Clay News!

Variety.com

Broadway box office bounces back
'Spamalot' surges in post-holiday upswing

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Quote:

After a rough post-holiday frame that saw receipts plummet, Broadway sales got a welcome uptick last week. Grosses rose by about $700,000 to an estimated $17.5 million for 31 shows on the boards -- a tally that also compares favorably with the $14.7 million for 28 shows reported over the same week last year. One of the largest week-to-week gains was seen by "Monty Python's Spamalot" ($797,390), which looks to have benefited from the debut Jan. 18 of "American Idol" alum Clay Aiken. Both "Spamalot" and "Legally Blonde" ($668,409), seemingly correcting a bit after steep dips the prior sesh, rose by $138,000 each.

That does a heart good to see. He's like the energizer bunny - his career just keeps going and going...

Yes it does!

Just found this new article from the NY Daily News. Give it hits. There's a nice picture there also from the Stage Door. Also, looks like the writer checked out Clay's blog. Nice to see an article mention his teen and twentysomthing fans too!


<BLOCKQUOTE>http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2008/01/23/2008-01-23_fans_flock_to_to_see_clay_aiken_in_spama.html


Fans flock to to see Clay Aiken in 'Spamalot'
By JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ

Quote :

Giants fans weren't the only ones willing to freeze their butts off to cheer for their idols.

On Sunday night, when the temperature was a bone-rattling 19 degrees, Clay Aiken aficionados clamored outside the Shubert Theatre to get up close and personal with the new star of "Monty Python's Spamalot."

Alyssa Benedetto, 19, a student at the University of Delaware who lives on Long Island, was among an estimated crowd of 100 people.

Benedetto had seen the Sunday matinee of "Spamalot," but missed seeing Aiken afterward and was determined to get her picture snapped alongside the pop singer. She arrived at the stage door 20 minutes before the final curtain Sunday night. "I thought Clay was great," she said between shivers. "His English accent was really good."

Rachel Plummer and Erika Brown, graduate students in their mid-20s, agreed with her. The two friends had flown in from Detroit and Chicago to see Aiken play Sir Robin in the musical spoof. The airline tickets cost them about $150 apiece, but both said the experience was worth every penny. "I don't know why," Brown said, "I just love Clay."

They're not alone. Through an online message, Aiken entreated Claymates, the nickname of his ardent fans, and others to be on their best behavior during the show. "This is not my show," he noted. "If it were I would have no problem. 'Spamalot' is the product of SOOO much work by so many people who were here before me and will be here long after me. ... Please tell your friends and those you know that the rule is NO CAMERAS of ANY kind. I can't even put into words how embarrassed I would be if pictures or video of the show turned up on the Internet or anywhere."

That didn't stop rousing cheers when he stepped onstage, according to Brown. "People tend to go a little crazy about Clay." Nancy Redin, a fiftysomething visiting from Lansing, Mich., went a little cuckoo and jumped up and down like a human pogo stick when Aiken autographed her Playbill.

"I got it," she said, her breath leaving puffs in the air.

Benedetto wasn't so lucky. She didn't get the picture she wanted because her camera malfunctioned. "It was so cold that my camera kept freezing up," she said. "But I can always come back again in the spring

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If you missed Clay on The View yesterday you can watch the segment here on You Tube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXoyknhCby4

Go here and you can see an excellent vid of Clay greeting fans at the stage door! I love when the girl hands him a can of Spam to sign and he signs it and hands it back to her saying "Enjoy your dinner!" He is so witty!

http://www.connietalk.com/spamalot_012208.html

I love this one! (Funny, everybody who works with him or for him raves about how nice he is to work with. He has had people with him for 5 years. Only the asshat bloggers say he is a Diva Wonder why that is??

Associated Pess

Ex-Idol Clay Aiken slips into 'Spamalot'

"I think I'm probably just like the character — kind of chicken, afraid of everything and likes to sing. This particular character becomes a knight because he really just wants to sing and dance. He's so surprised when he finds out there's fighting involved. That kind of silly stupidity? — yeah, that's me." Aiken, a performer who has sold 6 million CDs and continues to draw fans to his concerts, confesses to being sore and exhausted as he prepares for his debut. Aiken's first performance was Friday. "Probably more preparation has gone into this than anything I've ever done," he says. "It's not just learning music and lines and even steps. It's mentally preparing yourself to do all of it at once." Associate director Peter Lawrence says Aiken has been no idle diva; the singer asked to be treated like any other company member and has been surprisingly fearless. "Clay really surprised me. When you meet him, he's this sweet kid from North Carolina with an accent. And you think there's no way he can do Cambridge material. And then he does," says Lawrence. "It's been a total delight and a surprise for me and everyone in the company to work with Clay because he can do things you'd never imagine he could do."

I really don't like his hair..........the color doesn't look good on him and it looks 'dry'. But he's still cute, funny and talented. He'll change the hair, he does that alot anyway.

I FREAKING LOVE THE HAIR!!!!

My fave look ever!!! Look at my Avi! Slurp!!

But you are right. Everytime he has a look I LOVE he chages it

Presenting my case for the new hair!! I don't think he has ever looked more handsome than he does in these new AP pix. Just YUM!!!

It didn't look that good on the View, at least not in the YouTube video I watched. I love it here in these pictures..........it looks soft, shiny and a great color.

I like him regardless of whatever he is doing with his hair, but the new do does remind me of Hillary Clinton's. Maybe he is a fan?

Well, he is a democrat!

Sky, it was wet on The View. He says to Joy when she hugs him "sorry my hair's wet". My guess is he slept late. Pretty pooped from doing 5 shows over the weekend!

Fans are honoring the "no video", eh?

I thought at least one would break the rules and it would be up on youtube.

Sadly yes

I mean, it is good that they are respecting the wishes of Broadway and Clay etc., but I sure would like to see some of his performances in the play. Even if some fan snuck some she wouldn't put it on You Tube because Clay asked that it not be put on You Tube. So it would be passed around underground. I am not close enough with anyone on Clay boards to find out about that.

frazzle wrote:

I like him regardless of whatever he is doing with his hair, but the new do does remind me of Hillary Clinton's. Maybe he is a fan?

LOL - good one fraz!

I'm real late getting back here but I wanted to let you all know that I tried to get a picture of Clay on Sunday. I went to see Xanadu which is in the theater right across the street from Spamalot. Our show started at 3:00 and Spamalot went in at 2:00. We got out about 10 minutes to 5:00, so I thought I would see Clay at the stage door. But when I got outside, it was completely deserted outside!

I went into the lobby and they told me everyone was gone. So I went over to Juniors, which is right in the alley as the stage door, and drank some wonderful hot chocolate. While I was sitting at the counter, a woman who was in town to see Spamalot came and sat next to me. We struck up a wonderful conversation. She had been at the 2:00 show. She told me Clay was only able to stay outside about 10 minutes that day. And really that was 10 minutes too long for him as far as I was concerned. It was so, so cold. He really should be very careful with himself at this point. She also told me he was out there in just sweats, no coat. He needs to be careful!

Bottom line, no picture - sorry! But you know I will try when I go on Feb. 10th.

There were a lot of ladies from the Clay fandom in Juniors. They were having a great time. Honestly. they looked so happy. I jumped into conversation with about 3 of them, the excitement was contagious! What can I say, I enjoy a good time.

BTW - Xanadu was a hoot! Light, very funny, good music, and a bit of roller skating.

Hi Lau!

Thanks for the info! Sorry you missed Clay Better luck in Feb.! Glad you had a good time with the Clay fans. They are a fun fandom. So many very funny ladies!

I am glad you got to see a fun show! I assume this play is based the the Olivia Newton John movie? I bet it is a hoot. It was one of those so bad it was fun movies.

FC I got my People mag in the mail today and Clay is in there. I'm sure you already know that though. I do like his hair better darker I think .

Yes Aerwin, I did hear about it and see a scan on The Clay Board! But thank you so much for bringing the info here just in case I hadn't heard!

Clay signing things for some of his fat, middled aged, and blue haired old lady fans!!



Some more old ladies all happy about Clay! The one looking away is a gal from The Clack House. She was thrilled because he just signed some items for her!

The Idol Thoughts blog went to today's matinee performance of Spamalot and wrote a review:

Color Me Surprised: Clay Aiken Is Fantastic in Spamalot If I'm being totally honest, I didn't go into today's matinee performance of Spamalot with the highest of expectations. Since it had been announced that Clay Aiken was joining the Broadway cast in the role of Sir Robin I've been dubious as to how good of a fit the American Idol runner-up and the Monty Python show would be. Well color me very pleasantly surprised -- Clay was great! His voice was, of course, fantastic, but it was his comic timing and his dancing that shocked me the most. From the moment he appeared on stage, he was totally, and delightfully, in character, and he maintained that commitment throughout the entire show. He delivered his lines like an old pro, and completely embraced his character's often quirky movement, footwork, and comic bits, even when they required him to make fun of himself. Best of all -- he appeared to be having the time of his life. The often irreverent humor of the show seemed to fit him like a glove, and he imbued each of his scenes with what appeared to be a genuine sense of joy. I was a big Clay supporter back in Season 2 of Idol, but his attitude the past several years has turned me off a bit to him. However, seeing him sing, dance, act, and laugh, I remembered the charming, dorky fella' who shocked us all with his pipes back on Idol. I half-expected him to be stiff and awkward -- instead, he was loose and relaxed, creating real chemistry with his co-stars. Speaking of his co-stars, the cast is more solid and the show tighter than it's been since it first opened. As Sir Lancelot, Rick Holmes was a hoot and a half, and a more accomplished song-and-dance man than Hank Azaria, who created the role. Chris Seiber has returned to the show, and although he appears to have put on about 30lbs, he was funny as ever playing Sir Galahad. Tom Deckman played the roles originated by Christian Borle with a delightfully deadpan gaze plastered across his face, and Hannah Waddingham, imported from the British version of Spamalot, was perfection as the Lady of the Lake. All in all, Clay and the cast have managed to make Spamalot a must-see once again

Excellent review. I am very pleased.

Abrahammy, I am so pleased to see you be one of the voices of reason at The Clack House today The OTT self righteousness there the last few days is sickening They are treating perfectly wonderful Clayfans who didn't do anything bad at all like shit. Honestly, I finally see what Feblady was talking about when she talked to me about ladies she has met from there and why she will NEVER go back on that board or having anything to do with some of them. Good lord people get a grip! So she quietly said "Hi Clay" that nobody probably heard or would have thought a thing of. I can not roll my eyes enough over what is going on there today This is why I never got on the waiting list. I am fine reading there but would never dare open my mouth there. This is far from the first time I have seem them attack like wolves. I'd take the happy fans with blinky lights before I would want to deal with the ones who want to tear your throat out because THEY think someone did such a horrible thing It's a good thing I can't post there because I think I would say something that would get me banned I cannot even imagine what goes on in the den! I can see why so many have left and not come back. I'm sure they are still fans, just at another board.

Sorry, but the fan who went up onstage and called Clay by his name was wrong. You don't do that in the theater. It's not a concert.

It's Spamalot. A really silly play where they involve the audience. They bring someone up on the stage and they know anything can happen. She just quietly said Hi Clay. No one would even know about it if her friend wasn't so excited about it that she posted it in a recap. She didn't yell anything out during a scene. She didn't run up and grab him or make any kind of scene. Thank god since I last posted there have been some great voices of reason, including mods putting an end to the stoning. If someone yelled out to Clay during a scene and disrupted the play that would be wrong, but these two ladies were brought up there at the end of the play. One used Clay's name in a funny way as part of the routine and one said Hi to him. Nothing at all like what goes on at a concert.

She was still wrong. It doesn't matter how many fans want to make excuses for her. It doesn't mean she was a bad fan, just that for that one moment she behaved stupidly. And to be fair to her, if Clay was "in character", he may not even have heard her.

FWIW, the object of one of my other fandoms was doing Shakespeare in London and some American fans actually came on stage during the play to ask him for his autograph. I think that would rank a lot higher on the clueless fan behavior chart than what the Clay fan did.