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Clay Aiken: The First Web Idolby Alexandra Corbin -- 06/23/2003
View Printable version of this article It’s now more than four weeks later – and Clay’s CD is out, mostly sold out. He’s outsold Ruben by more than 100,000 copies and he looks sexually mauled in the Rolling Stone shoot and loving it. For the first time in years, a single premiered at #1. So you have to begin wondering, did this guy kiss the Blarney Stone or something? The answer is decidedly “no!” Despite the 45 million viewers netted by 19 Entertainment to launch their gawky yearlings, the phenomenon of the String Bean from the South is largely web-propelled through the devoted networking of miffed fans with a plan. Estrogen-based, their addiction to the Aiken message boards has turned pre-finale yakking about hip thrusts, red jackets, and hair spikiness into a savvy, sleek, and unstoppable public relations and marketing dynamo that takes care of Aiken business. Not RCA and not 19 Entertainment. Sorry Simon, Simon, Nigel, Shona, and Clive. Their frenzied energy, dare I say, sexually charged, first erupted on message boards like Bolt in early March. With 19’s gag order, there wasn’t a whole lot of information to trade in the BF (Before Finale) days. Not much dirt, not much background info on the guy except allergies to shellfish, mint, chocolate, and deep water. But it was just enough for each femme to transfer their vision of Mr. Perfect and hallucinate. Thud!! So the topics on these boards were blueprints of five minutes before and even three days before. They’d discuss the rumors, they’d list his hottest parts like a steer diagram in a butcher shop – except they’d get up close and personal after 9pm when the minors had turned in – or so they thought. Things would get pretty sweaty then. Some lap dancing, a lot of dressing and undressing, mostly the latter. I gotta ask you, Clay, weren’t you a tad freaked? I’m sure you knew. Is clay distracting you? he is me! i'm supposed to be working on math stuff… my teachers say "i know you’re thinking about clay right now but could you please answer the question" !But even in those early weeks, the girls had begun to organize. First there was the “two hour pledge.” You had to commit to two hours of calling on Tuesday night and report back the next morning for the famous roll call. What did this willow whip with a tuft of red hair trigger in women whose lives suddenly began to glow when they took on monikers like cybersunday, pjpjpjp, cookiedog, dancermom, deanie1475, lipbite and missmissy? Yes, the story here is how a coterie of hopeful fans watched their Idol contestant morph and decided to morph with him. On May 22nd the message boards took on a new urgency. Pin the outfit on Clay yielded to a frenzied exhortation to list all Clay sightings and to bombard Star Jones, RCA, and Neil Sedaka about the forthcoming CD and to chastise the preternaturally arrogant Carson Daly on his attitude toward their beloved. Yes, that dreary morning, the girls had a collective epiphany. Together they could influence the industry, select the songs, drive the Clay train, and bring it into the berth marked #1. They merely had to find their way, and find their power and the fuel stoking that brand new engine was their pure red-hot cuckolded anger. NOW here's the challenge....lets keep it up and add more! I've posted a list of very influential radio stations around the country in bigger markets. Your mission, if you choose to accept is to start now and go down this list or URL's throughout your day and request Clay's TITN on each of them. All those who accept this mission please post a reply... chuga chuga CHOO CHOO!”They were hopping mad, which 19 had happily anticipated, and were determined to get their boy the win that he rightfully deserved – change that to the win that they deserved! Clutching cyber hands they could say, “Don’t mess with us you oily record execs, we may be tiny little will o’ the wisps alone, but through this board we shall walk on you yet!” Our goal is to get Clay the air time and recognition that he so deserves. Regardless of his "runner up" status on American Idol, we don't see him that way.What has this guy triggered in these women from Singapore to the UK and down across the heartland of America, that will never let them give up, give in, or just pass out? Their monikers and blipping icons are famous now, some man the night shift; Hi DayClays- It's CJ from the NightTrain w/an update of what happened last night: Okay, we all descend on the board around the time of JoJo's show (7 pm on the west coast/10 pm on the east coast). We do our usual great job of getting out the vote.Others lead the early morning cheerleading squad. We all know them; who gets the most emails off, who gathers the most effective phone numbers, who calls the roll, who stays up late to bother L.A. DJs. What are our goals for today. Any vulnerable spots we need to shore up? We need to be organized today with reports of progress coming in etc. Thoughts? dancermom2 can you lead us today???First, their motives varied in nuance – rarely in kind. Initially, some wandered to the board because Clay’s singing brought “them back to life.” One case stands out, a woman whose husband had recently passed away and whose talented son had died in an accident. She morphed from a frightened visitor to a very proactive component of the web-powered club, obsessive perhaps, but renewed. She was the one who thought everyone could contribute 100 bucks and actually buy out 19’s contract on their favorite stud. Eeez possible. Why not? They came to the message boards to share breathless fantasy dates and ended up breaking and remaking the rules of the industry. Individually they would could never have dreamed this, but through this sisterhood, they felt a kind of support to brave the big bad world and take it on. Call it Fledglings Anonymous. “Hi ClayThud...I am leaving in a couple of minutes to go to take my youngest to school... but Chicago I think is still an issue! There are always cheerleaders that come on at one point or another! Let me go look for Lylkeria's post!At first, there were those evangelical phrases. Talk of renewal, rebirth, values. Was it his Southern Baptist thing, his “God will put me where I should be” faith? You did see a fair amount of posts like, “He’s like an angel,” or, “So good, so decent.” And, sure, they loved his voice. But it was the interactive discovery, the Rocky Story #5 that they took full responsibility for and which gave them a reason to live. Sorry ladies, just admit it, the board drew you out and got your spirit flying. You quickly forgot about morality and clean livin’. “Even us older gals...I'm supposed to be working...but can't stay away from the boards and all of the news! I have to figure out how I can listen to the radio and call the stations to request that they play Clay's songs (without the boss knowing!)And they were never fools. I made typos on my posts and they edited me. If I mentioned something intentionally erudite – they got it. Forgive me, I was just trying to figure them out. The only time they didn’t get it was if I made an indifferent comment about the boy and they called me a BASHER. View Printable version of this article
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