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'Revelation' might have ripple effect among Aiken fans, won't make his music any better
By Malcolm X Abram
Beacon Journal
POSTED: 06:47 a.m. EDT, Oct 02, 2008
First, please allow me to send a message to the Claynation at large.
DUH!
Or as American Idol judge supreme Simon Cowell said ''Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable.''
OK, now that we got that out of the way, please allow me to send a more direct message to the many Claymates who have corresponded with me since Clay Aiken ascended to pop culture phenom on AI.
I'm talking about the folks who wrote saying I MUST have some serious sexual issues of my own I need to deal with and that I MUST be a very, very unhappy person deep down inside to even mention in passing that folks speculate about Aiken's sexuality. Oh, and the guy who, though very polite, seemed to believe that merely being accused of being gay was the equivalent of being called a terrorist.
My question to you all is, now what?
Though for most of the unconverted, Aiken was merely stating the obvious, many of you have spent quite a bit of energy defending Aiken from all sorts of perceived and real attackers with (in my experience) questions about his sexuality being the most staunchly defended. Well, now his gayness is the only thing that has changed.
He's still the same clean-cut, endearingly geeky guy with that ''heavenly'' voice and an aw-shucks demeanor that has enthralled you, lo these past five years.
Heck, now he's even a proud papa of baby Parker. Breeding and family is important to you folks, right?
His being straight or gay doesn't make his music any less boring, so I wonder what you all will do with this ''revelation.''
Does knowing that Aiken likes men alter your ability to enjoy Measure of a Man? (since the fact that it sucks doesn't seem to matter to you).
Now that the truth is ''revealed'' will you abandon your main man because he no longer fits into the familiar ''all-American boy'' box you created for him?
Will offended parents remove his albums from their children's collections and explain to their kids why their hero is suddenly a bad person? Will some of the grandmas who felt protective and maternal toward Aiken suddenly lose their desire to hug him and tell him what a fine young man he is? Or will you all find a way to reconcile your prejudices, the way the GOP treats Sarah Palin's unwed pregnant teenage daughter as if she is somehow completely different from unwed pregnant teenage girls living anywhere else.
Perhaps now you all will stop pointing your righteous fingers at the rest of us nonbelievers and point them at yourselves.
Obviously, I'm no fan of Aiken's work — though I hear he's pretty good as Sir Robin and other characters in the Broadway musical Spamalot — but kudos to the guy for looking into his newborn son's eyes and realizing that he shouldn't ''hide'' anymore despite knowing that it is YOU, Claynation, who will have the biggest problem with who he is.
A perusal of a few free fan sites and Aiken's official message board (to read Aiken's official blog you must join the official Clay Aiken fan club at his Web site at a cost from $14.99 plus tax to $29.99, plus shipping and handling for a Clay Aiken tote bag, lip balm and a set of Clay Aiken buttons) shows that many folks are still supporting Aiken, while others have expressed deep disappointment.
''You say your a born again Christian then you come out and say your gay I'm sorry but God doesn't look to happily at that,'' a post from bornagain865 begins on Aiken's official forum.
''If you truly believed in God with your heart the right way you would know it's wrong. God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. It is something that you will not be forgiven for unless you change your ways and repent meaning turn your back and don't look back and be truly sorry, read your Bible and it will tell you how wrong you are.''
Ouch.
I guess bornagain865 won't be buying the deluxe edition of On My Way Here.
So Claynation, now that you can no longer blindly project your values and beliefs onto Aiken, will you have an internal moral wrasslin' match with having your perceptions of what gay people ''are'' collide with what Aiken has represented to you and his decision to have a baby out of wedlock with a friend?
Or will you simply cut him loose without bothering to contemplate the fact that for five years you have been a huge fan and devotee of a gay man who up until last week was a scion of virtue and family values.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758.
First, please allow me to send a message to the Claynation at large.
DUH!
Or as American Idol judge supreme Simon Cowell said ''Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable.''
OK, now that we got that out of the way, please allow me to send a more direct message to the many Claymates who have corresponded with me since Clay Aiken ascended to pop culture phenom on AI.
I'm talking about the folks who wrote saying I MUST have some serious sexual issues of my own I need to deal with and that I MUST be a very, very unhappy person deep down inside to even mention in passing that folks speculate about Aiken's sexuality. Oh, and the guy who, though very polite, seemed to believe that merely being accused of being gay was the equivalent of being called a terrorist.
My question to you all is, now what?
Though for most of the unconverted, Aiken was merely stating the obvious, many of you have spent quite a bit of energy defending Aiken from all sorts of perceived and real attackers with (in my experience) questions about his sexuality being the most staunchly defended. Well, now his gayness is the only thing that has changed.
He's still the same clean-cut, endearingly geeky guy with that ''heavenly'' voice and an aw-shucks demeanor that has enthralled you, lo these past five years.
Heck, now he's even a proud papa of baby Parker. Breeding and family is important to you folks, right?
His being straight or gay doesn't make his music any less boring, so I wonder what you all will do with this ''revelation.''
Does knowing that Aiken likes men alter your ability to enjoy Measure of a Man? (since the fact that it sucks doesn't seem to matter to you).
Now that the truth is ''revealed'' will you abandon your main man because he no longer fits into the familiar ''all-American boy'' box you created for him?
Will offended parents remove his albums from their children's collections and explain to their kids why their hero is suddenly a bad person? Will some of the grandmas who felt protective and maternal toward Aiken suddenly lose their desire to hug him and tell him what a fine young man he is? Or will you all find a way to reconcile your prejudices, the way the GOP treats Sarah Palin's unwed pregnant teenage daughter as if she is somehow completely different from unwed pregnant teenage girls living anywhere else.
Perhaps now you all will stop pointing your righteous fingers at the rest of us nonbelievers and point them at yourselves.
Obviously, I'm no fan of Aiken's work — though I hear he's pretty good as Sir Robin and other characters in the Broadway musical Spamalot — but kudos to the guy for looking into his newborn son's eyes and realizing that he shouldn't ''hide'' anymore despite knowing that it is YOU, Claynation, who will have the biggest problem with who he is.
A perusal of a few free fan sites and Aiken's official message board (to read Aiken's official blog you must join the official Clay Aiken fan club at his Web site at a cost from $14.99 plus tax to $29.99, plus shipping and handling for a Clay Aiken tote bag, lip balm and a set of Clay Aiken buttons) shows that many folks are still supporting Aiken, while others have expressed deep disappointment.
''You say your a born again Christian then you come out and say your gay I'm sorry but God doesn't look to happily at that,'' a post from bornagain865 begins on Aiken's official forum.
''If you truly believed in God with your heart the right way you would know it's wrong. God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. It is something that you will not be forgiven for unless you change your ways and repent meaning turn your back and don't look back and be truly sorry, read your Bible and it will tell you how wrong you are.''
Ouch.
I guess bornagain865 won't be buying the deluxe edition of On My Way Here.
So Claynation, now that you can no longer blindly project your values and beliefs onto Aiken, will you have an internal moral wrasslin' match with having your perceptions of what gay people ''are'' collide with what Aiken has represented to you and his decision to have a baby out of wedlock with a friend?
Or will you simply cut him loose without bothering to contemplate the fact that for five years you have been a huge fan and devotee of a gay man who up until last week was a scion of virtue and family values.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Malcolm X Abram can be reached at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3758.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Barberton, OH
Posted 12:45 PM, 10/01/2008
Clay Aiken is an important subject in ANY way to American music? whew.....THAT is why I listen to nothing but indie.
Posted 01:04 PM, 10/01/2008
I still love Clay Aiken! The fact that he has now acknowledged that he is gay makes no difference to me. If some of his fans decide they can no longer be a fan, then that is their problem.
Posted 02:23 PM, 10/01/2008
I am sorry, but your DUH and the rest of the media's is undeserved. Just because you all wanted to believe in stereotypes and the fans wanted to let the man self-identify and take him at his word is not a reason for all the crap now being thrown the way of the fans. It makes no difference to me. Before last Tuesday Clay's self-identity was straight, now it has changed to gay. Stereotypes while based in some truth do harm to those to which they are not true. Why was his sexuality the media's concern in the first place?
Posted 02:36 PM, 10/01/2008
Just so you know , Clay Aiken has a very deversified fanbase and not everyone believes as this one fan does . There have be more of the ones that have sent their appreciation and support for the courage it took Clay to 'come out'. The majority are staying and not going anywhere . Regardless what anyone 'thought' they knew or 'presumed' about the man , he still did not ever deserve the snide remarks and/or crass jokes that he had to endure .....NO ONE DOES! There seems to be a small group of the gay population that have appointed themselves as Judge & Jury (Perez Hilton)to 'out' people before they are good and ready. No one should be FORCED to make that decision but the person themselves at the time THEY feel is right. Even though the doors are opening up a little wider for gays , there still needs to be more acceptance at their struggle to get to the point where they can feel truly comfortable within themselves and not forced to that decision or mocked into by anyone . I have always enjoyed what this phenominal entertainer brings to the table and will continue to support him no matter who's bed he puts his shoes under !!!
Posted 02:50 PM, 10/01/2008
I have no idea how many rude comments you received - and certainly that's a shame but the internet does encourage that kind of thing. Believing that an entire fan base consists of people who are obviously on the fringes of it is kind of strange. Surely you are not stereotyping a whole group of people based on some nasty emails you got? That would be odd coming from someone open-minded. Clay fans are pretty diverse and interesting. You might want to check this blog out http://conclayve.blogspot.com/
Barberton, OH
Posted 03:04 PM, 10/01/2008
Phenomenal entertainer? Oh boy, what has gone wrong with this world?
Akron, OH
Posted 03:43 PM, 10/01/2008
Great, he finally admitted what America already knew, but it doesn't make any difference what his sexual preference is.
Posted 04:18 PM, 10/01/2008
Anyone fan who thought Aiken was straight is delusional. The guy is a flamer. Also, that "music" is horrible. What junk.
Posted 04:30 PM, 10/01/2008
Well Hank, anyone who thinks you aren't a jerk is delusional too.
akron, oh
Posted 04:39 PM, 10/01/2008
Anyone with half a brain would have known clay was as gay as pink ink. Next out - Ricky Martin - who coincidentally, just had twin babies with the use of a turkey baster.
Posted 09:42 PM, 10/01/2008
The funny thing about your article? 98% of it is wrong. Unfortunately, the e-mails you previously received were from probably 2% of the Clay Nation. Most of Clay's fans? Don't give a **** about his sexuality. What keeps us around is the voice and the funny.
Although you're not that wrong about his music. A lot of us wish he'd go the indie route, or write more songs like his beautifully plaintive 'Lover All Alone; but you know what? Clay will sing what he wants to and as long as he keeps singing, that's all right with most of us.
Posted 07:31 AM, 10/02/2008
Just wonder why you chose comments on Clay's board that were negative and not the hundreds and hundreds that understood and knew. Clay Aiken is still the man he was before. He is a wonderful singer, even if you don't care for his stye, he is a wonderful entertainer. I don't know if you have seen Spamalot, or gone to a concert, or followed his foundation and TBAF or the work he does with UNICEF. Don't know that you truly know anything about Clay at all. Hopefully, now that he has come out (which a good number of us thought he was gay before and just allowed him to come out in his own time)you will all start to appreciate the man for what he contributes to this synical, negative land we live in. We came for his voice, and we are still here for the man. He is more man than most of the fluff we see now a days.
Posted 08:22 AM, 10/02/2008
Clay Aiken is a freak. And his fans are worse! What rubbish.
Posted 01:31 PM, 10/02/2008
Message to Mr. Aiken's fans who are posting here: Look at it this way.
Mr. Abram, admits to spending thirty bucks to join Mr. Aiken’s Fan Club… hours and hours searching through thousands and thousands of posts…. So he could find THAT one post to bash some fans and write THIS piece of %$#&? About someone he deems insignificant?
HUH?…………..
Don’t waste your time, Mr. Abram just revealed himself……………
AND I’d bet that SN doesn’t exist ;)
Posted 01:48 PM, 10/02/2008
I have been a fan of Clay's for 5 years. I think he has a gorgeous voice and I love his music. He also has a heart of gold and has made it a point to reach out and make a difference in the lives of children (by the way Hank, if the things I just described make him a freak, then we need more freaks in the world!). I wouldn't trade the last 5 years for all the $$ in the world.
Having said that, I have struggled with the revelation that he is gay. I have strong spiritual convictions concerning the wrongness of homosexual orientation. I know its not a popular belief, but it is my conviction that God has said it is wrong. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. But I am tired of fans and others who rake us over the coals and make rude comments concerning those of us sincerely hurting because of this -- comments like Peggy's earlier comment that "that is their problem". Comments about how unforgiving and hateful we are. Why, if I made the same comments about them or about gays, I would be tarred and feathered. They do not know my heart and I have always stated my beliefs as kindly as possible and with love. The comments made seem to be made to send out a stereotyped view of Christians who read what the Bible says and comes to this conclusion and about conservatives who also agree with this. I am quick to praise Clay for all the good he has done in the world, but I cannot praise him for his coming out or join in the "coming out celebration."
Disagree with those of us who have these beliefs, that's fine. But don't treat us with the contempt that you yourselves do not want to be treated. If you don't agree with me, don't turn around and expect me to agree with you. And please don't say things that you wouldn't want me to say about you.
Bizarrebertucky, OH
Posted 06:37 PM, 10/02/2008
Eeeewwww
Posted 10:04 PM, 10/03/2008
You couldn't have gotting too many emails. There isn't that many people left in the state of OH let alone Akron. No wonder Akron radio puts down your paper.
Posted 12:48 PM, 10/06/2008
Come on people......Who cares if he is gay, straight or bi, it is no ones business!!!! Is he hurting anyone? NO!! So leave him the hell alone!
