Clay Aiken came out the only way a splashy, Broadway performer knows how: On the cover of People magazine! And while most of the world wondered what took him so long, some very delusional loyal fans felt completely blindsited. 

more photos after the swing of the closet door…

On the clayboard:

“This is a gut wrenching day for The ClayNation. Somebody wake me up, I hope its a dream.”

“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.”

“Okay, i’m going to come right off and say that when I saw it, I did cry. and I probably will if and when it is confirmed. Which will be tomorrow morning hopefully. I’ll probably be late for my first class, because i’ll be surfing the internet in the library. I knew in my heart for awhile that he was-…but my head was having nothing to do with it. I knew it might come eventually, but again my brain denyed it.”

I can wrap my head around the most abstract of notions, but even I can’t fathom how Clay Aiken’s coming out party was a shock. The man had a turkey baster baby for Godsakes! Do readers of the clayboard think heterosexual men (who never seem to date women) have test tube babies just for squirts and giggles? This explains so much of what is wrong with this world.

Photos: PR Photos, ClayAiken.com