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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 24 > Entry
A couple of ATL fans react to Aiken news
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As you may have heard, second season “American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken is on the cover of this Friday’s People magazine next to the headline: “Yes, I’m gay.” One liberal dose of smelling salts and a mug of lavender-scented green tea later, Buzz had recovered enough to ask some local folks familiar with the singer for their thoughts on the announcement.
Erin Lee, a 32-year-old legal secretary from Stone Mountain, has seen Aiken in concert 25 times, but hesitates to describe herself as a Claymate. On Wednesday, she said she had become disillusioned over time by Aiken’s cagey comments about his sexuality and is relieved he’s finally letting it out. “The elephant is finally out of the room, thank goodness,” she said. “Maybe he’ll be happier and won’t be so creepy about it.”
Atlanta singer Vanessa Olivarez, who was on “American Idol” the same year as Aiken, said she respected his choice to stay private all these years about his sexuality but supports his move now.
“His career is established enough that it’s OK if he comes out,” she told Buzz on Wednesday. “He’s built a fan base with all these religious Christians. Clay himself is very religious. This will show them that you can be gay and religious.”
Olivarez said Aiken never said a word about his sexuality during the show in 2003 but “my gaydar — or Claydar — has always been beeping since I met him. It’s something everyone always knew.”
On the mag’s cover, Aiken is holding his infant son, Parker Foster Aiken, who was conceived via in vitro fertilization with friend and producer Jaymes Foster. The singer says his son helped him address the issue.
“It was the first decision I made as a father,” Aiken told People. “I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn’t raised that way, and I’m not going to raise a child to do that.”
WEBCAST FAN SAVES DAY FOR BIOFUEL RACERS
And folks trying to find gas in metro Atlanta think they’ve got it tough. Atlantans Brian Pierce, 36, and Nik Bristow, 27, managed to complete their (almost) nonstop, veggie-powered version of the famed Cannonball Run on Wednesday, making it from New York to Los Angeles in less than 40 hours — though their trip almost ended in Flagstaff, Ariz.
The co-workers at Atlanta-based ad agency Fitzgerald & Co. had planned to drive Pierce’s biodiesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI nonstop, pausing only to change drivers and refueling from onboard cans carrying BioWillie, singer Willie Nelson’s own branded biofuel. They soon learned, though, that they had less fuel than they needed: Their plastic jugs hadn’t been filled all the way.
But a fan following their live Webcast of the consciousness-raising Willie Run came to their rescue. Indiana trucking agent David J. LaFaive enlisted a driver near Phoenix to deliver three jugs of fuel to the VW in Flagstaff. He met them just in time, Pierce said. “We had about a gallon left.”
“We thought the whole thing was ruined, but the people who were watching and rooting for us saved the day.”
DELTALINA WAGS HER FINGER AT THE DOME
Here’s another reason to get off the couch and into the Georgia Dome for Atlanta Falcons home games this season. Buckhead-based Delta flight attendant Katherine Lee has shot a series of instructional yet hilarious “Delta Safety First” intros for each pre-game at home. Lee, aka Deltalina, the fetching redhead who has been wagging her finger at Delta passengers this year on the airline’s new pre-flight video, also has become a breakout star on YouTube. So why exactly is Deltalina popping up on the Jumbotron at the Dome? Delta is the official airline of the Falcons, you see.
In her video welcome to fans at last Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Lee authoritatively told fans: “In the event of a Falcons touchdown, opposing fans may notice a sudden increase in volume inside the Georgia Dome. This is normal. For the safety of all Kansas City Chiefs fans, please remain in your seats and as quiet as possible.”
Apparently, Deltalina’s finger wagging worked: The Falcons beat the Chiefs 38-14.
The airline video star also has her own Facebook fan page these days, We Love Deltalina and It Shows.
To check out Lee’s most recent Falcons video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyUQWIuwzlk.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Newswoman Barbara Walters is 79. Actor Michael Douglas is 64. Actor Mark Hamill is 57. Actress Heather Locklear is 47. Actress Aida Turturro (“The Sopranos”) is 46. Actor Will Smith is 40. Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is 39. Rapper T.I. is 28.
OVERSCENE
Rappers Busta Rhymes and Ice-T, record mogul “L.A.” Reid, New York Knicks players Malik Rose and Quentin Richardson, and the birthday boy’s gal pal, Janet Jackson, helping Atlanta producer Jermaine Dupri celebrate his 36th Tuesday night at Tenjune nightclub in New York.
Contributing: Bo Emerson, Rodney Ho and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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