Tweets, Pic Excite Clay Aiken Fans

Clay in meeting with Decca A&R executive. Graphic by cindilu2.

Decca Chapter Blasts Off

Tweets, Pic Energize Clay Nation

What a difference a day makes in the life of a Clay Aiken fan!

Down time for the Singer Man's fans is generally spent reminiscing about past performances; voting, chatting, streaming; sharing favorite videos, photos, graphics, even recipes. "Looking back" blogs are written, and new montages and graphics created from recycled material.

All the while, sentries maintain Internet vigils via Google, Twitter, and other news/social networking sites for any hint the tide might be turning. Late Thursday afternoon, a simple tweet -- Just met Clay Aiken -- sounded the alarm throughout Cyberspace.

Within minutes, message board sleuths knew the twitterer's name, rank, and serial number: Drew Farrar, music publicist for Decca Records in New York City. Ten minutes later Clay's new label posted a photo via TwitPic of the singer with David Novik, vice president of A&R for Universal/Decca.

Clay meets David Novik, Decca vice president. - Photo from TwitPic.

TwitPic Views Through the Roof

Views at the TwitPic site hit 10,000 at midnight and have been spiraling ever since. When this blog was uploaded at 2 p.m. Friday, page views totaled 15,699.

With apologies to VP Novik, visual artists immediately converted Clay's portion of the pixels into graphics, banners, avatars, and other designs.

Fans also discovered two YouTube video blogs in which the Decca vice president was interviewed about the music business -- David Novik, Part 1 and David Novik, Part 2 -- in June 2008.

Even now, tweets and photo comments continue at Twitter and TwitPic. Faithful Japanese fans chimed in at TwitPic: All the Clay fans from Japan are looking forward to his new music. Please get him to come over to Japan!

Late Thursday night, Decca at Twitter, apparently surprised at the outpouring from CA fans around the world, tweeted this response:

Vice-versa, Decca, vice-versa!!!

PHOTO INTERLUDE: This clickable collection features graphics from Clay's recent meetings in Atlanta and New York City. Featured are graphics by AmazingCA, 1 and 3; SueReu, 2; Fountaindawg, 4 and 5.

Less we forget, prior to the events of Thursday afternoon, this parody was typical of the message board scene for the summer of 2009. Many thnx to Fountaindawg for the memories ...

A Day in the Life (of a Clay Fan)
with apologies to The Beatles -- by Fountaindawg

Looked for some news today, oh boy
About a Raleigh man and what he’d say
Hoped something’d show to make me glad
Then I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph
Stood by some guy beside his car
Hey did y’all notice his highlights have changed?
All of Clay Nation linked to share
We’ve not seen this shade before
‘Kinda reddish-blond and in-between’ was said about the hair.

Check Broadway news today oh joy.
Looks like ‘White Christmas’ will return this year.
Some said that would be ‘perfect Clay’
Can’t we just picture him,
Having seen the film?
It sure would turn some ooooo-ooo-oooon!

Woke up, jumped out of bed
Logged on to see what others said.
Nope, no dog-gone news to perk me up
Another no news day or will some Twitter break …
Checked Decca’s site, and Google searched
Checked B.A.F. … oops “N.I.P."
Checked the Gala list for Clacker teams;
Saw familiar names, made sure I’ve got cell stream!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

I hope for news today, (Pleeeeeease boy!)
It never seems enough when you’re away.
A Q&A or maybe blog?
Would make us happy so
Couldn’t you drop by with some good news or maybe just ‘Hello’ ?
You know it’d turn us ooooo-ooo-oooon!

TAKING FLIGHT -- Samuel Habib sits on his father's lap behind
the controls of his grandfather's sea plane, as the two
prepare for a flight. Photo by Dan Habib.

PBS Schedules 'Including Samuel'

The National Inclusion Project and CVS Caremark All Kids Can will partner to bring Including Samuel, a nationally acclaimed documentary by photojournalist Dan Habib, to public television stations in September and October (Disability Awareness Month).

Before his son Samuel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, photojournalist Dan Habib rarely thought about the inclusion of people with disabilities. Now he thinks about inclusion every day.

Shot and produced over four years, "Including Samuel" honestly chronicles the Habib family's efforts to include Samuel in every facet of their lives.

The 58-minute award-winning documentary also features four other families with varied inclusion experiences, plus interviews with dozens of teachers, young people, parents, and disability rights experts.

"Including Samuel" is a highly personal, passionately photographed film that captures the cultural and systemic barriers to inclusion.

Habib, his wife Betsy McNamara, and CVS Caremark were among four honorees presented National Inclusion Project (formerly The Bubel/Aiken Foundation) Champions of Change Awards at the organization's 2008 October gala in Raleigh.

Currently, telecasts are scheduled in the following states:

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

Updated weekly, the expanding list of broadcasts and public screenings can be accessed at Including Samuel/Television.

Host a Film Screening Party

"The PBS release of 'Including Samuel' is a hallmark event for our mission of inclusion," said Aron Hall, director of services for the National Inclusion Project.

"Consider hosting a party for your friends and neighbors at your house or a larger venue that you have access to. This is a great opportunity to invite people who may not have a connection to inclusion yet in order to introduce to the concept and benefits."

At the Including Samuel website, people can do the following:

View the film trailer.

Download a screening and outreach kit with discussion questions, photos, templates for posters and invitations.

Download free material from the ‘Resources’ section which features published research, curriculum and articles on inclusion, plus links to dozens of organizations.

Purchase the DVD. National Inclusion Project supporters and volunteers can receive a 10% discount off the individual DVD, and 20% off purchases of 6 DVDs or more, by using the coupon code IS10IP.

Persons planning to host a viewing party should contact Aron Hall, who will will provide information about the National Inclusion Project. Community gatherings will be promoted on the Inclusion Project's event calendar.

Here are the contact routes:

Aron Hall, director of services
National Inclusion Project
www.inclusionproject.org
104 TW Alexander Dr, Bldg 1
PO Box 110104
RTP, NC 27709

919-314-5540
Fax: 919-314-5540

Below is a clickable of cindilu2's opening graphic:

Want to help with some voting and streaming? Use these links to vote for Clay every 20 minutes at Tweeterwall and stream his music at Clay Aiken on My Space.

Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Other blogs celebrating these topics include:

Decca Enthusiasm:

Clay-The Man

Clay Aiken Journey

Shyeyewitness and Friends

gerra730

'Including Samuel' on PBS:

Clay Aiken News Network

Clay Aiken News

TECHNORATI TAGS: Clay Aiken, Decca Universal, Drew Farrar, David Novik, Decca Label Group, Twitter, TwitPic, National Inclusion Project, David Habib, CVS Caremark All Kids Can, Including Samuel, Public Broadcasting Company, Clayonline, Clay Nation