I’ve been a Clay fan for 5 years now, for many of the same reasons everyone else is. I love the voice; I admire the man. How best can I express this appreciation and admiration? By going to concerts? Buying CDs? Requesting a song on the radio (AC or Hot AC only!) now and then? Those things are nice, but I feel so much… more.
I’ve got it! I’ll do something to catch his eye. ‘Doesn’t matter what, as long as he sees me. ‘Knows I’m alive and that I love him! I don’t care if I embarrass myself (or him). It’s all good, because it’s for Clay!
This is how many of us are presenting ourselves to the world. And the world responds, calling our “all in good fun” behavior foolish, immature, and occasionally, rude. They call us crazy, freakish, attention-seeking, and of course, rabid. Well, you know what?
They’re right.
The term Claymates has come to be used by reporters, music critics, tv personalities, and others to mean any and all fans of Clay Aiken. However, there is something of a dichotomy among members of the fandom itself. There are those of us who get concert tickets in seats other than the first row, buy CDs in the single digits, and phone in to a request line from time to time. We call ourselves “normal” fans.
And then, there are those who may make us cringe—ill-behaved fans ready and willing to engage in wild antics to get attention, all the while boasting loud and proud, “We’re the CLAYMATES!!”
And before anyone breaks out the “Here’s to not caring” line regarding what others think, let me say that… yeah, a lot of fans do. Many of us want the NJUs to “see what we see” and to “get him.” We want the giants of the recording industry to “give him the respect he deserves” and the big shots of the entertainment business to “recognize his talent.”
So, how do we choose to demonstrate our support? By dressing in outlandish costumes for a concert backed by an orchestra… wearing blinkie lights in a theatre… throwing panties at him when he’s singing about Jesus… screaming witless comments when he pauses to take a breath in a love song… shooting off scathing (and often misspelled and grammatically incorrect) messages to critics, bloggers, and anyone else who doesn’t share our view that Clay is wonderful… and most recently, “kissing and fondling” a statue because some assistant on a tv show wanted to get video of people behaving ridiculously. And yes, that’s what he wanted, because those were the words he used: kiss and fondle the statue. And that’s what he got.
A lot of people seem too quick to throw away any semblance of dignity in the name of Clay Aiken. I’m suggesting that this may not be the best way to show our appreciation. Just as when Clay describes his fans as “enthusiastic,” he may not mean it as a compliment. Yes, he’s said time and again that he loves us. Should we take this to mean he also loves when fans stake out his mother’s house and follow her around town, or drive past his own house and take pictures through the iron bars of the fence? According to posts I’ve seen on fan boards, some think that calling themselves Claymates justifies such actions.
True, these people don’t represent me. They don’t look like me or act like me, and they certainly don’t speak for me. My friends and I are the ones standing off to the side, conducting ourselves with decorum. But, speaking for myself, I am tired of being lumped into a pile with CLAYMATES. In response to this latest episode of statue-caressing, a lady whom I respect a great deal asked, “What will it take to get us back to being Clay fans, and not Claymates?”
Unfortunately, even keeping a dignified distance from the hot mess of embarrassing behavior does nothing to lessen the stereotype that that is who we all are.
Do these folks not realize that their behavior reflects back on Clay as well? When someone not familiar with him, his work, or his fans sees otherwise-mature adults mindlessly following a stranger’s orders to kiss and rub a statue like teenagers in a hormonal rush, what might this lead them to think of the man who “inspires” such action?
Fans often comment on how Clay rises above his circumstances. He speaks intelligently, and handles himself with grace and dignity. I wish more of his fans would choose to do the same.
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