Clay Talks About Performing on Broadway

The Theatre Development Fund website has an interesting and fun interview with Clay about his role as Sir Robin on the Broadway production of Monty Python's Spamalot.

I like his comment about why he thinks so many former American Idol contestants have done so well on Broadway:

Aiken's casting, along with that of Idol contender Fantasia as a replacement Celie in The Color Purple, has raised a few eyebrows. Were these reality TV creations really qualified to strut their stuff on the Main Stem?

"I think one reason people who've been on Idol are showin' up on Broadway is that they're people who can do something live," Aiken notes, making a clear contrast with both film and TV actors and studio-produced pop singers, all of whom get multiple takes to get it right. "The talent for singing live—that's what you need here."

I think that is so true. Though the young people who participate in American Idol are often disparaged, I have always believed that it actually takes a lot of talent and stage presence to successfully compete on the show. Many respected professional artists in the industry would have a difficult time performing live like these unknowns do every week on that show.

In the article Clay also talks about working with Eric Idle and Mike Nichols:

Aiken credits author Eric Idle and director Mike Nichols with steering him well in the first department.

"Eric Idle was very complimentary, which always helps when you have no idea what you're doing," Aiken says. "Mike Nichols, in addition to being the premeir director of our lifetime, is very easy to work with. I like to think I take direction well, but I can imagine that sometimes a director might have a really hard job in explaining a part, and what's required. Mike comes up with the most colorful and hilarious ways to explain what he's looking for."

Nichols also stressed something you might not expect in such a go-for-broke comedy.

"Overall, I probably have a tendency to overdo certain things," Aiken admits. "Mike is big on subtlety and kept reminding us, 'You aren't funny—the script is funny.' It's all very silly, but what makes it funny is that none of the characters realize how stupid they really are, so it actually gets more laughs when the lines are played a little more straight."

Be sure to read the rest of the article here: Clay Time

And for current news, it appears that Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis were in the audience tonight! How great that Clay's friends are coming to see him in Spamalot. Reminds me of when Clay and Ruben went to see Frenchie in Rent in 2003. This was reported by Paul Wontorek in May 2003:

IDOLS IN THE HOUSE
The audience at Rent last Saturday night couldn't believe their eyes--was that really American Idol champ Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken sitting in Box A of the Nederlander? Yup--they were there to check out Franchelle "Frenchie" Davis, the American Idol bootee who is making her Broadway debut in the show. I caught up with the talented two (and their battery of music industry types) during intermission. The rumor backstage at Rent is that Frenchie and Ruben are more than friends, but I didn't really witness any sparks when she came out to greet them. As for 24-year-old Clay, I asked if he's heading to Broadway next. After all, American Idol host Simon Cowell regularly criticized his voice as being "too Broadway" for the contest. "I never really thought about it before," Clay told me. Well, think about it now, Clay! For producers who want to cash in on his quick celebrity, I offer a list of roles that Aiken could be perfect for: Mark in Rent, Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Snail with the Mail in A Year with Frog and Toad, the Emcee in Cabaret (okay, I'm stretching!) and, of course, Chip in Beauty and the Beast. Strike while the iron is hot!

Who knew at the time that Clay would actually end up on Broadway?

It was also reported by crazyglue91152 at the Clayboard that David Foster and Kelly Clarkson were in the audience last Tuesday:

[...]During the intermission while I was talking to clayngel who told me that K[elly] C[larkson] and David Foster were there in the audience, [...]. On my way back to my seat, walking on the 2nd aisle, Kelly was right in front of me and she's talking to a guy and telling him that her favorite song was the one sang during the boat scene (Galahad & LOTL). During the finale, I also said hello and spoke for few seconds to David while walking backup on the aisle to his row as we were both standing and clapping and singing and dancing along to the finale song "Always look on the bright side of life". He was all smiles and told me that he really enjoyed the show and that it was hilarious and Clay was fantastic.

Don't forget that Ruben and Frenchie will be touring with the musical Ain't Misbehavin' starting November 14. You can see pictures of them rehearsing in the studio here: Idols Studdard and Davis Hit the Studio with the Cast of Ain't Misbehavin'

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Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, SPAMALOT, David Foster, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Frenchie Davis

Join Clay Aiken in Helping UNICEF Save Children's Lives

With all the turmoil and strife in the world today, the least important thing anyone should be concerned about is some celebrity's personal life. Yet it seems that an inordinate amount of time is spent on discussing that very subject. As Clay said in his blog:

What a bunch of headline news we have had in the past 10 days! Wall Street falling to it's knees. Congress propping it back up. Two debates. Hijackers in Somalia. New leaders in South Africa and Japan. You'd think with all of the important events going on in the world, there would be plenty to fill up the pages of America's newspapers, websites and blogs without the need for information on the private lives of the country's singers and entertainers.

And one does have to wonder if we really are just too focused on the inconsequential and not on how we can make this world a better place. Clay Aiken's goal in life is to entertain us with his talents as a singer and actor, and to inspire people to help him make a difference. He is not also required to pander to the small-minded with the private details of his life.

And he certainly has provided us with much to enjoy with five albums, many tours and now performing in a Broadway play. And he inspires us to help make this world a better place with his foundation, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, that serves to bridge the gap that exists between young people with special needs and the world around them.

Another way that Clay Aiken serves to help make this world a better place is his work with UNICEF. And right now he has issued a plea for us all to join him in making a monthly pledge to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to help fund programs to protect the world's children from diseases like malaria, measles or tetanus. In his post on the UNICEF Fieldnotes blog he says:

Your support will help UNICEF reach the day when no child dies of a preventable cause. No child, not even one, should die of causes we know how to prevent—diseases like malaria, measles or tetanus.

So today, despite these tough times, I decided to help save children's lives and make a monthly pledge to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Even a small amount makes a huge difference. For instance, $5 a month (about 15¢ per day) can ensure five children are protected from measles.

If we could all make this small commitment we may be able to see the day when no child dies of a preventable cause.

Please visit unicefusa.org/join-with-clay and pledge today.

So, rather than focusing on matters that really don't concern us, why not join Clay in helping to make this world a better place for the world's children? Thank you.

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, UNICEF, pledge

Clay Aiken Speaks to His Fans

It certainly has been an eventful couple of weeks, hasn't it? Clay Aiken pretty much laid himself bare to the world -- and that took an infinite amount of guts. I have always respected Clay Aiken and I still do, more so than ever. All I ever wanted was for him to be treated with respect and for his privacy to be honored. 

It is a terrible wrong in our society that a certain segment of it has been denied the rights and privileges of privacy that the rest of us enjoy. The job of most celebrities are to entertain us with their talents in acting, music and dance. Somehow it has been determined that they are also required to entertain us by divulging the most intimate and personal details of their lives. How many of us could withstand that sort of scrutiny in our lives? None, I would venture to guess. 

In my opinion, the true scum of the earth are those that make it their business to pry into these people's private lives. Who present this ill-gotten information in the most vile, lewd and disrespectful manner. And the people who lap it up are not much better. 

I would like to point out one more thing about my stand over the years. There has been a great deal of misunderstanding as to why so many fans took the stand that they did about Clay's orientation. It really had nothing to do with whether he was gay or not. It was much more about the right everyone has to self-identify and, if they are hiding something, to reveal who they are in a time and place of their own choosing. No one, and I mean no one, has the right to force anyone to reveal their most personal business before they are ready to. Not the media, not the gossip bloggers, nor any fans who think they know the secret. To me, it was all about taking a man at his word, which at the time seemed to indicate that he identified as straight, and respecting it until he chose to say different. Those that did their best to out him before he was ready by gossip mongering and spreading false rumors & stories about him, are despicable and I have nothing but scorn for them.

After allowing the fans to digest and discuss his recent news, Clay posted the following message on his blog. It is a great message that shows that he is really the same wise, generous, giving person he always was -- and that his orientation is only a small part of him. It is not what defines him as a person. Here is his post:

Killing the elephants in the room
What a week or so this has been. In fact, it's just been two weeks since I started back to the Spam. Jerome and I were just talking the other day, though, about how the past two weeks have felt like a month. So much routine to get back into and yet so much routine and consistency to break. No doubt, many of you have been going through quite a bit over the past week or so yourselves. What a bunch of headline news we have had in the past 10 days! Wall Street falling to it's knees. Congress propping it back up. Two debates. Hijackers in Somalia. New leaders in South Africa and Japan. You'd think with all of the important events going on in the world, there would be plenty to fill up the pages of America's newspapers, websites and blogs without the need for information on the private lives of the country's singers and entertainers. But, alas, thats never the case. In fact for the last five years, I've found what seems to have been an inordinate amount of interest (not from the public, but from the media) in my own personal life. The questions never seemed to stop. Oh sure, they die down for a period, but they resurface. The wind blows another direction, and I do yet another interview worried that my personal life will become a topic of discussion. No doubt the birth of Parker would bring the same scrutiny, just heightened. It's an interesting time we live in. Gone are the days when entertainers could go about their lives without the invasion of privacy that we now see everyday in the form of paparazzi and internet tabloid bloggers. So, in the hopes of being able to sing and act (and dance poorly) and do what I love to do for a living while raising my son in a hopefully more private and accepting environment, I chose to go ahead and confront things head on. Yes, I would have preferred to separate my personal life from my professional life. I would have been just as happy to go on without discussing my orientation. But, it seems like that was not an option. Make no mistake, its not because I am ashamed. No, not for a minute. I haven't always been as comfortable as I am now, but I am without a doubt, proud of who I am and make no apologies for it. Instead, I would have been happy to have kept my personal life private for that very reason. Because it's personal life and I have always considered myself a private person. But, living as myself without discussing my sexuality publicly would have been as impossible. One chance to expose the truth would have been a payday for any greedy opportunist.

I went to American Idol, much like many of us did "back in the day". Naive. Unlike the contestants who join up today, we had no idea of the power and pull of Idol when we signed on. (I'm sure many of us season two folks like to think we are the reason the show got so big!!! ;-) ) There I was two months off of the biggest show in the country, sitting at a table with a reporter from Rolling Stone who was asking me every single question I would never think of. Twenty-four years old in the rest of America is a LOT younger and more naive than twenty four years old in the media business. So when this guy started asking me about things that I didn't really know how to answer for myself... things that I was not yet ready to admit to folks like my mother and my family.... things that I found intimidating and invasive, I responded in what I assumed was a benign way at the time. I attempted to "out spin" a professional. I wasn't as good as I thought I was. But, I have no regrets. The truth is, I don't apologize for the responses I gave to that reporter or any reporter over the past five years. I did make every attempt I could after that one interview to never say "I am not gay" or "I am straight". And I never said either. (some interpreted my vague answers to mean that... but I never said either) Some will say thats misleading. In truth, it might be defined that way. But, a better definition and a more accurate way to describe it for me, is a redirection and an attempt to change the topic to something that matters more. For some of you it won't be enough, but I can't apologize for keeping my personal business to myself. If someone feels that they were mislead, I can totally understand that viewpoint and apologize for that feeling, but I can't apologize for how I handled questions that affected me and my right to privacy.

In my opinion, sexual orientation is ALWAYS a private thing. I think the OVERWHELMING majority of people agree with that. Why in the world should someone's sexual orientation be a news item? Why should anyone care? Yet, for all we espouse as a society about tolerance and open mindedness we forget to allow folks the opportunity to be who they are without judgement. Making a decision to come out to family is a difficult and heavy decision. But, for every young man or woman who is struggling with it, it should be a decision that is made on his or her own schedule ONLY. It's never acceptable for anyone to make such a decision for anyone else nor to coerce someone to take such a significant step before they are ready. Not a friend, not a stranger, not the media. So, I waited until the time was right for me. For that I can't apologize either.

There are plenty of you who have anticipated this blog in hopes that I would "set the record straight" or "admit to lying for five years and apologize for it". For that small group of people, I am afraid I will have to disappoint you. My decisions over the past five years have been made with lots of deliberation and at times even heartache. Always with concern for folks who might feel mislead. Don't doubt that. But they have also been made as an attempt, not to hide my true self, but instead to allow myself the same liberties and rights that every single gay man and woman in the world should have... the right to determine for myself when I was ready to discuss my personal life. In as much as that, at times, was interpreted as misrepresentation, I feel badly. But I reserved that right for myself and I can't say I regret it.

I have endeavored over the past several days to allow folks to vent and express themselves as freely as possible without restriction on these message boards. There is no way to change a person's mind when you tell them they are wrong. We all, when backed into a corner, have a human instinct to swing. Having different feelings and opinions and viewpoints are only natural. The only way to deal with that is to accept everyone's right to disagree, and allow them to discuss their feelings. I always have, and I always will. That said, it hasn't been, nor do I imagine it will be, my intent to make the message boards or the OFC a clearinghouse or discussion zone for sexuality or such topics. I hope we can always continue to discuss the same things we have always found important. The need for inclusion for children with disabilities. The desire to make sure every child in the world has access to their basic needs for survival. And any other topics that will make our neighborhoods, our regions, our country and our world a better more acceptable place (where that relates to issues involving sexuality, I hope we are able to advocate, at those times for the acceptance of others)... and I hope we will all still use the message boards for the lively discussion of the need for better entertainment and music in the world!!!! ;-) That said, as of this posting, I have asked the moderators to archive the thread regarding the People magazine article and close it from discussion. For those of you who are still struggling, I encourage you to continue to talk to your friends and neighbors and fellow OFC members in the thread devoted to such support. It is not going to be as easy as accepting something over night, but I believe that we are on the right track. The moderators will resume their regular duties of moderating the boards in the fashion that they did prior to last week, and I (and hopefully all of us) will resume our routines in the same fashion as well. Talking about music, talking about potential tours and other performances and appearances, talking about me forgetting my lines of tripping on stage in Spamalot, and discussing with our friends how many times we have seen the show and will see it! (And... looking forward to the announcement of out Playbill contest winner!!!)

Finally, I will say that, also representative of most every other gay man and woman in the world, that I am not defined by my sexuality. No more so than each of you are defined by your sexual orientation. No more than a man or woman is defined by race or ethnicity. It is, simply, a small facet of the same person I have always been. Most of you realize that nothing has changed. I hope to continue being able to entertain you in the same way I have for the past five years. And I hope you will allow me to continue to inform you of the causes that I find important and entertain you with the music and performances I love. For I love and cherish you all. Yesterday, now and forever.

c

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, blog, news