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Clay Nation News
May 26, 2006
The Insider Reports Fall CD Release
Syndicated entertainment show, The Insider, reported Friday that Clay's next CD will be released in the Fall. This claim fits recent speculation that Clay's CD may be released in September, but there has yet been no official date released by RCA. Clay Nation News will report any offical word as soon as it is available.
Buzz over Clay's appearance on the AI5 finale has continued full force over the last two days. Below is only a portion of the media mentions Clay has received since our last issue:
Television Buzz:
On Thursday, Clay's Idol appearance was covered by both the Today Show and CBS Early Show as well as most of the afternoon entertainment shows: ET, The Insider, Inside Edition, Access Hollywood, Extra, E! News, Showbiz Tonight and more. All spoke positively about his performance on Idol.
There was a brief mention of Clay on the Early Show Friday morning. While discussing the success of past Idols, they showed clips of Clay singing "Perfect Day" when performed there in 2004. The Today Show interviewed Michael Sandecki on Friday morning. They showed clips of Clay singing on the AI Finale several times during the show to tease the segment. MSNBC's The Most featured another story on Clay Friday afternoon and reported that the most viewed photo of the day was of Clay on AI.
Friday night the comments continued. In his Tonight Show monologue, Jay Leno said his favorite Idol moment was when the Clay Aiken lookalike was surprised by Clay Aiken, who now looks nothing like Clay Aiken. Clay was also #1 on Keith Olberman's Countdown on MSNBC Friday Night. The commentator said that Clay's appearance with Michael Sandecki "was perhaps THE moment from the American Idol finale. Forget the singing. Forget the votes. It was the Clay Aiken Freakout!"
VH1's Best Week Ever featured commentary on the AI finale, including the Clay appearance. (Best Week Ever will repeat over the course of the weekend). Ryan Seacrest filled in Friday night for Larry King, interviewing Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Randy Jackson. They took a moment to show a clip and talked about the Clay/Michael segment. Ryan called it a "television moment" and Randy noted that Clay can still "sing his face off."
Internet Buzz:
According to Technorati.com, 27,445 blogs now contain the words "Clay Aiken," and the graph here shows huge spikes in searches over the past two days. Clay Aiken is currently the #1 searched blog term at http://www.technorati.com
On Thursday afternoon, Amazon.com's "Movers & Shakers" list showed Measure of a Man and Merry
Christmas With Love at numbers 5 and 6, with increases of 2032% and 1700% from the previous day.
Yahoo Buzz, which tracks online searches, listed Clay Aiken as the #1 "mover" for online searches on Thursday, with a 448% 1-day jump. Friday evening, Clay was listed as the #1 search item and #3 "mover" for music searches by Yahoo Buzz.
On E! Online Clay is currently the #1 Top Requested Celebs (Updated Hourly).
Teenpeople.com ran this poll on it's main page on Thursday: "What do you think of the new hairdo Clay Aiken debuted on the Idol finale?
Results:
54% Love it
36% He looks like Amanda Bynes in drag in She’s the Man
10% Hate it
In the News:
At The Twilight's Next Gleaming
"Now that "American Idol" is over, we're back to our regularly scheduled programming. But just one more "A.I." thing: The appearance of totally unrecognizable (and good looking) Clay Aiken and the freakout of the Clay-wannabe was the best television all year. " (source: New York Post)
Confessions of an Idol Addict
"After a two-hour finale peppered with the surreal--like Clay Aiken actually looking sexy" (source: National Review)
And the Winner is …Hicks or Aiken’s Hair?
"After last night’s American Idol we’re still unclear who really won. Was it Taylor Hicks who stole the title of American Idol? Or was it Clay Aiken’s new strategically rockin’ haircut which stole our hearts? You tell us… " (source: Best Week Ever Blog)
American Idol: Taylor Hicks Wins
"Many critics have asked if coming in second on American Idol permanently handicaps your career. The inevitable Clay Aiken example is given (always with the exclusion of Justin Guarini, Diana DeGarmo, and Bo Bice all whose albums sold considerably less than their first place counterparts) as reason to explain that you can have a career while still finishing second. ... Just a few more notes on the performance/entertainment aspect of last night’s show. I loved when Clay Aiken came out (no pun intended) with his crazy bangs, rocking look alike Michael Sandeki to his very core with 'Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.' " (source: Celebrity Cafe )
Yet another season of 'American Idol' draws to a close
"But the grandest moment of the night was the entrance of Clay "Bangs" Aiken and the look on the permanently-surprised face of Michael Sandecki during their rendition of 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me.' " (source: Hattiesburg American)
More Americans Voted for Idol than Any U.S President
"But the biggest show-stoppers were Clay Aiken, who debuted a jaw-dropping new hipster hairdo, and Prince, who performed two songs solo before an ecstatic audience." (source: Varsity.co NZ)
'Idol' outdoes itself for the big finale
"They even made time for Michael Sandecki, an all-but-forgotten audition reject, who looked ready to pass out when his hero, Clay Aiken (who seems to have swiped Jennifer Love Hewitt's hair), joined him onstage to sing "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." Who or what could top that? Why, Prince, of course, who made it all look easy with a big final number." (source: Calendarlive.com)
Stars Large and Small Unite at ‘Idol' Finale
"It was "American Idol's" biggest night ever. More than 43 million people watched as Taylor Hicks was crowned the new "Idol," and the audience was as jam-packed with stars as ever. A newly single Heather Locklear chatted with Ben Stiller. The original purple jacket man, Prince, brought down the house with a surprise performance. And Clay Aiken shocked the world with his new do." (source: ExtraTV.com)
Idol machine chugs away
"As for the runners ups, the most successful is, undeniably, Clay Aiken from Season Two. He’s all set for his third album release, after Measure of A Man and Merry Christmas With Love. His debut single famously topped the charts before winner Ruben’s. Measure of A Man has since sold three million units and he's hosted two Christmas Specials on US TV." (source: The Star Online (Malaysia))
Michael Sandecki Is Adorable
"It was sweet to see one guy watch another with such clear adoration and not be the least bit embarrassed about it. (I'll let someone else comment on David Hasselhoff's crying.) Good for you, Michael!" (source: AfterElton.com)
‘Idol’ finale now a Hollywood spectacular
"Clay Aiken wannabe Michael Sandecki is absolutely stunned when his hero walks behind him on stage. After the song ends and the cameras turn off, Sandecki remains in shock. He walks off the side of the stage and people sitting near the front try to shake his hand and offer their support but he’ll have none of it. He keeps his hands over his open mouth, never moving his arms, literally traumatized by the recent turn of events. His emotions get the best of him and he begins gently weeping before leaving." (source: MSNBC.com)
American Idol Results Show, Part Trois
"That fake Clay kid who couldn't sing even after a second chance is singing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me." Who's that behind him...Clay Aiken!!! He's almost hot. Did you hear that, Claymates? I said he was hot! Did you hear me? Are you happy now?" (source: Palm Beach Post)
Finale wrap-up: "American Idol"
"Sandecki began singing, displaying the same relationship to pitch that a drunk has to a straight line. Then, Aiken came out -- rescuing his young fan from embarrassment and sending him into a tizzy at the same time. It was impossible not to smile." (source: Salon's Audio File)
His own private Idol ho
"The pairing of Michael Sandecki, "American Idol" contestant and recipient of one of the dubious awards on the show's big Wednesday finale, with former runner-up Clay Aiken, who surprised his young fan by joining him mid-song for a duet of Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," was maybe the most entertainingly strange moment in the show's history. Props to Aiken for agreeing to appear with Sandecki who, impish and gawky, resembles nothing so much as a funhouse version of Aiken" (source: Salon.com)
Taylor Hicks Wins American Idol
"As for Taylor’s fellow Top 12 contestants, undoubtedly many will also pursue solo careers, but on this finale night, they were more about celebrating than campaigning, as the group, including Paris Bennett,Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, and Melissa McGhee made their way to the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel for a super-exclusive Idol wrap party. There, they were joined by their significant others, former Idols like Constantine and Clay Aiken and judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, who also relaxed poolside at the hotel’s famed Tropicana bar. " (source: TeenPeople.com )
Hollywood Hearsay
"The highlight of the entire night was when a rejected Clay Aiken look-alike contestant was brought up on stage to sing and Aiken himself appeared, surprising everyone with his dark brown, wig-like hairdo." (source: Oregon State Daily Barometer)
'American Idol' ends with Prince and a Taylor Hicks win
"Clay Aiken surprised the crowd-and his unsuspecting look-alike Michael Standecki-by sneaking up on Standecki during the former reject's rendition of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me." Aiken was almost unrecognizable when he first walked out, sporting longer, darker, teased hair feathered over his forehead, and appearing to have put on a few pounds since his gawky beginnings. But he looked every bit the star after three years as a pro." (source: Metromix.com)
'American Idol' ends with Prince and a Taylor Hicks win
"The season's worst auditions also gamely received special "awards" throughout the evening, including the CLAY AIKEN wannabe, who was surprised onstage by a dark-haired Clay himself, singing along with him!" (source: ET on MTV)
'Idol' chance at success
"Take past star Clay Aiken. He may seem more at home in Branson, Mo., or on a Broadway stage than in a pop arena. But he sold nearly 3 million copies of his debut CD to "Idol's" otherwise silent majority. In fact, no previous winner has sold fewer than 1.5 million copies of their debuts. The top draw, Kelly Clarkson, moved over 5 million copies of her latest." (source: New York Daily News)
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