I'm thinking about the fandom in its infancy--in its gestation, really. Those few moments before the first post about that guy, that different, fascinating guy on TV. Of course those moments probably don't really exist. SuvivorLDog on Sucks writes a live play by play for every episode, so the internet record on Clay began as soon as he duck-walked into the room and declared himself the American Idol.
But I'm imagining that there was a slilence before the multiple posts of "WHO WAS THAT GUY?!?!" appeared at Sucks and TWOP and wherever else Idol is discussed. A time when he only belonged to the individual, before he bacame a collective boyfriend and champion underdog for at least thousands.
He was almost imediately labeled a geek, but that's not how I saw him. To me, he was just different from the masses of reality contestants who seem so invested in their status of cool kid. Kimberley Caldwell, or her godchild Diana Degarmo (bless her heart), appear to have been waiting for THAT MOMENT their entire lives. But Clay was clearly not. The accidental idol. How did he made it through the preliminary rounds of this thoroughly biassed exercise? If they knew then what they know now would they have cut him immediately?
I thought he was attractive and felt rather pervy because he looked about 19. I'm baffled by the "ugly" charge. There is nothing ugly about that guy in Atlanta. Maybe the sideburns are unfortunate, but those beautiful, chisled facial features are there from the first sighting.
Before I logged on to Sucks and asked "OMG! Did you see him? Did you HEAR him?" He was already there, unanalyzed and adorable.
ClayAiken
alliesmom2