AD: Canadian Political Spoofs (2006 Edition)

Canada is currently in a General Election, as you may be aware. Our Members of Parliament who in turn form the government and cabinet as well as determine the Prime Minister of Canada will be elected on January 23rd.

Prime Minister Paul Martin's minority government was ousted last month in a non-confidence vote in Parliament.

Canada has 3 main political parties (in alphabetical order, to avoid any partisanship):

• Conservative - equivilent to the Republicans in the United States. They are the right end of the political spectrum. 2nd largest party based on 2004 election. Leader: Stephen Harper
  
• Liberal - the mainstream party which crowns itself as Canada's only centrist party. They tend to move to the right and left in different political situations. The party has governed for most of Canada's history. Largest party based on 2004 election. Leader: Pau Martin
  
• NDP - formed in the 1930's, the NDP is the socialist party on the left end of the political spectrum. The NDP has only formed government on several occasions. 4th largest party based on 2004 election - (we've omitted the 3rd largest party, the separatist Bloc Quebecois since they do not run candidates nationally) Leader: Jack Layton

We thought it would be cool, as we did last year in Canada's 2004 general election, to make political sign spoofs. These signs often appear on roadsides, buildings, etc. during an election and this is how they would look like if Clay was a candidate. With a little bit of humor dashed in, we hope you enjoy these political spoofs.

Again, in alphabetical order to avoid partisanship -- Click to enlarge. Claynadians- these are perfect for printing out.

Clayservative Party of Claynada


Cliberal Party Of Claynada


Cl-NDP Party of Claynada

AD: Charlotte, NC

Clay Has Strong Showing for 2005: Reuters

Short, complimentary article about Christian/Gospel music from Reuters/Billboard.

'Idol' worship shapes Christian, gospel genres
Sat Dec 17, 2005 3:58 PM ET11
By Deborah Evans Price

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - The power of the "American Idol" franchise is clearly evident at the peak of this year's Christian and gospel music charts.

"Idol" winner Ruben Studdard took the No. 1 spot on the Top Gospel Albums chart with "I Need an Angel" and also reached the summit of the Top Gospel Artists recap.

Clay Aiken's "Merry Christmas With Love" claimed the No. 1 title on the Top Christian Albums chart. Aiken also took the No. 2 spot on the Top Christian Artists list.

SoundScan data combine Christian and gospel sales stats, and the 2005 findings show the religious music biz in a slump. From the beginning of 2004 to November 14 of that year, 33.1 million units were sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. During the same time period in 2005, sales were down to 28.9 million.

Billboard Year End Issue

Clay was mentioned in Fred Bronson's year-end recap, which appears on the Dec. 24 issue of Billboard Magazine, as well as online at Billboard.com and Billboard.biz. Mr. Bronson is a Clay fan and has been very supportive of Clay's career.

The Year In Charts
By Fred Bronson

Clarkson is the main, but not only, reason that the "American Idol" franchise has made such a powerful showing on the year-end recaps. Contestants from the TV series are responsible for 17 year-end No. 1s, up from two in 2004 and 2003 and one in 2002. The honors are spread among all four "American Idol" winners and one runner-up.

Clarkson is responsible for nine of the 17 "Idol" No. 1s. She is the No. 1 artist on the Hot 100 Artists, Female recap. She has the No. 1 position on the Hot Adult Contemporary Songs recap--"Breakaway" (Walt Disney/Hollywood)--and is the No. 1 AC artist. She is also the No. 1 Adult Top 40 artist and the No. 1 Hot Dance Airplay artist. She has the No. 1 song on the Pop 100 Songs chart, "Since U Been Gone," which is also the No. 1 Pop 100 Airplay song and Clarkson is the No. 1 Pop 100 artist. Finally, "Breakaway" from "The Princess Diaries 2" is the top soundtrack single.

The second season "American Idol" winner, Ruben Studdard, has the No. 1 title on the Top Gospel Albums chart. "I Need an Angel" (J), and is the No. 1 act on the Top Gospel Albums Artist chart. Third season "Idol" Fantasia is the No. 1 Adult R&B artist and the No. 1 new R&B/Hip-Hop artist. Fourth-season "Idol" Carrie Underwood has the No. 1 title on Hot Singles Sales and on the online Hot Country Singles Sales recap with "Inside Your Heaven" (Arista), and also led the online Hot Country Singles Sales Artist recap. Second season runner-up Clay Aiken has the No. 1 Christian album, "Merry Christmas With Love" (RCA).

This is the fourth consecutive year that an "American Idol" singer has the best-selling single of the year. Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven" follows in the footsteps of Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" (2002), Aiken's "This Is the Night" / "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (2003) and Fantasia's "I Believe" (2004).

Raleigh N&O Special Editions

We have an update to the Raleigh News & Observer story we ran last Wednesday when the Raleigh News & Observer said they'd be printing 2 special editions of the paper to commemorate both Clay's move back to Raleigh and Clay's Dec. 22 concert at the RBC Center.

According to the paper, tomorrow's (Dec. 18's) edition will contain:

On the Road with Clay Aiken
After stays in Los Angeles, hotels and a tour bus, the Triangle sounds better than ever to Clay Aiken. Backstage in Boston, the Raleigh singer talks about the decision to come back to the place where he belongs - not just for his Dec. 22 concert but for good.
Arts & Entertainment

Dec. 22's paper will have a special full-coloured "Special Souvenir page celebrating Clay Aiken's 'Joyful Noise' concert in Raleigh." (appears above, click to enlarge)

The management has made the Dec. 18 issue available to fans not in the Raleigh area for $5 within the continental USA, $10 to Hawaii and Alaska and $20 to anywhere else in the world, including Canada. The Dec. 22 issue will also be available for $3 (US), $6 (Hawaii, Alaska) and $10 (Worldwide, Canada). All prices quoted include shipping fees and are in US Dollars. For more information, click here.

Korean Clayfans Mark Milestone

Congratulations to Clay's South Korean fans. Today, the Korean Clay Aiken fanclub reached 9000 members.

Bloomingclay of the CB who is a member of the club posted this on the CB this morning.

He has gained thousands of new fans here without any promotion this year.Almost all of them got to know him just by seeing a couple of his performances on the internet or hearing some of his songs.Though they knew little about him,they saw something special about him and it made them really want to know more.It's amazing and I'm so proud of him I can't imagine what it would be like if he got some promotion here.

Clay on The Internet 12/17

Kelly Clarkson becomes Blender magazine's woman of the year.

Kelly Clarkson is Blender's 2005 Woman of the Year (Explicit Content)
Kelly Clarkson has just sunk her fourth girl-flavored peach-schnapps concoction of the night when AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" beckons from the club stereo. It's a come-hither that Clarkson can't resist: She's been sitting still for almost an hour now -- having just finished a sold-out set at the Theater at Madison Square Garden -- and "Shook" is her favorite song of all time, y'all! So she rises from her corner seat and makes the back wall of this midtown Manhattan club her imaginary grind partner, sliding the back of her gray cargo pants up and down with a mild salaciousness that, while perfectly TV-14, would probably make Clay Aiken even more red-faced than usual.

Article about two photographers who took Clay's July 2005 cover shots for TV Guide.

Making the scene
By KATHI SCRIZZI DRISCOLL
STAFF WRITER

Michael and James Bednark needed a large tree branch, and the storm had brought many down into area yards. They drove by one home and saw a family wrestling with a branch that was the ideal size and shape. The homeowners were glad to have the brothers haul it away.

The Bednarks have designed and built background sets for dozens of photos that have graced the pages, and sometimes the covers, of pretty much every issue of TV Guide this fall.

Employed individually and together, the New York roommates have worked on a long list of magazine photos, theatrical productions, TV shows, commercials, and student and feature films - sometimes involving celebrities such as Dennis Hopper, Patricia Arquette, Robin Williams, Zach Braff, Spike Lee and Clay Aiken.

The brothers acknowledge that few people even think about what it might take to set up certain photos and TV backdrops, but, James notes, ''we love what we do, and a lot of the older people realize how much work it takes.'' And some celebrities take notice, too: Singer Clay Aiken praised the brothers' work in his Web log after a TV Guide shoot, and Comedy Central star Steven Colbert told them their set of a miniature New York Harbor belonged in a museum.

AI2 Idol Julia DeMato arrested for DUI.

An Alex Too Far
DeMato in a parking lot
by Gary Carra

In other news, the careers of former American Idols Clay Aiken , Kelly Clarkson and now Carrie Underwood may be flying high, but apparently, the only thing soaring for 2003 contestant Julia DeMato of late has been her blood/alcohol level. According to the Danbury News-Times , the Connecticut-based songbird was arrested at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 in the parking lot of Pancho and Gringo's Restaurant in Brookfield. Brookfield Police had reportedly witnessed DeMato pull into the parking lot an hour after that establishment had closed.

Um... What Did You Say Ryan?

Setting the record straight
It's official: Ryan Seacrest prefers women. Probably.

The "American Idol" host, who has never shied away from his metrosexuality, dished about growing up a chubby child, his hair and women in the January issue of Elle.

"I'm not afraid to invite a woman to go shopping and to get a manicure-pedicure," Seacrest told the mag. He's also unafraid to set the record straight (sorta) about his sexual preference.

When asked which "Idol" contestant he'd most like to, ahem, get to know, the 31-year-old said, "I can't answer that. I can tell you that it's not Clay Aiken."

Jackson: Ruben Was The Right Winner

A few mentions in a new interview with American Idol judge Randy Jackskon. Although we value Mr. Jackson's personal opinions, I think he's got it wrong.

Randy Jackson Says American Idol 5 Has Interesting Fighting
American Idol judge Randy Jackson recently answered questions from the media about the upcoming American Idol 5.

In regards to the bad singers that always seem to make it into the audition rounds, Jackson said "People turn out and you go what show were they watching." When repeatedly questioned about if the show was too cruel, Jackson insisted that "the show is definitely not about cruelty." Jackson made the point that you have to let the contestants audition because you never know. Jackson pointed to Clay Aiken and said "what if we thought this guy should just be in a library somewhere?"
In regards to previous editions of American Idol, Jackson said that American got it right in selecting Ruben Studdard over Clay Aiken. Jackson said Clay Aiken ascended during the season, but Ruben Studdard was good from the day he started. Jackson also revealed that his favorite two American Idols so far were Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia.

Clay on Good Morning America 12/17

Clay appeared on Good Morning America this morning. There was some confusion as only SELECTED ABC stations carried the program this morning. If your ABC station (like mine, from Detroit) didn't carry the program this morning, there's a good chance they will carry the same program tomorrow (Sunday) morning starting at 7 AM local time.

Clay performed Mary, Did You Know, which he taped while in New York 2 weeks ago. Don't forget to mark your calendar for next weekend (24th and 25th) when Clay will appear on GMA again to sing My Grown Up Christmas List.

Thanks to Gerwhisp for these beautiful caps. All caps enlarge by clicking on the thumbnails posted here. Video should be up at the usual clack sites soon. The CB's GMA thread might already have a few video links up.

Charlotte Observer 'Q&A with Clay Aiken'

Another pre-concert article/interview. This one's from the Charlotte Observer. Clay plays his 2nd hometown of Charlotte, next week at the New Charlotte Arena. Tickets are available from the venue's website. Many thanks to the CB's CharlotteClayFan for the scans.

Q&A with Clay
COURTNEY DEVORES
Special to the Observer

Clay Aiken may not have won the top spot on "American Idol's" second season, but over two years later the N.C. runner-up's career is still going strong.

He debuted at No. 1 with both his first single and album. He published a best-selling book and has a top-selling 2004 holiday album and tour. He's also hosted his own NBC Christmas special, guest-starred on the sitcom "Scrubs" and monitored the red carpet alongside Pat O'Brien at the 2005 Emmys.

To beat it all, Aiken's done it on his own terms -- maintaining a responsible image while appearing as one of People magazine's "Sexiest Men in America" and continuing his work as an advocate for people with disabilities through the Bubel/Aiken Foundation and as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

The UNC Charlotte graduate, whose "Joyful Noise" holiday show, now in its second year, makes it to Charlotte Bobcats Arena Wednesday, spoke with the Observer from a tour stop in Providence, R.I., recently. He talked about his return to the Carolinas, his work with UNICEF, and the story line for his latest holiday tour.

Q. So I hear you're moving back to Raleigh. What's makes this the right time? I always wanted to live at home. Whenever I saw the opportunity to get back I jumped at the first chance. We got into a position where we thought we would be able to sustain what we were doing from further away. So why not?

Q. Will you keep a home in Los Angeles as well? I'll probably have some place I can stay in L.A. or New York. I kind of just want a home base no matter what.


Q. Do you think being recognized will be more of a problem here? Coming off a reality show was a little different than people would expect. We have the recognize-ability and the neighborly approachability, which makes it complicated to live anywhere. I haven't lived in North Carolina since I've been doing this, but people are much more laid-back at home. I think it'll be something that I'm going to learn to deal with, because I love being there. My mom says eventually people will get used to the fact that you live here and they won't bother you anymore. At this point I don't care. I just want to come home.

Q. Tell me about this "Joyful Noise" tour. Weren't you more involved in the whole production this time around? I'm a control freak. I was involved in everything. We just wanted to change things up. We didn't make it (to Charlotte) last Christmas, but we did do a show with a regular orchestral production. We wanted to include the same songs, but connect them together. So, I sat down and tried to do an outline -- what could be said or done between songs to give it more warmth and meaning because in a Christmas show you want everything to have a meaning because Christmas is very emotional.

Q. You cast Carolinians in the leads? As I was doing that I started thinking about my high-school music teacher. I thought, "Wow, she'd be so funny in this part," and kind of wrote it around her. Then we called her up and asked her if she'd do it. So my old high-school music teacher is on the road with us now. She's playing the lead role.

We hired a little boy out of Raleigh because I was too cheap to hire a tutor. I'm still able to teach (in North Carolina), so I said, let me do it myself.

Q. What's the story line? We see this older woman who has lost the spirit of Christmas. This little boy comes in and he's kind of precocious and annoys her at first, but she eventually tells him the story of what Christmases were like for her when her husband was alive and her son was still living at home. Through flashbacks of these memories she regains the meaning of Christmas, the feeling of Christmas. It's got the classic Christmas story arc, but it does it with the help of some guardian angels. Myself and two ladies who sing with me on the show direct the action and provide for the flashbacks and provide the soundtrack as well.

Q. What about your involvement with UNICEF? I went to Indonesia as a practice trip. They wanted my first trip to be to Indonesia after the tsunami because I could see first-hand what UNICEF does. I remember getting off the plane in the hardest-hit area and seeing the devastation and thinking, "This is practice?"

I got an understanding of what UNICEF does, then I went to Uganda, and decided Indonesia probably was practice because in Indonesia there was a sense of hope. In Uganda this war's been going on for 18 years. Children have to leave their homes every night to walk to the cities to be safe. They can't stay in their homes because they're being kidnapped to become child soldiers or sex slaves or be killed. There is less hope. I understood at that point why Indonesia was practice. They've both been life-changing opportunities. I'd think, "I'm sitting here in Los Angeles complaining about traffic and I don't really have a right to." I certainly won't complain about traffic on I-77 anymore.

Q. When you started in the entertainment industry did you immediately see it as a way to do more charitable work? Absolutely. I remember the very first question I was asked in one of the interviews, was why do you want to do this? I couldn't help think of Oprah. I didn't use to watch Oprah, but everybody knows who she is. After 20 years, she can say the name of the book and people will read it. When she says she's not going to eat a hamburger, the beef industry sues her. That's how much power she has. That's an amazing amount of influence and she uses it for what she feels is important. I'd like to be in that position as well.

Coming Soon: FREE Daily Newsletter

Due to popular demand to our newsletters (we just surpassed 250 subscribers!), we will soon be offering a free daily newsletter called CDD Clay News Daily in addition to our current weekly newsletter, CDD Clay News Weekly. We are currently working out the technical aspects. Look for it before the end of the year. CDD- Always keeping you on top of news and events in the Clay Nation.

Good Morning America Moved to Saturday on SELECT ABC Stations

Select ABC stations have stated that they will air Clay's scheduled Mary, Did You Know performance on Saturday (the 17th) instead of the Sunday (the 18th), previously announced by ABC and the Clay Aiken Fanclub. Clay will also appear on the Dec. 25th edition of GMA Weekend Edition to sing My Grown Up Christmas List. Check local listings as times vary by area. Both of these performances were taped on Dec. 5 in GMA's New York City studios.

12/17 Update. We have confirmation from the Official fanclub.

12/16/05 / RESCHEDULED: CLAY ON GMA
Clay's upcoming Good Morning America performance - originally scheduled for Sunday - will now air a day earlier on Saturday, Dec. 17th. You can see him perform "Mary Did You Know" on GMA TOMORROW, and "My Grown Up Christmas List" on Christmas Day! Be sure to check your local listings for exact show times and channels.

ClaytonAiken.com Under Re-Construction

The CB's home site, ClaytonAiken.com is currently under re-construction. The owner of the CB and the site, ClayNation left this message on the site's homepage.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ~~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS
& WELCOME TO CLAYTONAIKEN.COM - A FANSITE

"CA.com" is currently under re-construction.

In the meantime, please join us at CA.com's message board, The Clayboard, where you can read and join in on thousands of Clay Aiken & General discussions within the forums listed below. Please refer to the forum descriptions to find out what kinds of discussions take place in those particular forums.

Amazon.com News Tidbits

A few interesting tidbits today from Amazon.com courtesy CDD's Clayscience21. Clayscience's daily Amazon.com rankings are posted at CDD Charts/Stats.

Bo Bice's Album Offered With MOAM
Bo Bice's The Real Thing (this has been offered at a $2 discount with MOAM. That might account for a bit of the rise in MOAM sales yesterday when The Real Thing was higher on the Amazon charts). Yesterday's MOAM ranking was in the 800's, compared to the normal ranking in the 2000-4000 range.

Measure Of A Man -- New Order From RCA
An interesting factoid this morning. Amazon notes that there are only two copies left in stock, but more are on the way. The good news - Amazon has ordered more from RCA (will help with numbers shipped which counts to RIAA platinum certifications). The bad news - this is right before Christmas so sales may be lost. I think it's unfortunate that any company allows stock to drop so low before re-ordering. But I also suspect Amazon also uses this as a sales tool - i.e. "Order now before they're all gone".

Relive Summer 2005 with New Jukebox Tour Montages

The CB's tsunamimommy has been hard at work on her Jukebox Tour montages. You can download the files (they're huge, so a download manager is highly recommended) via her website. More information was posted here on the Clayboard.

Aspiring American Idol: 'Watch Out Clay'

From the CB's Claysmywonderland:

Am I the only one who saw this ad on TV for the new American Idol season? A guy was auditioning dressed AS CLAY . He was in the same beige striped shirt and those brownish bell bottomy pants Clay wore during his audition. He had the glasses and everything. When he came out he pointed at the camera and said "Watch out Clay Aiken, I'm coming ta gitcha" :laugh

Mentions On The Internet 12/16

Clay's web/graphic design agency choosen for design magazine.

Logo Lounge Chooses Anoroc Agency's Creative for New Edition
12-15-2005

Anoroc Agency's logo created for Hideaway BBQ, has been selected to appear in the latest edition of LogoLounge. While exhibiting top brands and the latest trends, LogoLounge, known as the ultimate international guide in logo and identity design, features the industries best logos for study and inspiration. The book features designs from leading agencies around the world. Anoroc's identity work has been chosen to be featured in the most recent edition.

Anoroc is a full service strategic marketing, advertising, graphic design and public relations agency located in Raleigh on Glenwood south. With more than 25 awards for design and strategy, Anoroc was recently named one of the top advertising and graphic design firms in the Triangle. Agency clients include Clay Aiken, Rosen Divorce, The Bubel Aiken Foundation, Twiga Imports, Marc Brown Studios, 212 Media, Community Home Care & Hospice and Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center.

About the most popular Christmas songs.

Songs of the season
Mike Pound
Globe Staff Writer
12/16/05

For the past three years, two Joplin radio stations have switched to all-Christmas music formats during the holidays.

Ron Peterson is the president and general manager of Mix 95.1 (KMXL) FM and KDMO. Because KDMO tends to skew toward an older audience, he tries to stick with a more traditional musical selection.

To Peterson, Christmas carols are songs like "Silent Night" or "The First Noel."
"If you are very much into Christmas as a religious holiday, then carols like those are what you will associate with Christmas," he said.

Traditional Christmas songs include Crosby's version of "White Christmas," Andy Williams' "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song."

"We play a lot of same music but done by different people. There's Elvis'' ‘White Christmas' but there are also versions by Whitney Houston, Clay Aiken and of course Bing Crosby," he said.

Here, according to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, are the most-performed holiday songs of the past five years.
1. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"
2. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
4. "Winter Wonderland"
5. "White Christmas"
6. "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!"
7. "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"
8. "Jingle Bell Rock"
9. "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
10. "Little Drummer Boy"
11. "Sleigh Ride"
12. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
13. "Silver Bells"
14. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
15. "Feliz Navidad"
16. "Blue Christmas"
17. "Frosty the Snowman"
18. "A Holly Jolly Christmas"
19. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
20. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)"
21. "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
22. "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays"
23. "Carol of the Bells"
24. "Santa Baby"
25. "Wonderful Christmastime"

Clay helping keep the Christmas tradition alive with 2004 'A Clay Aiken Christmas' TV special.

Holiday show pays homage to late greats
offBeat with PHILIP POTEMPA
ppotempa@nwitimes.com

There was a time when December television viewing meant lots of annual celebrity holiday specials.

Bob Hope, Perry Como, The Osmonds, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Andy Williams all did yearly one-hour specials.

Today, all that's left are the likes of Clay Aiken, Kathie Lee Gifford and Harry Connick Jr., who are trying to keep the same tradition alive in today's world of cable channel competition and networks worried about advertising and cheap show production opportunities.

Random mention -- negative content alert.

White Sox Conductor Says All Aboard the Bandwagon
by Scott Long
[article about baseball]

Hey, Clay Aiken, give me a jingle. I'm a good advocate for the hated and I've got some free time on my hands.

Clay mention in review of the new movie 'The Producers' from USA Today. Not very nice. The author has a history of bashing not only Clay, but all the Idols.

On the stage vs. on the screen
Two of the biggest Broadway blockbusters of the past decade, The Producers and Rent,are either playing at or headed to a theater near you -- a movie theater, that is. USA TODAY theater and music critic Elysa Gardner gave the soundtrack for each new big-screenmusical a spin. Here's how they stack up against the originals:

Surprises
Ferrell has refashioned the stirring Third Reich anthem Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop as an earnest, New Agey ballad that sounds like a lost track from Clay Aiken's Christmas CD. It's one of the funniest things that he -- Ferrell, that is -- has ever done. There's also the spanking new There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway, an end-title Lane-Broderick duet that's at once gratuitous and hilarious.

Mary, Did You Know mention.

Dreaming of a Greene Christmas

Macon native and Southern gospel great Buddy Greene is coming home for the holidays.

Or at least for one night, at the behest of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Greene is scheduled to perform Thursday at the Douglass Theatre.

Greene's harmonica stylings are widely known, as is his original Christmas song, "Mary, Did You Know." That little ditty has been recorded by the likes of Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd, Natalie Cole, Clay Aiken and Reba McEntire.

Big week coming up in Charlotte.

We say Week 15 is big. U2?
RON GREEN JR.

It's been a big week here already.
First, it was U2 and then it was those two ... uh, Dolly Parton.
Plus, "The Dukes of Hazzard" is finally out on DVD, so our friends in Pageland can do their Christmas shopping.
The Panthers, meanwhile, spilled some angst into the eggnog last Sunday when they played like Duke against Tampa Bay, throwing the whole postseason into question.
The dark fear is the only postseason game in Bank of America Stadium this season might be the Muffler Bowl featuring South Florida, which no one knew had a football team until its fan booked a room at the Marriott on New Year's Eve.
(Hint: He'll be the guy with the really good tan).
Now the Panthers are forced to Baton Rouge (which, by the way, is French for "Baton Rouge") where they face a must-win game against the New Orleans/San Antonio/Baton Rouge Saints.
They've already lost once this season to the Saints and, according to NFL rules, any team that loses twice in the same year to the Saints is required to bypass the playoffs and stand in the return line at Wal-Mart the day after Christmas.
So, as big as the past week has been, Week 15 is even bigger.
Clay Aiken's coming to town, you know.

Aiken's Solitaire Success Put Sedaka Hit on Charts For 6th Consecutive Decade

Another positive mention about Solitaire, which Clay released as a single last year. It has since sold nearly 500,000 copies and topped the Billboard charts for weeks, and astounding feat for a CD single. Neil Sedeka was a co-writer for the song. A similar article last month in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette also mentioned Clay.

Still a hit maker
Neil Sedaka continues to write new music after 53 years in the biz
By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

With almost 50 years of hits to his credit, Neil Sedaka isn't ready to live off the past. In fact, he'll be playing more new music than usual this weekend, as he's back in Honolulu for two solo concerts at the Hawaii Theatre.

Sedaka sounded very much like the singer-songwriter who was a consistent hit maker in the late '50s to early '60s. Sedaka made his hit debut as a recording artist in 1958 with "The Diary," followed with a string of bigger pop hits that included "Oh! Carol," "Stairway to Heaven," "Calendar Girl," "Little Devil," and "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" before hitting the top of the charts with "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" in '62.

Jump forward a decade to the mid-'70s and Sedaka was back on the charts, and he's never left since then. Sedaka celebrated a career milestone last March when Clay Aiken charted with "Solitaire." Aiken's success put a Sedaka composition on the Billboard charts for the sixth consecutive decade.

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