I do not know what to write!
I wish I had some magic words that would make us all feel better…but I don’t!
I had the wonderful opportunity on Sunday night, to sit with a group of Clay fans and Clay’s family and close friends. I am so thankful that Clay has so many people who were there to support him through thick and thin. I know Clay felt our love. How great that Brett, Nick, and Cameron were there. I hope they all spent some quality time with Clay after the show. I was especially touched to see David Hibbard (Patsy from Spamalot) in the live audience, cheering for Clay and enjoying the Clay moments.
It is very late…(almost 2AM) and I am sad, deflated, mad, proud of Clay, and tired. I cannot think of anymore to say. I will be back tomorrow after I can sort out the truly important things and throw out the negative. A few hours sleeps should do it!
If you feel that you would like to let Clay know how much you support him and the National Inclusion Project, perhaps this is the time to send in a small donation. $5,$10, $100. Whatever you can afford will make a difference. To make a donation, click on NIP Be sure and comment that the donation is in honor of the good work Clay did on Celebrity Apprentice.
How do you feel? I would love to hear your opinion. We need to work this out together!
Like you, there are just not enough words to express how I feel tonight. I'm so very proud of Clay. He did succeed though and on a larger scale than I could have imagined…the NIP has and will continue to receive national exposure, he raised a massive amount of money for the NIP, gained new fans and renewed respect for himself and even brought awareness to some other really huge issues going on in our world right now. So, even though he wasn't given a "title", he was a winner in so many ways!
Thank you to you and the fans that were able to go for being able to go tonight and show Clay the love._Dee has said that they all felt that Arsenio was chosen from the first show. Then we find out tonight that NBC is a major partner in the new Magic J. 24 hour channel set to debut this summer._It all comes clear that this is manipulation for cross promotion. I'm sure it's already set up that Arsenio gets a show on Magic's network. So sad for Clay after the way he played the game and worked so hard for other charities. I am also proud of him that he got through the season with only a couple of outbursts. I don't really see how Arsenio was named winner after his tirade on Aubrey._I'm no fan of Aubrey's but that was totally unprofessional of Arsenio and he should have been fired then. The only good thing in tonight is I will not have to ever listen to Lisa L again. Once again she showed how classless and untalented she truly is. _Thanks for letting me vent._My donation was sent as soon as I stopped sitting there dumbfounded._(((hugs))) to Clay, Faye , Diane, Jerry and all those involved in NIP__
Is this true?
To me Clay was the winner in so many ways – he brought so much to the show and didn't get what
he should have – that's usually the way it goes in this crazy world for the good guys!!! But I know he
will keep fighting the good fight and we will keep supporting and loving him – he deserves nothing
less. It was a tough night that left me heartbroken – but I hope now he can start singing and keep
on working for the NIP! We will be there for him!!!
I am so proud of Clay. I wish he could have won but he stayed classy. Clay will always be the winner for me.
I just donated to the National Inclusion Project in honor of Clay's terrific performance
throughout the CA this year. Please donate, if you are able, to Clay's charity.
He will always be a hero and a winner to his fans!
Clay is the winner!!!!! Let me count the ways!!!!!! I do know that NIP will get many donations and probably exceed the amount that went to Arsenio. Clay was on the show for his charity, and NIP has gained so much from Clay's hard work. Musicfan, hope you can sort through it all.
Well, glad you got to meet (again?) Nick and family, and that you're home safe. Thank you for sending a newsletter, and we're all on rounding up some donations for NIP. MOButtercup, you are absolutely right! In fact, I thought yesterday that Clay was very brave, and taking a big chance, to appear on all the news stations supporting freedom to marry when apparently Trump thinks the opposite…. but he put himself where his priorities should be, and it makes me so proud of him, and that of myself for being fan!!!
I am so happy to hear that Clay had plenty of support from his family , friends and fans last night . I am so proud of this smart , talented , honorable man . He is always a winner in my eyes .
NIP donation made last night .
Clay's show, party, fundraising, and leadership skills outshined the competition in every way! The only thing I preferred for Arsenio was his ad. And yet….
So disappointing! A job so well done it is hard to understand this outcome.
But I know Clay did all of this to get exposure for the NIP. In this, his mission was successful. Appreciate Clay's efforts for the children.
Musicfan, do you think sometime you could post some of our "favorite things" so then we won't "feel so bad"???
Good idea, Bree…When I get home, I think that will be my priority!!
I didn't sleep at all last night. It hurts so much to think that Arsenio really was the chosen one from the very beginning, and Clay didn't know. He surely does know it now, and I can't even imagine how he must feel. The line that keeps going through my head is when he said, "The axe falls on my neck…." He worked so hard to make sure everything was perfect for that final task, and other than Ivanka, not one word was said about either one either winning or losing it. Well, of course not! Clay obviously won it and raised the most money. That would have made him and Arsenio even. It was all such a crock! I believe that Arsenio knew he was golden from the outset! It's why he never really tried that hard, why he didn't lead his team and let them do all the work. I'm sorry to be so negative and not have anything uplifting to say, but it's going to take a while for me to really believe the positives in my heart. I'm too angry right now.
Hi Sasha,
I agreed with you. Some of our friends decided to check- in in a hotel so we can all watch it together and at the same cheer for him. We were all jumping to joy when we heard that he'd raised more than the person who was crowned the winner (sorry i just can't even bother to mention the name cause it hurst so much!! and wasn't able to sleep at all. I have to leave my friends in the room and cuz I can't take it. I agreed with S.Dee that it is a fix game. I'm still in shocked and will take awhile to recover, but I know to me Clay is the winner and will always support him in every step of the way. I will send my donation tomorrow when I go to the bank and order a manager's check. Thank you for sharing your feeling to us.
Thank you musicfan for your post, I feel the same way you do, I do not have much respect left for Mr. Trump since last night, I absolutely think he was not fair in his decision, all he was thinking about was number one (him), I just knew that he had picked Arsenio right from the begiinning to be CA, I don't think I can watch the CA next season, it seems to bring out the worst in people but Clay was a gentleman all thru the season, glad he's thru with that show. Sure he'll be fine with his singing and whatever career he chooses. Way to go Clay, you're number one in my heart.
Could not sleep last night. Trump did this for personal gain. Never have liked Trump, just watched because of Clay. I guess his attitudes towards marriage equality, Clay's relationship with Rosie O'Donnell played a big part in his decision. Arsenio did not do anything to deserve the win. There is no one leader in business who would talk to an employee the way Arsenio talked to Audrey and remain in business without a large lawsuit. She may have deserved it, but that's not the way you run a business. I just donated to NIP. I wish the very bset for Clay. I hope history repeats itself and Clay becomes more popular than Arsenio.
Clay is still a winner even if he came in second, it seems that Mr. Trump favored Arsenio right from the very beginning, it was so obvious, Clay should have won, he did a fantastic job of his task in every way and worked so hard at it so he could get money for his charity, anyway, he and his team did raise a ton of money and put on a great show, Clay has been such a gentleman all thru the season. I have lost respect for Mr. Trump since Sunday because he was not fair in his decision, Arsenio did not put too much effort into any of the tasks like Clay did and Arsenio had used bad language at Aubrey, he should have been fired. I could see Trump's favorites were Arsenio and Dayana. I have donated to Clay's NIP, I think he will receive a lot of donations. Thank you for your post musicfan and your thoughts are my thoughts exactly.
I couldn't even sleep last night after watching the show. I have always really liked Arsenio and was happy it came down to him and Clay (though I was ALWAYS on Team Clay!!!) The thing that really bugs me about the finale is that Donald didn't even talk about their managing of the final tass, like he did in all the other boardrooms. Clay's carnival was much more involved and well done than Arsenio's drink party. And for Clay to have raised WAY more than Arsenio in that final task, you know Donald decided to choose Arsenio to help him revamp his career. So sad that he didn't pick the real winner, but I'm happy that Clay and Arsenio are friends and Clay is so gracious. And still a winner to SO many.
I even talked my husband and another friend in to watching, and they fell for Clay and what a wonderful person he is and were rooting for him as well.
i was verry angry lastnight when clay lost clay should have one that show and not arsinro hall im so mad at mr trump mr trump your fired clay did so much on the show i was alwas on team clay the carivial theat clay did was amazing lots of games and things so clay and arsino are friends i see that clay is so gracious and he will aways be mywinner clay dont worry im stil a fan of yours you will aways be to me my idol and youll aways be that amazing singer i was amazed at along time ago from idol
There are no words. Shock and disappointment are felt by all in the Clay community.
I am shocked and appalled by Donald Trumps decision last night. Clay clearly won. He raised nearly double the amount Arsenio did and his entire task was better IMO. I also think it was rather rude for Donald to have let Lisa's gay joke be in the taping. How crude can you be. I think Donald Trump picked Arsenio because he is a homophobic jerk off. It just isn't right. I channeled my anger into making a donation in honor of Clay last night after he lost. I hope everyone does the same.
Dhyana
I've been tweeting & reading on the net, trying to make some sense of this debacle. My heart hurts for Clay because he did everything he should have done. He is smart, an industrious worker, talented, & never disrespected others. I thought after AH's meltdown with Aubrey, that would mean he wouldn't win. Ha!
Seeing all this creative editing during this season it should have been obvious that someone didn't want Clay to win. I think that's one of the real travesties, because it's like they are brainwashing the audience to see what they want them to see. There were so many clues. Clay never was able to complete a sentence answer DT who would then ask AH & almost be drooling over AH's whining & groveling. Why didn't I see this? And leaving Lisa gross joke in the finale with his mother & other family members there. Totally wrong.
But in the end, I don't believe DT was going to have a gay apprentice who was very outspoken on gay marriage & rights and is very liberal. DT has delusions about being the president & he's at the opposite ends of the spectrum from Clay. The appearances on the news show were the final blow to Clay.
Now, do I believe AH is going to be successful with a talk show? No. For one thing, he's old news. There are many talk show out there that will bury Arsenio.
Something else that has bothered me is this. Clay has a small charity that benefits children across the spectrum. $250,000 for NIP is a really big deal and can help many kids.
The Magic Johnson Foundation: Magic has hundreds of millions of $$$. The mission is to serve inner city minorities that are HIV positive. Fine, I'm ok with that especially if he used his own money. Magic became HIV positive when he was married and slept with lots of women. (Guess that's OK, since at least he's not gay) Certainly he infected some of those women, too. Now that does not make him a hero, any more than being paid $$$$ to play basketball, but on CApp it made it sound as if he was a real hero. Another thing to make AH cry.
My hero is Clay Aiken. He has overcome bullying, hatred, cruelty over the years and now is a spokesperson for many who have been hurt and is willing to stand up and fight injustice. I still believe he is the winner, maybe not of DT's silly show, but in ways that will make a difference.
Clay is my hero too!!
Thank you for your post!
Hi Musicfan,
I just send in my donation to NIP in honor of of the good work Clay did on CA.
Thank you soo much and for the rest of the fans who were there last night to support Clay.
Yes, Lisa L's awful joke (although everyone on Arsenio's team should have worn duct tape) was beyond inappropriate. Just because Clay can "take it," he shouldn't have to.
I was mortified such a thing was said, both in front of my family and the whole nation! The evil words made me hurt for Clay and more especially for Faye.
It's nice to hear from all of you on this weird day.
I have sent in my donation. I cannot believe what happened and I want so much for Clay to show DT that he doesn't need him or his money!!
I am still mad, hurt, sad, and, yet so proud of Clay!!
Thank you for spending some of your vacation time with us,Musicfan!!
I never watched that schow till Clay participadet never again will I waist my time on that schow. I allways thought Donald Trump was a OK guy,boy was I wrong he is an IDIOT. You have to be an IDIOT to make the assenite decision he mede Sun. night. I lost all respect for that man. Thousends of poeple saw clearly that Clay was the winner .Trump became an NBC WEASEL there did'nt wanted Clay for personal resons,he speaks out on issues the network dont like , so the schow is nothing put a SCAM
I know it is so sad and was hard for all of us to watch Clay come in second place once again. Remember he raised more than the "Trump" prize although I have to agree that additional amount would have been very nice.
We all have to remember that for Clay coming in in second place is not so bad….look what happened last time…he did so much better than the winner.
I think Clay got great exposure for both himself and NIP and has gained many new fans and supporters. I have been hearing from my non Clay fan friends and they are shocked as well and felt he deserved to win.
Those comments make me feel so proud of the way Clay handled himself and how classy he handled the loss. I think he has gained much more through this contest than he lost!! He has many new supporters and so many that now know so much more about NIP and Clay. They are seeing what we saw in this wonderful young man years ago!! I look forward to a new beginning for his future as an entertainer and his charity work!
Don't be sad……It is the dawn of a new era!!
Hugs…..Cookie
Clay got totally ripped off. Donald Trump knewfrom the start of the show that he would pick
Arsenio Hall. It was a given. He just went thru the motions. Clay worked his ass off and Arsenio
won. SHAME ON YOU DONALD TRUMP AND YOUR SMIRKY FACE.