Clay Aiken, Celebrity Apprentice Cast Promote Show

Clay Aiken joins 2012 Celebrity Apprentice cast.

Clay, Cast on Promo Trail

Celeb Apprentice Debuts Feb. 19

From the moment Donald Trump officially presented the new Celebrity Apprentice cast on Wednesday's Today Show, the 18 candidates have whirled through a continuous, sometimes crazy, merry-go-round of multimedia promos.

Through individual videos, NBC provided a brief intro to each candidate. Mashable Entertainment picked up the videos and tabbed the line-up as the Most Connected Cast Yet.

To stay connected to Clay and read the latest about Celebrity Apprentice from his perspective, follow the singer at Twitter and Facebook.

The series, which debuts on NBC on Feb. 19, is also being advertised through interviews on every show and site imaginable. The screen cap below links to a TV Guide interview of Clay Aiken and Lisa Lampanelli.

Clay Aiken, Lisa Lampanelli in TV Guide interview.
Click on screen cap to link to video.

Just Jared provided individual photos of the 18 Celebrity Apprentice candidates. Follow the link to read the complete story:

Clay Aiken, Aubrey O’Day, George Takei, and Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice will be vying for the title while competing for each of their charities.

"Being in front of [Donald] Trump is more intimidating than [being in front of Simon Cowell]. That’s because you realize his success is real outside of TV. Whereas with Cowell, I don’t deny him his value – but singing is not his expertise," Clay, who once was runner-up on American Idol, told Today.

2012 Celebrity Apprentice Cast
How many can you name?

For a quick reference, here are the 18 cast members and the charities for which they are playing as listed in The Hollywood Reporter:

Former American Idol Clay Aiken, National Inclusion Project
Retired race car driver Michael Andretti, Racing for Cancer
Talk show host Adam Carolla, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters
Actor/bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno, Muscular Dystrophy Association
Actor/TV personality Arsenio Hall, Magic Johnson Foundation
Magician/TV personality Penn Jillette, Opportunity Village
Former Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider, March of Dimes/Bikers for Babies
Star Trek’s George Takei, Japanese American National Museum
American Chopper’s Paul Teutul Sr., Make-A-Wish Foundation

Actress Tia Carrere, After-School All-Stars
Singer Debbie Gibson, Children International
Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa Giudice, The NephCure Foundation
Growing Up Gotti’s Victoria Gotti, Association to Benefit Children
Comedian Lisa Lampanelli, Gay Men’s Health Crisis
Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza, Latino Commission on AIDS
Singer/actress/model Aubrey O’Day, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Model/actress Cheryl Tiegs, The Farrah Fawcett Foundation
Model/actress Patricia Velasquez, Wayuu Taya Foundation

Clickable Celebrity Apprentice graphic by Fountaindawg.

An excellent introductory story running in the International Business Times answers the question Who Are Clay Aiken, Teresa Giudice and the Other Contestants? Brief bios of the 2012 line-up are included.

Not to be missed is The Dead Bolt interview: Adam Carolla Surprised by Clay Aiken. The Inclusion Project received excellent publicity in the CBS story: Clay Aiken's National Inclusion Project To Benefit from His Celebrity Apprentice Appearance.

For Clay Aiken fans, the most appealing paragraph in Friday's Astrochicks story is -- appropriately -- the second:

... the rumor is Clay Aiken is the one to watch this season. Hollyscoop talked to several cast members Wednesday, and it seems everybody is raving about Aiken.

Clay Aiken: New Facebook photo

The photo above links to the Root Music Player on Clay's Facebook page. Once there, you can listen to "Unchained Melody," "Bring Back My Love," "Suspicious Minds," "Misty," "The Way," and "Invisible."

Here is one for the Clay Nation from Highlight Hollywood:

When Highlight Hollywood reported last week that handsome and talented singer Clay Aiken would be on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice," which airs on NBC, we had no idea there would be such a magnificent reaction. [snip]

We try to focus on everyone, who has something positive going on in their lives, and we also hit hard news. [snip] But it is very rare that a celebrity has such a huge following, and yet their fans are so genuinely gracious, kind and supportive, generous in spirit and all around awesome! Clay Aiken has such fans.

His fans embraced his decision to appear on "Celebrity Apprentice" and they all believe as we do, that he’ll be the winner of the competition. Donald Trump is a great showman. [snip]

But it’s great when he picks someone as charismatic, talented and genuinely kind as Clay Aiken to appear as a contestant on his highly-rated series "Celebrity Apprentice," which thanks to Clay’s wonderful fans will be even higher rated than any previous season.

Thanks, Aiken fans, for showing Highlight Hollywood and the world, that you back the right guy, and that you all have as much class he Clay does! You do him proud!

Set your Tivo and other recording devices for 9 pm ET Feb. 19-May 27. If this week's publicity, Twitter and Facebook social networking activities are any indication, the Clay Nation and the National Inclusion Project are in for one heckuva ride this spring.

Hold onto your hat, and have an awesome week, all!

Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Celebrate Dawn of 2012

The ebb and flow of tides are like time as the outgoing merges with the incoming, the old with the new, the past with the future.

As events of 2011 wound down on New Year's Eve, the strains of "Auld Lang Syne" gave way to the heralding of the infant 2012 with traditional New Year greetings by the media, online websites, friends, relatives, and associates.

Similarly, Clay Aiken fans are at once in retrospective mode while greatly anticipating the singer's 2012 agenda. Two events circled on Clay Nation calendars around the globe are slated for February:

Feb. 12 - May 20: Celebrity Apprentice, NBC-TV, 9 pm ET
Feb. 20 - Reflections of Life - Distinguished Concerts International, Carnegie Hall, 7 pm ET

Clay's new single, "Bring Back My Love," a bestseller on Amazon and iTunes, will be sent to AC radio stations around the nation. In his blog today, Clay hinted that a 2012 tour is in the offing. He also suggested that fans watch the Today Show on Wednesday. Donald Trump will guest on Tuesday, so most are planning to watch both days.

For the inevitable rewinds on Clay Cyberspace, click on the retrospective graphics by Clayscience (2011) and Fountaindawg (2003 - 2011). Both are expandable.

The New Year's wish below links to a special Jacquie Lawson greeting for Carolina On My Mind readers. Quoting from Fountaindawg's graphic:

2012 -- Bring it!

Happy 2012, Clay Nation!

Signature by Linda

Clay Aiken Fans Champion Charities

National Inclusion Project - Inclusion is giving people their rightful opportunity to participate. The NIP works every day to ensure no child sits on the sidelines.

For Pepsi Refresh Challenge

Inclusion Project Sets $50K Goal

National Inclusion Project supporters stormed out of the gate the first of November and claimed the #2 position of this month's Pepsi Refresh campaign for a $50,000 grant for the charity.

The foundation, co-founded by singer Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel in July 2003, must finish in the top 10 to win a November grant.

Through a variety of programs, including the Let's All Play Camps, the National Inclusion Project seeks to ensure that no child sits on the sidelines. Read more about the NIP at the foundation's website.

Register for a daily voting reminder at the NIP website. If the Inclusion Project wins a November grant, your name will be in a raffle drawing for an Apple iPad2. The daily email is excellent for forwarding to friends, relatives, and associates who will help the charity attain its goal.

Vote 3 ways to expand inclusive programs for all children.

The rules have changed since friends of the foundation successfully secured a Pepsi grant in December 2010.

* The Inclusion Project must win in November as there is no rollover from month to month.

* Advocates can vote 3 ways: via a registered Pepsi account, Facebook, and a daily text of #109857 to Pepsi (73774).

* Supporters have 5 votes for each avenue everyday, but only one NIP vote per method. Distribute the other four votes to charities supporting the foundation. These are listed in the NIP Voting Widget in this blog's sidebar.

* After each Pepsi/Facebook vote for the foundation's partners and allies, click on the Back to the Idea Page tab (upper left corner) to leave a comment. Reciprocating charities will return votes to the NIP accordingly.

* Best of all, there are no Pepsi power codes in this month's competition.

On Nov. 30, there will be 10 winners in the $50k category, now the highest award possible. Longtime supporters know the early momentum must be maintained in order to secure the grant.

Widget Makes Voting a Snap

A tremendous tool for Project supporters is the voting widget created by Scarlett with reciprocal info gathered by Royalle.

Jerry Aiken, executive director of the National Inclusion Project, not only approved the widget but also asked that supporters be reminded to vote all three ways. "We lose much-needed votes when people take the easiest route and text vote only."

Fresh off the press, the voting widget below links you directly to causes supporting the NIP.

Create your own comment, but be sure to include the NIP Pepsi page address and text number. Here is a sample:

The National Inclusion Project just voted for you. Thank you for your return votes! http://www.refresheverything.com/includingchildren and Text 109857.

The widget will be available here and in the Carolina sidebar throughout November.

2012 Clay Aiken Calendars - Order by Nov. 22!
Tried & True wall calendar cover is clickable.

2012 Calendar Deadline Approaches

The 2012 Clay Aiken Calendars are going back to the Gala as auction items. But before that, fans of the singer can order Tried & True wall or desk versions through the project's coordinator.

Produced annually by Rosaratana with photos by toni7babe, the 2012 calendar features images predominately from the 2011 Tried & True Tour and is again being published in desk and wall versions.

Hippoga, also part of the 2012 team, helped select the photos and coordinated the inclusion of 20 calendars in the silent auction for the Dec. 9-10 Champions Gala, annual event of the National Inclusion Project in Raleigh, NC.

Sample of monthly desk calendars. Double click to enlarge.

The calendars, printed on premium glossy card stock, can be ordered through Rosaratana between now and Nov. 22. Costs include $12 for the desk size (8.27" x 3.74") and $25 for the wall version (11" x 8.5").

To place calendar orders, Paypal or email Rosa at rosash@comcast.net by Nov. 22. Checks are accepted, and she will email you the address. Process time between orders received to calendars printed and shipped is approximately 3-4 weeks.

As in the past six years, all proceeds after costs will be donated to the National Inclusion Project. Thought not an official NIP fundraiser, this project is sponsored annually by the Together for Inclusion Alpha Chapter of Aiken 4Clay.

The 2011 calendars generated a foundation donation of $965.62 through sales plus an additional $650 in Gala auctions.

Completed orders will be mailed by the first week of December.

Clickables by dancerdad.

Celebrity Apprentice Sneak Peeks

If you are following Clay Aiken message boards, tweets, or Facebook posts, you are no doubt aware that our guy is involved in another NIP fundraiser through Celebrity Apprentice.

The clickable photos above by dancerdad were taken during filming of a Celebrity Apprentice task for the show's 2012 telecast. Thursday's sale of New York City guidebooks by the men's team was well-documented by dancerdad and other Big Apple residents.

Have an awesome weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Set for Celebrity Apprentice Boardroom

Expandable graphic by Ashes, photos by Ethan Miller.

With Well-Rounded Resume

Clay Aiken Heads to Apprentice

You're Hired! Clay Aiken Joins Celebrity Apprentice

Clay Aiken will be joining Season 5 of Celebrity Apprentice, reports People. The American Idol Season 2 runner-up will join Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, funny man Arsenio Hall, and ‘80s sensation Debbie Gibson.

The leader of Clay Nation will no doubt put up a tough fight in the boardroom. As a top-selling recording artist, proud dad, and one of the only contestants with a college degree, Clay’s resume is the most well-rounded of the bunch.

Don’t let the sun go down on Clay, Donald Trump!

A facsimile of the WetPaint story headlines hundreds of sites, including People, TV Examiner, Access Atlanta, Playbill, and Entertainment Weekly. EW puts Clay's chances of winning at 2-1 while TV Line projects 4-1 odds.

In the process, the Carolina singer will raise awareness as well as funds for the National Inclusion Project, the charity he co-founded with Diane Bubel in 2003 to promote inclusion of children with special needs in activities with their non-disabled peers.

Whole segments of the population are about to learn what the Clay Nation has known for years. The Aiken is intelligent, witty, talented, personable, snarky, and very dedicated to his cause. Coming in second is not on his radar.

The show, which begins taping Monday, will be televised in 2012.

Carolina Site Changes Pace

To complete a fall project, I recently pushed the pause button on the Carolina's every- three-days-no-matter-what blogging routine and, to my surprise, I liked it!

Since July 2005 when my friend Sally talked me into writing a blog at the OFC and then a year later when the articles were also re-coded for the Carolina On My Mind site, I have spent much of my free time gathering info, editing art, and penning these installments.

But I have learned there are other things I want and need to do during my day. In addition to teaching 16 music students weekly, I look forward to reading again. In November, I am finally purchasing a Kindle like everyone else.

I began reporting for the Wilmington Star-News papers when I was 16 and have worked on several newspaper staffs since. Writing is an important part of me, so I will still blog -- just not on such a rigid schedule.

Expandable graphic by Fountaindawg, photo by Curtis Brown.

Carolina Blog Topics Inclusive

Since its inception, the Carolina blog has embraced a number of my passions -- family, music, Clay Aiken, the National Inclusion Project, Tar Heel basketball, movies, recipes. Now I look forward to adding reading to that list.

For five years, I have appreciated the response from readers all over the world. At last count, you represent 170 countries. I especially thank those who stop by and leave comments not only for the writer but also for the visual artists featured.

Among the graphic artists spotlighted during the five-year Blogspot run are Sally, Fountaindawg, AmazingCA, cindilu2, A Beautiful Mind, claystruck, and Ashes.

The site has spotlighted videos and montages by countless CA fans, some of whom are Scarlett, Aspiegirl, SueReu, LovesClaysVoice, and Hope.

Countless fan photographers are represented in the Carolina editions. You can always search for visual artists and topics in the rectangle next to the orange B at the top of the blog.

The original OFC blog in 2005 was short and sweet:

Hello, Clay Nation!

It's opening night, and the curtain is going up. Just this much feels like a four-movement symphony. Much more to come as I study the score ... I mean the blog tutorials.

Have a great day, all!

Caro

First Post Parallels 'Real Rebels'

A year later, the initial Blogspot entry outlined the personal and professional parallels of Sonny James and Clay Aiken: The Real Rebels of Country and Pop Music.

The headline was inspired by my husband's declaration following an early road trip as Sonny's drummer in the 1970's. The real rebel of country music, he said, was the "southern gentleman," not the Nashville rabble-rousers in the newspapers.

Thank you for stopping by through six years of 600+ blogs. I hope you will continue to do so as the discussion explores an array of topics on a slightly different schedule.

Have an awesome weekend!

Caro