Want to know what Clay's up to? CDD now publishes a Google Calendar you can subscribe to using most calendar programs, including Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook.
To see the full calendar, go to CDD's page at Google Calendar:
A full list of upcoming events is also available at the CDD Claytracker.
BlogRoll & Links
Note: CDD does not necessarily endorse or subscribe to the editorial opinions of these websites/blogs.
We've partnered with FeedBlitz to provide you a daily digest of the latest Clay news from our website. Get CDD's headlines in your inbox every morning.
Lycos50 - Clay is #2 on Lycos top 50 for this week! that is up one from last week's #3 spot! The caption under his name says, "Continues work helping kids in Kenya and Somalia". I find it amazing and awesome that Clay even beat out the extremely popular movie, "The Dark Knight", which comes in at #5 on the list. Just another advantage of being one of King Arthur's knights! (*grin*)
EOnline - In an article about the Top 100 turning the big 5-0, Clay is mentioned as follows:
Taylor Hicks' "Do I Make You Proud" claims the dubious distinction of being the only No. 1 song to spend less than 10 total weeks on the Hot 100. The 2006 song debuted at No. 1, a feat accomplished by fellow American Idol stars Carrie Underwood, Fantasia and Clay Aiken and by no one else in nearly a decade.
Clay is on the Yahoo Music Live homepage. At the top is a banner with a picture of Ruben and the caption, "In the studio-Ruben Studdard". Clay's picture is under that in the left column, and it says, "We brought Ruben into our studio, so its only fair that Clay get a shot in the Y! spotlight, right? Watch now and enjoy the rematch." A link to an exclusive interview and a performance of "Without You" is under the caption.
Charityfolks.com - A Broadway Cares/Easter Bonnet Competition poster has been signed by various performers from the Easter Bonnet show, including Clay. Bidding is up to $700 and ends on Thursday, July 24 at 3 p.m. EST.
From The Clayboard - Of all places to find a Clay mention...in an article about Barack Obama. The story at one time was on Yahoo's home page, but it is no longer there. Here are the pieces of the story that lead to the Clay mention:
Obama tour staged for political pop
Wed Jul 23, 5:42 AM ET
JERUSALEM - Barack Obama doesn't travel light. Halfway around the world, the Obama campaign machine appears as sprawling and seamless as it is on its home turf. As the presumptive Democratic nominee tours five countries in five days, he brings an entourage that would make a pop star envious.
A dozen top foreign policy advisers are either traveling with Obama or doing groundwork ahead of his arrival in each country. This group is supplemented by his usual contingent of almost a dozen traveling aides, including chief campaign strategist David Axelrod and communications director Robert Gibbs, and too many advance staff to count. With layers of Secret Service agents, they zipped through Amman Tuesday in a motorcade of 20 vehicles....
...But when the Arizona senator (McCain) traveled to Mexico and Colombia last month, he mobilized only eight staff members, including two foreign policy advisers, two press aides, two advance workers and two assistants to Cindy McCain, said campaign spokesman Brian Rogers.
"Who does he think he is?" Rogers asked of Obama. "Clay Aiken?" Fenn said the Obama's traveling contingent was appropriate. "With such a high-visibility trip, with so many countries covered and so many press people covering the trip, the number of staff is not out of line," he said....
Has it really been four years since Clay performed at the PBS special, A Capitol Fourth, on July 4, 2004? As hard as it is to believe it, yes it has. Hosted by Barry Bostwick, the special also featured performances by Vince Gill and Amy Grant, the Bee Gees, gospel singer Yolanda Adams, and the U.S. Drum & Bugle Corps. It was an honor for Clay to be included in this celebration, being only one year removed from being runner up on American Idol. From American Idol to America's Big Birthday Celebration!
Clay sang the National Anthem to perfection, then later in the show performed Measure of a Man and God Bless The U.S.A. He received rousing ovations for each performance.
One article, Clay Aiken's Star Rises With PBS Special, that was on Yahoo's music site on July 1, 2004, talks about what it meant to Clay to perform in this Fourth of July celebration. The article, in full, is below:
Clay Aiken's Star Rises With PBS Special
07/01/2004 8:44 AM, AP Lynn Elber
For Clay Aiken , performing at what he considers the nation's pre-eminent July Fourth bash, PBS' "A Capitol Fourth" in Washington, could have been moving enough.
But this particular holiday carries deeper significance. His stepfather, Ray Parker, a veteran, died two years ago on July 4. His younger brother, 18-year-old Brett, just enlisted in the Marines.
"This Fourth of July is special because my dad was in the Air Force and my brother is now in the military," said Aiken. "It gives a little more meaning to it this year."
Aiken, the formerly gawky redhead whose powerful voice gained him "American Idol" fame, plans to sing the national anthem; Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" and an orchestra-backed version of "Measure of a Man," from Aiken's album.
He's in good company at the ceremony, which airs live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol 8-9:30 p.m. EDT Sunday on public TV stations (check local listings).
With Barry Bostwick as host, the lineup includes Vince Gill and Amy Grant; the Bee Gees; gospel singer Yolanda Adams, and the U.S. Drum & Bugle Corps. A 150th birthday salute to "Stars and Stripes Forever" composer John Philip Sousa is planned.
Rousing patriotism is one thing for Aiken, politics quite another.
"Music gives people the opportunity to come together and all enjoy one thing and politics, as important as they are to the success of the country, do more to divide, unfortunately. I don't want to be part of that," he said.
About a half-million people attend the annual PBS concert — a prospect Aiken doesn't find daunting.
"I'm more excited about it, actually. I was invited to a different Fourth of July event but I wanted to do this one. ... It's just a cooler opportunity to be in Washington, D.C., for the holiday, with a big 110-piece orchestra."
How does the 25-year-old pop star come by such poise?
"I might be a little less self-possessed than comes across," he said, with cheerful candor. "I just do my best to portray it, to make sure I don't look nervous."
Besides, he remains aware of his how far he's come in a short time, from unknown to best-selling pop singer (the RCA album "Measure of a Man") preparing for his first solo concert tour.
"I try to remember it was just barely a year ago that I was sitting in North Carolina not doing much but teaching and going to class and turning my homework in late," he said. "And it could very easily come back to that at any moment, so I try to remember that as much as I can."
A one-time YMCA camp counselor who majored in special education, Aiken was the second-season runner-up to soulman Ruben Studdard . This year's winner was Fantasia Barrino, with Diana DeGarmo close behind (DeGarmo's first single, "Dreams," is just out).
Aiken is squeezing the PBS show in between tour rehearsals. In March, he finished a successful series of concerts with the first-year "American Idol" champ Kelly Clarkson .
The new 12-state tour, set to kick off next week in North Dakota, includes shows in Wisconsin, Tennessee, his native North Carolina, New York and Delaware.
Aiken labels it a "progression" of his concerts with Clarkson, with "the same band, the same crew, even the same bus driver, believe it or not," but with a new set, different material and video flourishes.
He's added songs connected to "American Idol" that were purged from the previous tour.
It was perhaps selfish, he said, but fans didn't get to hear familiar tunes including "This is the Night" and "Solitaire."
"I wanted to make sure I distanced myself from the show a little bit. Both of us wanted to graduate," he said of Clarkson. "We both wanted to recognize that's where we came from, but at the same time stand alone without the need to have 'American Idol' tacked on.
"When you write this article, I can guarantee you're going to write '"American Idol" alumnus Clay Aiken.' Both of us want to be known as Clay Aiken or Kelly Clarkson," he said.
It might just be a question of time, he concedes.
He and other "American Idol" contestants are fond of the obscure fact that Gladys Knight was discovered on "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour."
"I would love to have that kind of history," Aiken said, but diplomatically adds: "I don't want to abandon that part of me because I wouldn't be here if not for that show."
He and second-season finalist Kimberley Locke , who's become a friend and Aiken's roommate in Los Angeles, were waxing nostalgic over tapes of the show recently.
"Man, I wish I could go back and do that show again," they agreed, according to Aiken. "It was just a lot of fun."
With his contractual obligation to "American Idol" over, he's free to pursue any and all dreams. He wants to cement his musical status ("I'm not really an established recording artist yet") and is intrigued by the idea of returning to television in some way.
And what about long-term goals?
"I'll tell you where I don't want to be: Washed up and still trying to struggle to get people to buy my albums. I want to enjoy this like it's a fun summer camp experience. ... But if at some point it's over, I want to understand it's time to go back to school."
And now, sit back and enjoy the memories created by a YouTube video of Clay's performances on July 4, 2004 in "A Capitol Fourth"
Yahoo! Music - Clay's interview from last September with Yahoo! Music is featured on their homepage today.
Foxes on Idol - Kimberley Locke is borrowing a page out of Clay's career ... she's releasing a Christmas album next month -
Kimberley Locke will be releasing a Christmas album this year. There’s no firm date, but October 9 is being floated around the Internet. More on this when details are available. Kimberley’s done very well with Christmas tunes. “Jingle Bells” and “Up on the House Top” both hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary Charts, and her duet of “Silver Bells” with Clay Aiken made it to #16. Her version of “Jingle Bells” is the only one ever to have reached #1.
The Pueblo Chieftain - Clay supports "Flat Stanley" project at the Buell Children's Museum in Pueblo, CO:
And so it is that “The World is Flat! Cultural Celebrations with Flat Stanley,” is the theme of the new exhibit at the Buell Children’s Museum at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center.
Kids will be able to make their own Flat Stanley and his wardrobe; create travel stickers for suitcases; and design personal stationery, bookmarks and postcards. Those who want may even post some of their creations on the official Flat Stanley Web site. About that site: In the 1964 book by writer Jeff Brown and illustrator Tomi Ungerer, Stanley Lambchop shows how a positive attitude helps him cope with a physical disadvantage and propels him into a series of adventures.
The Flat Stanley phenomenon has gained cooperation from celebrities such as Clay Aiken, Jack Nicklaus, Jackie Chan and Muhammad Ali. All have been pictured with their very own Flat Stanley in an effort to encourage children to read.
Cute Clay mention on Jimmy Kimmel's show last night, says the CB's Heidiseek. Clay makes an appearance on the hit ABC late night show on Thursday.
I just got a chance to watch Tuesday nights Kimmel show. He was announcing who would be on and when he got to Thursday he said "Clay Aiken will be here" at which point some in the audience went "ohhhhh". Jimmy then gave a chuckle and said "don't say ohhhh, it makes the other guests feel bad." It wasn't a loud ohhhh, sounded like just a few, but it was a cute mention.
Access Hollywood - some loser thinks Clay doesn't know Africa is a continent and that Clay was dissing "Idol Gives Back". It seems obvious to me that Clay was just stating his opinion:
Another star who acheived fame on TV is reportedly not as enthusiastic about the show that gave him his big break. YAHOO MUSIC interviews ex-"Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken, who says that the "Idol Gives Back" benefit special did not do a satisfactory job of aiding Africa, despite the millions of dollars raised. "You take a look at something like 'Idol Gives Back,' and you realize that the main piece of information we got is that people are hungry in Africa, but we didn't find out why they are hungry in Africa and we didn't find out where in Africa they are hungry, nor did we find out the major causes," he is quoted as saying. "Without the education about what's going on in the country, we're doing no service except for perpetuating that same stereotype that Africa, or any other country in the world, is lesser than the U.S., and we're in the role that we have to give to them."
Editor's Note: Hey, Clay, Africa's a continent... not a country.
According to state ticket-scalping laws, tickets cannot be resold for more than $3 above their original sale price. Normally, the university leaves monitoring tickets sales up to the state. However in 2003, when "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken graduated with a degree in special education from the university, the school expected huge crowds at the ceremony.
We're seeing deja vu over at There Was A Man (left) and Too Much (right). Probably unintentionally, both blogs blogged about Clay's AI2 performance of "To Love Somebody" AND the two blogs share an almost identical colour scheme. Hee hee... pretty funny, eh?
Southern Girl - Clay giving back & his Yahoo interview
Yahoo Music has posted a new interview with Clay. The interview was focused on Clay's recent UNICEF trip to Afghanistan.
To read the complete interview, head on over to Yahoo Music. An abridged version of the interview appears below:
An Idol Who Really Gives Back
05/07/2007 7:00 PM, Yahoo! Music Laura Hertzfeld
Before charming the hearts of American Idol fans in 2003, singer Clay Aiken was a teacher, focusing on special education in his native North Carolina. Today, in addition to performing and recording, Clay acts as an education ambassador for UNICEF, most recently in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Still jetlagged, Clay told Yahoo! Music in his smooth drawl why Idol Gives Back won't solve the poverty problem, what it was like to grow a beard and wear long robes, and why he never sings when visiting schools abroad.
YAHOO! MUSIC: What were your overall impressions of Afghanistan?
CLAY: I think, more than anything, the trip to me was a stereotype-breaker because there are so many times in the U.S. that we see in the news the negative things that happen in Afghanistan. We see the headcoverings and we think Muslim, we hear about suicide bombings and terrorists, and we think "Middle East." Afghanistan's not in the Middle East, it's in South Asia, and it's not a desert. My friends were all, "It must have been so hot there!" But you can see in some of the pictures the snow-capped mountains. There are many parts of Afghanistan that are really quite a lush landscape. I had a lot of misconceptions about the country and about the people there.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Why education?
CLAY: Well you know, I was a teacher, so education is kind of important to me. I focus on education mainly with UNICEF on every trip that I take. A number of schools [in Afghanistan] were destroyed during the Taliban era. The schools that were around only housed male students--girls were not allowed to go to school. So now there are twice the number of students and there's just not enough room to hold these kids. They are sitting outside on the ground all day.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Did you perform for the kids you met in Afghanistan? How did they like your music?
CLAY: [Laughing] I made the mistake in Uganda of performing for some kids who were in a night commuter center, and they were singing a song and they were clapping. It was kind of a joyful, cheerful song. They didn't know me, but they had heard that I was a singer, and so they asked me to sing a song, and I couldn't think of what to sing. And someone whispered to me, "Sing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water.'" And so I got through maybe a line of the song before the kids started laughing at me so hard. They'd never heard any music like that before in their lives. So I've made it a point when I take these trips to never sing.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Do you have a favorite story of any of the people you met in Afghanistan or a moment during your trip that touched you the most?
CLAY: One of the things that stuck with me more than anything else was just the hunger, the thirst for education. I mean, these kids wanted to go to school. My social studies teacher [who accompanied me on the trip]--she was quite jealous. She's been teaching for 30 years and she's never had a class full of students who wanted to be there as much as these kids in Afghanistan wanted to be there.
YAHOO! MUSIC: How has your work with UNICEF influenced your music? What do you take back with you?
CLAY: Every time I come back from these situations, you take a look at what's important to you, and how privileged we are, and it's easy to take that back. But it's important to remember that we have to be a proactive society. It's interesting to me to look at Afghanistan and realize that there are countries all around the world that we haven't looked at because they haven't affected us and yet, one of these days it's possible that one of them could affect us. Had we taken a hard look at the needs of women and children in Afghanistan in 1996, it's possible that we could have prevented September 11, 2001.
YAHOO! MUSIC: I saw in pictures of you that you'd changed your looks a bit to fit in there.
CLAY: I wanted to be culturally respectful to the country and the people there. It's kind of part of their culture to be bearded and to be dressed appropriately. But that again is kind of part of the stereotype about Afghanistan, but there's quite a bit of what I guess we'd call "Western" attire in the country.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Why is it important for celebrities to be the face of UNICEF?
CLAY: I haven't necessarily heard too much negative, but I think the main problem is the media's attention. We are a society that only pays attention to in the media. We put too much emphasis on celebrities. And even though I am one and I don't mind the attention every once in a while, it's sad that you have to have a celebrity to bring attention to these causes.
Clay's videos were meant to be enjoyed and loved!! We already do, but other people need to see them to try them! They are not likely to do this if they are in the 300s and beyond!!!!
OUR GOAL: TO get all of Clay's songs, especially ATD and WY into the 200s by the next update!
Yahoo Launch videos is one of the most popular music sites on the internet! The way to raise these videos up on the chart and made them VISIBLE is to play them. Right now they are really L O W!!!
If you go to YahooLaunch, a list of the most popular videos comes up on the screen. The more often we listen to Clay's videos, the higher on the list they will move, thus being more visible to other people to watch. Right now they at #185-189. Of course, it would be great to move them up higher since a lot of people go to this site.
Here are instructions that Swgen has included at the Clayboard thread. If you have any questions about how to do this, go to the thread and PM her for further instructions. Other than that, happy listening, and listen often!!
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Be sure you are in BETA version 2. Click one of the videos from the list on my link.. 3. It will pop open the player and the video will load. SO WILL a list on the right of other videos under VIDEO LINEUP. Leave it for now. 4. UNDER that list is a narrow, white search window. 5. WHILE your video plays, type Clay Aiken in it. 6. Clay’s 5 videos will show.. 7. Now, go to the top left, and CLEAR VIDEO LINEUP. 8. Start clicking the +lineup under Clay’s videos, and they will be added to the list. Keep adding up to 25 if you want. 9. Let them just play and you can do other things. 10.Be sure you don’t let them finish playing and do nothing because they will load other videos. Check it once in a while, and you can +lineup some more!
Long time Clay nation 'resident' berkleylovesclay's response to Clay's Yahoo-UNICEF question has been billed the best answer by the readers of Yahoo Answers. Here is berkley's lovely answer in its entirety:
Clay:
Thanks for all you do to raise awareness, change attitudes and change behavior for the benefit of children, here in the United States (through your work with The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, President’s Committee for People With Intellectual Disabilities, United States Marines Toys for Tots, Read Across America, Disney Teacher Awards) and across the world (with UNICEF and World Children’s Day).
It’s refreshing to see that you kept your promise to make a difference and not just be a “useless celebrity.”
To your question:
I have been involved with civil rights, human rights and women’s rights since my teens and and more recently, with children’s rights.
All of it began with having a lighting bolt moment, with learning about a concern and resolving to do something about it. It was never just a tear-inducing plea: I needed to know the facts and I needed to see why it was important for me to care.
I’ve worked in feature film, television and documentary film and one thing I’ve learned about communicating an issue is that it is better to show than to tell.
A recitation of dry statistics reaches no one. It’s not about survival rates, it is about real children, some in regions where our own families originated.
Make it personal.
Show us the need .
Personalize the issue by showing the children and the conditions they are facing: PSAs, streaming internet content, news broadcasts, TV and theatrical movies, documentary films are all effective ways of informing the public. Reach out to people like me, media professionals, to volunteer our time and effort .
Use your voice. From the Concert for Bangladesh to Live Aid to Farm Aid to the Amnesty International concerts to the Bridge School Benefits, musicians like you have raised their voices for the cause. Some will come just for the music; others will find reason to make a lifelong commitment to change.
Education. both here and abroad. There is no “there,” just one interdependent planet earth, where a drop of compassion can become a river of hope --- or a seed of discontent can yield a very bitter harvest.
Then show us the results.
Many people want and need to know that the money they give yields real results. What happened to that boy who lost his family in the tsunami? Where is the girl who was rescued from the LRA in Uganda? How are the siblings who lost their home in the Pakistan earthquake faring? By providing updates on past emergency campaigns, donors can be reassured that their money is going to affect real change in the lives of children, change that helps them to become self-sufficient adults.
I know that UNICEF gives aid to children in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, in 156 developing countries, regardless of race, religion, or gender --- that is their mandate. I know that there are other organizations that serve children both here and abroad. I think it is up to each individual to decide which organization best fits their desire to give: each serves a valuable purpose, as long as those who run it are scrupulously honest and every single dime possible goes to programs, not overhead. For me, UNICEF has an outstanding record of success.
I’ve given a lot of thought about the complicated scenarios behind some of the pressing problems of child survival. It takes a lot not to get discouraged, resigned to it all or completely cynical, because sometimes the situations seem intractable.
Too often, there is a rush to assign blame. I think a search for reasons is more useful, because only then can solutions be considered.
Blame?
I cannot blame a child for earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, crop failure or drought.
I cannot blame a child for being caught in the tides of war and sectarian violence.
I cannot blame a child for his or her parents’ lack of education, or even for an adult’s foolishness or ineptitude when that is the case.
I cannot blame a child for governmental corruption or political posturing.
I cannot blame a child for being under the long shadow of colonialism and imperialism.
Each and every one of those problems requires a solution that might take a generation or more to solve.
The lives of children can be saved today… for just a few pennies, in many cases.
If I skip one café mocha and blueberry scone a week, I could save $5. In ten weeks, that would be enough for UNICEF to immunize three kids for life against six deadly diseases.
If I give up going to one concert or ballgame, with ticket, parking, snack and souvenir program or t-shirt, I could give $100. With that money, UNICEF can provide 17 families with insecticide-treated bed nets to protect them from malaria, or provide wool blankets for 32 children.
If I give up two outings a year, I can donate the $190 for UNICEF to provide 80 children and two teachers with an emergency school-in-a-box kit — “a ready-made educational solution packed in a lockable metal box, containing equipment such as pencils, erasers, exercise books, writing slates, scissors, carrier bags, marker pens, posters, registers and blackboard equipment.”
If I cut down on my gasoline bill by carpooling or using public transportation, I could save $400 in six months. With that money, UNICEF can inoculate more than 500 children against tetanus.
If I decide to wait another season to replace my old wardrobe, I could give $1000. With that money, UNICEF can provide a pump to supply clean water to a whole village, or large storage tanks for clean water storage.
If I take a less expensive vacation locally rather than a luxury vacation, I could give $3000 or more. UNICEF can provide tents for four families with that money.
Both at home and abroad, I hope all who are able will do something to help advance the changes that can bring about a healthier and more peaceful world.
"What can we do to get more Americans committed to supporting programs that help children?" ~ Clay Aiken
In just several days, almost 5900 replies poured in to Clay's question (shown above). Yahoo! and UNICEF teamed up last week to gather suggestions on how to better improve their program and how to better engage the public. The question is now closed, but here are some of our favourite answers:
Clay, Ask UNICEF and our own schools to initiate programs where our children communicate with the children/teachers who need assistance. Let them hear first hand what is needed. When these kids in need become real to our children, kids will be sharing what they've learned, and asking their parents to help. In addition, our children will one day grow up into adults who will understand the need out there in the world.
Awareness is always key. The videos on the UNICEF site are powerful but are only seen by a fraction of the people who could help. Perhaps getting network support for more visibility during primetime will start the awareness. Use this primetime exposure to encourage electronic penpal matching with children from the US and counterparts in some of the countries (via the local UNICEF offices). Perhaps American parents can make a donation for their child to enter the virtual penpal program (Keyboard Kids?) Use these stories to show how donations and this virtual friendship changes these children's lives.
Make professional documentaries and air them before and after the American Idol.
Start young students exchanging letters and artwork with children in another part of the world. Match a US classroom with a foreign classroom, and both sets of children will learn about each other's part of the world and begin to care.
One of the things we need to do is to start by helping out the children in our own country. I donate to UNICEF but at the same time I also donate to local children's charities. We need to stop hiding what is happening to our own children. Another thing we need to do is to teach our children to be HONEST with themselves and who they are, and to let them know that no matter their circumstances they can be whatever they want.
How about if every classroom in America could sponsor a UNICEF child? That should probably be on average $1 per month for each child in the class. Then all of those children could take home the message to the parents. Of course, you couldn't force these sponsorships, but perhaps it could be offered as an opportunity for service and a way to bring the community together.
You, as a musician can help by creating music that you feel brings a positive message to that idea. After all, music is the universal language. Also, I think that every high school student should take a class on humanitarianism. Possibly as a required course. Press also has a huge influence. More Americans should write, speak-out and share the noble-ideas and beliefs that they have. Campaigning doesn't always work, but chain-letters and the postal service are also excellent means. Its also a matter of convincing others through one's peer network. Churches and other similar spirited institutions should share these programs with their members. The ideas of these institutions align with the ideas of UNICEF and other similar programs. Leadership in this field is a huge factor. We can learn from good leaders of the past such as Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy, who sparked huge movements in Civil and Equal Rights. If there were more leaders like them fired up in this area, more Americans would get involved.
Well, sorry Clay, but I think what we need to do is to get more attention to the issue, and that starts by putting less focus on the antics of Paris Hilton or the new season of American Idol. I don't have anything against entertainment per se, but our country seems to be deifying celebrity, and while many actors and such don't care for it, the studios encourage it, because maybe you'll go see a crappy movie with the ten bucks you could have sent Unicef just because you feel you have a personal connection with Pauly Shore. It's not just the Hollywood thing either, we're constantly fed that we need a bigger tv or to take pictures with our phones, because most people in America, their needs are met, and need isn't really that profitable anyways, instead they have to pander to selfish wants. Maybe if they put the focus they put into advertising into educating people about these programs, and people weren't worried about paying their cable/cell/internet/xm/ect. bills, paying for these petty desires, then we'd have a broader perspective.
In early 2007, Clay Aiken is participating in UNICEF UpClose, an awareness-building campaign powered by Yahoo! Answers. The UpClose program is a new forum for discussing the challenges facing the world's most vulnerable children. He asked: "UNICEF is working for the survival of children worldwide. What can we do to get more Americans committed to the cause?"
After making his Good Morning America appearance on Thursday, Clay sat down with ABC News Now's Be Seen, Be Heard for an interview. The interviewer says "Clay was one of the nicest guys I've ever met!"
Clay talked about why he chose to join UNICEF, noting it was UNICEF who approached him about becoming a celebrity ambassador - "Well, they asked me which kind of sparked my interest. I was a teacher before I started singing. UNICEF has ambassadors who focus on different areas... different areas that UNICEF works in... they didn't really have an ambassador who was focusing on education, so there was there natural synergy for me to be that person." The reporter then goes on to show clips of Clay visiting Indonesia and Uganda in 2005.
ABC then showed some video questions submitted by fans. The first clip brought a smile to Clay's face as a sweet girl asked "What can kids do to help UNICEF?" Clay responded saying that it was important to "research, study and have an interest in what is going on [around the world]... I'm constantly amazed at the grassroots efforts the [Claymates] come up with to raise money... a lot of them are college students or individuals who do not have the ability to financially give. It's amazing when people are passionate -- they'll figure out a way."
The next question came from a Claynadian who wanted to know whether Clay was "inspired" by his UNICEF experience to write a song about it in the future. In response, Clay says: "I'm not the most creative... I think people have talents in different areas. Have I seen things that I think are inspirational enough to have a song written about them? Absolutely. I leave that to the experts - a friend of mine, Steven Curtis Chapman, is a prolific song writer."
The interviewer then moved on to Clay's Yahoo-UNICEF question - "What can we do to get more Americans committed to the cause?" - and some answers from ABC viewers and Yahoo readers. One suggested "more funding for exchange programs to allow our kids to visit these countries, work there, and see for themselves."
After dealing with the subject of UNICEF, ABC moved on and showed viewer questions about other "important" subject matters...
On the 3 things he would need if he was stuck on a desert island: "my dogs... but that's two dogs and I've only got one thing left and I would probably die. Um... I really like Breyer's Peach Ice Cream, so I have to take that, my cell phone to talk to people - I'm a gadget person... but I don't have a charger! How about a helicopter and a manual on how to use it?"
On his next tour and when he'd come back to Canada: "Well, I won't be taking a UNICEF trip to Canada. We were thinking of doing a concert tour in developed nations, or a UNICEF visit to somewhere like Bowsman, Montana and that's it... Oh! You mean a truthful answer... We're working on a tour, trying to get something together for the summer. As far as the next trip for UNICEF, there are a number of different countries we are looking at. We're in the process of looking at different possibilities."
On his college grades: "I was a good, well, decent student in college. I got good grades in college. In high school it's a completely different thing. I always thought I'd go to college for music. My favorite subjects were social studies... maybe I wish I did better in high school."
On Jennifer Hudson's success and his joke about being (possibily) the 2nd most successful runner-up now: "Oh my god... I'm so embarassed!"
On a 2008 Clay Aiken Calendar: "We haven't found a camera that will take 12 pictures of me without breaking." (ROTFL!) ... "We're working on it, but we're only managed to get up to June. Maybe that will get us in gear?"
Clay Aiken is featured on the homepage of Yahoo.com this morning. Clay is asking, "What can we do to get more Americans committed to supporting programs that help children?"
It is not even noon yet and 2,312 Yahoo! users have already answered Clay's question! If you haven't posted an answer yet, please do. Go to Yahoo.com, search on Clay Aiken and then click the UNICEF link at the top of the search results page.
Clay mention on Feb. 1's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Does the guy to the right even remotely look like Clay? Well, according to a reporter on Leno, he does... claysthe1 recaps:
The boy didn't look at all like Clay. Actually, the interviewer told the boy he reminded him of Clay Aiken and asked if he could sing. He said not like Clay Aiken, because he was a great singer, but he could dance better than Clay.
Very cute. Everybody wants to mention Clay. LOL!
Foxes on Idol - Billboard chart update... "Clay Aiken’s “A Thousand Days” was #30 on the Adult Contemporary chart."
Orlando Sentinel - Hicks picking up online fans... "It's open to speculation whether Hicks' fans, who can see the current Idol winner Feb. 24 at Mardi Gras at Universal Studios, could take Clay Aiken's loyal ClayMates in a back-alley brawl. Either way, it would be a good fight."
People Magazine - now here's an example why the media is so manipulative... this article is about Clay's GMA appearance yesterday and how he jokingly mentioned he was jealous of Jennifer Hudson's success... BUT WAIT... take a look at People's take:
So much for one big happy Idol family! During a Good Morning America appearance Thursday to promote his work as a UNICEF ambassador, Clay Aiken forgot all about diplomacy and admitted to Diane Sawyer that, yes, he's green with envy over Jennifer Hudson's success.
University of Chicago Maroon - "Former idles Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, and the rest of the Scooby gang have garnered little claim to fame besides their dismal fan bases." ... (oh really? How about 4.5 million CDs, a TV special, a New York Times bestselling book and over $27 million in concert ticket sales?)
The ConCLAYve - Kimmel and Clay... kings of cheese... cute 'skit'- "Like I keep saying, Clay...it’s sweeps. I’d have Osama bin Laden on if he could score me some big ratings."
Carolina On My Mind - winter soup recipes and thoughts on the Clay nation this week...
Carolina On My Mind - wisdom and laughs from emails... update on the Clay nation.
Clay spoke with Good Morning America's Diane Sawyer this morning about his work with UNICEF. Before the appearance, Clay met kids and fans who had come to see him.
The extremely short interview was primarily focused on Clay promoting the recently announced UNICEF/Yahoo! promotion which features UNICEF ambassadors such Clay posing provocative questions. Clay says he currently has no planned UNICEF missions, but is looking at "options".
Diane also brought up the topic of American Idol. To Clay's surprise, she played Clay's 2002 American Idol Atlanta audition and was asked whether producers prepared auditioners for the rath of the judges. Clay says producers told contestants to fight back to "produce that TV moment".
When questioned about the success of AI3 contestant Jennifer Hudson who recently won a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nod for her role in the wildly popular movie Dreamgirls, Clay jokingly said: "I'm jealous. There was a point I was considered the most successful 'Idol' loser, but now I'm not anymore. I saw the movie and she deserves the Academy Award. Now I'm going to be in second place again."
Update: GMA added a very small mention of this to ABCNews.com... it reads: "Feb. 2, 2007 -- Singing sensation and "American Idol" alum Clay Aiken is helping children all over the world through UNICEF. Visit Aiken's page at unicefusa.org to learn more about his efforts. "
--
Update 2: the Clayboard's HopelesslyDevoted has uploaded some videos and photos from the GMA studio to her Photobucket account. She was one of the lucky few who got to see Clay this morning.
Thanks to clayaikenisthegreatest at The Clayboard for finding this little gem for us.
According to this website at Yahoo! Answers, "Yahoo! and UNICEF are joining forces to save children's lives. Support UNICEF's life-saving work by answering a question. Watch videos to learn more about UNICEF and sign up to help."
UNICEF's Ambassadors will each have a different question on a different day this week, and you can send in your answers to the questions. Although Clay's question, "UNICEF is working for the survival of children worldwide. What can we do to get more Americans committed to the cause," is already on their site, his "official" day is Tuesday, January 30. Answer Clay's question on that day if you wish.
You can also watch three short videos of Clay. The first video includes his question that you can answer. The other two are pertaining to the travels he made for UNICEF.
If you are able, do what you can to support UNICEF. You are first and foremost helping the children in the world as well as supporting Clay in this work he is doing.
