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7/30: Ruben at the Aquarium
Permalink By: Rodney Ho | 2:39PM EST, July 30, 2007

American Express gave $500,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America, which is based in Atlanta, and brought Ruben Studdard to a press event at the Georgia Aquarium. I took a few photos, including him below being interviewed by “Good Day Atlanta” co-host Suchita Vadlamani. (And make sure if you meet her to say Su-CHEE-TAH, not Su-GEE-TAH as I mistakenly did.)

Studdard, a former Boys & Girls Club member who was placed in the organization's hall of fame last year, drove in from Birmingham for this event alone because he has to be in Mississippi tomorrow for a concert.

"The Boys and Girls club asked if I could speak to the kids. It's something that has special meaning for me. I'm a product of Boys & Girls Club. It's cool. I get to see some beluga whales, too!"

Ruben looks good. He isn't svelte by any means but he's about the thinnest I've ever seen him. He naturally goofed around well with the kids who were at the press event. (See below)

He told me he's thinking of doing a duet with Jordin Sparks for his fourth CD, which he plans to start working on next month once touring for his current CD is over. "I know it will be all live instrumentation but I don't know particularly what the overall flavor will be," he said of the fourth album. He is happy with how his CD came out but was disappointed with the sales figures.

Ruben also thought what happened to Kelly Clarkson was "whack," that she shouldn't have gotten slapped around for trying to convey her vision. "I think it was all blown out of proportion. I think it's always the artist's fault when they step out on their own and do something they want to do. I will say this: we can't release an album without a record company. She couldn't put it out by herself. If they didn't like it, they shouldn't have put it out. I love her new single. I think her new video is hot. I think everything she touches is gold."

Ruben is planning a big man's clothing line called Royal Structure. "I'm getting a sponsored by an apparel company I can't name," he said. "We're going to the Magic [trade] show next month. We're hoping we get it in all the Federated Stores. You know, Macy's."

What's on his iPod right now? "Amy Winehouse. That's my favorite CD right now. Jamie Cullum. Carl Thomas' new album. Those are my three favorites right now

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