TV Tattle reports today (via SyFyPoral via The Houston Chronicle -- ah, the twisty fun of giving internet credit!) that, if you're a Jericho fan, you apparently have Clay Aiken to thank for the show's upcoming revival.Aiken said he "...started blogging about [Jericho] on my fan site. It got canceled and I started blogging about how upset I was. I said, 'The Claymates can do anything. How do we get this show back on the air?'"
His fans sprung into action and, "Honestly, within a week, they had organized a campaign amongst Jericho fans to send nuts to CBS. It kind of started in that place. And it's back on the air. It just blows my mind."
I have a few questions about these comments...
1) Does he honestly believe that it was his blog that was the genesis of the online campaign? Isn't it more probable that his blogging about it simply reflected what other people were also feeling? Isn't saying that you started the campaign kind of like someone saying to one of their buddies in 1955, "Hey wouldn't it be awesome if we sent men to the moon?" and then trying to take credit for the Apollo program? If that's all you have to do to get credit for something, let me say now and for the entire internet to see: I would like the war in Iraq to end and for someone to create a cookie that never gets any smaller no matter how many bites are taken out of it. If either of those things happen in my lifetime, remember -- you read it here first!
2) Is there any fan nickname creepier than "Claymates"? I mean, I'm not making up the psuedosexual implication there am I? PLAYmate? CLAYmate? Beside that, is he really calling his fans by that name without irony? On some level, he's got to disrespect them, doesn't he? Someone should get a hidden camera on him while he's blogging because you know as soon as he's finished banging out another 300 words on why purple is his favorite gumdrop color, he'll have an Uncle Don Carney moment: "There that ought to hold the little bastards for another week."
3) How could his fans possibly allow themselves to be called that without feeling stripped of their dignity? I've been a fan of musicians before, but I'm pretty sure I'd set myself on fire before I'd let Roger Waters call me his "Waterboy" or whatever. If someone in your family told you, "Hey, you know what, I'm just a total Claymate!" wouldn't you convene a family meeting about how to fix the situation?
One question you won't be seeing me ask is whether or not the Claymates "can do anything". This is because in researching this article, I've discovered that yes, the Claymates can do anything. Some of their more impressive accomplishments:
- controlling the British Crown
- keeping the metric system down
- keeping Atlantis off the maps
- keeping the Martians under wraps
- holding back the electric car
- making Steve Guttenberg a star
- robbing cavefish of their sight
- rigging every Oscar night.
One wonders, however, seeing as it's true that the Claymates have such amazing powers, why their master hasn't order them to do something more constructive with their time other than bring back a serialized television drama. I'd personally like to see a workable plan for universal health care or at the very least a definitive answer on global warming.
By the way, if any of those two things happen, I'm taking credit for them too.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
7-06-2007 @ 4:16PM
N. Suga said...
Uh, you do realize that once the "Claymates" find out about this post they'll come after you like a horde of hormonal locusts, right?
Seriously, the comments following the post about Jimmy Kimmel's emergency appendectomy were seriously creepy.
Good luck, man.
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7-06-2007 @ 4:35PM
Scott said...
I think "seriously creepy" sums up both the fans and the, um, "musician", who thinks he has magical powers. You'd think he'd first try to learn how to sing and how to convince the world he's straight.
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7-06-2007 @ 4:37PM
Lemm said...
Browncoats > Claymates
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7-06-2007 @ 7:10PM
Larry said...
Knowing that Clay Aiken watches the show makes me want to stop watching it now.
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7-06-2007 @ 4:50PM
Derek said...
I'm sure that Clay Aikens THINKS that he saved Jericho, but he's completely wrong. There were lots of sites that complained about Jericho's cancellation, and his blog was one of many.
However, the fact that he THINKS he saved Jericho shows that celebrities really live with a self-centered, narcissistic view of the world.
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7-06-2007 @ 4:54PM
Chris Wyant said...
You're in for it now, Jay. Ruh Roh.
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7-06-2007 @ 5:16PM
Linda said...
Clay Aiken is wrong about one thing. Claymates did not start the campaign to save Jericho, but joined the existing effort. They did spread the word and sent lots of nuts to CBS, they just did not come up with that idea.
As for Claymates impressive accomplishments, try these:
Raising over $180,000 in 10 days to help children of Afghanistan:
http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2007/04/clay_aikens_afghanistan_appeal.html
Raising over $330,000 for Bubel-Aiken Foundation which helps children with disabilities:
http://www.bubelaiken.org/default.aspx?tabid=171
What has the writer of this blog done lately?
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7-06-2007 @ 5:23PM
N. Suga said...
Aaand... here they come. Duck!
"What has the writer of this blog done lately?"
He mocked Clay Aiken, which is humanitarian enough for me.
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7-06-2007 @ 5:26PM
Dorv said...
I actually like Clay Aiken a little....
But if they Claymates were so powerful, why couldn't they get a win for Clay on American Idol?
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7-06-2007 @ 5:29PM
alice said...
I just read the title of this aloud to my co-worker & his comment was "This is probably his greatest achievement."
Loving the Seussian rhythm of the Claymates list of accomplishments.
I never would have imagined the Claymates drinking from beer steins...sippy cups would seem more appropriate to me...not that I waste any time imagining anything about things like that.
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7-06-2007 @ 5:29PM
Chester said...
N.Suga.....you did warn them!!!!!!!
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7-06-2007 @ 5:37PM
Chester said...
Is it really a stretch that Clay would jump on something fast that has "nuts attached" to it??
I think not!
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7-06-2007 @ 5:44PM
Linda Davis said...
I'm rather astonished that the Claymates, and yes it is an odd name to embrace seeing how so many claim to love Clay for his "wholesome" image, put all of their power into "saving" Jericho. I mean, maybe they should have worked harder to get his last CD to sell. Granted, even his Claymates would have been hard-pressed to buy that latest slice of cheese Clay offered.
Fortunately for the Claymates, Clay has started to focus on his tour, which features, uh, Clay singing "Like A Virgin" worse than Keith did, who you may remember was ridiculed as one of the worst singers ever on American Idol...
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7-06-2007 @ 5:57PM
ac said...
Comment #12: Good one.
Comment #9: Good point. There is a reason why he lost. HE SUCKS (to see what he sucks read comment 12)
Comment #7: He entertained us with a funny blog, that is humanity.
Comment #2: I think crazy sums up both. He is so far my pick for current "singer" most likely to end up like Wacko Jacko.
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7-06-2007 @ 6:08PM
Linda said...
Linda Davis, you may want to google the word "parody" before making comments about Clay's latest concert. There's no need to let everybody know about your missing sense of humor.
Here's what she's talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sys6P939hI
If anyone else thinks that this was serious, I have a lovely bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you real cheap.
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7-06-2007 @ 6:12PM
khamel said...
its simpsonian, not Seussian, in re the accomplishments
also, id like to reiterate that jay is clearly the best writer on this site. i rarely see who writes what but when i finished i knew it was the guy who wrote the most interesting article about house (and possibly longest article on the site).
and jay raised 500,000 linden dollars for virtual Syphilis, tell Clay and his Claymates to beat that!
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7-08-2007 @ 1:01PM
jerichoholic said...
I'm glad Clay was on board, but really, credit should go to those who deserve it. Shaun Vegas announced on his radio blog for people to send nuts. A Canadian, Jeff Knoll from Oakville Ont ( a city councillor) hooked up with Jeff Braverman at Nutsonline.com to make it easy for people to pool their money to buy and send nuts in massive shipments. The two Jeff's worked TIRELESSLY behind the scenes. Also, Jeff Knoll raised $$$$ to put TWO ads in the Hollywood Reporter and Variety. If Clay really did want Jericho back, he could have bought the ads himself --- he's got deep pockets, and the ads were only about $3000 each. Peanuts for him. If I had a million or two, I would have shelled out the bucks myself, instead of asking your music fans to help you resurrect a tv show that most of them might not watch.
Lastly, the true fans of Jericho who visited the message boards at cbs.com EVERY day, 10 times a day during the campaign were the ones instrumental at getting the show back. Cbs has acknowledged this.
But, now that Clay has made it known that he is 'responsible' for Jericho's resurrection, we will count on him in case they remove Jericho from next year's line up to cough up some cash and put his $$$$ where his mouth his.
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7-06-2007 @ 7:26PM
Smiley7 said...
You'd think his fans would spend all their time trying to cure AIDS.
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7-06-2007 @ 7:36PM
Cyantre said...
3. "Browncoats > Claymates"
QFT
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7-06-2007 @ 7:56PM
Horatio said...
CLAYMATES!!!
If you are reading this, your new Mission: The Price Is Right.
Akien would be perfect DO IT!!
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