Clay Aiken – Dirty Dancing

By musicfan123 · Comments (10)
Monday, September 26th, 2011

Do you remember the movie, Dirty Dancing?  Released in 1987, the romantic film starred Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze.

Dirty Dancing was a huge box office hit. It earned over $214 million worldwide. It was also the first film to sell more than a million copies on home video.

Patrick Swayze, the romantic dancer in the movie had his first professional appearance as a dancer for Disney on Parade. Next, he was seen as a replacement playing the role of Danny Zuko in the long-running production of Grease on Broadway.

Swayze, chosen by People magazine as the “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1991 was most famous for his role in Dirty Dancing and the 1990 film, Ghost.

Jennifer Grey is the daughter of stage and Academy Award-winning actor Joel Grey.  As a young actor she was best know for her role as Ferris Bueller’s sister and her role of Baby in Dirty Dancing.

In the early 1990s, Grey underwent a rhinoplasty procedure that many people thought was not helpful to her looks and they thought it was one of the reasons she was not asked to star in many more projects.

After two very serious accidents, Grey became the winner of season 11 of Dancing With The Stars in 2010.

WAIT…What does this have to do with Clay Aiken?  Well, if you know the talented SueReu and the way she is able to put together wonderful videos, you won’t be surprised that she put together a wonderful new video to Clay’s performance of Unchained Melody.  Using the beautiful arrangement by Ben Cohn, Clay’s voice is the backdrop for Jennifer Grey’s dancing in both Dirty Dancing and Dancing With The Stars.

 

 

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Clay Aiken Is A Good Man

By musicfan123 · Comments (12)
Saturday, September 24th, 2011

Today is the 3rd anniversary of Clay Aiken coming out on the cover of People Magazine.   The following short article is the “tease” that was posted on People’s webpage.

Clay Aiken: I’m a Gay Dad

Clay Aiken: I’m a Gay Dad

By David Caplan

Originally posted Wednesday September 24, 2008 07:00 AM EDT

Following the Aug. 8 birth of his son Parker, singer Clay Aiken is following through on a promise he made to himself as a new dad: to publicly acknowledge that he’s gay.

“It was the first decision I made as a father,” Aiken, 29, tells the upcoming issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn’t raised that way, and I’m not going to raise a child to do that.”

Aiken says he expects the news may overwhelm some of his fans. “Whether it be having a child out of wedlock, or whether it be simply being a homosexual, it’s going to be a lot,” said Aiken, who returned to Broadway last week as Sir Robin in Monty Python’s Spamalot.

He adds that he hopes his fans “know that I’ve never intended to lie to anybody at all. … But if they leave, I don’t want them to leave hating me.”

How He Came Out to His Family
The born-again Christian singer also reveals how he told his mother Faye he’s gay four years ago. After dropping off his younger brother Brett, who was being deployed to Iraq, at Camp Lejeune, “I started crying in the car,” Aiken remembers. “It was dark. I was sitting there, thinking to myself. I don’t know why I started thinking about it … I just started bawling. She made me pull over the car and it just came out.”

So what was his mom’s reaction? “She started crying. She was obviously somewhat stunned. But she was very supportive and very comforting.” Even now, Aiken admits, “She still struggles with things quite a bit, but she’s come a long way.”

As for his own child, Aiken tells PEOPLE that Parker – who was conceived via in vitro fertilization with his best friend, music producer Jaymes Foster – will be raised in an environment that is “accepting and allowing him to be happy.”

Says Aiken: “I have no idea if he’ll be gay or straight. It’s not something I’ll have anything to do with, or that he’ll have anything to do with. It’s already probably up inside the code there … No matter what the situation you’re in, if you’re raised in a loving environment, that’s the most important thing.”

For the first photos of Parker and more of Clay’s deeply candid interview about fatherhood, coming out, and his message for the Claymates, pick up the upcoming issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

I have posted scans of the magazine cover and article below.  Please remember that if you click on the picture, it will enlarge the size.  Perhaps that way you can read the article.

 

I believe Clay Aiken is a good man.  He is an excellent role model for activism, volunteerism, inclusion and acceptance…add to that, an extraordinary talent. He is the same person he was when we heard him sing the very first… “Take.”

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Becoming…Clay Aiken!

By musicfan123 · Comments (8)
Sunday, June 26th, 2011

In November of 2004,  People Magazine featured a Photo Special of Clay Aiken on their web-page.   The photo special was titled Becoming…Clay Aiken.

The photos ranged from family pictures of a young Clay to pictures of the events Clay was involved in during 2004.  There were 16 pictures in the special.  Due to space restrictions, I have cut it down to the pictures I think are the most interesting.

Which picture do you think fits the title, Becoming…Clay Aiken, the most?  Which is your favorite picture?

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Clay Aiken – A Superstar!

By musicfan123 · Comments (9)
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Today is May 24th.  Clay Aiken fans probably don’t have any trouble thinking back to May 24, 2006.  It was one of the most talked about performances that Clay Aiken has had in his entire career.

Need a hint?  Think Michael Sandechi…you remember…the young man who impersonated Clay.  Michael won the Golden Idol Award for the Favorite Impersonation.  He thought himself an impersonator of Clay

I don’t think I will ever forget the night.  I watched as Michael started singing.  Then, I watched the doors behind him open and realized that Clay Aiken walked onto the stage.  Clay was the star of the night.  It was so much fun to see Clay treating Michael with respect, but at the same time making sure that the entire world knew that he was far-removed from the “geek” memory of “Idol Clay.”

American Idol wanted a joke. Clay Aiken gave them an event!!

I thought it might be interesting to post some of the many reviews of Clay’s appearance on the American Idol Finale in 2006

Rickey’s AI Blog

CLAY CLAY CLAY CLAY CLAY CLAY

CLAY!!!! CLAY!!! CLAY!!!!

THIS IS THE MOST AWESOME SHOW EVER!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!

CLAY AIKEN IN THE HOUSE!!!!

The Idols sing Burt Bacharach songs… don’t they do this every year?

But my god, nothing can top the Clay Aiken moment. Next to Kelly he’s the biggest star this show has produced. Go Clay!

Realitytvmagazine.com

…there was one shining moment that will likely go down as one of the funniest moments in American Idol history….

People Magazine On-line

But the biggest showstoppers were Clay Aiken, who debuted a jaw-dropping new hipster hairdo, and Prince, who performed two songs solo before an ecstatic audience.

Topix.net

But the show did hit one perfect note when Clay Aiken surprised an off-key Clay Aiken-wannabe on stage for a wonderfully impromptu duet.

Fox News Online

Perhaps the biggest laugh of the night, however, came during an appearance by Michael Sandecki, a sensation from an early audition episode (sensational only for how bad he was), who did a “surprise” duet with Clay Aiken.

They performed “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” and it really was akin to watching a before and after video, with Sandecki playing the role of the younger, naive Aiken, almost too enthusiastically.

Access Hollywood

The moment everyone is talking about around here is the reemergence of Clay Aiken. Folks here have dubbed his new look a cross between KD Lang and the Beatles. Inside the theater, he sounded amazing but I don’t think he wasn’t expecting shocked auditioner, Michael, to start trying to duet with him on the song At one point off-camera the stage manager came out and told Ryan to sit him down. That’s why the chair was brought out and you see Ryan place him there.

Baltimore MIX 106.5
“So who won Idol? Katherine, Taylor? No, it was Clay Aiken’s haircut.”

Yahoo Buzz

Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken made a victorious return to the “Idol” stage, sporting a new look that helped him pull in more buzz than last year’s champ Carrie Underwood. And a surprise appearance by Prince stirred up searches on the funk legend—precisely the point. Gotta love the “Idol” publicity machine.

FOX-5 NY just read MY e-mail to segue into their Clay clip!

The best non-Taylor moment was the Return of Clay Aiken. He looked fabulous, sang better, and gave his awe-struck ‘impersonator’ an unforgettable surprise!”

I doubt that there will ever be a night like that again.  Clay Aiken was and always will be, a Super-Star!!

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Clay Aiken – He’s No Fool!!

By musicfan123 · Comments (7)
Friday, April 1st, 2011



Today is April 1st, 2011.  Is Clay Aiken still in New York or is he in North Carolina, California or on some exotic vacation?  Is he playing pranks on his friends??  Of course we do not know where he is and that is fine.  However, I am sure he is with loved ones and having a fun day.  Somehow, pranks and Clay Aiken seem to go together.

April Fools Day, sometimes called All Fools Day, is a day of unknown origin. Yet, most of the western world knows this is a day set aside for good hearted pranks, hoaxes, gags, and giggles. It is a day that the gullible, well…watch out!

Pranks performed on April Fool’s Day range from the simple, (such as saying, “Your shoe’s untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommate’s alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim, “April Fool!”


The month of March ended with some exciting news about Clay Aiken and The National Inclusion Project.

Through a post on the Internet, we learned that The National Inclusion Project was one of the first recipients of the 2011 Inclusion Champion Award from The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.

The following is posted at the website for MEAF:

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation announced the first recipients of the 2011 Inclusion Champion Award at the MEAF 20th Anniversary Luncheon in Washington, DC on March 11th. The Inclusion Champion Award (ICA) was established by MEAF to honor organizations and individuals who have made measurable and sustainable impact in promoting the inclusion of youth with disabilities.

In total, 20 awards will be presented throughout this 20th anniversary year to honor current and past grantees for their efforts to promote the full participation of young people with disabilities in society. Trophies and $20,000 in grants will be distributed to the following organizations –

National Inclusion Project
I am Norm
A youth-led national campaign to promote inclusion, I am Norm was born out of a partnership between the Including Samuel Project and numerous other MEAF grantees and partners. National Inclusion Project is coordinating this initiative designed to empower youth and help redefine ‘normal.’

Congratulations to The National Inclusion Project, the entire Board of Directors and Jerry Aiken, Kristy Barnes, Aron Hall and Debbie Cain….  Your dedicated work is making a difference in the world.

Young people are fortunate that there are companies like Mitsubishi Electric America.  Kevin R. Webb is the MEAF’s director.  He says about the awards:

“For 20 years, Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation has worked to identify partners with the most innovative ideas that promote the full inclusion of young people with disabilities. The focus of the our grant investments has been and will continue to be on developing sustainable, replicable models that make the most impact on the lives of youth, and help to build more inclusive communities.”


Did you know that Clay Aiken was in People Magazine this week?  On the cover is a beautiful picture of Elizabeth Taylor and the magazine has a tribute to this Hollywood Icon.  However, on page 151, there is a montage of pictures of some of the former American Idol contestants.  The page also shows some number facts about the Idol stars.  It was fun to see Clay right in the middle of the page.

 

Since the word “FOOL” was used a lot today, the following Video seems appropriate!

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Clay Aiken – From Idol To Stardom!

By musicfan123 · Comments (9)
Saturday, February 5th, 2011

This post is coming to you from New York City.  I arrived early Saturday morning and I am getting more and more excited about my visit to the Broadway Backwards Concert.

On checking the computer, it is always wonderful to see even more positive articles and interviews about Clay Aiken and his upcoming concert tour.

Steve Rothaus is a writer for the Miami Herald.  He hosts a section of their website titled gsfla (Gay South Florida). On Friday he published a great article and interview with Clay.

Clay Aiken: Out ‘American Idol’ singing star says life is good as he launches ‘Tried & True’ tour

To his throngs of loyal fans, singing star Clay Aiken can do no wrong.

“My mother doesn’t defend me as much on some days,” says Aiken, who debuts his Tried & True concert tour Thursday at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.

For five years after he won international American Idol fame in 2003, fans stood by Aiken as mean-spirited bloggers taunted him as “Gaykin.” Then, weeks after the birth of son Parker in August 2008, Aiken appeared on the cover of People magazine beside a screaming headline, “Yes, I’m Gay.”

Be sure and read the entire article that touches on the Tried and True Tour and the differences in life after coming out.  Don’t forget those important comments.  gsfla

The Miami Beach Arts Trust was founded in 1999 by the City of Miami Beach, with the primary goal of providing awareness and funding for the Arts. In 2002, at the recommendation of the City Manager, the Trust separated from the City and became a stand-alone organization.

One of its greatest accomplishments is the MiamiARTzine.com, a biweekly online publication.  Publisher and Miami Beach Arts Trust chair Harvey J. Burstein conceived the idea of an online publication to better serve South Florida’s arts community and arts lovers.

On February 5th, James Cubby wrote an article for this wonderful site about Clay and his tour stop in Miami.

James also included a wonderful biography of Clay’s career.  The writer certainly did his homework.  The following is just an introduction:

Singer Clay Aiken has morphed into quite a musical star since his first audition for American Idol in 2003. Those who watched Aiken’s first audition saw a skinny bespectacled geek but one full of confidence with a tremendous voice present himself to judges Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell. Today Clay Aiken is an American Idol. Although he didn’t win the show, coming in a close second, Aiken, like many other Idol “losers,” has a won a place in the hearts of the American public. With six albums under his belt (his debut album Measure of a Man went multi-platinum), nine tours, a New York Times best-selling book, a stint on Broadway and a string of guest starring roles on shows like Scrubs, Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, Aiken is not only an American Idol but a star.

A big Thank you to James Cubby for this wonderful article on Clay.  Please visit his site, read the entire article and thank him by leaving a comment.  Miamiartzine

Be sure and add your song suggestions to Saturdays post.  It’s fun to think about what Clay might sing on Monday night.

I will try and report back about the concert as soon as I can Monday.  I will be attending the reception after the concert so it might be a bit delayed.  But…….it will be there.

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Clay Aiken Sings for Patch and Kayla

By musicfan123 · Comments (14)
Saturday, December 26th, 2009

On December 26, 2006, Days of Our Lives had a special holiday episode.  Clay Aiken was a celebrity guest, playing himself.  According to the storyline, Clay gave a special, private concert at a Salem club called Dune.  The audience was only Patch (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans).  It seems they offered to help Clay get to the airport when his car got stranded. Clay performed two songs.   First, “Oh Holy Night” was used in the background.  Then Clay sang  “Everything I Have” for the private concert.

The episode was originally taped on November 14th.  Clay joked on one of his blogs that he was a bit concerned that Kristy and Mary would be a bit too excited at the taping and make spectacles of themselves.  It seems both are big Days of Our Lives fans.

Stephen Nichols writes a blog.  He wrote a small article about Clay’s visit.

Coming up: in their new found bliss, Steve surprises Kayla with tickets to a Clay Aiken concert, but Steve’s reading of the Christmas story at the hospital runs late, so he and Kayla miss the concert. Steve runs into Clay on his way out and talks him into doing a private Christmas concert. There were so many people at the studio who are fans of Clay — the excitement was palpable. Josh Taylor said he was a big fan, and Clay’s best friend and roommate, Christy, is a huge fan of Days, so I asked Josh if he could introduce Christy to the rest of the cast. He was happy to do it. Clay was very gracious, taking photos and signing autographs.

When we got to rehearsal and tape, Clay asked if he needed to stick to the script because he would “never remember the lines.” I told him I had tweaked my lines around a bit and we could just play and not worry about the script. He was happy to improvise with me. In this situation, Clay just being himself worked well and it didn’t have that staid feeling of something scripted. Kudos to our director, Roger Inman, for always being there to get the shots. The song was very sweet and quite apropos for Steve to offer Kayla. All in all, I think the day was a success. (You can see all photos at stephennichols.net.

It was a very successful visit for Clay. There was a huge amount of publicity regarding the performance.  There were mentions on almost all the on-line entertainment sites and short mentions in many magazines, including People and Soap Opera Digest.

According to Soap Opera Network, the rating for the show was very good and everyone seemed impressed with how a visit from Clay Aiken could boost the ratings so much.

It is always fun to see Clay guest on a TV program.  We can only hope that there will be many more in 2010.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VE-fiQ-ODM


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Clay Aiken – Busy Year!

By musicfan123 · Comments (23)
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

The year 2008 had to be one of the most memorable years for Clay Aiken.  His life was full of so much, both professionally and personally.

Professionally, Clay was very busy.  In January, he made his debut on Broadway, starring in Spamalot.  At the same time he is recording his new CD.  He was on numerous TV shows and was a featured performer at the Ford Theater Gala.

In his philanthropic endeavors, Clay was involved in three projects for UNICEF and two major fundraisers for BroadwayCares/ Equity Fights AIDS.  He also had his own foundation which is an on-going responsibility.

Personally, Clay became a dad for the first time and announced on People magazine that he was a gay Dad!!

YIKES!!   What a year!!  I hope he had as much fun as his fans did.  It was a fascinating year!

The following video explains the year much better than I could ever wish to.  It is a wonderful “year in review’ and a great tribute to a wonderful guy.


httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HWsgzdYv7M

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It is not always about performance art, but about receiving positive energy from people with positive spirits. Sometimes we can see someone's spirit, and those are the people with great energy. Those are the people that get me through the day, especially on Broadway. -Clay Aiken

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