We have been asked by a number of symphony orchestras in various cities to be a guest on their Christmas program. Because you know how much I love Christmas, we have accepted some of their invitations. Throughout the next several weeks, you'll probably hear about some of them. It will hopefully be a nice opportunity to get out and see many of you even though we won't officially be touring this holiday season. So keep your eyes peeled.
"As a runner-up to Fox TV's second 'American Idol' competition, vocalist CLAY AIKEN wowed televsion audiences in 2003 with his Southern charm, sweet demeanor and bright, glorious voice, and became a pop star. Aiken's debut single made history by going number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. It sold more than 392,000 copies during its first week. This 'American Idol' winner graces our stage for a very special holday performance. This unprecedented evening is not to be missed!"
Apparently Leanne Rhimes had to cancel a holiday concert appearance and Clay is filling in for her. The symphony will play for the first half of the show, and Clay will be singing for the second half. It was a scheduled holiday show. He loves to sing Christmas music, and that is probably why he is filling in.
Verona ReviewQuoteAiken interacts with audience during strong holiday show By: Heather Mayer Issue date: 12/5/06 Section: Feature The scene couldn't have been more fitting just weeks before Christmas. The snow settled lightly on the grass in front of Turning Stone Casino and Resort, reflecting the decorative Christmas lights. Inside, the event showroom was a full house. People of all ages sat at assigned tables looking out onto the stage patiently awaiting the featured guest, "American Idol's" Clay Aiken. String instruments played quietly as part of the Utica Symphony Orchestra's warm-up before Aiken's arrival. Unlike a traditional pop star concert, families sat together and sipped Diet Coke and coffee in the elegant theater. The poor setup of the tables, which packed people tightly together, made it difficult to hear the strings and flutes over side conversations. The orchestra continued with a combination of "Good King Wenceslas" and "Dreidel, Dreidel," a nice touch to celebrate Hanukkah. Once the last notes of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" played, audience members stood up and began screaming and applauding Aiken as he entered the stage. Aiken's orange collared shirt seemed more like Syracuse University spirit than Christmas spirit, but the girls and women in the front row cooed at him nonetheless. Aiken performed a long list of Christmas songs, including "Noel," "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "Merry Christmas with Love," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Grownup Christmas List." In between songs, Aiken interacted with the front-row fans and the loud, outspoken fans sitting in the back. After being told his zipper was down by one fan, he transitioned from pop singer to comedian, making the audience laugh about his recent encounter with Kelly Ripa on the "Regis and Kelly Show." Aiken poked fun at himself and how he offended Ripa by placing his hand over her mouth during the show. "Don't put your hand over someone's mouth," Aiken said. "It's very rude." Aiken was extremely interactive with his audience members, sending them into fits of laughter, cheering and applause. He made the night for one young fan, Erin Squairs, 15, of Liverpool. The singer asked the audience what a "fermata" (a held note) was, and called forth Squairs, a veteran pianist, to play a fermata on stage. Squairs, a diehard fan, couldn't believe her eyes or ears. "I thought, how is he talking to me?" she said. The dialogue with the audience seems to be what makes Aiken's fans come back for his shows. The show ended with an encore of "All is Well," sending the crowd to another standing ovation for Aiken. This Christmas show is part of Aiken's third annual tour, and he uses it to help promote charities events including UNICEF, in which he is actively involved. Aside from one perturbed male audience member who expressed his opinion that Aiken should pay attention to people in the back row, the crowd loved Aiken's performance in conjunction with the Utica Symphony. Squairs gave Aiken "two thumbs up." Daily Orange
Aiken interacts with audience during strong holiday show By: Heather Mayer Issue date: 12/5/06 Section: Feature The scene couldn't have been more fitting just weeks before Christmas. The snow settled lightly on the grass in front of Turning Stone Casino and Resort, reflecting the decorative Christmas lights. Inside, the event showroom was a full house. People of all ages sat at assigned tables looking out onto the stage patiently awaiting the featured guest, "American Idol's" Clay Aiken. String instruments played quietly as part of the Utica Symphony Orchestra's warm-up before Aiken's arrival. Unlike a traditional pop star concert, families sat together and sipped Diet Coke and coffee in the elegant theater. The poor setup of the tables, which packed people tightly together, made it difficult to hear the strings and flutes over side conversations. The orchestra continued with a combination of "Good King Wenceslas" and "Dreidel, Dreidel," a nice touch to celebrate Hanukkah. Once the last notes of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" played, audience members stood up and began screaming and applauding Aiken as he entered the stage. Aiken's orange collared shirt seemed more like Syracuse University spirit than Christmas spirit, but the girls and women in the front row cooed at him nonetheless. Aiken performed a long list of Christmas songs, including "Noel," "Walking in a Winter Wonderland," "Merry Christmas with Love," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Grownup Christmas List." In between songs, Aiken interacted with the front-row fans and the loud, outspoken fans sitting in the back. After being told his zipper was down by one fan, he transitioned from pop singer to comedian, making the audience laugh about his recent encounter with Kelly Ripa on the "Regis and Kelly Show." Aiken poked fun at himself and how he offended Ripa by placing his hand over her mouth during the show. "Don't put your hand over someone's mouth," Aiken said. "It's very rude." Aiken was extremely interactive with his audience members, sending them into fits of laughter, cheering and applause. He made the night for one young fan, Erin Squairs, 15, of Liverpool. The singer asked the audience what a "fermata" (a held note) was, and called forth Squairs, a veteran pianist, to play a fermata on stage. Squairs, a diehard fan, couldn't believe her eyes or ears. "I thought, how is he talking to me?" she said. The dialogue with the audience seems to be what makes Aiken's fans come back for his shows. The show ended with an encore of "All is Well," sending the crowd to another standing ovation for Aiken. This Christmas show is part of Aiken's third annual tour, and he uses it to help promote charities events including UNICEF, in which he is actively involved. Aside from one perturbed male audience member who expressed his opinion that Aiken should pay attention to people in the back row, the crowd loved Aiken's performance in conjunction with the Utica Symphony. Squairs gave Aiken "two thumbs up."
Norfolk ReviewQuoteClay goes a-carolin' at the ScopeBy MALCOLM VENABLE, The Virginian-Pilot © December 8, 2006 NORFOLK — Clay Aiken is a phenomenon. He lost on “American Idol,” but his debut “Measure of a Man,” sold 3 million copies. He has appeared on TV with Oprah Winfrey, Barry Manilow and a digitally revived Bing Crosby in “A Clay Aiken Christmas.” He is a force. He is a movement, one led by a tribe dubbed “Claymates.” These people came to see Clay – Clay is on a first-name basis with his fans – sing Christmas standards Thursday night at Norfolk’s Scope. Prior to Clay’s performance, the Ed Walters Orchestra warmed the crowd, which filled roughly a third of the venue. Christmas trees and illuminated drums adorned the stage. Violinists, bassists and a harpist set the scene, a scene beautiful enough to forget the ugliness Clay has endured lately. Clay, a pale and slightly scrawny fellow, has been called nerdy. He has been called a bore. More salaciously, Clay’s personal life is a popular target of Internet chatter . Weeks ago, he was center in a tug-of-implied-war with Kelly Ripa and Rosie O’Donnell. O’Donnell called Ripa homophobic after Ripa reprimanded Clay for covering her hand with his mouth on her show. That set off a media hullabaloo. All of which makes Clay a phenomenon. Judging from the audience at Scope, Clay’s fans live in a different universe. Claymates, almost uniformly white, middle-aged and fond of holiday sweaters bearing glittery appliqués, like Clay for who he is: a tender, sugary and sassy performer with timeless charisma. He emerged wearing a slim ebony suit and pointy black boots with high chunky heels. His thick hair was razor-sharp and teased; he gently swept locks from his face with a finger all night. He sang “The First Noel” with control and verve, and later “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” Clay’s renditions were superbly done – potentially flawless – yet it’s enough to cause sudden pangs of numbing boredom. But here’s why Clay is savvy: he knows this. He had the confidence of a minister. He wooed the shrieking women and cracked jokes, some at his own expense. He asked men if their wives dragged them there. He said the Enquirer would soon have a story about his love child. “I am the sultan of scandal,” he said. “This business about putting hands over people’s mouths – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Sometimes people need scandal.” Clay, a North Carolina native and former schoolteacher with a philanthropic bent, walked into the crowd. He danced with his mother, and gave a shout-out to his brother and other relatives in attendance. He called his audience his family. He called someone rude for using a cell phone. “It took me 20 minutes to squeeze into this sweater, and you’re on the phone.” He noted that Thursday was Pearl Harbor Day – a factoid that would have been Greek to younger folks. This is why Clay Aiken is a phenomenon. He gives his audience – uninterested in his personal life , yearning for safe, white-bread Americana – warm, cherry-pie carols appropriate for hanging stockings and trimming the tree. The world, with its pornographic Internet and bossy lesbian talk-show hosts, could flood again or burn to ashes, but Clay would always be there as a reminder that some things never change and good always prevails. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with that. HAMPTONROADS
Clay goes a-carolin' at the ScopeBy MALCOLM VENABLE, The Virginian-Pilot © December 8, 2006 NORFOLK — Clay Aiken is a phenomenon. He lost on “American Idol,” but his debut “Measure of a Man,” sold 3 million copies. He has appeared on TV with Oprah Winfrey, Barry Manilow and a digitally revived Bing Crosby in “A Clay Aiken Christmas.” He is a force. He is a movement, one led by a tribe dubbed “Claymates.” These people came to see Clay – Clay is on a first-name basis with his fans – sing Christmas standards Thursday night at Norfolk’s Scope. Prior to Clay’s performance, the Ed Walters Orchestra warmed the crowd, which filled roughly a third of the venue. Christmas trees and illuminated drums adorned the stage. Violinists, bassists and a harpist set the scene, a scene beautiful enough to forget the ugliness Clay has endured lately. Clay, a pale and slightly scrawny fellow, has been called nerdy. He has been called a bore. More salaciously, Clay’s personal life is a popular target of Internet chatter . Weeks ago, he was center in a tug-of-implied-war with Kelly Ripa and Rosie O’Donnell. O’Donnell called Ripa homophobic after Ripa reprimanded Clay for covering her hand with his mouth on her show. That set off a media hullabaloo. All of which makes Clay a phenomenon. Judging from the audience at Scope, Clay’s fans live in a different universe. Claymates, almost uniformly white, middle-aged and fond of holiday sweaters bearing glittery appliqués, like Clay for who he is: a tender, sugary and sassy performer with timeless charisma. He emerged wearing a slim ebony suit and pointy black boots with high chunky heels. His thick hair was razor-sharp and teased; he gently swept locks from his face with a finger all night. He sang “The First Noel” with control and verve, and later “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” Clay’s renditions were superbly done – potentially flawless – yet it’s enough to cause sudden pangs of numbing boredom. But here’s why Clay is savvy: he knows this. He had the confidence of a minister. He wooed the shrieking women and cracked jokes, some at his own expense. He asked men if their wives dragged them there. He said the Enquirer would soon have a story about his love child. “I am the sultan of scandal,” he said. “This business about putting hands over people’s mouths – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Sometimes people need scandal.” Clay, a North Carolina native and former schoolteacher with a philanthropic bent, walked into the crowd. He danced with his mother, and gave a shout-out to his brother and other relatives in attendance. He called his audience his family. He called someone rude for using a cell phone. “It took me 20 minutes to squeeze into this sweater, and you’re on the phone.” He noted that Thursday was Pearl Harbor Day – a factoid that would have been Greek to younger folks. This is why Clay Aiken is a phenomenon. He gives his audience – uninterested in his personal life , yearning for safe, white-bread Americana – warm, cherry-pie carols appropriate for hanging stockings and trimming the tree. The world, with its pornographic Internet and bossy lesbian talk-show hosts, could flood again or burn to ashes, but Clay would always be there as a reminder that some things never change and good always prevails. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Wilkes Barre ReviewQuoteAiken injects holiday performance with humor BY GERI ANNE KAIKOWSKISTAFF WRITER12/11/2006 The 2003 “American Idol’’ runner-up poked fun at his recent mouth-covering incident with morning television talk show host Kelly Ripa by incorporating it into a set of rules that he reminded the audience of during breaks in his Christmas song list.He told the crowd not to be rude and if they did have the urge to say something wrong, they should “incorporate the Clay Aiken hand-over-mouth method,’’ and then put his hand over his own mouth to demonstrate.“It is very effective at shutting up people who talk too much,’’ he said to a cheering audience. Taking another poke at the brouhaha over Ripa’s protest, he asked the audience to support the local arts.“I got my start in the local arts community,’’ he said. “I think every celebrity did, except Britney Spears.’’Then he paused and added, “And Kelly Ripa.’’ Aiken, sporting a longer and lightened version of his new hair style and wearing wire rimmed glasses, teased the audience by opening the button on his blue pinstriped suit jacket stating, “Don’t read anything into this. I’ve just gotten a little fat recently.’’Aiken brought a refreshing contrast to a traditional holiday concert by mixing the more familiar Christmas standards, such as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing’’ and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’’ with some newer selections like “My Grown-Up Christmas List’’ and “Merry Christmas with Love,’’ which were as equally received as the more well-known tunes.The American Idol finalist’s vocals are well-suited to the histrionics of Christmas carols, especially when he held the notes on such classics as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.’’He was accompanied by the Lee Vincent Holiday Orchestra, comprised of musicians from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic as well as symphonies from Allentown and Binghamton, N.Y.In-between songs, Aiken teased several concert attendees in the third row for bringing binoculars to the show by asking them, “Just what did you hope to see, my nose hair?’’He also poked fun at the male members of the audience by asking them if they were coerced into coming to his concert, telling them not to worry that, “What happens here stays here. No one will ever know you attended a Clay Aiken show.’’©Citizens Voice[/qupte]And, an updated version of the review.Aiken Injects Holiday Performance With HumorQuoteClay Aiken brought a surprising dose of humor along with holiday song and spirit to his Christmas concert before a sold-out crowd at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday night.The 2003 “American Idol’’ runner-up poked fun at his recent mouth-covering incident with morning television talk show host Kelly Ripa by incorporating it into a set of rules that he reminded the audience of during breaks in his Christmas song list.He told the crowd not to be rude and if they did have the urge to say something wrong, they should “incorporate the Clay Aiken hand-over-mouth method,’’ and then put his hand over his own mouth to demonstrate.“It is very effective at shutting up people who talk too much,’’ he said to a cheering audience. Taking another poke at the brouhaha over Ripa’s protest, he asked the audience to support the local arts.“I got my start in the local arts community,’’ he said. “I think every celebrity did, except Britney Spears.’’Then he paused and added, “And Kelly Ripa.’’ Aiken, sporting a longer and lightened version of his new hair style and wearing wire rimmed glasses, teased the audience by opening the button on his blue pinstriped suit jacket stating, “Don’t read anything into this. I’ve just gotten a little fat recently.’’Aiken brought a refreshing contrast to a traditional holiday concert by mixing the more familiar Christmas standards, such as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing’’ and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’’ with some newer selections like “My Grown-Up Christmas List’’ and “Merry Christmas with Love,’’ which were as equally received as the more well-known tunes.The American Idol finalist’s vocals are well-suited to the histrionics of Christmas carols, especially when he held the notes on such classics as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.’’He was accompanied by the Lee Vincent Holiday Orchestra, comprised of musicians from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic as well as symphonies from Allentown and Binghamton, N.Y.In-between songs, Aiken teased several concert attendees in the third row for bringing binoculars to the show by asking them, “Just what did you hope to see, my nose hair?’’He also poked fun at the male members of the audience by asking them if they were coerced into coming to his concert, telling them not to worry that, “What happens here stays here. No one will ever know you attended a Clay Aiken show.’’ ©Citizens Voice
Aiken injects holiday performance with humor BY GERI ANNE KAIKOWSKISTAFF WRITER12/11/2006 The 2003 “American Idol’’ runner-up poked fun at his recent mouth-covering incident with morning television talk show host Kelly Ripa by incorporating it into a set of rules that he reminded the audience of during breaks in his Christmas song list.He told the crowd not to be rude and if they did have the urge to say something wrong, they should “incorporate the Clay Aiken hand-over-mouth method,’’ and then put his hand over his own mouth to demonstrate.“It is very effective at shutting up people who talk too much,’’ he said to a cheering audience. Taking another poke at the brouhaha over Ripa’s protest, he asked the audience to support the local arts.“I got my start in the local arts community,’’ he said. “I think every celebrity did, except Britney Spears.’’Then he paused and added, “And Kelly Ripa.’’ Aiken, sporting a longer and lightened version of his new hair style and wearing wire rimmed glasses, teased the audience by opening the button on his blue pinstriped suit jacket stating, “Don’t read anything into this. I’ve just gotten a little fat recently.’’Aiken brought a refreshing contrast to a traditional holiday concert by mixing the more familiar Christmas standards, such as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing’’ and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’’ with some newer selections like “My Grown-Up Christmas List’’ and “Merry Christmas with Love,’’ which were as equally received as the more well-known tunes.The American Idol finalist’s vocals are well-suited to the histrionics of Christmas carols, especially when he held the notes on such classics as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.’’He was accompanied by the Lee Vincent Holiday Orchestra, comprised of musicians from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic as well as symphonies from Allentown and Binghamton, N.Y.In-between songs, Aiken teased several concert attendees in the third row for bringing binoculars to the show by asking them, “Just what did you hope to see, my nose hair?’’He also poked fun at the male members of the audience by asking them if they were coerced into coming to his concert, telling them not to worry that, “What happens here stays here. No one will ever know you attended a Clay Aiken show.’’
Clay Aiken brought a surprising dose of humor along with holiday song and spirit to his Christmas concert before a sold-out crowd at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday night.The 2003 “American Idol’’ runner-up poked fun at his recent mouth-covering incident with morning television talk show host Kelly Ripa by incorporating it into a set of rules that he reminded the audience of during breaks in his Christmas song list.He told the crowd not to be rude and if they did have the urge to say something wrong, they should “incorporate the Clay Aiken hand-over-mouth method,’’ and then put his hand over his own mouth to demonstrate.“It is very effective at shutting up people who talk too much,’’ he said to a cheering audience. Taking another poke at the brouhaha over Ripa’s protest, he asked the audience to support the local arts.“I got my start in the local arts community,’’ he said. “I think every celebrity did, except Britney Spears.’’Then he paused and added, “And Kelly Ripa.’’ Aiken, sporting a longer and lightened version of his new hair style and wearing wire rimmed glasses, teased the audience by opening the button on his blue pinstriped suit jacket stating, “Don’t read anything into this. I’ve just gotten a little fat recently.’’Aiken brought a refreshing contrast to a traditional holiday concert by mixing the more familiar Christmas standards, such as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing’’ and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’’ with some newer selections like “My Grown-Up Christmas List’’ and “Merry Christmas with Love,’’ which were as equally received as the more well-known tunes.The American Idol finalist’s vocals are well-suited to the histrionics of Christmas carols, especially when he held the notes on such classics as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.’’He was accompanied by the Lee Vincent Holiday Orchestra, comprised of musicians from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic as well as symphonies from Allentown and Binghamton, N.Y.In-between songs, Aiken teased several concert attendees in the third row for bringing binoculars to the show by asking them, “Just what did you hope to see, my nose hair?’’He also poked fun at the male members of the audience by asking them if they were coerced into coming to his concert, telling them not to worry that, “What happens here stays here. No one will ever know you attended a Clay Aiken show.’’
Clay Bells Ring, Are You Listening?Clay Aiken's Christmas show comes to West PointBy Mary Esparra For the Times Herald-Record December 15, 2006 QuoteOK, his favorite Christmas songs are "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day," "Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel," and "Merry Christmas With Love," a song dating back to his ninth-grade choir days. He's not sure what tinsel is, prefers a fake Christmas tree to a real one and turkey to ham for Christmas dinner. Now that Clay Aiken's "Claymates" know some new juicy tidbits on their (American) idol, why would the rest of the music-loving public want to see his Christmas concert at Eisenhower Hall today? Those that don't know every detail of his life, as his fans the Claymates do, might be surprised to know he's not just a second-place winner of a national TV talent show. Or maybe that guy who made headlines recently for an on-air encounter with chatty "Live With Regis and Kelly" host Kelly Ripa. How much has that "incident" affected him? "Oh, Lord, none whatsoever," Aiken says. "I've laughed at it, are you kidding me? None whatsoever. I didn't know I was that big a star." When told about the Record's message board filling up in response to it, he replies, laughing, "Oh my gosh, people need to worry about bigger things." The bigger things Aiken cares about come through in his charity work. This pop star uses his celebrity to help others. When his career as a special education teacher was halted after his success on "American Idol," he co-founded the Bubel/Aiken Foundation. The foundation helps open doors for developmentally disabled children, encouraging their interaction with all children. He was also recently appointed to the President's Committee for People With Intellectual Disabilities, was ambassador for UNICEF and spokesperson for Toys for Tots. Though "Idol" diehards may remember the slings he deflected from Simon Cowell while performing on "Idol" all those years ago, his popularity with the public has never faltered. They continue to swoon at his mesmerizing and unpretentious voice. His album, "Measure of a Man," went multiplatinum. Concerts sell out fast. Google Clay Aiken and a million and a half sites pop up with untold numbers of messages boards devoted to him. In appreciation of their deep devotion, Aiken gave his fans a present for his recent birthday — a video tour of his home. As his bio states, "Sure, talent and ambition contribute to the rise of many singing sensations, but skill and drive alone do not guarantee a berth at the top of the charts. ... Ultimately, it is an almost inexplicable reaction between a singer and his or her audience that creates a superstar career, sparking the kind of fanatic devotion that propels a performer into the pop stratosphere." There are few singers in the world today earning such praise. His fans have said his voice fills something inside them, there's just something about the tone and quality. It's raw yet inviting, addictive yet healing. Aiken will bring that "something" to West Point tonight when he performs with the 50-piece Chelsea Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ankush Bahl. He'll sing songs from his 2004 album, "Merry Christmas With Love," the top-selling holiday album of that year. He'll also sing songs from his limited-edition release "All Is Well," which came out Nov. 28. "And maybe one or two more that aren't anywhere else," Aiken says. "I think the neat thing about this tour is, I'm going to try to change up the set each night. I'm not exactly sure. We're going to fly by the seat of our pants. We've got much less overhead on this show, so we can be a little bit freer to say, 'Oh, I don't like this, let's take it out,' or 'Let's throw this back in.'" Hopefully that won't affect fans' chance to hear "that note" in "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day." On the CD, he holds a note perfectly for what seems like minutes. In actuality, it's precisely 22 seconds. "You've been timing me?" he asks, laughing. "Twenty-two seconds. Now I'm going to have pressure to see if I can do 23." The challenge is on, Clay. "I don't know. If I don't make it, if I don't hit it, I might be embarrassed." Embarrassment would only make him more endearing (to his fawning Claymates). "I think the same message holds true throughout the year: I'm just amazed by the amount of support, and I'm very thankful that they allow me to continue what I do," he says. (snip) Q&A with Clay Q: Colored or white Christmas lights? A: White Q: Cute or classy ornaments? A: Classy Q: Eggnog or cider? A: (pause)Q: You don’t like either?A: Dr. PepperQ: Dr. Pepper?A: (laughs)Q: OK. Tinsel, garland or popcorn? A: Tinsel’s like the shiny ...Q: Yes, yesA: Garland is ...Q: The long shiny strings of it, the ropes of itA: Oh ...Q: Popcorn strings?A: You know what my mom uses a lot on the Christmas tree? She uses baby’s breath.Q: I do, too!A: Yeah, baby’s breath and hay. And the first time I saw her do it, it was not hay so much as what looked like dead grass. The first time I saw her do it I was like, that’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my life, and then she turned the lights on and it was the most gorgeous Christmas tree I’ve ever seen. So I say dead grass.Q: Great. Star or angel? A: AngelQ: OK, tough one: Rudolph, Charlie Brown or the Grinch? A: Oh, the Rudolf claymation thing is so much, it’s so good, it’s a Christmas tradition, you know what I’m talking about?Q: Yes, yes, of course. That’s one of your traditions?A: Well, I mean, I remember watching it.Q: Turkey or ham? A: TurkeyQ: Real tree or fake? A: Fake. So the dogs don’t eat it.Q: Yes, although my cats eat my fake one. Which I shouldn’t have said (I’m panicking now) ’cause I know you don’t ... (Clay has an immense fear of cats).A: Oh my God ...Q: I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, but I love dogs, I have a dog, too. OK. In a fight, who would win: Santa Claus or Hanukkah Harry? A: Who is Hanukkah Harry?©Record On Line
OK, his favorite Christmas songs are "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day," "Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel," and "Merry Christmas With Love," a song dating back to his ninth-grade choir days. He's not sure what tinsel is, prefers a fake Christmas tree to a real one and turkey to ham for Christmas dinner. Now that Clay Aiken's "Claymates" know some new juicy tidbits on their (American) idol, why would the rest of the music-loving public want to see his Christmas concert at Eisenhower Hall today? Those that don't know every detail of his life, as his fans the Claymates do, might be surprised to know he's not just a second-place winner of a national TV talent show. Or maybe that guy who made headlines recently for an on-air encounter with chatty "Live With Regis and Kelly" host Kelly Ripa. How much has that "incident" affected him? "Oh, Lord, none whatsoever," Aiken says. "I've laughed at it, are you kidding me? None whatsoever. I didn't know I was that big a star." When told about the Record's message board filling up in response to it, he replies, laughing, "Oh my gosh, people need to worry about bigger things." The bigger things Aiken cares about come through in his charity work. This pop star uses his celebrity to help others. When his career as a special education teacher was halted after his success on "American Idol," he co-founded the Bubel/Aiken Foundation. The foundation helps open doors for developmentally disabled children, encouraging their interaction with all children. He was also recently appointed to the President's Committee for People With Intellectual Disabilities, was ambassador for UNICEF and spokesperson for Toys for Tots. Though "Idol" diehards may remember the slings he deflected from Simon Cowell while performing on "Idol" all those years ago, his popularity with the public has never faltered. They continue to swoon at his mesmerizing and unpretentious voice. His album, "Measure of a Man," went multiplatinum. Concerts sell out fast. Google Clay Aiken and a million and a half sites pop up with untold numbers of messages boards devoted to him. In appreciation of their deep devotion, Aiken gave his fans a present for his recent birthday — a video tour of his home. As his bio states, "Sure, talent and ambition contribute to the rise of many singing sensations, but skill and drive alone do not guarantee a berth at the top of the charts. ... Ultimately, it is an almost inexplicable reaction between a singer and his or her audience that creates a superstar career, sparking the kind of fanatic devotion that propels a performer into the pop stratosphere." There are few singers in the world today earning such praise. His fans have said his voice fills something inside them, there's just something about the tone and quality. It's raw yet inviting, addictive yet healing. Aiken will bring that "something" to West Point tonight when he performs with the 50-piece Chelsea Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ankush Bahl. He'll sing songs from his 2004 album, "Merry Christmas With Love," the top-selling holiday album of that year. He'll also sing songs from his limited-edition release "All Is Well," which came out Nov. 28. "And maybe one or two more that aren't anywhere else," Aiken says. "I think the neat thing about this tour is, I'm going to try to change up the set each night. I'm not exactly sure. We're going to fly by the seat of our pants. We've got much less overhead on this show, so we can be a little bit freer to say, 'Oh, I don't like this, let's take it out,' or 'Let's throw this back in.'" Hopefully that won't affect fans' chance to hear "that note" in "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day." On the CD, he holds a note perfectly for what seems like minutes. In actuality, it's precisely 22 seconds. "You've been timing me?" he asks, laughing. "Twenty-two seconds. Now I'm going to have pressure to see if I can do 23." The challenge is on, Clay. "I don't know. If I don't make it, if I don't hit it, I might be embarrassed." Embarrassment would only make him more endearing (to his fawning Claymates). "I think the same message holds true throughout the year: I'm just amazed by the amount of support, and I'm very thankful that they allow me to continue what I do," he says. (snip) Q&A with Clay Q: Colored or white Christmas lights? A: White Q: Cute or classy ornaments? A: Classy Q: Eggnog or cider? A: (pause)Q: You don’t like either?A: Dr. PepperQ: Dr. Pepper?A: (laughs)Q: OK. Tinsel, garland or popcorn? A: Tinsel’s like the shiny ...Q: Yes, yesA: Garland is ...Q: The long shiny strings of it, the ropes of itA: Oh ...Q: Popcorn strings?A: You know what my mom uses a lot on the Christmas tree? She uses baby’s breath.Q: I do, too!A: Yeah, baby’s breath and hay. And the first time I saw her do it, it was not hay so much as what looked like dead grass. The first time I saw her do it I was like, that’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my life, and then she turned the lights on and it was the most gorgeous Christmas tree I’ve ever seen. So I say dead grass.Q: Great. Star or angel? A: AngelQ: OK, tough one: Rudolph, Charlie Brown or the Grinch? A: Oh, the Rudolf claymation thing is so much, it’s so good, it’s a Christmas tradition, you know what I’m talking about?Q: Yes, yes, of course. That’s one of your traditions?A: Well, I mean, I remember watching it.Q: Turkey or ham? A: TurkeyQ: Real tree or fake? A: Fake. So the dogs don’t eat it.Q: Yes, although my cats eat my fake one. Which I shouldn’t have said (I’m panicking now) ’cause I know you don’t ... (Clay has an immense fear of cats).A: Oh my God ...Q: I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, but I love dogs, I have a dog, too. OK. In a fight, who would win: Santa Claus or Hanukkah Harry? A: Who is Hanukkah Harry?
Starry Music FillsQuoteThey came bearing music, gifts and in some cases, decorated binoculars in order to get a better glimpse of the star.Those were the separate scenes at the Connecticut Convention Center and the Hartford Civic Center Tuesday where the stars and audiences celebrated the holiday season.(snip)The city was apparently big enough for two idols because just a few blocks away Clay Aiken had the mostly female audience in the convention center ballroom in the palm of his hands.Between holiday songs, Aiken, in a blue suit and really big shoes, joked with the audience, including a third-row fan who brought binoculars sporting a Christmas motif, and made fun of himself by bringing up several times the whole "hand-over-the-mouth" controversy that occurred when he was a guest host on the "Live With Regis and Kelly" morning show a few weeks ago. "Just call me Mr. Controversy," he said jokingly. "I'm a scandalous person." Performing with the Hartford Symphony, Aiken's performance marked the first time the convention center has been used for a concert. "When you do something the first time you don't know what to expect," said symphony music director Edward Cumming. "But sometimes doing something new works out well. We think this did."Hartford Courant
They came bearing music, gifts and in some cases, decorated binoculars in order to get a better glimpse of the star.Those were the separate scenes at the Connecticut Convention Center and the Hartford Civic Center Tuesday where the stars and audiences celebrated the holiday season.(snip)The city was apparently big enough for two idols because just a few blocks away Clay Aiken had the mostly female audience in the convention center ballroom in the palm of his hands.Between holiday songs, Aiken, in a blue suit and really big shoes, joked with the audience, including a third-row fan who brought binoculars sporting a Christmas motif, and made fun of himself by bringing up several times the whole "hand-over-the-mouth" controversy that occurred when he was a guest host on the "Live With Regis and Kelly" morning show a few weeks ago. "Just call me Mr. Controversy," he said jokingly. "I'm a scandalous person." Performing with the Hartford Symphony, Aiken's performance marked the first time the convention center has been used for a concert. "When you do something the first time you don't know what to expect," said symphony music director Edward Cumming. "But sometimes doing something new works out well. We think this did."
Clay Aiken tops at Norfolk showQuoteNORFOLK -- Clay Aiken may have placed second on "American Idol" a few years ago, but he's still tops with the thousand or so fans who turned out Thursday to hear the star sing live.At the Norfolk Scope, followers both casual and fanatical said they're not bothered by Aiken's recently retooled image or by his run-in with talk show host Kelly Ripa.Ripa had criticized Aiken for putting his hands over her mouth during an interview last month on "Live with Regis and Kelly.""It doesn't make any difference to me. I love to hear him sing," said Mona Walker of Hampton. "He seems like a nice guy. Let's leave it at that."Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell defended Aiken saying that Ripa's reaction was rooted in homophobia, although Aiken has avoided questions about his sexuality.Several fans said they were attracted to Aiken's boy-next-door charm.Walker was glad that Aiken has softened the new fashion statement he unveiled a few months back. "I didn't like the long-spiky-hair-down-in-his-face look. I like a clean-cut image for a clean-cut guy.""He's so all-American," said Darlene Shearer of Norfolk.Her friend Diane Estes said she got interested in "American Idol" because of Aiken. After he was crowned runner-up, she stopped watching the program."He opens his mouth and out comes magic," Estes said. "And he seems like such a nice person."Of course, others in Thursday night's crowd were uninterested in the gossip surrounding the young performer from Raleigh, N.C.Bill and Patty Higgins of Newport News came because they held tickets to a canceled performance of the musical "Cats." They decided to hear Aiken sing in place of a refund.Bill Higgins had heard about the Kelly Ripa flap but considers it of no consequence."It's a lot to do about nothing, as far as I'm concerned," he said.©Daily Press
NORFOLK -- Clay Aiken may have placed second on "American Idol" a few years ago, but he's still tops with the thousand or so fans who turned out Thursday to hear the star sing live.At the Norfolk Scope, followers both casual and fanatical said they're not bothered by Aiken's recently retooled image or by his run-in with talk show host Kelly Ripa.Ripa had criticized Aiken for putting his hands over her mouth during an interview last month on "Live with Regis and Kelly.""It doesn't make any difference to me. I love to hear him sing," said Mona Walker of Hampton. "He seems like a nice guy. Let's leave it at that."Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell defended Aiken saying that Ripa's reaction was rooted in homophobia, although Aiken has avoided questions about his sexuality.Several fans said they were attracted to Aiken's boy-next-door charm.Walker was glad that Aiken has softened the new fashion statement he unveiled a few months back. "I didn't like the long-spiky-hair-down-in-his-face look. I like a clean-cut image for a clean-cut guy.""He's so all-American," said Darlene Shearer of Norfolk.Her friend Diane Estes said she got interested in "American Idol" because of Aiken. After he was crowned runner-up, she stopped watching the program."He opens his mouth and out comes magic," Estes said. "And he seems like such a nice person."Of course, others in Thursday night's crowd were uninterested in the gossip surrounding the young performer from Raleigh, N.C.Bill and Patty Higgins of Newport News came because they held tickets to a canceled performance of the musical "Cats." They decided to hear Aiken sing in place of a refund.Bill Higgins had heard about the Kelly Ripa flap but considers it of no consequence."It's a lot to do about nothing, as far as I'm concerned," he said.
Energetic Aiken has right touch for holiday show Wednesday, December 20, 2006By Jeffrey KaczmarczykThe Grand Rapids PressQuoteClaymates everywhere slept easy Tuesday night. Diehard fans of Clay Aiken go online each night their "American Idol" favorite has a concert to listen to that evening's pirated, cell-phone recording. They need to know if their guy hit the high note of his encore, "All Is Well." He did. Those, of course, are only the midlevel fans. The most serious of West Michigan's Claymates, of course, didn't have to check the Internet about their boy's debut in DeVos Performance Hall. They were there, taking in his show with the Grand Rapids Symphony. A sellout audience -- mostly female, plenty taking improper flash photos and/or making illegal cell-phone recordings -- filled the 2,446-seat hall for "A Clay Aiken Christmas." Aiken was a hoot and a holler, full of Southern charm, telling stories, cracking jokes, bantering with the audience. He also sings rather well. But beyond the songs, it's the whole package -- the easy grin, the down-home demeanor, the good ol' boy charm -- that made the former special-education teacher from North Carolina the kind of celebrity who makes headlines just by clapping his hand over Kelly Ripa's mouth. The 28-year-old singer, who referred to himself as the "Scandal King," did not disavow that action. "It needed to be done," he told the cheering audience. "And I'd do it again. Hopefully with less publicity." Dressed in black suit and shirt with a chocolate brown tie and cowboy boots, Aiken sang 13 songs in 81 minutes on stage with the Grand Rapids Symphony, led by his pianist and musical director, Jesse Vargas. Soft and soulful versions of Christmas hymns such as "The First Noel," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" fell easily from his tenor voice. His buoyant delivery also worked well with such breezy tunes as "Winter Wonderland" and "Sleigh Ride." But Aiken was at his best with intimate melodies such as "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "The Christmas Song," singing the latter with a Nat "King" Cole flair. One of his finest of the night was "Mary, Did You Know?" which Aiken sang with an earnest appeal. What was especially touching about "My Grown Up Christmas List" was that Aiken said he was singing it for his younger brother, who turned 21 on Tuesday and is a Marine serving in Iraq. The Grand Rapids Symphony opened the concert, part of its SymphonicBoom Series, with 30 minutes' worth of holiday music, a couple of medleys as well as variations on "Little Drummer Boy." Some were recycled from the Holiday Pops earlier this month and played better. Associate conductor John Varineau shrewdly picked several medleys and arrangements -- a cinematic version of "Sing We Now of Christmas" and a whimsical variation of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" -- all with a bit of glitter, a little snap and plenty of solos all around to show off the orchestra. It's always smart to dress up when you have company over. Aiken, in turn, was the gracious guest, full of praise for the orchestra. His several plugs of the evening included a couple of mentions of the Grand Rapids Symphony's recent Grammy Award nomination for its recording "Invention & Alchemy," with harpist Deborah Henson-Conant. "Cause I've never had one of those nominations," he said with a pretend pout. "I feel really bad." Nor did he win "American Idol," but that hasn't stopped Aiken from becoming a star in the world of entertainment. ©MLive.comGreat review! The writer's contact info is on page 2 of the article - hit the link to let him know you enjoyed his review!
Claymates everywhere slept easy Tuesday night. Diehard fans of Clay Aiken go online each night their "American Idol" favorite has a concert to listen to that evening's pirated, cell-phone recording. They need to know if their guy hit the high note of his encore, "All Is Well." He did. Those, of course, are only the midlevel fans. The most serious of West Michigan's Claymates, of course, didn't have to check the Internet about their boy's debut in DeVos Performance Hall. They were there, taking in his show with the Grand Rapids Symphony. A sellout audience -- mostly female, plenty taking improper flash photos and/or making illegal cell-phone recordings -- filled the 2,446-seat hall for "A Clay Aiken Christmas." Aiken was a hoot and a holler, full of Southern charm, telling stories, cracking jokes, bantering with the audience. He also sings rather well. But beyond the songs, it's the whole package -- the easy grin, the down-home demeanor, the good ol' boy charm -- that made the former special-education teacher from North Carolina the kind of celebrity who makes headlines just by clapping his hand over Kelly Ripa's mouth. The 28-year-old singer, who referred to himself as the "Scandal King," did not disavow that action. "It needed to be done," he told the cheering audience. "And I'd do it again. Hopefully with less publicity." Dressed in black suit and shirt with a chocolate brown tie and cowboy boots, Aiken sang 13 songs in 81 minutes on stage with the Grand Rapids Symphony, led by his pianist and musical director, Jesse Vargas. Soft and soulful versions of Christmas hymns such as "The First Noel," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" fell easily from his tenor voice. His buoyant delivery also worked well with such breezy tunes as "Winter Wonderland" and "Sleigh Ride." But Aiken was at his best with intimate melodies such as "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "The Christmas Song," singing the latter with a Nat "King" Cole flair. One of his finest of the night was "Mary, Did You Know?" which Aiken sang with an earnest appeal. What was especially touching about "My Grown Up Christmas List" was that Aiken said he was singing it for his younger brother, who turned 21 on Tuesday and is a Marine serving in Iraq. The Grand Rapids Symphony opened the concert, part of its SymphonicBoom Series, with 30 minutes' worth of holiday music, a couple of medleys as well as variations on "Little Drummer Boy." Some were recycled from the Holiday Pops earlier this month and played better. Associate conductor John Varineau shrewdly picked several medleys and arrangements -- a cinematic version of "Sing We Now of Christmas" and a whimsical variation of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" -- all with a bit of glitter, a little snap and plenty of solos all around to show off the orchestra. It's always smart to dress up when you have company over. Aiken, in turn, was the gracious guest, full of praise for the orchestra. His several plugs of the evening included a couple of mentions of the Grand Rapids Symphony's recent Grammy Award nomination for its recording "Invention & Alchemy," with harpist Deborah Henson-Conant. "Cause I've never had one of those nominations," he said with a pretend pout. "I feel really bad." Nor did he win "American Idol," but that hasn't stopped Aiken from becoming a star in the world of entertainment.
Great review indeed. I was at the Grand Rapids show and he was VERY audience interactive as always. I was one sick puppy but wouldn't have missed the show for anything. Hopefully no one that was sitting by me ended up sick for Christmas. I have seen Clay twice now and will definitely see him again if he is in Michigan.