#42: We're still having fun, and you're still the one!

[jazzgirl]

Honrycrisps are only $8.50 for 8 apples at Costco. And they were really good. I bought Galas there last week but they were too mushy. It's worth it for a better apple and they are better investments.

*makes mental note for next trip to Costco* You learn such interesting things here.

Congrat on moving forward with the condo, annabear. Hey, you do need a place to live.

[wandacleo]

See? Ansa says what I wanna say only with that social thingie intact!

I want sympathy for not understanding the ranters and ravers! And resisting the urge to yell at them. Though not resisting the urge to lay out sweet and reasonable arguments of why I'll never, ever, ever understand their point of view. Apparently Clay has never ever pushed a hot button for me. Nothing he's done has bothered me all that much. And some people (not in here) seem to imply that's a titch abnormal. But then again, I'm absolutely convinced Clay loves me best of all his fans. I still want sympathy for being not sensitive! I like owning my cheerfulness about Clay and being able to share that cheerfulness with other cheery (and especially if they are fuckin' cheery) fans.

ME TOO (although I must confess I made no effort to resist my urge to yell at the morons).

[FromClaygary]

Fuckin' cheery fan checking in!

About kids & college & tuition & student loans....each kid is different. Where one might work their butt off and be very appreciative of parental or extended family financial assistance, another might take that as a given and party their first year away. Still others aren't really ready for college directly after high school and would benefit from a "victory lap" or even a year of working in the real world.

(my bolding) Love that way of putting it. My youngest son's "victory lap" of about 2 years was the best thing he ever did for himself.

One more FCF checking in from a MOST frustrating day...but nothing to do with Clay! Would it be TOO much to ask for the city shutting down the main entrance to a town from the highway for road construction to put up a f**king SIGN telling you where the alternative is? Apparently the answer is YES.....but after driving around lost for 45 minutes, the construction guys I yelled at led me personally to the right street! :Kolobok_Laie_haha:

Maybe we should change our name to FCF?

I don't think everybody is ranter and raver. I think in a way I understand that they want people to show them sympathy and understanding and they want to work their way back on the boards. I think it's kinda been that way with every "gate" after awhile it stops being about Clay but about the fandom's reaction to their issues. We've all seen the little polls - are you stil here because of clay or the friends you've made. Many people say the friends they've made so is it any wonder why they want understanding from the people who have become a big part of their social circle. And yes I do understand, Scarlett, that my words have probably alienated some people but really although KAndre joked about it - I was sincere in my post last week about also needing some understanding as well - undestanding that I'm tired of Clay being treated like he's done something evil. I do think it goes both ways.

I've made lots of friends too - but I'm HERE because of Clay and when I'm not I hope I will remember everything he has given me the past 5 year - especially the joy - and walk away as some have done. I can still keep my friends if there is really something that connects us besides Clay. Of course some will just develop more of an adversarial relationship with the fans like that one woman who said she was over clay but wasn't leaving cuz that's what we wanted.

But on this one thing I've been pretty consistent over the past 5 years - which I believe makes me an angel winger or my definition of such - and honesly I'm proud of it - I have always taken "Clay's side."

Can he do no wrong. Of course he can. But I always go back to my - he's a good man that tries. The diversity of this fan base meant someone was ALWAYS pissed about something and it got tiring. What gets me is every time something pops up - everyone brings out all their old slights and repeat again wanting sympathy. Clay didn't appreciate ME enough - he dissed me at a meet and greet in 2004 - I made a joke and he didn't laugh - he didn't appreciate me at the Raleigh show cuz I was an out of towner that bought tickets - or he continued to sing that song. The list goes on and on and I think that's what gets me more about these "convos" than the new fresh gate. In 2006 after we knew of some of his fears and about the paxil - someone STILL told a perfect stranger - a fan - in the Kimmel line all about Hockeygate. It's like you're having a fight with your sister and she brings up something you did when you were 12. In this case there was no fight - just fresh ears to listen - on a day of what should have been fun. I just can't respect that or understand why we are still talking about something all those years ago as if it were a fresh pain - why people hold on to that and feel like they need to repeat it at every opportunity. With Clay coming out it's like carte blanche to look at his every utterance the past five years and dissect him all to hell. So if people aren't over hockeygate - I can see this going on and on forever.

Loved both stage doors videos. I like that Clay recognized some people as stage door hogs LOL. Loved his reaction to the "naked' line.

I didn't even try for stage door last time around -- but I will this time.. I'm sharpening my elbows. Watch out!

First of all....can I just follow ya in?

Second...I know I'm supposed to "further the conversation"....but ...but....she just said it all! Especially the bolded parts!

WORD.

[merrieeee]

Second...I know I'm supposed to "further the conversation"....but ...but....she just said it all!

I hope that's not in the TOU cos I'm in big trouble if it is!

[FromClaygary]

Forgot to mention.....eeeeehhhhhhh!! for the honeycrisps! I've been looking at the grocery store every time I went, but no luck yet~I'm off to the grower's stand on the long weekend! *happy dancing*

[bottlecap]

I forgot who was looking for the People cover with no writing on it. I haven't seen one, but Marhaven at CV did this really lovely black & white version.

=========================================================

bottlecap backs away slowly from the worship of the Honey Crisp...

"Protect me, Oh Great 'Nana, provider of the potent potassium."

[Couch Tomato]

oooh thanks bottle..I reluctantly replaced my wonderful ambassador wallpaper with Clay and Parker. They're both adorable.

[Cotton]

Me Me Me Me!!!!!

I love it!

but I still want the hi res of the photoshoot pics in color

Demmit!

Did y'all notice that Parker has already learned some of Daddy's lines?

"And the number of the counting shall be three . . ."

[merrieeee]

I right clicked on that sucker so fast. He is gorgeous and that baby well just gahh gahh!

[Clayzy]

Hockeygate?

.

.

.

It stinks being new sometimes... Can someone fill me in?

[bottlecap]

CC, Hockeygate was before I was online much so somebody else will need to give you the lowdown on that. Couchie?

=============================================

I've moved on to "Disembodied Handgate." :Kolobok_Laie_haha: What's up with the seemingly unattached random hands in these pics from tonight's stagedoor? (by dancerdad)

[Clayzy]

I'm not sure what hands you're talking about in the first one since the only one I see does seem to be attached to some, but that second one is funny!

[Couch Tomato]

hockeygate - Clay sang while he skated at a halftime of a prof. hockey game - it was also a fund raiser which costsome bucks to attend and involved a meet and greet with Clay. Clay got snatched out of one of the meet and greet rooms by Jerome before those attending received all of their "benefits." The fall out from that was called hockeygate and it ruined many a Xmas. That's the short half assed version cuz lord knows all these years later I didn't remember the details, just the board fall out. However, I do remember the clack...and Clay on skates singing his ass off is quite fun.

oh bwah look at that hand coming from nowhere. hee

And the eyelashes on that first pic... and the little half smile.

oooh more pics... thanks bottle

[bottlecap]

Look for the half-mast bunny ears in the first pic.

Some more from dancerdad.

[ausdon]

KAndre thinks for a moment...

We are also happy to party with "just makin' out 'cause I ain't that kind of girl/guy" cheery fans. But you're gonna have to abbreviate.

:lmaosmiley-1:

ETA: Wish me luck - I'm off to sign my life and bank account away for my new condo! I'm

and at the same time...

Good luck and congrats Anna!

Honeycrisps=$2.99lb

Fuji=$.97

I bought Fuji and while picking them out who should serenade me but one hawt sexy singer! This Is The Night....oh yeah babee! Yep I could make you forget you are gay*g*

Yeah merieee....... offering him the apple....dancing seductively........

Isn't it funny, just seeing this ( gay), written so casually in a normal post. I did a double take and then thought that well, this is how it is now...

ETA: Does anyone know what happened to Claymaniacs?

[Couch Tomato]

Looks like just an admin thing. I'm sure they'll fix in the AM. If it's invision I've had my issues with them before.

waves to Zena and Gibby! why are ya'll up?

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

8 Days until The BAF Gala!

14 Days until Clay is Roasting Matt Lauer!

51 Days until Clay's Golden Birthday!

86 Days until The Closing Night of Spamalot!

106 Days until Golfing For Inclusion!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[KAndre]

Heh, I have a better memory than Couchie and will therefore give you a longer (though probably somewhat inaccurate version as I wasn't there). OK, it was December '03, the album dropped and had done crazy well and I think this was the first major fundraiser for BAF, an actual meet and greet with Clay for a flat $400, and not really involving AI. Looking back, seems cheap now, but I think Team Clay thought the price would keep the numbers down. Boy, were they WRONG. They sold 200-250 before they had to cut it off, as the M&G was only during half time of the hockey game, which I think is only about 30 minutes. So they split the group into two rooms, with maybe a 100 in each room. Clay enters room, working the room hard (again, looking back with his crowd issue, I admire the man even more), but just doing the "Hey, howareya" and quick picture instead of the "OMG! You're a wonderful donor of 400 whole dollars! Let me suck up to you!" (you might guess how I felt about it). Then he goes into room 2, something happens almost immediately and he was hustled away by Jerome. Some people never find out officially why and are righteously pissed that they didn't even get their "hey, howareya" and picture. I heard two possible reasons he left - 1) that the rules Jerome laid out in the beginning were not followed - and Jerome does NOT play when it comes to Clay's safety. Not at all. And then he didn't really know the fandom and the fandom didn't really know him. 2) A fan actually grabbed Clay's naughty bits and wouldn't let go. IIRC, I got that secondhand from someone who claims to have seen it. The fandom went psycho as usual, those saying Clay should have sucked it up or it wasn't true or people weren't treating the fans as the victims they were or treating Clay as the victim he was, and how unprofessional Team Clay was and they shoulda planned better, or worked it better, or Clay shoulda come back (I'll admit, the fandom didn't know about his phobia at the time) or some were perfectly happy and some were bitterly angry, and many didn't care. And I don't remember Clay or Team Clay ever discussing it after the fact - but there has never been that large a one-on-one M&G again. That was the first time I found out about backchannels.

[merrieeee]

A fan actually grabbed Clay's naughty bits and wouldn't let go.

OMG I have been lol at that picture......Clay trying to leave a room with some fan being dragged along clutching the jewels.!!!! Meanwhile Jerome is fiercely beating them about the head trying to make them release!

:Kolobok_Laie_haha: :Kolobok_Laie_haha:

[djs111]

though probably somewhat inaccurate version as I wasn't there

Bwahahahaha!!!!!!! Some of the most bitter bitching was done by people who were not there!!!!!!!!!

This fandom has done a LOT to make me feel that if I am ever on trial for something and I am innocent - I will ask for a judge trial, not a jury trial. Nope. Seen too many condemnations around here based on nothing but back-channel hearsay, deliberate lies, and agendas.

OK, seriously, E! has been contacting people on many boards with carefully worded requests for fan interviews. They are full of shit. They are working on a special which will of course include lots of coverage from the swamp thing. No matter how much you feel you can control the interview, deliver a sound smack to other fans, help Clay, even scores, present what you feel is good information - don't!!!!!!!

They will carve up what you say to suit their agenda, and since their little interview with swamp shit is at the top of their web site page, I would think any moron would be able to figure out where their interests lie.

They want crazy people.

They want people who for some reason believe they were put on earth to correct the crazy people.

They sprang for the OFC membership, too, so any and all shit posted in there - and I am talking about all of the posts, the ones preaching to people to accept and be happy are just as ridiculous, IMO - all that stuff will be twisted and presented for grins.

No matter what you say to them, they will twist it and you will be treated to seeing and hearing Ryan Smearcrest making fun of you AND Clay, with that smug look on his face.

You cannot control the media, but you CAN control yourself.

Please.

People who congratulate themselves on their mastery of media types have been found lying in the road with tire treads on their butts. The media is after a show that will have that exciting sleaze and ridicule factor that so attracts viewers and then the carrion who will feast off sound bites for years.

OMG I have been lol at that picture......Clay trying to leave a room with some fan being dragged along clutching the jewels.!!!! Meanwhile Jerome is fiercely beating them about the head trying to make them release!

It sounds funny, I guess, but whatever happened to freak him out affected his relationship with fans for years. If some ass actually did that, I might throw a slap their way if I had a chance.

[Cotton]

I was at the game and have a friend who was in group #2. They did end up getting a group photo with Clay. Not the treasure that an individual shot would be.

And I heard it was an ass pinch not a frontal assault.

Also, apparently there was a high volume "conversation" between Jerome and Clay before Clay came back to group #2. People felt that J. didn't want Clay to go back in at all and hence the discussion.

I don't much blame Jerome. But the fan who was so crass should have been kicked out. IMO

Yep. It became a circus that foreshadowed fan battles to come! Ack!

Good Lord, it's hard to imagine what Clay Aiken has endured over the past 5 years.

And now look at him.

So, so content looking on the cover holding his baby son. He sure deserves it.

RE:

E!

You know the trouble is - the people who need to hear the message DON'T DO IT, are the very ones who won't see themselves in the warning.

The crazies never realize they're crazy.

Look at FBM, HD, Mix and that crew!!!

Disturbed doesn't begin to cover it!

[Scarlett]

LOL! I was so glad that I was far away on a tropical isle spending my last Christmas with my dad when that happened.

However, when the Christmas stories were being submitted last year I was so tempted to write this completely heart-melting tearjerker story about my last Christmas with my Dad before he passed away, and I would have read my story with much emotion at the JNT, then upon finishing it -- closed the book, looked straight at the audience and declared -- "And that's how I escaped Hockeygate!"

Congrats on the condo, annbear!

[KAndre]

My most "WTF" Hockeygate argument from someone was that men liked strange, old and random women groping them...looking back again, I have to say, I don't think so!

Any newbies have any questions, I am quite willing to give my totally biased, third hand account of anything - the only first hand accounts I have are my various and sundry Clay eyefucks, which I have committed to memory. And any touching of me by Clay (I tend to let the man touch first in crowded situations - all alone is a completely different matter...)

E! is contacting fans?!?!? What the hell is this world coming too?

[FromClaygary]

WOW, that is an absolutely beautiful picture!

I'm Ottawa at the moment, and had a chance to wander through St Laurent mall the other day. I'm afraid a little teeny Roots thing for Jaymes fell into my shopping cart. I had to take it home. It was lonely. I was hoping for a teeny sweatshirt just like his Daddy's but no can do.

[jmh123]

Well shit, KAndre, I was there in "the room," and your account isn't remotely right and now I have to post about fucking hockeygate again.

There were three rooms. The first was deep pocket donors. It think it was a Wachovia box?? some company paid for it, at any rate. We could see Clay meeting with them from our box. He was posing for pictures, seemed comfy with them.

Our room was next. It was hugely crowded. Jerome came in and gave us a lecture of dos and don'ts, which only a few people close to him could hear. Clay came in looking upset. None of us were aware of his anxiety in crowds--in retrospect I can recognize that we were getting a full blown version. I was one of the first to get my picture taken with Clay. He looks all smiley and happy in the photo. He's good at that. It was my first realization that there was an "on" Clay and an "off" Clay who was not the same guy. Afterwards, I went down to where I had been sitting because some gals from CP had worked very hard on a bag of gifts for me to give to Clay. I got the bag, and gave it to Jerome. Then I went back to where I had been sitting, which was behind where Clay was taking the pictures, and started taking pictures with my camera. Others were taking pictures of Clay taking pictures with other people--we'd made a deal that if anyone's picture didn't turn out, there would be back-ups. And people just like to take pictures of Clay. Thing is, we were using flash. We didn't know about Clay's problems with flash cameras back then, and we didn't hear Jerome say, no flash. All of a sudden, Jerome rushes Clay out of the room. People said later that Jerome said if you don't stop taking flash photos I'm going to take him away. No one could hear Jerome. Standing behind him, taking pictures, I never saw inappropriate contact from anyone. Of course I could've blinked. Clay came into the room upset.

Later, he took a group photo with the people who didn't get their pictures taken. He also went into another room and took pictures with those fans, and was perfectly fine with them, and Jemock talked her way into the family suite, where Clay went after all the picture taking, to present a scrapbook from CH and chat with Clay, and posted about it at length. She basically capitalized on the situation in that room to get her own personal meet-and-greet. I wasn't happy about that.

A lot of rumors circulated, as usual, most of which weren't true. A lot of people in the room were angry, and thought Clay was rude to them. They still rag about it sometimes.

I was more upset at the way we were treated on the boards. I was home for Christmas and didn't get a chance to read the boards much, but when I did, one of the first things I read (at CP) is that it was the fault of the people in the room because we weren't young and pretty. How could anyone expect Clay to be nice to a bunch of middle aged, ugly women?* It went downhill from there--the overriding theme being that if anything went wrong, it had to be the fault of the people in the room, or someone in the room, because precious Clay would never ever be mean to anyone without a reason. So there was a lot of crap on the boards for a long time about how bad bad bad the people in that room were, and a lot of whining at CH about the whole situation, which some of them blamed Clay for. It was billed as a "meet and greet," but whatever that was, it wasn't a meet and greet. It was 3 minutes with Clay looking absolutely miserable to be there.

Thing is, Clay wasn't mean, he was just upset, and he came in the room upset. He was not comfortable in that crowded room. Neither was I--there were too many people in too small a space. The flashes were hurting his eyes. He was sick at the time--bronchitis. There are plenty of ways to interpret the whole thing without blaming anyone. Just sayin.

*ETA: You can still see remnants of this one in KAndre's second post--about the middle aged ugly women who were groping poor Claybe.