This is the holding spot for the top 4 performance show.

And I’d like to apologize to the Claymate folks for not making it to the CD release party. The problem: I lost my camera. I arrived at Manuel’s Tavern at about 10 p.m. yesterday and realized my camera had disappeared sometime between work, playing tennis and Manuel’s. I went back to work to try to find it but alas, it was gone. I suspect I dropped it while placing my laptop in my trunk at a parking lot downtown. And I stupidly left no contact info in the camera bag for even an honest person to figure out. So some lucky schmo has my camera and I have to go buy another one.

Anyway, Clay’s CD “On My Way Here” is out today. And so is Chris Sligh’s “Running Back To You.”

I left a message with Jenn McBride, the organizer of the Claymate party and will update to see how it went.

In other “Idol” news:

-MJ’s Big Blog has Michael Johns and Carly Smithson dueting “One Love” on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. It’s kind of a strange take. Not nearly as good as Bono dueting with Mary J. Blige.

-CMT’s “Gone Country” was renewed and inevitably, another “Idol” finalist is in: season four contestant with the really strange pronunciation skills Mikalah Gordon. I know, I know. I can’t see it either. The others competing: Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Lorenzo Lamas (yes, “Grease”), Irene Cara (“Fame,” “Flashdance”), Chris Kirkpatrick (N Sync), Jermaine Jackson (yes, he is a Jackson), and Sean Young (actress, “No Way Out”). Sounds like a fun crew but I don’t see any of them becoming country stars. It’s in production now and set to premiere in August.