Ellie
Oct 11th, 2003, 12:38 AM
Cute article where his friends talk about how much they miss him. I think this is from his school's newspaper. :)
http://www.nineronline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/10/08/3f7c7e392ac6a
What they say about Clay
by Stephanie Lazzaro
UT Senior Staff
October 08, 2003
"I miss him," said Amy Pusey with a sigh. Angela Coachman added, "The three of us did everything together."
Pusey, Coachman and their third amigo were very close the last two years. Both women graduated last May with a degree in special education while a mutual friend took an unexpected path of his own. Together Pusey and Coachman learned to cope with the loss of their friend, while across the country, they sat in front of the TV like millions of others, watching their friend, Clay Aiken, become America's idol.
The three of them met in a special education course at UNC Charlotte. Since most of the same 15 people had similar classes they formed close friendships. Pusey remembers when Clay introduced himself to the class; he seemed to want to break the ice and she could tell he was very outgoing -- a class clown.
"It seems longer than two years," said Pusey who lived with Aiken for a year while they attended UNCC.
Coachman, who sat in front of Aikin, said she would always flick her hair and hit his desk. When asked why he never said anything to her about it, he told her that he thought she and Pusey were the 'tough chicks.' Coachman still finds this amusing. His humor is definitely a quality both of the women will always appreciate.
"Clay would be laughing all the time," said Pusey. Professor Nancy Cooke met Clay in fall of 2001. He was in her classes and served as president of the Student Council of Exceptional Children which Cooke advised. As both teacher and a friend, she clearly understands why so many people idolize Clay.
"I'm thrilled to have people see him as someone who loves his mom, can have popularity and not lose sight of his values," remarked Cooke. Cooke, Coachman and Pusey all agree Clay's best qualities are humor, genuineness and graciousness.
This was apparent when Aiken handled the loss to Ruben Studdard with such poise. "He's able to maintain his humility and also reach out and touch people," said Cooke.
And there's that talent: singing.
"The first [show] I saw him on, I was like 'whoa,'" said Coachman. "He evolved a lot." Coachman wasn't aware of Clay's gifted voice when they first became friends (even though she knew he sang at weddings) but she pointed out he never admitted how great he really was.
He never sang around his friends but did give them a demo he made. Pusey recalls how she couldn't believe it was Aiken when she first listened to it. Later, when she lived with him, they sang together and she was able to hear him sing often.
"It was a privilege," commented Pusey. Aiken and Pusey were avid fans of "The Amazing Race" reality television show and often joked about applying. "I would never seriously do it," Pusey said. But Aiken mentioned trying out for "American Idol."
"I never took him seriously," said Pusey.
The panel of judges in Charlotte quickly dismissed him. Unfazed, Aiken went to Atlanta, armed with changes that would make him one of 32 finalists that would travel to California. Pusey helped him prepare by changing his hair color and picking out clothes, making him more "American Idol"-like.
Aiken managed not only to win a spot in the top 32 in California but landed in the top 12 as a wild card chosen by America.
"Somehow I knew it would be them [Aiken and Studdard]," said Pusey. The night of the finale, Aiken wasn't the only one who had jitters. Pusey and Coachman were nervous as they cheered him on in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both laughed about how anxious they were to be on live television.
"I'm going to be a spaz," said Coachman, recalling her feelings that night. She also thought America might label them as "Clay's dorky friends." But in all the emotion that night, they don't even remember what was said.
After the winner was announced both women were bombarded with mixed emotions, mostly sadness and anger. "I didn't know what to feel, it's just a title," said Pusey, who took the vote as such loss she blocked out people for while. Now, all of them are adjusting to their friend's new lifestyle. While Aiken has been everywhere but home, the women have not been able to have lengthy conversations with him or see him frequently.
"It's tough," said Pusey, who jokes about only getting to watch one episode of "The Amazing Race" with him. Clay's the one that got her hooked on the show so she still calls him to share episodes even if he didn't get to see it. "I call for the stupidest things," said Pusey. "I feel like I'm bugging him, it's frustrating."
"As much as we complain we don't get to talk to him, the little things are nice," said Coachman.
"It's because we miss him," added Pusey.
"It's still a surprise to see him in person," said Cooke. "His looks have changed but when I talk to him he's still the same Clay." Pusey and Coachman may not be able to be as geographically close to Aiken as they once were but they sure get to see a lot of him on their students' folders. They are filled with pictures of him.
"It's never going to be normal," said Coachman, "His face is plastered all over." "When I think of him, I think of us hanging out at night," said Pusey. They would spend hours talking in their pajamas with glasses of milk. "He has a good time around people," said Coachman. "I'm entertained the most with Clay because he's entertained with me."
The first time Pusey and Coachman got to see him offstage was in June when Aiken and five close friends went to the beach. Pusey was really happy to see him in a different environment. He didn't feel like he was entertaining people but was just 'the old Clay.' She did however, want to throw his cell phone in the ocean.
The first time Amy Pusey and Angela Coachman heard his song on the radio, they immediately called him. "It was so cool," gushed Coachman. "He hadn't heard it."
Aiken's debut CD, "Measure of a Man," comes out Oct. 14. He is booked almost every night with television appearances. Meanwhile a lingering question is: "Will Clay teach?"
Cooke believes he will finish his degree because he values it so much. She also thinks that even if he doesn't get to teach right away he will find ways to advocate for children with special needs. "That's what I'm so proud of, his strong commitment to help kids with disabilities," said Cooke.
"He would be a great teacher," said Coachman. Pusey noted some may not take him seriously as a teacher with his abrupt fame; students would gawk over him. He could perhaps teach in the future when the hype dies down. But for now, Clay Aiken's star power is high.
"The big applause blew me away," Pusey said about "The American Idol" concert that came to Charlotte. "He has really made it, nothing is going to be the same."
Amy Pusey and Angela Coachman's buddy, Clay Aiken, has gone from boy-next-door, future special ed teacher to superstar. Now he has his own entourage, tons of screaming women and girls, TV appearances and photo shoots for magazine covers.
"I knew he could do it," said Pusey.
http://www.nineronline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/10/08/3f7c7e392ac6a
What they say about Clay
by Stephanie Lazzaro
UT Senior Staff
October 08, 2003
"I miss him," said Amy Pusey with a sigh. Angela Coachman added, "The three of us did everything together."
Pusey, Coachman and their third amigo were very close the last two years. Both women graduated last May with a degree in special education while a mutual friend took an unexpected path of his own. Together Pusey and Coachman learned to cope with the loss of their friend, while across the country, they sat in front of the TV like millions of others, watching their friend, Clay Aiken, become America's idol.
The three of them met in a special education course at UNC Charlotte. Since most of the same 15 people had similar classes they formed close friendships. Pusey remembers when Clay introduced himself to the class; he seemed to want to break the ice and she could tell he was very outgoing -- a class clown.
"It seems longer than two years," said Pusey who lived with Aiken for a year while they attended UNCC.
Coachman, who sat in front of Aikin, said she would always flick her hair and hit his desk. When asked why he never said anything to her about it, he told her that he thought she and Pusey were the 'tough chicks.' Coachman still finds this amusing. His humor is definitely a quality both of the women will always appreciate.
"Clay would be laughing all the time," said Pusey. Professor Nancy Cooke met Clay in fall of 2001. He was in her classes and served as president of the Student Council of Exceptional Children which Cooke advised. As both teacher and a friend, she clearly understands why so many people idolize Clay.
"I'm thrilled to have people see him as someone who loves his mom, can have popularity and not lose sight of his values," remarked Cooke. Cooke, Coachman and Pusey all agree Clay's best qualities are humor, genuineness and graciousness.
This was apparent when Aiken handled the loss to Ruben Studdard with such poise. "He's able to maintain his humility and also reach out and touch people," said Cooke.
And there's that talent: singing.
"The first [show] I saw him on, I was like 'whoa,'" said Coachman. "He evolved a lot." Coachman wasn't aware of Clay's gifted voice when they first became friends (even though she knew he sang at weddings) but she pointed out he never admitted how great he really was.
He never sang around his friends but did give them a demo he made. Pusey recalls how she couldn't believe it was Aiken when she first listened to it. Later, when she lived with him, they sang together and she was able to hear him sing often.
"It was a privilege," commented Pusey. Aiken and Pusey were avid fans of "The Amazing Race" reality television show and often joked about applying. "I would never seriously do it," Pusey said. But Aiken mentioned trying out for "American Idol."
"I never took him seriously," said Pusey.
The panel of judges in Charlotte quickly dismissed him. Unfazed, Aiken went to Atlanta, armed with changes that would make him one of 32 finalists that would travel to California. Pusey helped him prepare by changing his hair color and picking out clothes, making him more "American Idol"-like.
Aiken managed not only to win a spot in the top 32 in California but landed in the top 12 as a wild card chosen by America.
"Somehow I knew it would be them [Aiken and Studdard]," said Pusey. The night of the finale, Aiken wasn't the only one who had jitters. Pusey and Coachman were nervous as they cheered him on in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both laughed about how anxious they were to be on live television.
"I'm going to be a spaz," said Coachman, recalling her feelings that night. She also thought America might label them as "Clay's dorky friends." But in all the emotion that night, they don't even remember what was said.
After the winner was announced both women were bombarded with mixed emotions, mostly sadness and anger. "I didn't know what to feel, it's just a title," said Pusey, who took the vote as such loss she blocked out people for while. Now, all of them are adjusting to their friend's new lifestyle. While Aiken has been everywhere but home, the women have not been able to have lengthy conversations with him or see him frequently.
"It's tough," said Pusey, who jokes about only getting to watch one episode of "The Amazing Race" with him. Clay's the one that got her hooked on the show so she still calls him to share episodes even if he didn't get to see it. "I call for the stupidest things," said Pusey. "I feel like I'm bugging him, it's frustrating."
"As much as we complain we don't get to talk to him, the little things are nice," said Coachman.
"It's because we miss him," added Pusey.
"It's still a surprise to see him in person," said Cooke. "His looks have changed but when I talk to him he's still the same Clay." Pusey and Coachman may not be able to be as geographically close to Aiken as they once were but they sure get to see a lot of him on their students' folders. They are filled with pictures of him.
"It's never going to be normal," said Coachman, "His face is plastered all over." "When I think of him, I think of us hanging out at night," said Pusey. They would spend hours talking in their pajamas with glasses of milk. "He has a good time around people," said Coachman. "I'm entertained the most with Clay because he's entertained with me."
The first time Pusey and Coachman got to see him offstage was in June when Aiken and five close friends went to the beach. Pusey was really happy to see him in a different environment. He didn't feel like he was entertaining people but was just 'the old Clay.' She did however, want to throw his cell phone in the ocean.
The first time Amy Pusey and Angela Coachman heard his song on the radio, they immediately called him. "It was so cool," gushed Coachman. "He hadn't heard it."
Aiken's debut CD, "Measure of a Man," comes out Oct. 14. He is booked almost every night with television appearances. Meanwhile a lingering question is: "Will Clay teach?"
Cooke believes he will finish his degree because he values it so much. She also thinks that even if he doesn't get to teach right away he will find ways to advocate for children with special needs. "That's what I'm so proud of, his strong commitment to help kids with disabilities," said Cooke.
"He would be a great teacher," said Coachman. Pusey noted some may not take him seriously as a teacher with his abrupt fame; students would gawk over him. He could perhaps teach in the future when the hype dies down. But for now, Clay Aiken's star power is high.
"The big applause blew me away," Pusey said about "The American Idol" concert that came to Charlotte. "He has really made it, nothing is going to be the same."
Amy Pusey and Angela Coachman's buddy, Clay Aiken, has gone from boy-next-door, future special ed teacher to superstar. Now he has his own entourage, tons of screaming women and girls, TV appearances and photo shoots for magazine covers.
"I knew he could do it," said Pusey.