Clay To "Party" with Food Network's Paula Deen

Clay will be appearing on an episode of Paula's Party, hosted by Paula Deen on the Food Network. No air date has tar been announced yet, but it will be sometime "this season", according to the show's website:

Here is a small taste of who you can expect to see cooking with Paula at the party this season; Rosie O'Donnell, Tony Danza, Lorraine Bracco, Jason Priestley, Susan Lucci, Mario Lopez, Cameron Mathison, Isaac Mizrahi, Tyson Beckford, Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, Clay Aiken, Antonio Sabato Jr. and many more! You won't want to miss a delicious moment!

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!
  

Clay's OMWH MusicPass Out June 24

In April, RCA asked fans to vote for their favorite design for the MusicPass version of On My Way Here. RCA is one of the several record labels testing out this new album format, which involves purchasing a card at a music retailer. The card comes with a special code and website link, where you can redeem it for an online download of the album with exclusive content.

The On My Way Here MusicPass, with exclusive video footage, hits stores next Tuesday, June 24!

On My Way Here Debuts at #29 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart

According to Donna Reynolds at Foxes on Idol, Clay's On My Way Here debuted at #29 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Chart? Here's what she says:

Idol Chartwatch, June 17: New Idol Singles Hit the Charts
by Donna Reynolds -- 06/17/2008

It had to happen sometime. Older American Idol albums began to lose steam this week, with several falling fairly significantly on the charts. But two new Idols’ singles made their debuts, and you may be surprised to learn who they’re from. Read on for all the details.

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.

In addition she says that On My Way Here is at #1162 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Now that Clay has charted on the AC chart, let's hope that more radio stations will begin to play OMWH. Let's hope we see OMWH climb higher on the AC chart in weeks to come!

Korean Magazine Interviews Clay

A Korean magazine, The Dosirak Web Magazine, has interviewed Clay. Bloomingclay at The Clayboard, has tanslated the interview into English for us. Many thanks to her for doing that! Here is what she posts for us:

Dosirak is legal music download site in Korea and each week they publish the webzine(web magazine) which have artist interview every week.
It seems that the interview was done as similar time period as the Singapore magazine interview was taken.Anyway,I translated the interview.As it was translated English->Korean first and I translated the Korean article into English, it is NOT exactly what Clay said.

Anyway,enjoy!

Here is the link(just click 'No' if pop up asks about installing the program.Ignore!) It talks about his journey before/during/after Idol and interview and then review which was attached to licensed CD here(I will translate them later).I only tranlated the interview part.

http://www.dosirak.com/Webzine/Webzine/WebzinePaper.asp?vol=31&paper=15&SSO=f

dosirak: Congratulations on your new album.You must have been busy with working on your album.Tell us what you have been doing recently.
Clay Aiken: We just finished the musical on Broadway recently and we are now spending our time mainly on promoting the new album with TV appearances and interviews.
dosirak: Your new album debuted at No.4 at Billboard chart.Congratulations.You must have a special feeling when you have a success with your every album.How do you feel?
Clay Aiken: Who would not be glad about it? I feel already previledged to be able to keep doing the music and I'm so happy that people keep support me.
dosirak: When I listen to the lyrics of your single 'On My Way Here', it seems like it is about your story last a few years. What does the song mean to you?
Clay Aiken: We are educated at school but that is just a small part.We rather learn more from the experience in our lives. There is a saying 'If you give someone a fish,you're just giving him a meal for a day but if you teach him how to fish,you are giving him meals for rest of his life.' Every person you meet and every experience we go through in your life makes you who you are. This song is about learning from experience and becoming a wiser person.
dosirak: Let's talk more about your album.Is there a favorite song on this album?
Clay Aiken: I love most of the songs so it's hard to pick, but if I have to choose one, I want to choose 'As long as we're here'. This is the first song that made it for this album. Three years ago when tsunami hit Indonesia, I went there for the Unicef trip,the song was recorded after that. It talks about 'Do not worry about small things and let's just care about important things and people you love as there is limited time for us in the world'.
dosirak: We heard that before the release of the album, everytime Claymates have parties.Did your fans hold the party this time?And what your fans mean to Clay?
Clay Aiken: Claymates hold parties to celebrate the album release,not for me.Also,parties are held in various cities so I couldn't go there.I heard that many fans gather and have a great time. Of course,they mean a lot to me.Had it not been fans' support since American Idol,I would have not been here.
dosirak: You're working as Unicef goodwill ambassador.Is there the most memorable moment as a Unicef ambassador?
Clay Aiken: There are many.One of them is that when I went to Indonesia, people quickly restored their environments and had postivie attitudes despite dire situation.It was really touching.They are strong and brave people.It gave me an opportunity to reflect myself.I thought how blessed we are for being able to live day by day safely.
Also,the most impressive one is when I visited Afganistan.It was shocking to see people living without all the energy facilities for a long time and above all I felt really sad when I saw children suffering.However,they showed the power not to give up despite their situation.
dosirak: Along with Unicef,you also established the Bubel/Aiken Foundation.What is your plan for the foundation this year?
Clay Aiken: We try to make programs for children with disabilities to get along with children without disabilities so that they can experience the childhood that children without disabilities go through. This year,we plan to start summer camps and prepare a fund for future summer camps.
dosirak: What do you think of 2008 American Idol? Is there a contestant that can be as successful as you are?
Clay Aiken: Unfortunately,I haven't watched American Idol for three years,so I don't know anything about contestants.
dosirak: I guess you will tour after the album release,is there a plan?Plus,is there any plan to visit Korea.
Clay Aiken: Personally, Korea is the country which I really want to visit.However,right now,there is no plan for the tour.We don't have a plan even for the US.I think that if I promote the album now,people will get interested and then other countries will get interested in me.So right now we try to concentrate on promoting the album.
dosirak: Last request,please say hi to your fans in Korea
Clay Aiken: It's always amazing and thankful that people listen to my song far away in Korea.Thank you so much to fans for likiing the music I like and
for continuing to support me since American Idol. But it's only a small part of me that was shown on American Idol. I want to show other parts of me more when I visit Korea.Until then,please keep listening to my music. Oh! Please spread words about me!

12 Songs From "On My Way Here" in AOL's Top 50 Most Played Songs

On Monday morning, June 16, Clay's CD, On My Way Here, had a total of 12 songs in AOL Music's Most Played Songs.

Check these numbers out in AOL Music's Most Played Songs:

#1 - On My Way Here
#3 - Ashes
#7 - Everything I Don't Need
#15 - Lover All Alone
#16 - Falling
#23 - As Long As We're Here
#25 - Grace of God
#31 - Where I Draw The Line
#41 - Something About Us
#46 - The Real Me
#49 - Sacrificial Love
#51 - Weight of the World

That's 12 songs in the Top 50 (okay, the Top 51). This is great news. Hopefully more people are finding out why this is an amazing CD and will go out and purchase one for themselves.

Keep listening at AOL and watching the videos at AOL Sessions.

Featured YouTube: Clay Aiken: "I got cut from my high school musical!"

American Scientist Features Lycos50 Rankings

American Scientist is tracking the popularity of celebrities in an article about celebrities & the internet, featuring the Lycos 50. The CB's lsdollylovesclay writes:

My daughter subscribes to the magazine and found an article that deals with tracking who's hot and who's not...the author called collecting data an algorithmic challenge and describes a way to compile rankings for searches on the internet. Clay's name is not mentioned in the article, but he does show up on the Lycos 50 Rank graph...my daughter laughed, "He's everywhere" image