Clay Aiken

[DAME]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:17am

Watching Clay Aiken perform tonight reminds me just how inferior this years contestants are. I was lucky enough to be at American Idol last year when he sang Solitaire. Nothing so far this year has come close. That said... I think Latoya London will do just fine on her own. She reminds me of a young Diana Ross. She has the same kind of elegance.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:22am

Dame,
Latoya London is a class act. She is such a graceful lady and the way she handled America's stupidity tonight was fantastic. Just smiles and thank you's to her fans. I will be the first in line to buy her CD when it comes out.

[mominator]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 9:24am

DAME!! I am so jealous. Not to mention Erin will flip when I tell her that you were there!! Clay didn't win and he is doing quite fine on his own. I hope someday he'll come to Broadway. LaToya as well will sell a million her first day.
B

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 9:38am

Ya know, I liked Clay's voice - but totally agreed (for the first and last time) with Simon the night he said that if he were casting a Broadway show, he'd hire clay in a second, but that Clay's voice is not Pop Idol material. That is so true (to me anyway)...I listened to Clay's first CD in Barnes and Noble one day and was bored out of my mind...I think he's much more vocally suited to musical theatre.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 10:45am

Well I see one major difference between LaToya and Diana Slosh..er, I mean Ross. One of these women can actually sing!

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 11:24am

There were just no good homo's this year to make the show shine like Mr Clay :)

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 12:20pm

Clay has a lovely voice but no personality to speak of...LaToya, if she wins, has the interesting distinction of being the first AI contestant to have some edge, her lack of polish helps her, I think.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 12:30pm

Well Ruben had er..well more curve than edge but he definitely NOT polished... which is apparent by AI constantly rolling out Clay anytime they need a spokesperson or appearance.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 12:39pm

Whatever happened to Ruben? I heard a rumor that he choked on a ham sandwich and died. Is that wrong?

Updated On: 5/13/04 at 12:39 PM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 12:56pm

"Whatever happened to Ruben? I heard a rumor that he choked on a ham sandwich and died. Is that wrong?"

The only thing wrong is your notion that you're being funny.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 12:59pm

I was making a Mama Cass joke and I just woke up. Cut me some slack. I'm a lot funnier once I'm awake.

Updated On: 5/13/04 at 12:59 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 1:29pm

Well; Clay has proven to be a huge hit in the pop category. As far as people saying his voice was too broadway. I never understood that. Because he can sing? Because his voice sounds full and rich ? Because he sounds even better live? And as for Clay not having a personality; Did any of you watch him on the tonight show this last week? He has really come into his own. He is going on tour on his own this summer and I plan on going. He supposively is singing with each cities Symphony orchestra or something like that.

Updated On: 5/13/04 at 01:29 PM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 1:45pm

"I was making a Mama Cass joke and I just woke up. Cut me some slack. I'm a lot funnier once I'm awake."

No.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 1:56pm

Yes

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:11pm

Dame, I agree. Clay has a winning personality. I think his enormous popularity is reflective of his charm and of course, his voice!

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:39pm

I guess I just don't like the brand of pop that he sings - it all sounds so generic - but I do agree that he has a beautiful voice.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 2:51pm

He's very gifted, and his legit vocals give him something many kids his age lack: musical integrity. But he's in danger of becoming his generation's Wayne Newton. The biz, paradoxically, can be cruel to artists that dare to appeal to TOO broad a base, i.e. grannies can take their 'tweens to his concerts. His Peter Pan side -- the lack of pronounced sexuality -- contributes to that syndrome. Even Michael Jackson grabs his crotch.

Whether fair or not, his PG-ness makes him uncool to like in some circles. Sometimes -- though he sounds nothing like her -- he reminds me of Karen Carpetner. Considered plastic and cornball when alive, but now revered (by K.D. Lang, no less--who also admires Wayne) for her musicianship.

Updated On: 5/13/04 at 02:51 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:00pm

I see nothing wrong with him becoming this generations Wayne Newton. Better than this generations Vanilla Ice. wayne Newton was and is very popular among his generation. So I guess I don't understand what the danger is. I guess madonna could be in danger of becoming this generations Mae West or that Latoya London could be this generations Ms Ross. I don't see what the DANGER is in any of that. Updated On: 5/13/04 at 03:00 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 3:22pm

And Karen Carpenter was also a huge superstar. All struggling artists should be so lucky to fall into that "Danger."

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 4:29pm

He's really closer to being a new Barry Manilow who was also seen as being bland and sexually vague throughout most of his career.

The difference is Manilow wrote most of his own songs but I think in terms of persona and singing style Aiken and Manilow are very comparable.

And, no, there's nothing wrong with being the next Barry Manilow.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 4:31pm

And isn't Barry Manilow one of the world's best selling artists?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 4:33pm

Probably.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 4:40pm

Barely ManEnough?

[DAME]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 4:41pm

By Manilows own admission; Clay Aiken can sing circles around him

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 4:46pm

I agree that Clay's a better singer than Manilow. In fact, I'd love to hear Clay sing some of Barry's tunes.