Truth Rules

A blog for fans of Clay Aiken. It may take a while but in the end, truth will win out over lies. Keep it clean, no threats ... and if I don't like what you say I own the delete key.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Will the Real Clay Aiken Stand Up…..and Take a Bow!

Not everyone wants their own blog even though at times they have something to say; so, with that in mind I'm turning this space over to one of those people today because I agree with every thing tnmtmama wrote.


Five years ago, a skinny, bespectacled guy auditioned for American Idol. He was a college student studying to be a Special Education teacher. That should have told the world that he was something different, and it did. During his run on Idol, people saw many different things about Clay Aiken. Some saw a very naïve boy, sweet and very gentle. Others saw a child who needed their care. Many assigned traits and preferences to him without knowing anything about him other than the one dimensional character they saw twice a week for five months. Many defined his religious and political beliefs based on two minute interviews for the show, and then decided his beliefs where exactly like their own. Some people caught on to the fact that he had a biting sense of humor when they saw the Jaded Journalist interviews, while others missed that completely.

Over the last five years, bits and piece of the real Clay Aiken have become known, or as well as we can know someone from their public actions alone. The private Clay Aiken is still unknown to us, his fans, admirers, and detractors. Some people in all three of those groups have been busy assigning personality traits to him faster than the early fans did.

The early group of fans who believed that Clay was a naïve, childish little boy had a rude awakening when a picture of Clay and a certain make-up artist was found on her website. The picture would not have been enough to raise an eyebrow if it had been anyone else, but it was Clay, who was pure as the driven snow. In spite of the fact that he repeatedly told fans that he was no saint, people still screamed that he was not a Christian, not what they thought he was, and they couldn’t support such a guy, who by the way, was perfectly normal. Somehow, their religious beliefs had been transferred to Clay, and he had not lived up to the assignment for them.

The child that needed a million mothers to care for him disappeared when Clay walked onto the stage of the Jimmy Kimmel Show for the first time. He walked into hostile territory and held his own with them, and won the respect and friendship of Jimmy Kimmel. Some of those mothers were disappointed because he really didn’t need them to tuck him in bed at night in his footie pajamas. Young he was, but not a child.

Probably the most eye-opening look at the real Clay came during the tours that began in 2004. Here was the consummate entertainer, the comedian, a man with a bawdy sense of humor, no saint, but not dirty in any way. However, some took offence because this wasn’t suitable for Sunday church services. His quick wit and intelligence shown during the tours, and many people realized what a gem he is on stage, while others found room to criticize.

The latest group to jump off the fan bandwagon or onto the critical bandwagon, are the ones who planned his personal life for him, picked out his ideal wife, or in some really insane cases, boyfriend, planned his 1.9 children, and were all ready to see the Aiken’s live happily ever after. Clay did the unthinkable. He choose the mother of his child without any input from the public, he did not share with them that he was going to be a father, he did not tell them that he was planning to raise a child with “best friend” Jaymes Foster, and worst of all, he still hasn’t clarified his relationship with her! How could he do this to them!!!! Doesn’t he realize that he has shattered their dreams???

It is a shame that some people liked their one dimensional person so much better than the real Clay Aiken. Here is a man, not boy, not child, who has a great sense of humor, is a very good actor, is compassionate and caring of the worlds lost children, intelligent, well read, and highly respected by those in the industry who have worked with him, wonderful singer, who lives his life as his religious beliefs dictate. And there are some who don’t like this man, because he didn’t do it their way!

Author: tnmtmama






Technorati Tags:
, , , ,

Labels: , , , ,

35 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like the real Clay Aiken, and he's not bad to look at, either!

August 27, 2008 12:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I heartily agree with this article. I am much more interested in who Clay Aiken really is, not whether he lives up to other people's unreasonable expectations.

August 27, 2008 1:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great blog. I agree with every word of it.

August 27, 2008 1:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You hit the nail on the head! Clay Aiken has been labeled, put on pedastels, mocked and/or deified from day one. Thank God he's strong enough and wise enough to stand up and be his own man instead of trying to fit anyone else's narrow-minded stereotype. Great blog!

August 27, 2008 1:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clay Aiken is his own person, not a character created for fans' fantasies. And that person is a creative, caring, funny, talented, man of faith, and now a father.

August 27, 2008 1:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clay Aiken is his own person, not a character created for fans' fantasies. And that person is a creative, caring, funny, talented, man of faith, and now a father.

August 27, 2008 1:34 PM  
Blogger katy said...

Clay Aiken stepped on the AI stage in 2003, and immediately the world and show tried to make him what they wanted. Surprise!! He's his own man, a remarkable individual.

August 27, 2008 1:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Real Clay Aiken is a wonderful young man. Its too bad some can't figure that out.

August 27, 2008 1:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is a great article that says so much about both the fans and Clay Aiken

August 27, 2008 1:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great blog!! Clay Aiken knows who he is and I am proud to be a fan.

August 27, 2008 1:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

great blog about clay aiken

August 27, 2008 1:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a wonderful blog about the REAL Clay Aiken! Tntmama,you are telling it like it really is. And thanks Truth Rules for bringing these wise words to us.

August 27, 2008 2:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great article, I never could understand why people tried to turn Clay Aiken into something THEY thought he should be. Clay is his own man. I don't get involved in the personnal lives of other celebrities why would I care about his. As long as he sings for me and I can see him get the recognition he deserves, Ill be happy.

August 27, 2008 3:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love Clay for who he is, not what some people want him to be. No one is perfect, but he's very close in my eyes....and he sure sings pretty.

August 27, 2008 4:19 PM  
Blogger Ashes said...

Love it! This was a great read. Clay Aiken is his own man as he should be.

I'd sure like to ask people if they never changed their mind about something they said or thought five years or more ago!

August 27, 2008 4:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you Truth Rules for posting Tntmama's wonderful writing. Clay Aiken has wonderful fans.

August 27, 2008 4:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clay Aiken IS his own man. He's doing it all and he's doing it his way. Whatever the hell that is I find it all kinds of HAWT!

August 27, 2008 6:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If a person needs to substitute fantasy for truth...it's time for the looney bin.

August 27, 2008 6:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very interesting blog - I hadn't really thought about this. It is quite true though, that fans seem to want to 'write the script' for Clay Aiken.

Some seem to feel he 'owes them' for his success, others seem to feel he's let them down by not being or doing or saying this or that they expected from him, and still others say that since he 'invited us into his life' through his book and his fanclub, he doesn't have the right to keep anything private that is important to him!

Strange group, we are. I think this blogger got it right.

August 27, 2008 7:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like the real Aiken as he is and have never found the need to create my own version of him. I've enjoyed watching him grow up before our eyes.

August 27, 2008 7:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

tnmtmama: Clap clap clap!! Clay Aiken is a remarkable man and will continue to have success.

August 27, 2008 7:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clay Aiken has proven that he is a person of character and depth.

August 27, 2008 7:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great essay from tntmama--thanks for sharing it!

Clay Aiken is a grown-up. He is grounded and REAL in a world full of immature, fame-whorish fakes. He does things his own way and succeeds despite all the odds and those who would try to tamp him down. I love and admire him very much.

August 27, 2008 7:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the man that Clay Aiken is. I'm as proud to be a fan of this multi-talented entertainer as I was 5 years ago.

I wish for Clay the same things as I do for anyone that I care about. Most of all, I wish him all the happiness in the world.

Clay Aiken has not let me down at all.

August 27, 2008 9:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Aiken,

Please do what is best for you and pay no mind to me except this-the only thing I want from you is music.

August 27, 2008 11:09 PM  
Blogger Oh Crap said...

As for the Real Clay Aiken... I'd like multiples, thank you. Can't get enough of the ever changing, always growing, talented, terribly handsome young man with great ASSets.

August 28, 2008 2:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The real Clay Aiken has been standing up all along and I love who he is .

August 28, 2008 12:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great blog! I know who I think Clay Aiken is and I dont listen to any naysayers, crap, bad blogs or anything to sway how I love being a Clay Aiken fan!

August 28, 2008 4:45 PM  
Blogger Chitter said...

Love this article.
Couldn't agree with it more!!
Clay is wonderful just the way he is Clay.

August 28, 2008 10:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Awesome blog! I can tell that you are a great fan. Clay Aiken is lucky to have a wonderful person such as you on his side.

August 29, 2008 10:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OMG! I love this..lots!!! It's wonderful!!! Thanks for putting into words how I think and feel about Clay. Fantastic!!

August 30, 2008 10:27 AM  
Blogger billie said...

I love Clay Aiken just the way he is. He moves me and I like it.

September 02, 2008 8:08 AM  
Blogger annieg9 said...

wonderful blog Thank you and thanks to tnmtmama. So well said.
I like the real Clay not the man of some people's imagination.

September 04, 2008 5:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clay Aiken is writing his own life script...thank goodness!

Shycon

September 12, 2008 6:14 PM  
Blogger Traveler on Life's Path said...

Some fans are really way to needy, invested, and controlling. They somehow feel as if Clay Aiken set out to cause them mental anguish since he did not lead his life in the way THEY envisioned.

Can we spell d-e-l-u-s-i-o-n-a-l?

September 12, 2008 6:16 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

counter tracker
counter tracker