Clay News!

Pix of Mr. Unicef Ambassador Clay Aiken in Afganistan. He looks happy and like he is doing what he was born to do.











Yeah, he looks a lot like Jesus but I am not having holy thoughts I love Mr. Hawt Humanitarian.

Abrahammy, this is a new message at Clay's Official Fan Club. Perhaps Dallas will still happen. Crosses fingers for you!

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04/13/07 : Tour Changes
By Team Clay

There has been conflicting information on the Internet about the Clay Aiken performance in the Dallas area as well as a possible added date in Tulsa. The contracts for these shows have not been issued at this time nor can either be officially confirmed, but to help the confusion, please know that management is hopeful to be able to officially announce confirmation on updated details for each of these events in the next few days.

Well, I appreciate that, Firecracker. Maybe all is not lost. Since I have ZERO interest in the AI concert this year, I gotta hope the Aiken pulls through for me.

Still getting used to the beard. Softens his face a bit. Looks good.

Idol years come and go, and there is exactly one guy in 70 finalists that I know I will always be interested in seeing perform as long as he has a career, and that's Clay, even though I've lost interest in micro-following every step of his career.

In a way, I think that's good. It's means I bought his last album, but wasn't crushed when it didn't do so hot. I will happily watch any TV appearance he makes, but I don't freak out when he does not appear on TV for awhile.

Clay blogged about his Unicef trip. You can read it here and see some great pix!

http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/

More Afghanistan reports and a really beautiful video of Clay with the babies and teaching at this site.

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_39401.html

The fans have raised $145,000 plus in the five days for Unicef.

This is a wonderful write up for Clay about his appearance at The Greek!

ExperienceLA.com

Experience Clay Aiken

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Description: The Greek Theatre is proud to host an evening with multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken on Saturday, August 4 at 8:00 PM. Aiken’s latest album, A Thousand Different Ways, released September 2006, offers fans 10 cover versions of love songs spanning the last three decades, as well as four brand-new songs that are destined to become Aiken classics in their own right. "This album is very different than my first, Measure Of A Man, in that I had a lot more say in how I wanted things to be," says the singer. Debuting at number 2 on the Billboard chart, it made Aiken the 4th artist ever to have his first 3 albums debut in the Top 5 and scan over 200,000 in the first week. Though his fans have come to expect him to knock each song into the heavens with his transcendently powerful voice-which he does here quite masterfully, particularly on Harry Nillson’s "Without You," the Bad English hit "When I See You Smile" (written by Diane Warren), and the Foreigner classic "I Want to Know What Love Is" his latest album also shows off a more mature Aiken, one who is able to add beautiful vocal nuances to such unexpected choices as Bryan Adams’s "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)," Paul Young’s "Everytime You Go Away" (written by Daryl Hall), and Dolly Parton’s "Here You Come. Don’t miss An Evening With Clay Aiken on Saturday, August 4 at 8:00 PM.

Experience Clay (sadly, only in my dreams )

Clay was on Entertainment Tonight:

http://www.etonline.com/movies/news/47876/index.html

At one point he said something about getting it that he is not the center of the universe (not using those words). Very likable fellow, in my book.

Thankfully when I got home last night I was able to download the ET clip. It was such a nice and long piece on him. He really is such a wonderful young man.

You can download even more wonderful Unicef vids here:

http://www.clackunlimited.com/clack/UNICEF/070420_Afghanistan/

He is so amazing with the babies! The man needs to have a father.

Clay was on The Today Show this morning discussing his Unicef trip to Afghanistan. He is so well spoken and intelligent when he discusses these issues. You can download the interview here.

http://www.clackunlimited.com/clack/TV_Appearances/Today_Show/070426_Unicef_Afgahnistan/

Thanks for the Clay stuff. As I watch American Idol go through their momentary fit of philanthropy, I will be interested in hearing from somebody who does this kind of thing... all the time, and not just as a ratings stunt.

You're welcome Abrahammy! Yes, Clay walks the walk. That's one of my fave things about him. I am so glad he wasn't part of the god awful IGB show Weds. night. I am thrilled a lot of money was made and I hope it goes to the right places, but the whole thing seemed like a ratings stunt. It didn't work. The ratings were no where near as high as for the Clay/Ruben finale and they weren't even as high as last season's finale. How much you want to bet Idol doesn't "give back" again anytime soon?!

Speaking of Clay walking the walk, he received an award Weds. night for his work with children!


Voices of Our Children, Voices of Our Future

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NCLD celebrated its 30th anniversary at its annual benefit dinner, "Voices of our Children, Voices of our Future," at New York City's Marriott Marquis. Clay Aiken, pop music star and special education activist, received the Children's Advocacy Award. Learn more about our award winners and how you can support the benefitThis year's honorees have championed the needs of children who struggle to learn and have given them a strong public voice.

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NCLD will bestow its Children's Advocacy Award on multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken, who taught special education before he made his breakthrough on American Idol's second season. Mr. Aiken's musical success has enabled him to focus on charitable work and advocacy for education and children's causes. In 2003, he created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, which promotes and funds educational and recreational programs for children with special needs and advocates for their integration into the environments of their non-disabled peers. In 2006, Mr. Aiken was appointed to the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, which advises the President and Secretary of Health and Human Services on programs and services.

http://www.ncld.org/

I am so proud to be a fan of this man!

Currey Ingram Academy

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Punctuating the night's award presentations will be performances by the Currey Ingram rock band and middle school chorus, led by Sean Kelly and Jody Nardone, respectively. The rock band will kick off the evening with two numbers, “Next Year,” by the Foo Fighters, and “The Boy Who Saved the World,” a song written by the Currey Ingram rock band in February as a Winterim project.

Later that evening, the middle school chorus and rock band will combine to perform “Shine” and “I Will Carry You,” both originally sung by Clay Aiken. Aiken, who was a special education teacher before his slingshot to fame on American Idol, will be present to hear the performances and receive the Children’s Advocacy Award in recognition of the organization he created, the Bubel/Aiken Foundation for children with special needs. Introducing the rock band and presenting Aiken’s award will be John R. Ingram, who serves on the NCLD Board of Directors.

Aw, they sang to him.

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Banks' deposit pays off

So we're back on good terms with Tyra Banks after a girlfriend complained on "The View" Thursday about our "dine and dash" item last week.

Banks later repaid the Brooklyn Diner, where she and Russell Simmons had inadvertently walked out on a $100 tab. The diner offered to make a donation this week to the charity of her choice.

"The Tyra Banks Show" host tells us she is going to direct the money to TZone, her foundation to empower teen girls, which runs an annual summer camp.

Coincidentally, after a busy Thursday that also included a Conan O'Brien interview, we're told Tyra stopped by Jean Georges for a fancy dinner with Clay Aiken.

And yes, they paid.

Clay's mom Faye was a contestant in a local "Dancing Like the Stars" contest. Here are some pix. Clay was there. So was his "entourage".

She looks amazing!



Clay with Jamie, Mary, Bret.






Yes, that is Mario Lopez. He was a judge. I would love to know what they had to say to each other since Mario took Ripa's side in the "handovermouthgate"

I love reading all the Clay new. Clay looks good and his Mother is WOW!!

Hi Sky!

I am glad you are enjoying the Clay news. I LOVE that he and Tyra are such good friends. The place they dined at is very elegant. I love that Clay was out dining at such a fancy place with a huge super model! I bet back in HS in never dreamed that would happen!!

At The Clack House there is a link to download Faye's dance routine. She did so well. Her legs are amazing, especially when you consider she is about 60 or a little older. If you would like the link to download the dance I will bring it here.

oh! I spy Mario! Clay's mom is a hottie!

Clay will be appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday May 10th. He is not listed as the musical guest. Alexa Ray is the musical guest.

Clay's mom won the dance contest! YAY FAYE!!

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Faye Parker First Place



Faye Parker is the owner/operator of Parker Exclusives, a decorating firm in Cary, NC, specializing in custom window and bed treatments. Faye is also an active member of Leesville Baptist Church where she serves on the board.

She has judged numerous pageants including Miss America state pageants and has been the emcee for numerous events. Faye has brought a fresh perspective to entertainment. She has been a judge at local talent competitions and was a judge on the premier of Fox 50's Gimme the Mike.

Now she laughingly likes to add the local competition of "Dancing with the Stars" to her resume. Not a trained dancer, but having loads of fun. Faye's proudest accomplishments are her two boys, Brett Parker currently serving in the Marine Corp who recently returned from his second tour in Iraq and pop sensation Clay Aiken who is a major recording artist for RCA. She also serves on the board for the Bubel/Aiken foundation founded by her son Clay.



Dick Hensley



Dick has been a popular Ballroom instructor in the Triangle for the last nine years. Previously, he competed and taught in the NYC area as well as California. In San Jose, CA, he was involved in a studio that trained new dance teachers. During the late '80's, he was co-founder of the Dance Menagerie dance troupe which became the official "Dirty Dancing Review" after Dick and the entire troupe were in the movie "Dirty Dancing".

Yay! How cool is that? I'd love to be able to do Ballroom dancing!

Me too, Sky! It looks fun and a great way to stay in shape!

Somehow, I just don't see my hubby Ballroom dancing . He doesn't even like to watch the show!

Well, my hubby likes to dance at weddings, but ballroom? He'd look at me like I was from Mars That's OK. I would be too shy anyways to compete in anything But for people who aren't afraid to get on stage and be judged!

My hubby likes to dance, but I doubt he would do any ballroom dancing. I would never want to be part of a competition, but maybe just learn the dances. This show has brought a revival of dance lesson studios and people are actually taking lessons to learn ballroom dancing for fun.

Interesting info from a poster at The Clay Board. A lot of us fans were a little disappointed that Clay's cover CD didn't sell better, but when you look at these stats it really puts things in perspective.

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To put Clay's ATDW sales (509,000 as of Sunday April 29th - certified Gold) in perspective:

2006 numbers

Did you know there were 60,000 albums released in 2006 ?

Did you know that out of that number ONLY 224 WERE CERTIFIED GOLD ? (less than ½ of 1 PERCENT)

Did you know that out of that number only 108 WERE CERTIFIED PLATINUM? (less than ¼ of 1 PERCENT)

For a CD with limited promotion, ATDW has been phenomenally successful based solely on Clay's talent and his large and loyal fan base - both Internet fans and non-Internet fans.