Jeannie Holleman
Once upon a time in Raleigh, North Carolina, there lived a geeky little momma’s boy with curly hair, thick glasses, and a voice that could bring the angels to tears. He didn’t fit the mold of an American Idol, but when he opened his mouth and poured his soul into a microphone, Clay Aiken literally rewrote the rules on Idol-hood. In the short time since he took second place in the television competition (and we all know he wuz robbed!), Clay has risen far beyond mere American Idol status, to be idolized and adored by fans worldwide.
OUT OF THE BLUE is not just another story of this remarkable talent’s unlikely rise to international fame. That story is in these pages, but Jeannie Holleman wanted this book to be much more than that. So it is also the story of the profound effect Clay has had on his fans, how he has inspired them to acts of kindness and compassion, and how everyone he touches – with his voice, his demeanor, and his actions – is inspired to spread his gentle message.
OUT OF THE BLUE is a hometown Raleigh girl’s tribute to Clay Aiken, a superstar who seemed to burst from nowhere. But it is also a tribute to the amazing power of friendship, for “out of the blue,” Jeannie Holleman has met hundreds of new “Clay friends” from all over the US and the world. She has spent nearly three years collecting their stories of how Clay – and being a Clay fan – has changed their lives for the better. Many of these fans, having seen their personal worlds transformed, are now working to help change the world at large. Like their idol, Clay Aiken, it is their fondest wish to “make a difference.”
OUT OF THE BLUE is, as its author says, “a long love letter to a sweet hometown boy.” But it is also a love letter – humorous, touching, and utterly sincere – to his remarkable fans.
This book is 564 pages long, and includes over 160 personal photos.
JEANNIE HOLLEMAN is a writer, mother, grandmother and free spirit who lives in North Carolina with a raucous menagerie that includes a 225-pound Saint Bernard named Elvis, a Chihuahua named Taco, and a miniature dachshund, Petey. To keep the dogs in line, she has two birds: a loquacious African Grey parrot called Roc, who knows over 600 words and can sing the theme from The Andy Griffith Show, and a brilliantly feathered red and purple Eclectus parrot named Reba Mac, who does not talk but (appropriately enough) sings and listens to music all day.
Growing up virtually next door to Clay Aiken’s extended family, the McGhees, Jeannie had the unique privilege of watching Clay grow from a sweet but awkward little boy to a superstar. She is particularly close to his grandmother, Amaryllis McGhee, whom Clay calls “Nanny” and who played a major role in Clay’s upbringing.
For ten years Jeannie lived in Wilmington, North Carolina, which was also home to a major movie studio. Many of the Lifetime Channel Movies have been filmed in Wilmington, as have television series such as Matlock. Jeannie was an extra in thirteen of these episodes, as well as in films such as Sleeping With The Enemy, Weekend At Bernie’s, and many others. While living in Wilmington, Jeannie started a four-color magazine called The Wedding Guide of the Carolinas, and she also owned a restaurant called Hot Diggity Dogs.
While pursuing her various careers, Jeannie raised two wonderful children, Ryan and Natalie. In November of 2004 Ryan’s wife Heather gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Ashley Rose, making Jeannie a grandmother for the second time. She is also the proud grandmother of Keenan, the son of her daughter Natalie. And in April of 2005 she became the delighted godmother to Evie, Jordan and Jonathan, three extraordinary children in Los Angeles whose family she met through her association with Clayton’s fans.
Out of the Blue is Jeannie Holleman’s first published book. She is also working on another book, an autobiographical account called The Crazy Maker, which tells the sometimes harrowing but ultimately inspiring story of how she survived domestic violence and created a new life for herself. At the same time, she is writing another book to help educate people about why women stay in abusive relationships; the name of that book is, Don’t Throw Tomatoes At Me.
In recent years Jeannie returned to the Raleigh area to work on obtaining a degree in civil litigation. She now happily resides in Apex, a suburb of Raleigh, pursuing what she feels is her true calling: writing.
Jeannie will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of this book to charitable organizations such as Clay Aiken’s own Bubel/Aiken Foundation, which benefits “special needs” children, and The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
From the Introduction to
Part III: “Clay” It Forward: Fans Open Their Hearts
“My fans are unlike any other fans in the world.”
~ Clayton, in his book, Learning To Sing
Out of the blue, Clayton Holmes Aiken emerged onto the stage of American Idol and into the living rooms of millions of viewers. These viewers became fans — and boy, is that putting it mildly. Even if Clayton were “just” a singer, he would still be pretty amazing, but even more amazing than his talent is the effect he has on his fans. This is not just the usual adulation that fans have for pop stars, although there is plenty of that, to be sure. No doubt about it: Clayton has passionate fans, and they’re not just starry-eyed teenagers, either. Claymaniacs come in all ages; he has fans from the ages of one to one-hundred and one. (How many other wildly popular singers get pelted onstage with...how can I put this delicately...adult diapers, along with the usual panties and bras?) But there is so much more to the Clay Aiken phenomenon than mere idol worship.
One glance at the Clay boards on the Internet proves it. People see Clay as being something extraordinary. They love him from their hearts, and it is not the infatuation one generally has for an entertainer. It is a love that comes from deep inside a true heart. His fans really pray for his well-being and his happiness. Many of them see him as a Godsend.
Indeed, from the beginning, Clayton was touching people’s hearts and their lives. He was reaching into their souls, their inner beings. He made people feel good about themselves, and he made them want to be better people.
Do you remember the novel and movie from a few years back, Pay It Forward? This delightful story centered around the idea that an act of kindness, rather than being “paid back” to the benefactor, should instead be “paid forward” in some way to someone else, perhaps a complete stranger. It’s a bit different from another recent popular concept, “random acts of kindness,” because it is a more focused effort. Don’t get me wrong; I’m for kindness anywhere and everywhere it occurs! But I love the idea of paying it forward, or, as is the case with we Claymaniacs, “Claying” it forward.
And for Clay Aiken fans, Claying it forward is just a way of life.
To me, Clayton himself is such a shining example of loving kindness that it’s little wonder he inspires the same in his fans the world over. I have made friends with many of these people, and have been privy to their wondrous stories. We have laughed together, cried together, and had lots of fun together. Many of us have attended Clayton’s concerts together, and I am including a few concert stories in this section too. It seems as if every fan of Clayton’s that I have met, even the ones I meet casually in line at the grocery store, has a story.
The fans themselves have written many of the emails and stories that are in this book. All were eager to share their own stories regarding how Clay has personally affected them and changed their lives forever, and how he has given them courage and strength to accomplish something they may never have done without his influence. These fans want to let Clay know what a huge impact he has really made on the world.
I truly wish I could share all of their stories in this book and regret that it simply is not possible. But I will share many of them, with more to come in future forums such as newsletters and a website. So stay tuned...
I hope you enjoy these stories, and I hope they inspire you to think of ways in which you, too, can “Clay it forward.”
