Clay: I'm Gay = ClayMate Meltdown
Acknowledging a gigantic elephant in the room, and surely devastating many obsessed fans worldwide, born-again Christian and new father Clay Aiken has finally come out of the closet in a People Magazine article. I've blogged about Mr. Aiken before, and have suspected/known he was gay for years--and now, he's finally willing to admit it. For someone so obviously gay to be in the closet while in the spotlight has got to be one of the toughest places in the world to be. Clay, who recently returned to his role in Spamalot on Broadway, is surely waking up this morning with a sense of relief he's never felt before.
To me, the real story here lies with the super fans--the ClayMates. ClayMates have spent years obsessing over Aiken with message boards and chat rooms, full of cute, gooey, PG-rated love for all things Clay. And while the majority of ClayMates remain supportive, many are freaking out. Check out some of these priceless reactions:
"Please tell me I'm not the only one who is shocked beyond belief! I feel numb I'm so upset. This can't be real!! How can you guys say this won't change anything? This changes EVERYTHING. I don't even know what to think right now."
"I have defended Clay for years against these accusations. What do I say now?"
"Yes I am REALLY, REALLY angry. I feel like such a fool! I wish he would have kept his mouth SHUT!"
"This is a gut wrenching day for the ClayNation. Somebody wake me up, I hope it's a dream."
"My head hurts because as soon as I saw the cover, I burst out in tears and haven't been able to stop ever since. If this turns out to be true, I don't know if I can accept it because it would mean he lied to us all of these years. He told us the rumors were not true, he told us he was not gay and to now here it from the media and not him is just too much. The baby story was tough enough to handle, but I don't think I can deal with this."
I know many people won't care and will think this is none of our business, which may be the truth. However, any celebrity must realize that part of the trade-off of fame and fortune is the loss of some privacy. The fact of the matter remains--the public is hungry for juicy information about celebrities, and you have to admit--this is pretty juicy. I, for one, applaud Clay for making the tough decision to do the right thing and be honest with himself, his family, and with the world. He seems instantly infinitely less creepy to me now. I might even listen to his music. OK, well, maybe not. What's your take?
--Alan Wiley
Alan Wiley on November 03, 2008 at 09:20 AM
So Lily, are you saying you could be turned gay too, if the right woman came along? Impressive!
lily on November 03, 2008 at 12:36 AM
I don't think he's really gay. Just because you have one experience, that doesn't make you gay, but I think Clay bought into it because he's thinking, "Oh that felt good, I must be gay," and the piece of shit who turned him is telling him, "Of course you are."
Leslie Basden on September 28, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Oh, and Americans break "rules" presumably set down by God in the Bible all the time. This society has picked and chosen which rules to abide by, and I expect it is quite normal for time to change our attitudes over what is acceptable behavior and what is not.
So when you say "You can't go against God in any way and be a Christian," I suggest that yours is an uneducated view. You yourself do not follow every rule, and I daresay it's quite difficult to do so in this country today.
Leslie Basden on September 28, 2008 at 08:29 AM
I'm always pleased to see a celebrity come out. They risk ostracism by some fans, obviously, but the peace of mind must be a tremendous relief. You see, there are often feelings of shame that make people feel they must deny their sexuality in order to be accepted. Once the shame is worked out by quietly living the life, the next obvious step is to declare it. This is extremely important as role models are desperately needed for our gay and lesbian youth. Too many still commit suicide over this issue.
Thank you, Clay Aiken. I hope you feel some relief and pride as a result of this action.
Jim Baker on September 25, 2008 at 12:14 PM
A born again Christian and a queer at the same time? NO WAY. In His word, God says that life style is an abomination. You can't go against God in any way an be a Christian.
Beth on September 25, 2008 at 08:54 AM
Good for him! First of all, most of the time anyone asked, he laughed it off without actually saying "No". Second - regardless of how many "openly gay stars" there are, this is a very personal decision that is not to be made light of. More people deny themselves out of fear - not of losing money, but of the backlash (which, as we can see, is not an invalid fear). Third, if anyone is THAT upset over this whole thing, then they need to gain some perspective into what is important in life. For example, our tanking economy, homelessness, a dying earth...
on September 24, 2008 at 03:19 PM
But how would you feel if you found out someone had been lying to you for years? That's effectively what's happened here.
I don't have a problem with Clay being gay. I have a problem with people lying about what they are for years and then expecting it to be OK when they admit their lies. Imagine your dad told you he was gay. I wouldn't mind that he was gay, I'd mind that he felt that he had to lie to me all those years.
You also have to question why Clay lied. It's not like there aren't openly gay stars, so he could have been open about this from the start. Sure, that would have limited his audience, because there are also a lot of narrow minded people out there. However, what is more important - being true to who you are or lying about who you are because you can make more money that way.
He's basically just told his fans that he was more interested in their money than in being truthful. While that's probably true for a lot of stars, it still hurts to be a big fan and find that out (not that I'm a Clay fan - but put yourself in their shoes).
Missy on September 24, 2008 at 03:02 PM
This is hilarious!!! How could people not know he was gay?! Seriously, how could you not know he was gay?! Thank you for coming out Clay because Kathy Griffin can know do a whole show based on this.
Lance on September 24, 2008 at 02:15 PM
You have got to be just plain stupid or a very obsessed fan if you didn't realize Clay Aiken was GAY the minute you laid eyes on him.
Why do people go crazy when a person reveals their true sexual preferences.You loved Clay for his music right?So,how does his "coming out" change that?There are alot of artists and entertainers who are Gay or bisexual and you just don't know it yet.I think people get TOO involved in artists lives and want them to be just like they are.He is going to prove to us all that GAY people can be good parents too.
Clay Aiken had his reasons for waiting so long to "come out" and it was his right to do so.We should not expect him to "come out" just because alot of us knew he was GAY from day one.
kra on September 24, 2008 at 12:24 PM
what is wrong with these people?!? are they deaf, dumb AND blind??? he is quite obviously gay. kudos to him for his honesty. now if he can just work on that self-esteem so he does not feel the need to continue to cut on his face.
1) when someone thinks you are gay, it is not an "accusation" - it is either true or it is not; it is not unlike saying "I think you have brown eyes!!!" well, I either do or I do not --- but who cares??!
2) if a complete stranger's statement about their sexuality causes you to "burst out in tears" and you "don't think [you] can deal with this" - I have some free advice for you -- get a life, get therapy, get laid ... get something. quickly.
jeez --
on September 24, 2008 at 12:19 PM
In fairness to outraged Claymates, Clay Aiken's announcement poses a problem to fans who, you know, actually BELIEVE in that Bible stuff. The Bible is quite explicit: homosexual activity is sinful. You don't have to believe it of course, but if you DO believe it, you cannot avoid having a problem with Clay Aiken because he is NOT saying, "Forgive me for I have sinned," rather he is saying, "Get over the fact that I am sinning and have no intentions of stopping."
Ummmm on September 24, 2008 at 11:55 AM
The first time I watched him on A.I. I knew he was gay.