Tidbits 11/4

• YourErie.com - "Clay Aiken Frenzy"

  It began last night outside the Erie Civic Center.
  
  Some die hard fans proved just how much they want to see their favorite singer -- Clay Aiken.
  
  No, they're not Fanilows! ...those are the Barry Manilow fans.... but they are similar.
  
  Instead they call themselves, "The Claymates" and they couldn't wait for the windows to go up at the Erie Civic Center at 10 A.M. on Saturday Morning.
  
  They spent the cold night in the parking lot of the Civic Center with one thing on their mind - being first in line to get that front row seat for Clay's Holiday concert right here in Erie.
  
  Clay will be performing on December 16th.
  

• Wichita Eagle - upcoming events ...

  Clay Aiken Christmas Show, with Wichita Symphony Orchestra musicians, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26, Central Christian Church, 2929 N. Rock Road. Tickets $30, $35, $40, available at the church, online at www.itickets.com, or by calling 800-965-9324.

• Muzi.com, National Post - Carrie Underwood tops Billboard 200 -

  Underwood's total also represents the second-largest week by any "American Idol" contestant, surpassed only by 613,000 sales that greeted the first album by 2003 runner-up Clay Aiken. That accolade goes nicely with the distinction she recently earned when her first album, "Some Hearts," overtook Kelly Clarkson's second set for the best release-to-date total by any "Idol"-related album (5.98 million to date, compared with 5.87 million for Clarkson's 2004 set, "Breakaway").
  

• Taking A Moment - you know you're a Claymate when there are
  

  [...] only 27 more shopping days till Clay's birthday [and you are] spending a lot of money on useless crap for somebody who doesn't even know you're alive. This is my favorite time of year!

• Southern Girl - visitors comment on Clay's "5th Grader" success

  He made it almost to the end, but he wasn't 100% sure about the next answer -- he thought he had it right, but he had won $300,000 at that point and he wasn't willing to risk losing a big portion of that, which could fund 30 summer camps for kids with disabilities. So he stopped without officially answering that question. They had him give what he would have said before they revealed the answer, and...he would have been right. :)