay Aiken sings Baby Got Back, SexyBack, Beat It and Like a Virgin in the “Classics Medley”. *GASP* OMG Clay Aiken you are so awesome!"
• Just Jared - "His latest concert in Frisco, Texas on Tuesday got his fans, the Claymates, going wild."
  

• The ConCLAYve - Clay's memorable Houston "Lover All Alone" performance (video)
• ... and another one from Idle-wandering also on Clay's Houston LAA video
• ... and again on ClaySpots
• ClaySpots - Clay takes on top 40 radio... Houston classics medley
  
• Something That Really Happened - Clay goes on tour... Houston classics medley

Houston Photos & Clack

spotlightlover's Lover All Alone video from Houston




Photos

• Clayboard photo thread
• sunnydays28's Flickr album
• Scrpkym's Smugmug album
  


• ladyvuitton's Photobucket album
  

Clack

• ClackUnlimited.com
  

Concert Recaps available at CDD AEWCA Tour blog

Clay To Be On Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Clay announced at the Houston concert last night that he will be on FOX's huge hit reality show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. He will be appearing on a special charity edition of the show with all proceeds going towards the Bubel Aiken Foundation.

No info on when the show is taping or airing --- but we will pass that information to you as soon as possible.

More Frisco Photos

Here are a few more Frisco photos for your enjoyment.

Houston Press Announced Fan Art Contest Winner, Posts Clay Interview

Following on the heels of yesterday's interview with the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Press has announced the winner of their Clay Aiken fan art contest and posted their own interview with Clay. Congratulations to Shelia Hancock who agreed to donate her prize - 2 concert tickets - to an non-profit organization called Sunshine Kids. Her winning entry is shown above.

The Houston Press' interview is posted as a podcast on their website. The 15 podcast interview is split into two parts, which you can listen to from the Houston Press website. A cap is also available for download at SendSpace if you wish to download the interview to your computer instead.

Revised Setlist for Houston Includes More ATDW Songs

The Houston Symphony emailed claysbuttercup99 with the setlist for tonight's concert at Jones Hall in Houston. Although this looks very different from the setlist used on Wednesday night at the Frisco concert, this Houston setlist still looks to be partial.

Without further ado, here it is..

Houston setlist
Here You Come Again
Everything I Have
I Wanna Know What Love Is
When I See You Smile
Everytime You Go Away
These Open Arms
When The Lights Go Down
Without You
Measure Of A Man
After All
A Thousand Days
The Way You Make Me Feel
Listen
Lover All Alone
Because You Loved Me

Frisco setlist
Here You Come Again IWKWLI (Angela/Quiana?)
When I See You Smile

TV theme songs to salute American music...
Laverne and Shirley/Different Strokes/Thank You for Being a Friend(Golden Girls)/Welcome Back Kotter/Movin' On Up(Jefferson's)/All in the Family

These Open Arms (Q or A) When the Lights Go Down
Without You

"Energetic Songs" Medley..... Like A Virgin/Baby's Got Back/1999/Ooops, I Did It Again/YEAH!
Achy Breaky heart/Sexy back/Beat It

Lover All Alone Because You Loved Me
God Bless The USA

Clay Pokes Fun At "Classics"

Here's a YouTube clip from Wednesday's Frisco concert of Clay poking fun at himself by performing some "classic" songs... haha... hilarious!

Tulsa World Interviews Clay

With the Tulsa concert just around the corner (tomorrow), Tulsa World interviewed Clay on the telephone from Raleigh.

The full interview is posted at the Tulsa World website. Here's a brief summary of what Clay said in the interview:

• On his new iPhone: "I haven't lost it but I anticipate that I will at some point very soon. I'm probably going to have to tape it to myself."
• On poking fun at himself:

  You have to have an ability to laugh at yourself, no matter what. We're doing 'Sexy Back,' (by) Justin Timberlake ... And seriously, there is no way on earth that I will ever be Justin Timberlake ... I'm never going to be that cool ever. So you have to kind of do things like that with a little tongue-in-cheek action.

• On the 24/7 pace of the music industry:

  People assume that since I haven't been on every TV show in the last month that I'm obviously washed up and I'm finished or I'm retired. I think it's just the general expectations game in that you can never take a break in this industry.

• On undies being thrown at him during the AI2 tour stop in Oklahoma City: "I think they threw so many the first time, they ran out. During the 'Idol' tour when we came through Oklahoma City, they were throwing undies all the time."
  

Tidbits 7/6

• CBS will rebroadcast the first season of Clay's favorite show, Jericho, beginning tonight! Make sure you check your local listings (it's airing at 9 PM in most areas) and tune in.
  
• Tour mentions:
• Tour mention on the the local FOX affiliate in Houston, reports the CB's kleewolf -

  This morning FOX news show mention Clay at the Houston Symphony tonight.
  And the entertainment reporter said " I did not know he has sold 5 million records?"
  
  Just now they mention him again at News at Noon, saying "Clay with the Houston Symphony tonight at 9:00".
  

• NewsOK.com -

  TULSA — Former "American Idol” contestant Clay Aiken will perform with the Brady Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. Saturday at Brady Theater, 105 W Brady St. For more information, call (918) 582-7239 or go online to www.bradytheater.com.

• Northwest Herald (Christmas tour mention)
  
• Philly Burbs - Katharine McPhee article mentions Clay:

  It didn't help that she chose generic dance-pop songs for her self-titled RCA debut CD. With a voice as powerful as hers, she should have gone for greatness as Clay Aiken did with his debut.

• Pennsylvania Times Leader - "Idol: The Musical" article ...

  When “Idol: The Musical” hit the stage in New York, Clay Aiken wasn’t there in person. But there was a bust of Raleigh’s hometown “American Idol” star on stage -- and someone singing “Burnin’ Hunk o’ Clay” to it.

• TV Squad... interpret what you will from the Houston Chronicle interview, but the folks over at TV Squad and SyFyPortal think Clay has taken credit for saving "Jericho" ... I think it's clear in Clay's blogs that Clay said he was part of the large effort at getting the show back on CBS.

Clay is in Meadowbrook's program for this summer concert season. He will be making a stop at the Gilford, NH venue on July 25, his first time back in Gilford since the 2005 Jukebox Tour.

Thanks to tsunamimommy at the CB for the scan.

• Carolina On My Mind - fireworks mark tour opener

  Following nine straight days of rain, the storm clouds parted and Frisco, TX, successfully celebrated the Fourth of July on a clear night and in grand style with a soccer match, an outdoor concert by Clay Aiken, and, by all accounts, a stupendous fireworks finale.
  

CDD Exclusive: Stay Tuned For First Hand Clack From Frisco, Houston, and Tulsa...

Hello fellow Clay fans. This is your CDD reporter, j4clay. I just returned from Clay's first concert in Frisco, and an absolutely wonderful concert it was! I can't tell you when I've been so excited for a concert to begin! I ended up on the first row down on the field on the far left side. Of course, Clay was on the right side and didn't make it over to the left side during the concert. Thankfully I will be sitting on the right side of the venue for my remaining concerts!

Having a concert in a stadium is a much different experience than having one in a smaller venue such as is in Merrillville or will be in Jones Hall in Houston. I prefer the smaller venues. They are much more cozy and intimate. I enjoyed Clay's songs very much, even the medleys, which some people did not like according to what I have read on some of the boards. I thought they were fun and refreshing. A step away from the same ol' same ol'. Who but our Clay would think to sing a medley of television theme songs nad include the audience in the "Guess which show" part of the medley? I love it! What a great walk down memory lane, and who better to take that walk with but Clay!

As for the medley of Madonna/Michael Jackson/Justin Timberlake/etc. songs, I am not a fan of any of those singers. I didn't even know what most of the songs were since I had never heard them before. But, I knew from the very beginning that this was going to be a snarky take on those songs and singers. And I thought it was pretty funny! I mean, what else could it be but snark when Clay sings a song about a sexy tractor??!!

The only things I didn't like about the show were out of Clay's control. I wasn't crazy about the venue. Even being on the first row, I felt as though I was a million miles away from the stage. Clay was high up there on the stage and standing there for an hour was not real comfortable for me. But that's my problem and no one else's. I also didn't like the fact that the cameraman on the stage kept blocking my view!! Sheesh!! And the big guy who reminded me of Biff in Back to The Future and who decided to come stand right in front of me and take pictures of Clay, well, I didn't know whether to hate the fact that he kept blocking my view or be thrilled that a guy was really into the concert! I hated that the show was so short and that there was very little banter, but that was not in Clay's hands. It was like taking 2-hour movie and trying to reduce it to an hour. You just can't do that with a Clay concert. Talk about being between a soft rock and a hard place; that's where he was by being between a soccer game and a fireworks show on July 4.

But I loved the songs from ATDW and love the medleys, and I loved the little bit of banter that he did. And I loved hearing him start the first song off stage and the anticipation of waiting for him to finally come on stage! And then there he was!! And I was in heaven for an hour. I'm looking forward to a longer show in Houston with more bantering where Clay can really shine!

I wish I had time to write more right here and now, but I am preparing for the Houston pre-concert dinner and party at Biraporettis on Friday night, then off to watch Clay perform another splendid concert with the Houston Symphony, and then after that a long drive with my fellow travelers to Tulsa for our last concert (until Cary and Ashville!!).

When I return from our long, exciting weekend, I will give you a play by play of the first three concerts of the tour. Stay tuned for more starting Monday, July 9. Meanwhile, enjoy the few good pictures I got from Frisco. I just have to get me a better camera so I can produce better clack!!

Thank You

I just logged into my admin control center for CDD and noticed over 2100 people visited CDD in the past 24 hours, smashing our previous one day record and doubling our normal number of visitors per day.

Thank you for making CDD your source for the 2007 An Evening With Clay Aiken Summer Tour.

-clayisouridol

Houston Chronicle: "Clay Aiken embraces his inner dork"

Here's the Houston Chronicle interview we were promised earlier this week. Head over to the Houston Chronicle website to read the interview in full. Here's a preview of what Clay said... note the response he gives after being asked about ATDW... wow Clive Davis is an absolute smut!!

An affable Aiken took time to talk about his future as a talk-show host (maybe), turkey basters (keep reading) and how Claymates saved Jericho from TV extinction (seriously).

Q: Do you feel that Aiken love in Texas?

A: Texas is really a tough market for pop. I think sometimes the fans don't understand, and they think I hate Texas. I love Texas. It's just people there don't love me that much. You want me to come, you've got to come to the show!

Q: Any songs that didn't make the cut on A Thousand Different Ways?

A: Things other than covers. Sorry, I'm being way too honest today. How do I say this politically correctly? I was strongly encouraged by other sources to do an album of covers. There was the feeling that it might be successful because there'd been success with Rod Stewart and Barry Manilow doing covers. I guess the argument against that would be I don't have the reputation that Rod Stewart has. I really don't have the credibility that he has, so there's no reason for me to do them.

Q: Do you like the disc at all?

A: It did turn out to be something I was really proud of. My mom's always told me, 'Take lemons . . .' I think we really did that.

Q: Do you hear anything on Top 40 radio that you can relate to?

A: This Rihanna girl — she's got a great voice. I really think she deserves to be where she is. . . . (But) what happened to Whitney Houston on the radio? Not literally — let's not go there — but what happened to that kind of stuff on Top 40? I think nowadays radio doesn't care how good someone sings. They just care whether or not people can fake having sex while standing up dancing to it. That's all they want.