Tidbits 6/19

• Foxes on Idol - chart update -

  For some reason, I always get a little bit excited when an Idol’s single debuts on the charts, especially if it’s from an artist that is all-too-often ignored by mainstream radio. And, strange as it may seem, finding Clay Aiken on the Billboard charts is almost cause for celebration, even for someone like me who is decidedly not a Claymate.
  
  Yup, that’s right. Clay’s “On My Way Here,” the title track from his most recent, and I’d say best, CD to date debuted on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart at #29. Will it get any airplay? It’s too soon to tell, but having chart visibility could help sales of the album, which haven’t been robust. In fact, On My Way Here slipped from #106 to #162 on the Billboard 200 this week with sales lingering around 137,000 copies.
  

• New York Magazine - David Cook ain't a Clay Aiken -

  First, ladies, we ask you — is David Cook really ready to support a family? Sure, he's riding high on a record contract and endorsement deals now, but long-term success doesn't come easy for most male Idol stars. We'll spare you our multivolume thesis on why he's no Clay Aiken, but, suffice to say, he is no Clay Aiken.

• Wallet Pop - Clay mention in political article ...

  I'm sure that there are people who are still talking about the Reuben Stoddard/Clay Aiken showdown of a couple of years ago, I would have to say that American Idol, Iron Man, and even the return of Indiana Jones must always take a back seat to the great battle between conservatism and liberalism and the question of free will.

• Charleston Daily Mail - mention of last year's National Center for Learning Disabilities gala where Clay was honoured -

  Caperton has also appeared at various Manhattan dinner functions benefiting disability organizations and honoring guests such as Henry Winkler and Clay Aiken. The former governor has served as a dinner chair for the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
  

• Poker Road - random mention ... " A mighty impressive finish for Neckar, which would have had a good chance of making it onto Madison’s local news, if only they hadn’t just run a story about fellow Madisonian Phil “OMG ClayAiken” Galfond."
• CardPlayer -

  Negreanu, Hellmuth, Benyamine, Juanda, Gerasimov, Chan … Galfond? In what some have regarded as the best final table ever assembled in World Series of Poker history, Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond emerged as the champion, earning over $800,000.

• The ConCLAYve - Pandora radio and On My Way Here ... leads to great music!