Clay Aiken and the Sir Robin Bear

Sir Robin and Sir Robin …………which one is the cutest,  Clay Aiken or the bear??  Personally, I couldn’t vote on that one.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids is preparing for one of the most entertaining fund-raisers of the year: The Broadway Bears Auction. The event, scheduled for February 15th will be held at the B.B. King Blues Club.

The auction features cuddly, one-of-a-kind teddy bears. Some of the leading costume designers on Broadway outfit the bears in original, handmade costumes that represent memorable characters from the many plays and musicals from the past to the present.

This is the 12th year that the Broadway Bears have been auctioned off. The bears are so beautiful that 10 of them are housed at The Museum of The City of New York.

The North American Bear Company helps in this event by donating hundreds of bears that start out bare and become beautiful works of art.

Are you interested in the Sir Robin Bear?? If so, contact:

http://www.broadwaycares.com/events/bears.cfm

On January 23, 2004, Clay made a guest appearance on the quirky comedy series, Ed. Starring Tom Cavanagh, the series was about a lawyer who ran his private practice out of a bowling alley. Clay made his television acting debut as a singing star when he popped up as himself on this episode. Clay’s hit song, The Way was featured on the program along with the older song, This Magic Moment.

Ed was produced by NBC Studios in association with Worldwide Pants, Inc. and Viacom Productions.

Clay Aiken Stars in Ed on TV

Although Clay Aiken has gone on to many successful opportunities in the entertainment field, he must look back at his first acting job with a smile. Ed and his troupe of friends gave Clay the chance to have some fun.

Would you like to see some highlights of Clay’s performance on Ed? Check out this YouTube:

I think celebrities have an obligation to the public to not just sing or act.

This quote by Clay Aiken was shown to be true today when Clay posted a blog in support of UNICEF and ONE.

According to their website, ONE is a grassroots campaign and advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people from around the world and every walk of life. They are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

Clay Aiken in Uganda

ONE believes the fight against poverty is not about charity, but about justice and equality. They are a part of a greater movement of people and organizations working to end poverty throughout the world.

Clay Aiken reported in his blog that he is asking President Barack  Obama to support One and is asking us all to sign a petition to the president.

Please click on the link to read Clay’s message and if you agree, sign the petition.

http://www.one.org/blog/2009/01/22/believe-in-zero

Thank you, Clay, for your determination to make a difference in some way.

Since his time on American Idol, Clay Aiken has had thousands of fans who have actively supported the man and his career on the internet. There are many active fan sites and even more active message boards. If you check Google today, you see that there are 241,112 blogs listed for Clay.

Like many of you, before I became a fan of Clay, I was unfamiliar with message boards, and fan sites and only used the internet for research purposes. The World Wide Web came into existence in 1989 so the rules for posting are still evolving.

Rick Langford, the founder of the Tahoe Mall, wrote an article about the importance of manners on the Internet. The article suggests that when you post it is a good idea to remember to be compassionate, insightful and willing to listen to others. He also reminds the reader to…. “Be pleasant, try to get along, and don’t give your opinion unless you are either asked for it or it seems otherwise appropriate.” I wish these rules could be posted at the top of every fan board. It would make each message board a bit friendlier and easier to use.  (Mind Your Internet Manners)

An Internet forum or message board is the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board. It reaches people all over the world. Many people who participate in Clay Aiken Internet forums have build bonds with each other and true friendships have been made. Clay is lucky to have this family of fans and so are all those who participate.

Clay Aiken as Sir Robin

How did we let January 18th pass us by?? Were we too busy with holidays and Inaugural festivities?? How could we forget??? January 18th was an anniversary of sorts.

The audience arrived, the orchetra tuned up and the lights dimmed.  Clay Aiken took the stage for the first time on Broadway.  Playing the role of Sir Robin, Guard I, and Brother Maynard in the award winning musical,  Spamalot,  Clay sang, danced and acted……..all at the same time.

Mike Nichols, the director of Spamalot, said about his new star:

“Clay Aiken is amazing beyond that glorious voice. Turns out he is an excellent comic actor and a master of character. People will be surprised by his wide ranging talent…….This guy is not only a star, he is a lot more. We are lucky to get him for Spamalot.”       

Clay went on to receive glowing reviews from the Broadway critics, the Broadway community and the Broadway audiences. Fans traveled from points all over the world to see the show and support Clay in his Broadway debut.

Aiken’s run on Broadway concluded on May 4th, but he returned in the fall for another 4 months of goofy humor and supreme silliness.

Clay made stage door appearances, signed Playbills, raised money for BroadwayCares and won the hearts of the Broadway world.

We don’t know what is next for Clay Aiken; however, January 18th will always be an anniversary to remember.

Severe weather forced the cancellation of the Celine Dion concert in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The concert was part of an auction item at the Champions For Change Gala held in Raleigh last fall.  So, ten fans had flown onto Raleigh and were ready to join Clay Aiken in a box for the concert.

Since the fans were all from out of town, scheduling was a big problem. Each one had flights scheduled for Wednesday and many had jobs and family obligations on Thursday. Anticipating this, the BAF and Clay put their heads together and quickly planned a beautiful dinner for the 10 ladies. Clay didn’t come alone. He was joined by Jaymes, Faye, Jerome, and Cheryl, who is Clay’s assistant.

One of the fans, Toni7babe said: “The dinner was excellent, the conversation and the company were even better…….things worked out better than we could ever imagine”. According to the ladies, they spent about three hours with Clay, his family and friends.

One of the original ladies, who was scheduled to attend, is in the hospital and was unable to be with the group. After being informed of this, Clay picked up the phone and called her to wish her well and let her know that she was missed. He asked her how she was feeling and the fan answered that she was feeling a whole lot better now.

Tonight, Clay Aiken did a thoughtful and loving gesture. Sometimes one telephone call tells you more about a person than 100 interviews on TV and the radio.

Courtesy of WRAL - Raleigh

It was just announced by the RBC Center in Raleigh that the Celine Dion concert, scheduled for tonight, has been postponed due to severe weather conditions.

This is the concert where Clay was to join 10 fans in a box for the concert. At the October Gala, TBAF auctioned off a night with Celine and Clay. The concert has been rescheduled for tomorrow night and it is assumed that Clay will be able to meet with the fans at that time.

Governor Perdue of North Carolina, declared a state of emergency as the roads are filled with snow and ice, making driving almost impossible and hazardous.

I am sure the fans are disappointed, but glad that everyone will stay safe from the inclement weather.

July 4, 2004

The eyes of the world are on Washington, D.C. as Barack Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States. Whatever ones political beliefs, we are seeing history in the making.

When I think of Washington D.C., I always remember the performance by Clay Aiken on July 4, 2004. The PBS Live From Washington, D.C. show was an extravaganza of music and fireworks.

Reality TV World interviewed Clay who said:

“It’s just a cooler opportunity to be in Washington, D.C., for the holiday with a big 110-piece orchestra.”

Clay sang “The Star Spangled Banner,” “God Bless the USA, and “Measure of a Man”. Even with the rainy weather, about half a million people attended the event.

Washington, D.C. is a beautiful city with a history that is filled with many memorable moments. January 20, 2009 is a day when the world is watching our capital city and seeing a moment of democracy at work.

We have also added an RSS feed to the Clay Aiken Myspace blog in the left column. So anytime there is a new blog posted on Clay’s Myspace, it will show up here.

Wrapping For Inclusion is a nationwide awareness and fundraising campaign in which volunteers throughout the United States wrap holiday packages. The donated funds are then sent to the foundation to help it reach its goal of Inclusion for All Children.

From Bubel/Aiken Foundation

The Wrapping For Inclusion Program is a grassroots program that originated when fans of Clay Aiken wanted to help him raise money for his new foundation.

In the announcement of the money raised, the foundation said on it Web page:

“Thank you  for joining with us and helping us to raise awareness and funds in 2008! Remember it is never too early to start thinking of 2009!”

wrappingforinclusion@bubelaiken.org