Saturday, May 03, 2008
Hanson, Clay Aiken, et al
God, I love today. It’s the first day in weeks that I’ve given up to complete and utter laziness. The last two weeks have been pretty crazy - my mom was in the hospital and ended up having some surgery, and I went to Buffalo to help her out during her recovery. We’re very fortunate and happy that she is totally fine and is back to her normal self. (She hates when I write about her on my blog so that’s all I’m going to say about that...)
Thursday night was Hanson night. We took the Walk again, which is the event they hold prior to each show. Hanson walks a barefoot mile with fans and megaphones to raise awareness and money for children and families in Africa. I was going to support their cause by buying TOM’s shoes (for every pair you buy, another pair is donated to a child in Africa - VERY cool, I think), but we found out recently that some of the money from the sale of TOMs shoes through Hanson supports a research hospital in Soweto which circumcises children as part of AIDS prevention. I don’t believe circumcision prevents AIDS in any way, shape or form, and I definitely don’t believe in circumcising a non-consenting child. Sorry, Hanson!
Taylor pointed out in his speech on this walk that this generation of kids (we were definitely part of the “old fogie” contingency and in the very small minority of fans who weren’t chaperoning children) is unlike any other - their greatest worries are what kind of iPod to buy and what college to attend (rather than whether they’ll be able to attend college at all). This is one of my favorite subjects to whine about, so when he started on about it, my ears pricked right up. Instead of a good old-fashioned bitch and moan fest with some nice, IN MY DAYs thrown in, Taylor had to go and be all kinds of inspirational, telling these teens and twenty-somethings that they have the unique opportunity to create change in this world, and prove everyone wrong. And he’s right, which makes me mad and jealous. Which I am allowed to be because I am old.
And so here’s Hanson being all motivational:
I usually spend the first few days of a concert in a slight state of mania. I’ve been listening to the a cappella song “Change in My Life” and acousting Mmmmbop on a nonstop loop, but all in all, I’d only classify the Hanson obsession as a low-level one, the highest being Shaun Cassidy, Donny Osmond, Howard Jones, The Police, and of course, Clay Aiken.
The Clay Aiken obsession makes me sort of sad, though. I can’t believe what he’s become. I see pictures like this:
photo: Dlisted
and I barely recognize the person in them. I didn’t want to see him in Spamalot on Broadway (me! didn’t want to see a Broadway show!) and I have no interest in buying his new CD. It sounds almost exactly like the last CD he put out, but worse. He hocked the thing on QVC, for god’s sake. And I don’t even want him to come out of the closet, because I don’t want him to ruin gayness for me. I love gay men almost as much as I love breathing air, and I don’t want him tainting that in any way. He should just stay in the closet with his large collection of oversized Carolina hoodies and ill-fitting suits. Whatever happened to American Idol Clay, I don’t know, but I know he’s not coming back, and that’s what bums me out.
In other news, Robbie Williams is porking out in America:
photo: Metro.co.uk
which is a wonderful thing. I love him. I’ll never understand how he can be a huge sensation in Europe and barely known here, but whatevs. Hopefully he’ll take his current fascination with extraterrestrials on the road and end up somewhere near DC and we’ll find ourselves with Robbie Williams as a houseguest. Nothing would please me more.
I’m so sorry I haven’t been so good at keeping in touch with people lately. Just think, though. Summer vacation is around the corner which means lots of blog stalking and maniacal emailing is heading your way in the very near future! You’re trembling with excitement, aren’t you?!
Hanson should be called HANDSOME.
Clay Aiken looks like a girl.
Oh MY. Robbie Williams is looking ROUGH. Every time someone talks about Cynthia Nixon’s “look-alike” girlfriend, I picture Clay Aiken.
Agree with all comments about Clay...super freaked out by him now - and by his ‘new’ music that sounds like leftover tracks from MOAM...it’s like Clay doesn’t even exist anymore and this new weird person is in his place...Yikes!
Clay Aiken - fabulous tranny mess!!!!!!
No wonder the poor child has panic attacks and feels the need to depend on anti-depressants. Formerly rabid fans see that he’s gained a little weight (what, 10 pounds?) and that he’s grown his hair out (can’t drag that American Idol hair stylist around with you forever!) and turn on him.
The picture in your post is Clay as “barely recognizable”? My goodness. Is it the person and the voice that makes Clay who he is, or is it the clothes and the hair? Only the clothes and the hair have changed. I do hope that your friends are more generous, and don’t turn on you should you gain 10 pounds and change your style of dress. I would not wish that on anyone.
For a person with panic attacks, a quick appearance on QVC may be as successful and far less painful than 20 visits to talk shows. Just a thought.
Myself, I have never considered myself an intense fan, so my defense of Clay does not stem from that. I just find your assessment so silly and rather...harsh. I know there are plenty of websites that criticize him, but your post is uncommon in that you did a complete 180, seemingly mostly due to the fact that his appearance has changed (his voice has not changed). If you don’t like his music, that’s one thing, but all of this other stuff is actually rather shallow and it makes me feel for him. Imagine your silliness x 100 and that’s probably a typical day for him.
He still has a beautiful voice and is still a beautiful person. If for nothing else than his love for autistic children, I will always love Clay.
Lastly, “...I don’t want him to ruin gayness for me.”?? WOW, that’s deep (and kind of screwed up).
I sent the previous commenter “An Observer” an email, but in the event he/she does not get it, I’m going to copy it here…
In response to your comment…
Yes, the post I wrote focused on Clay’s appearance, but allow me to share some of the other reasons why I have ceased taking an interest in his music.
The overproduction of his voice on the CDs he has released has completely ruined the purity and beauty of his voice, in my opinion. So many of the tracks on his CDs sound too much the same to me and they just don’t hold my interest. The voice on his CDs is not the voice I loved so much during American Idol. I love listening to his old demo CDs still, but the music he’s released since Idol ended hasn’t done anything to maintain my interest. So no, my dislike for Clay is not just based on his appearance.
That said, I think he looks terrible! I never said I was anything great, and if I were in the public eye I would expect to have my every wrinkle, zit, and extra pound gone over with a fine-toothed comb. It’s kind of like writing a blog post - not everyone is going to agree with or like what I say, and that’s fine! While other bloggers make a habit of deleting comments that dispute what they’ve written, I wouldn’t do that. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and a place to voice that opinion. I can’t help that I think Clay looks awful. I don’t like that he capped his teeth and I don’t like the new hair and I don’t like the way he’s dressing. I am allowed to think that and write it on my blog, and you, or any of Clay’s fans, or Clay himself, is allowed to disagree with me and tell me so. Perhaps it seems shallow to you that I no longer appreciate Clay’s aesthetics, but that’s how I feel. I liked geeky, lanky, redheaded, spiky-haired, natural-toothed Clay. I don’t like this new look. Maybe one day he’ll come out with a look I enjoy and when that happens I’ll praise him for it. But for now, I think he looks awful. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who wouldn’t like my look, either, but that’s ok. To each his own.
And as for the “ruin gayness” comment - that was written very tongue-in-cheek. I’ve been known to write a snarky comment now and again, and that was an example of one of them. It’s ok if you think that makes me screwed up in some way. As long as we’re on the topic, I do happen to think Clay is gay. I actually do wish he would come out. I feel like many of his issues and problems stem from him not being able to be who he really is. I know many would disagree with me about that, and no one will know the truth of it but Clay himself. But his sexual orientation and preferences are his own business. I can speculate but it’s his life to live as he chooses, and I wish him much happiness and love whatever path he may take.
So in closing, it is not just Clay’s appearance that made me “turn on him” as you said. I’ll always keep up with him, even if I happen not to like what he’s doing at the moment. Unlike many of his fans, I don’t feel the need to jump up and down with glee over every little thing he does, just because he does it. I won’t be buying his new CD, after listening to the song snippets online, because the music doesn’t do anything for me and it sounds too much like Measure of a Man. But that’s ok, maybe he’ll put something out in the future that I’ll like. I hope so.
At any rate, thanks for your comment and I’m happy to continue the discussion if you like!
Could not agree more. Since we were talking about this last night, I will back you up 100%. I too was a huge Clay fan. Now I find myself feeling sorry for him and for myself. I found amazing friends through Clay and had more fun than should be allowed with said peoples. I’m sure Clay would not approve of most of that fun, but potato/patata. I feel he started as a sweet southern guy who wanted to sing and help children. Along the way, he lost himself and instead adopted this howdy-doody, Hee-Haw character that he thinks we, as his fans, want him to be. I feel sorry for him because I think he wants out (and not just the closet). I think he wants quiet and kids and love and peace and as long as he’s in music he will never have that. I wish he would get good financial advisors (and maybe/hopefully he does), make sure he and his foundation are set-up for life and quit. Find himself. Find happiness. And if he wants to make more music - good. If not - good. Raleigh has a fabulous music theater. One tiny dispute with your detractor, if the appearance on QVC is “successful” what do you call agreeing to appear in a Broadway show 6 nights a week with 2 mantinees? If the panic attacks are still as cripling as they used to be (and supposedly he is off his meds, correct?), why would anyone agree to go to Broadway? He could have quietly worked on his new album and done his promo work and been done. Pressing the flesh outside the theater? Not necessary.
Don’t spend your time worrying about Clay. He is fine thank you very much, He is smart and has invested wisely. He has friends in high places that know who he really is. In other words please continue showing who you are to the world. He and the people he cares for know who he is.
I understand this may never make it to blog, But someone will read it, that is all good.
I’m glad you know him so personally as to have intimate knowledge of his financial situation. Perhaps you are even one of those “friends in high places” since you are so closely acquainted with his situation. To disagree does not mean to hate. This is something my fellow fans (and, yes, I can call myself a fan if I please) have never been able to grasp. If I disliked him so immensely I wouldn’t care about his well-being. I wouldn’t have bought his album. And, yes, I will continue to “show the world who I am.” I’m a fan who used to cry at the sound of his voice(live), scream until I was hoarse, and contribute to goofy gifts in his honor. I now wonder where the train jumped the track. I am allowed this opinion. I mourn for Clay’s voice when it is raw with emotion(in concert) and not processed to death. I will always watch concert footage from the first tours and enjoy them. I will always love him for bringing me some of the most amazing (and sick) women I could ever meet (including one JoeParadox herself). I will not, however, apologize for being disappointed with his musical choices. It’s my right as a fan. It’s my duty as a fan. I will always listen to whatever Clay puts out there with an open mind, but I don’t have to like what I hear. I’m happy if you like his current music. I just happen to believe it does not showcase his voice, which is magnificent.
I never liked him; get a life, observer.