Tidbits 12/31

• LoveTripper - Clay brings joy to Mexican children's Christmas -

  Smiles were once again seen on the faces of little ones living in Chiapas and Tabasco, Mexico this holiday season, thanks to the combined efforts of UNICEF and platinum-selling perfomer Clay Aiken. Taking the trek with his mother and younger brother, the singer cherished his role as a south of the border Santa, delivering gifts to over 300 children in the flood-ravaged area. A UNICEF ambassador since 2004, his journey marked the fourth time that the American Idol runner up has traveled on behalf of the charitable organization, having ventured to Banda Ache, Uganda and Afghanistan in previous years.

• Los Angeles Times - Clay Aiken ready for "Spamalot" -

  Broadway is being "American Idol"-ized as Fantasia performs in "The Color Purple" and Clay Aiken prepares for his appearance in "Spamalot." And then there was the three-month, NBC-televised audition process known as "Grease: You're the One That I Want," which delivered the lead casting for the current Broadway revival of Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's faux-'50s musical.
  

• Inside Bay Area Buzz - prediction for 2008 ... not really sure if this is good or bad; depends on your interpretation:

  Scandalous bad girls (i.e. Paris, Lindsay, Nicole) will be replaced by Hollywood bad boys. Zac Efron, the Jonas Brothers, Pete Wentz will all follow the king of all bad boys: Clay Aiken.

• Kinston Free Press - Kim Patrick to star with Quiana on Raleigh version of "Dreamgirls" -

  She will perform with Quiana Parler, a Charleston, S.C., native who has toured with Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson as a background vocalist and was featured in the Clay Aiken Christmas Show.
  

• Taking A Moment gives us the "GOOD CLAY FAN WORD OF THE DAY: votary" and some ideas for organizing our Clay collection -

  One day not long ago, I was doing some tidying up in one of my main backup auxiliary Clay shrines and decided to re-organize things. I have some pretty good stuff, if I do say so myself. But I had reservations on whether any of it was archived properly or protected to the fullest extent possible, or displayed to the best advantage. As a result of several days’ work and loss of many brain cells, I’d like to offer some practical tips on maintaining your clack collection.

• Clayigraphy - Chardonnay gives us a list of her favorite montages of 2007
  
• All That Is Clay Aiken - Clay Aiken & his different kind of Christmas
  
• UNICEF fundraising updates:
• Something That Really Happened
• Carolina On My Mind - fundraising close to 100%
• The ConCLAYve

Zac Efron Gets "Punk'd"; Clay's Name Mentioned

Clay's name was mentioned when Zac Efron was "punk'd" on the MTV show recently, as discovered on YouTube by the CB's proud to be a claymate:

I was on youtube looking at Zac Efron stuff with my kids and was watching a clip when Ashley Tisdale helped Zac Efron get Punk'd and they were in a clothing store and the lady says they just outfitted Clay Aiken. It's at the 1:31-1:35 mark. Even though it was a quick burb, I thought it was still great Clay was mentioned..

Tidbits 8/24

• Palm Beach Post has some nice pics from the West Palm Beach concert.
  
• Bella Online - on being a Clay fan -

  In September 2006, Clay released an album of what many might consider “just cover songs”. No. They are more. When he sang some of them this year as he traveled to play with various symphonies, he sang them to us, his fans. It was his love letter to us. We understood. His final song of every performance was a special and heartfelt thank you. Before each time he sang it, he told the audience about his fans, how we followed him, how we grouped together as friends, how we could be a little crazy, but most important, he told them how we stand together to give him strength and support. He gets us. We are a community, we are his community.
  
  I still visit the boards, just not as often. See, I’ve changed. Because of Clay and his community, I’ve made lifelong friends that have helped me to deal with some big issues. I also started using my voice again; I’m using it to write. Tonight, I write my own thank you to Clay Aiken and his community.

• Clay mention on the syndicated John Tesh radio show, reports the CB's krisnclay:

  John was talking about flying and being respectful and he mentioned that if someone in front of you is using their arm rest, don't use it as a foot rest. Then he said "Clay Aiken just got in trouble for that". I laughed, it was to funny.
  

• Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - review of AI concert ... "But for Osterhout and Frederick, the ultimate Idol remains Clay Aiken. Osterhout has seen him 14 times, Frederick six. Both whip out pictures taken of themselves with Aiken, as though he were the family dog."
• Richmond.com - High School Musical 2 and Zac Efron - "For Zac. The 19-year-old singing phenom of 'High School Musical' and 'Hairspray' fame, the one sporting the fake tan and the Clay Aiken-inspired 'do."
• Colorado Springs Gazette - Chris Daughtry ... "Of all the “American Idol” contestants the fair has brought in (Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, etc.), rocker Chris Daughtry has to be the most fun."
• Orlando Sentinel - Taylor Hicks hits the Orlando Hard Rock cafe ...

  First, there was Clay Aiken last weekend at Hard Rock Live. Now, Taylor Hicks hits the same venue to unleash some of his blue-eyed soul. Hicks doesn't seem to command the insane loyalty that the ClayMates shower on their man, but his music has a welcome old-school R&B edge.

• NJ.com - tour mention ...

  This summer, NJPAC offered a summer concert series featuring pop stars like Smokey Robinson, Vanessa Williams, Clay Aiken and Diana Krall, as well as the Thursday night outdoor music events that draw thousands.

• WorldNews - Clay to perform at Neil Sedaka event

• Carolina On My Mind - Claymates get "icing on the cake" on the way home from Florida concerts (read the CDD article here)
  

Us Weekly: Zac Efron Stole Clay's Hair

In the current issue of Us Weekly ("Hollywood's Sexy Dads" is the cover story), there is a side by side comparison of Clay with Zac Efron. They used the a photo of Clay backstage at the AI5 finale (above, left).

It reads:

LOOK-ALIKE OF THE WEEK

Paging Zac Efron: Clay Aiken called, and he wants his haircut back. With those side-swept bangs, the High School Musical heartthrob, 19 (now onscreein in Hairspray), brings to mind the American Idol alum's mop-topped look.