Tidbits 3/6

• Broadway.com interviews Clay's fellow Spamalot cast member Hannah Waddingham, who debuted on the same night as Clay in the role of the Lady of the Lake. Waddingham said some great stuff about Clay:

  By the time Waddingham's visa came through, her debut was set to coincide with Clay Aiken's as Sir Robin. “He's a triumph in the show,” she says of the American Idol runner-up. “His accent is flawless and his voice is beautiful. In fact, I said to him, ‘You must get this all the time, but I'm your colleague now, so can I have one of your CDs please?'” As for herself, “Coming out of that floor [as the Lady of the Lake] and thinking, ‘I'm on Broadway,' is everything I dreamed it would be.”

• Bunch of American Idol mentions:
• Knox News - David Archuleta has a strong grip on the Idol crown -

  By all indications, the world will be shocked and amazed if David Archuleta doesn't win 'American Idol'. For all intents and purposes, he's sewn up a victory.
  
  He's the golden-voiced guy whose flawless performances have stolen every "Idol" installment this season. And sure enough, Archuleta has what it takes to be named the "Idol" winner. He has the skills and the look.
  
  [...]
  
  Can somebody explain to me why Danny Noriega is still on this show?
  
  He's not a very strong singer, and his personality is very annoying. He should have been axed two weeks ago, way before Carrico or Yeager.
  
  Those guys have pipes, but, unfortunately, had bad performances the previous week. (Maybe those "vote-for-the-worst" people are keeping Noriega around.)
  
  With his girlish looks and flamboyant style, it's hard to decide if he's the next Clay Aiken or the next Sanjaya.
  

• Navasota Examiner - "I have become hooked on American Idol. I missed out on Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken and Rueben Stoddard."
• Variety -

  [...] there's little sense that she has any playfulness or stylistic range.
  
  Those qualities have been key to past winners and runners up, especially Kellly Clarkson, Clay Aiken and Fantasia. They gave audiences multiple reasons to like them in addition to performing solidly week after week, which should lead to Smithson's earlier than expected dismissal.

• Seattle Pi -

  Steve Perry is another of those unmatchable voices, and Faithfully and Open Arms, hell, just about any Journey song, should be off limits. Clay Aiken came close, but that's the only contestant who ever has.

• Foxes On Idol makes the call on which AI top 8 girls are going to make it through to the top 12 -

  [...] Well, let’s make a list of people, places, and things that Paula Abdul has given a standing ovation: Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, Bo Bice, Barry Manilow, the Jackson Five, a lamp, Count Chocula, knitting needles, the number eight, vitamins, colors, hair gel, and the “take a penny leave a penny” tray. So, there you go. Need I say more? NOT SAFE
  

• Mount Union College - upcoming concert featuring Jody Guinn, who has performed with Clay -

  Guinn has also performed throughout America and Europe and has performed with the Three Tenors, Barry Manilow, Ray Charles, Josh Groban and Clay Aiken. Guinn is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and is currently on the faculty of Westminster College and Malone College.

• London Free Press - enough with "thank you"'s -

  But how do you explain somebody like Clay Aiken, the former American Idol contestant?
  
  Not content with thanking God, the omnipotent and omnipresent creator of all, Aiken also thanked Jesus on the back cover of his debut disc. I guess the sexually ambiguous crooner didn’t want the Saviour to feel slighted, but why no shout-out to the Holy Ghost?

• Associated Content - America ready for a gay idol winner?

  Clay Aiken was the runner-up to Rubin Studdard and was assumed to be gay. This was not the reason for Clay's second place win, Rubin had more supporters call in votes, it is as simple as that.

• Something That Really Happened, Chexxxy's Pearls - Clay's new CD available for pre-order on Amazon.com.