With another season of American Idol going on, it is hard to believe
that it has already been three years since we first heard of a man named
Clayton being told "Welcome To Hollywood!" It was a life changing
decision, to go to that audition in Atlanta. Although I have watched
every season since season two, none of them have ever had the same
affect on me. None has been,quite literally, as life changing for us,
either, as what I like to call the "Season of Clay".
I
remember him walking into the room, confident but not cocky, with that
striped shirt, sea shell necklace,glasses and that incredible flaming
red hair. The moment that he opened his mouth, people were dumbfounded,
myself included. The look of shock and puzzlement on Simon's face is
still fresh in
my mind,
still one of the moments I remember most. Ditto for Randy.Plus of
course, the beginning of that lovely "lip bite" that is so endearing to
me. That was one of the few outward signs of his nervousness that he
allowed the world to see.
Watching AI now, and next week is going to be involved in what they
referred to tonight as "hell week". I see men crying tears of anguish,
women shaking in fear, and I wonder how Clay managed all the stress of
the Wildcard shows. To see such fortitude from all of them, from Clay,
proves what he is made of. The "steely" nerves and the "mettle" that got
him through it.
Was it
his faith?
His
mother?
Or was
it truly his belief in himself? No matter. He persevered and it was all
worth it. But I started thinking to myself that had Clay went the usual
route to stardom, in likelihood he may not have made it past the front
door. So we have AI to thank for allowing the public the chance to see
Clay, and allow us, the paying public, the chance to decide who we
wanted to win, not what they thought we wanted to see. They let us speak
for ourselves.
But, what if
he hadn't made it past the preliminary audition? What if...Randy or
Simon weren't feeling particularly generous that day and had passed him
up merely because he did not "look" like an American Idol? What if they
had said "we're sorry, but you're not what we are looking for," and he
walked out those doors and out of our lives, never to be seen or heard
from again by us, the fans, the consumers?
What
would our lives be like now, without Clay? It is hard to fathom that,
and I shudder at
the mere
thought of how close it had been to happening. He could still be singing
in church, or he
could still
be singing in Diane Bubel's kitchen, while the world missed out on one
rare jewel. I
thank God
that Diane Bubel's astute observation and the encouragement she gave
Clay to go and give it a try.
I can
hear it.
"Clayton, just...try!
If he
hadn't, we never would have seen him blossom. We would not have seen him
grow as a singer and performer and as a man.
The
physical changes made it all worth it, because like all of us Clay fans,
he would have met someone who would have seen the beauty that we see in
him now. That gorgeous hair, those two pools of sparkling green eyes
filled with emotion that he couldn't hide no matter how hard he tried.
We would have missed the rest of him too..that beautiful profile...the
lips, and that phenomenal smile that lights up a room or a theater, or
the middle of the night as he walks out to the bus. We wouldn't feel
the tender touch of his handshake, or see the caress of the microphone.
He
pulls on our heartstrings as his southern gentlemanly ways come out of
hiding.What if we had never had the true privilege of hearing those
glory notes, and the depth and breadth of this man's talents?
To see
him sing to a lady in her 60's and 70's and even in their 80's, then
look into her eyes as he gently kisses her hand, is something that we,
the "I am WOMAN hear me roar" ladies would love to just once have happen
to us. Getting a hug from Clay is one thing. To touch his warm hands is
another thing, but to dance with him in the aisle of the theatre, making
our hearts race, and feeling like a teenager again is so beyond the
realm of comprehension for all but a few of us.
He
makes so many of us cry tears of joy. But why? Why does this average man
from a small town in North Carolina, touch a place in our hearts, minds
and souls? Many people, but especially the baby boomers have reiterated
again and again that they have 'NEVER felt like this about anyone else
in their entire lives". What does he do that no one else does?
WHY?
I am a
writer and a thinker, and what I think of a lot of during my free time
is Clay. This article again has me asking "why" once again. It's such a
mystery, that the need to unfold it is overwhelming. I believe for many
of us, Clay represents the perfect man that we all long for.
Contemplate this for a moment if you will. He touches those of us who
felt like an outcast in school. It is like the revenge of the nerds. His
love for children with all kinds of special needs is extraordinary. He
breaks the mold for many people with these challenges and he is the
voice for those people who have no voice to speak up for themselves. He
is the one behind us, yelling "Run Forrest,Run!" And we do run, knowing
he is on our side.
He has
the manners of a man who treats women as a gift. He treats them how he
would want his mother treated, and how all of us deserve to be treated.
His intelligence for a man of a mere 27 years old is astounding. Many of
us can say that the men we meet only want to party, or do not take on
any responsibility for their actions. Even men 40 or 50 years old. He is
a wise old man in a young man's body when it comes to using that brain
that God gave him.
He is
beautiful inside and out. He often wears his emotions on his sleeve, and
he is not afraid to cry, to shed tears and express his emotions in front
of ten thousand people welcoming him home.
His humor,
which ranges from downright wicked to snarky, to plain old gentle
teasing, is ever present. He is also able to laugh at himself and let it
go. His self-deprecating humor is enduring. He knows he is not perfect
and so do we. But he is perfect in our eyes, and there is nothing,
absolutely nothing that will ever change that.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. ALWAYS AND FOREVER.