As we are waiting for some news from Clay Aiken, it is fun to go back and re-live some of the exciting things that Clay has done in the last 11 years.
Do you remember:
- Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Clay Aiken
- The blue sequined vest from high school
- “A Panty or two” and “Depends”
- Skipping to the front of the line at the DMV
- The original DMV picture
- Raleigh = Mayberry
If you remember these fun stories, you probably remember Clay Aiken visiting Jay Leno on January 21, 2004. Dressed in a light beige suit with a brown shirt, Clay’s interview with Leno was fun, relaxed and full of lots of laughs.
Clay closed the show with a beautiful rendition of “The Way.” The camera caught his beautiful smile at the end of the performance.
I have always enjoyed watching Clay on the Tonight Show. It’s been fun observing Clay as he became more relaxed at each visit. I always had to laugh when the script-writer would come up with the same exact words each time Clay was introduced on the show!
The following videos show the interview and Clay’s performance of “The Way.”
He's one handome dude ya'll! How I loved his Tonight show visits. Jay was always so nice!!!
Adorkable – and so handsome, especially when he is singing "The Way." What a disconnect between that performance and his driver's license photo. I still love the clip from 'his singing contest-winning "This is the Moment," because his voice is the star. Those were the days before he had learned to practice in front of a mirror and tone down the physical gestures. Though unpolished physically, this performance is utterly endearing because it shows he is the kind of artist who gives 100 percent of himself when he sings. In the interview, I see him trying to be relaxed but reflexively, he's always on the alert that Jay may be making fun of him – he's going to be ready with a quick retort. He was very uncomfortable with the Glamour Magazine "bathtub" award. The young Clay is so very endearing, but he sure evokes the "mama bear" response in me at what I perceive as Jay's subtle but genial bullying.
Great memories of Clay with Jay on ‘Tonight’. I was just thinking about the Glamor mag. listing Clay as #3 on the guy women most wanted to share a bath with. The People mag. came out this morning of Sexiest Men Alive, but they didn’t list Clay! What a mistake.
I have a copy of all of Clay's guestings on Leno (Thank God for Youtube!!!) on my smart phone and I watch it everyday even while I'm at work. Been doing it for the last six months. What can I say, new member of the Claynation here 🙂 It's what keeps me inspired and in a very good mood the whole day no matter how hectic it is at the office.
I absolutely love it when Clay smiles after every song. It's like he's as happy singing to us as we are in hearing him sing. Makes it even more special. Thank you so much Martha for all the wonderful stories about Clay. More power to all of you at CANN!!!
These clips inevitably started me on a Youtube crawl through Tonight interviews, concert banter clips, Clay "dancing," and so much more, revisiting some, and unearthing other previously unseen gems. It's funny, any time you get to experience Clay the entertainer, he always leaves you wanting more! It is so much fun rediscovering these happy days that we've been blessed with for 11 years. It's impossible not to keep falling in love with him again and again. In the music clip, it made me nostalgic to see both Quiana and Jacob, too!
Thank you for this wonderful trip down memory lane. What a fun night that was and such a beautiful performance by Clay!