Tidbits 2/8

The Raleigh News & Observer has found a cool website called MapMuse.com that allows you to "map" American Idol contestants... "Type in "Raleigh, N.C." and a map appears with Clay Aiken's name." ... check it out here.

• Blender Magazine has a list of the "hottest women (and men) of American Idol"... Clay comes in at #3 on the list after Kelly Clarkson and Katharine McPhee.
• Clay Aiken The Ideal Idol - best Clay Aiken hairstyle? You vote!
  
• Zap2it.tv - poor first week numbers for AI5 runner-up Katharine McPhee... "That's not even getting into the 613,000 in first week sales for Clay Aiken's 2003 debut 'Measure of a Man.'"
• Variety Music - another Katharine McPhee article...

  Among the five "Idol" second-place finishers, McPhee is squarely in the middle of first week sales: Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man" (613,000 sold) and Bo Bice's "The Real Thing" (227,000) have opened ahead of her; Justin Guarini's self-titled album (57,000) and Diana DeGarmo's "Blue Skies" (47,000) sold fewer copies.

• Rolling Stone - Katharine McPhee CD review...

  If American Idol were a right-wing agenda, cornballs like Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks would be Bush and Cheney, and Katharine McPhee would be an affable centrist: a little more square than you'd like, but not hopeless.
  

• Yahoo press release for the Yahoo/UNICEF UpClose promotion Clay participated in last week...

  Clay Aiken kicked off the campaign on January 30th with the question: “What can we do to get more Americans committed to supporting programs that help children?”, which received close to 6,000 answers from the Yahoo! Answers community.
  
  “We all need to work together to help the world’s children survive,” said UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken. “Online communities such as Yahoo! Answers give us a powerful forum to talk about the challenges UNICEF faces and discuss new solutions for saving kids’ lives.”

• Trans World News - AI6 article...

  While American Idol has obviously made big names for artists like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino and Taylor Hicks it is often the train-wreck auditions that bring out the biggest audiences. As the "Idol" sensation has taken hold of the U.S. it has also become a staple in several other countries.

• Channel One - just what is American Idol?? "Clay Aiken called it “boot camp” for the entertainment world."
• Denton Record Chronicle - runner-ups sometimes 'win' on AI --

  But losers have had their cake, too: Jennifer Hudson, who lost in the third season, was recently nominated for an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls. Several others used the exposure to garner record deals with some releasing best-selling albums, including second season runner-up Clay Aiken and the fifth season’s Chris Daughtry.

• Des Moines Register - AI article...

  You can spin off a Kelly Clarkson, a Clay Aiken, a Carrie Underwood and have them find their own particular pop niche with whatever backing musicians suit them for the occasion. Or you can have a finalist like Chris Daughtry return to his band and pull them up with him.
  

• Daily Targum - negative Clay mention, AI article... "So remember what show was responsible for subjecting us to Clay Aiken and the countless butchering of American pop classics."
  
• Seacoast Online/Portsmouth Herald - article about a talent/singing contest...

  Contestants covered songs by artists like Bonnie Raitt and Candlebox, and American Idols Clay Aiken and Carrie Underwood. S Students gathered on the mezzanine to take in the two-hour show.

• Richmond Times Dispatch - music and the Super Bowl... how about an American Idol for Super Bowl 2008???

  They're easy to malign, but I would argue that among Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee, there are a lot of demographics and musical styles being hit and obviously, people watch the show.
  

• Roanoke Times - photo caption contest winner... a photo of two women staring at a very ugly cake... "Those idiots at the bakery sent the Ryan Seacrest/Clay Aiken cake topper!"
• Cinematic Happenings - random Clay/Kelly Clarkson mention in this gaming article.
• Newsday - article about some comic cracking weird Clay jokes... I don't even get it! "I was on the Clay Aiken diet. That's where you pop in a Clay Aiken CD and try to keep food down."

• There Was A Man on Clay's GMA visit last week... some nice photos and a YouTube video cap.
  

Insider Viewers Say Clay Should Perform @ Super Bowl 2008

You responded to our call for help last night as The Insider announced the winner to last night's Insider poll which asked "who should perform at Super Bowl 2008"? The Insider showed jax5230's answer.

Well done everyone!

Don't forget- if The Insider hasn't aired yet in your area, be sure to tune in tonight to see this on TV!

Tell The Insider That Clay Should Perform at Super Bowl 2008

The Insider wants to know who should perform at Super Bowl 2008 in their daily text-messaging poll. Text in your name, city, state and "Clay Aiken" to 55888. Standard text messaging fees apply to a fee of $0.49.

Now, Who Does This Sound Like To You?

On the day after the Superbowl, my Houston Chronicle is filled to the brim with every kind of article possible about the game, the players, the coaches, the advertisements. You name it. So, I'm trying to read through all the football stuff and I came across an article that quickly caught my eye.

Here are some excerpts from that article. It was a very touching article, so I just had to share some of it with you. Who does it make you think of?

"The Lord doesn't always take you in a straight line,"... "He tests you sometimes."

Through the years, he probably taught us more lessons with the way he handled defeat and tragedy than he ever could at a time like this.

....Those who know him best will tell you otherwise. His humility and dignity will remain intact, his faith unshakable.

...doesn't drink or smoke or curse or scream...Instead of changing, instead of being the person others wanted him to be, (he) became more resolute in being himself.

"I wanted to show you could have Christian principles and do things that way and still be successful."

He commands respect by the way he carries himself...Still, some didn't believe a nice guy could win...Now, he's a champion.

"It was just our (group) fighting together all the way through,"..."and I'm very proud of them."

"The test of a champion is can you continue to fight when things don't go your way."

Actually its about Tony Dungy, coach of the Superbowl Champ Indianapolis Colts. But I loved reading it. Tony Dungy seems like an outstanding man. A winner in spite of adversity. Reading how even though he had his ups and downs, stuck with it and they finally won the championship. He fought to win in many of the same ways that Clay has. Clay's a fighter and has also handled defeat and tragedy in a top notch way. (Tony's tragedy was that his son committed suicide 14 months ago. He almost gave up coaching, but didn't). Clay's humility and dignity have remained intact and his faith unshakable. He has become more resolute in being himself. Reading this article really made me feel good.

Two amazing men.

Two amazing winners.

Article from: Houston Chronicle Online

Unconfirmed Report: Clay At The Super Bowl?

RUMOR ALERT - UNVERIFIED INFORMATION

According to the CB's purplepugs, Mix 106.5 FM in Baltimore says Clay is attending the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium in Florida right now. None of this has been confirmed (ie... RUMOR).

On a side note... maybe this is poor NFL player Troy Aikmen... the poor guy have been confused with Clay many times before.

We'll keep you posted.