Pop Rocks

Author: Lanford Beard

Just in case some of you less pop-oriented folks out there didn't know, there's an official category for cheesy schlock music. It's called Adult Contemporary.

In this category belongs my dear friend Clay Aiken.

The second big loser on Fox's "American Idol" has joined the ranks of pop stars who have recently snatched themselves up a piece of urban allure with videos in the streets of New York.

U2 led the charge in the 80s with its video for "Where The Streets Have No Name." If you were, like me, a loyal viewer of "Pop Up Video," you'll realize that the police intervention in the end was real.

Flash forward to the new millennium when Avril Lavigne rabble-rouses for the fans with her popalicious single "Sk8er Boi." This time, however, that little Canadian rapscallion Avril has staged her riot and embellished her own fandom to force out the SWAT team to shut that show down.

Very recently a handful of male pop sell-outs are trying to rough up their images with the flava of the streets.

Most successful, I would argue, is Justin Timberlake with his "I'm Loving It" video, which is a pretty apparent rip-off of Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" and the new McDonald's jingle.

JT's "Like I Love You" set outside of a quickie mart, and his Mexicali saloon setting for "SeÒorita" also embraced a certain macho, trashy playa aesthetic, so we'll take it on the chin that this is the image he's building for himself and - love it or hate it - we might as well get used to it.

Sadly, Mr. Aiken's addition to the white-boys-on-the-streets canon is less plausible. The assumption that people will accept Clay as putting on some rag-tag show to communicate that he too is one of the people is utterly ridiculous.

I love the guy (I admit), but he is known for his studio-produced, over-orchestrated pop schmaltz. That is the appeal of "American Idol."

When Kelly came out with the videos for her singles, they were cheesy, softly lit and smattered with fountains and formal wear. This was appropriate.

When Ruben (the big winner of "AI" and my hometown neighbor) returned to Birmingham to film "Flying Without Wings," he embraced his roots and his man-of-the-people status. That was appropriate.

And I understand that this video capitalizes on the live performance element of "AI," but Clay trying to ape Bon Jovi's "It's My Life," Avril or even Bono will not fly for those of us who have any idea of the image he worked so hard to build on the show.

I'm a firm believer that pop videos are relevant cultural texts, so let's be all academic about it and examine the video, shall we?

Clay kicks off this rock show with a melodic "Ooooooooooh." Jeepers he's masculine!

The power of the song begins to draw innocent bystanders. The 13-year-old white girls and old ladies naturally migrate first, but lo! The punk rock kids, sk8er bois and even the neighborhood's 'ghettoboys' (as I'm sure they were dubbed in the video's call sheet) are eventually transfixed by the song.

And, of course, in mid-diva, Clay embraces a crying fan, whose name I can only assume is Dorothy. This shows that Clay is so awe-inspiring that he can make young girls cry with joy by his very presence.

Clay is clearly a man who knows how to bring together all walks of life and likes to cuddle. When they recall the governor of North Carolina, I'll be achin' for Aiken.