Saturday, August 22, 2009

Nick The White Mormon

So you think you're one of those latter-day saints full of light and understanding? Do you see yourself as a vessel filled with unconditional love? Are your bowels filled with mercy and compassion for your fellow man? Is there nothing that can challenge your image of yourself as the quintessentially tolerant and loving modern latter-day saint?

Brothers and Sisters, meet Nick, the White Mormon.

At first glance, pedestrians and motorists encountering Nick at the entrance to the Salt Lake City temple can be forgiven if they think they're looking at a walking billboard for the Pillsbury Doughboy. Nick is dressed from head to toe in dazzling white, including white gloves and even white makeup that thoroughly covers his face, neck, and ears. He looks as if he's powdered from head to toe, like the victim of an explosion in a flour factory.

What is disturbing to most people about Nick are the actual clothes he's wearing. Nick is wearing a white suit with white shirt and white tie, and white socks with white shoes. In the breast pocket of the white suit is a white handkerchief . But over the suit he's wearing a set of white temple robes, and on his head is the unique white bowed cap familiar to all temple-going latter-day saints. All that plus the white gloves and face makeup combine for a startling sight.

Temple goers are accustomed to being visually accosted by anti-Mormon protesters and hecklers on the sidewalk in front of Temple Square. But Nick is no anti-Mormon, and mockery is the last thing on his mind. By positioning himself just outside the temple, arrayed completely in white, Nick is attempting to demonstrate his purity and devotion to God. Nick is not an Anti-Mormon; far from it. Nick is a sincere, believing latter-day saint, although admittedly somewhat different from you or me.

Some have assumed Nick is a bit off balance mentally, but I'm not qualified so I won't make that judgment. According to family members, however, Nick is Bi-Polar Schizophrenic and has lately gone off his medications. Neither his wife nor his parents have been able to dissuade Nick from his daily public lustrations, for Nick has heard the voice of God commanding him to stand thus on the corner for all to see. He is still unsure of the Lord's purpose in calling him to this public mission, but ever the faithful son, Nick obeys. He approaches no one, and does not speak unless spoken to (he almost never is). He does nothing but stand there obediently, for most of the day and always in the sun. Sometimes he sings Primary songs, such as "Families Can Be Together Forever".

The reason Nick's presence in the heart of Salt Lake City is so disturbing to so many is that to believing latter-days saints, the temple robes are sacred vestments that are not to be worn outside the temple, and certainly are never meant to be seen by the uninitiated. It's hard to think of anything that could be more of a shock to the sensibilities of the faithful than the sight of this man, literally white as a sheet all over, out of place and just outside their Holiest of Holies.

This was, of course, too much for Shawn McCraney to resist. McCraney is a former latter-day saint who now devotes his time to "saving" Mormons from what he believes is a false religion. To guys like McCraney, Nick The White Mormon is the ultimate manifestation of what can become of someone who takes Mormonism to its logical extreme, so Shawn brought Nick off the street and into his television studio for an interview.

To his credit, Shawn was clearly aware that Nick might be a somewhat troubled individual, so there was no smirking or sly winking as he interrogated his guest. McCraney was respectful throughout the interview, but he did ask leading questions, to which it appeared Nick did not give the hoped for answers implicating Mormonism as the cause of his delusions.

Nick relates his story in an urgent, sensible, and straightforward manner. He says he has studied the biographies of great men, and wanted to be as great as Jesus, if not greater. He felt the need to leave his mark on the world, and has apparently found his calling. For whatever reason, Nick is not currently able to attend temple services, so he says God has told him to get as close as he can and simply stand there in his temple robes.

Nick vacillates at times between having some idea of why he's doing this and at other times having no idea at all. People passing him usually avoid him completely, but sometimes when they do stop to ask why he's there he tells them he hopes they might be able to tell him, because he doesn't really know. At other times he declares his purpose is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.

Nick has a steadfast testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the only true church, of the Book of Mormon as the word of God, as Joseph Smith as a true prophet. He believes LDS doctrine, as he testifies,"100 percent".

Concerning the temple robe, he says, "I believe it should be worn outside the temple. I believe it helps hold us to a higher standard, and I believe it helps us be more recognized as members of the church. It helps me live a more reverent and a more clean life." He doesn't know of any doctrine prohibiting the wearing of the temple clothing outside the temple; at least he doesn't remember hearing of any.

"I'm sure what my calling will be is to raise the bar", Nick says, "I'm going to raise the bar and there's going to be more required. You're really going to have to consecrate your life in a literal sense."

Nick's rambling justifications do sound at times like those typical of the bi-polar personality. "Just as Galileo and those people were ahead of their time", he says, "I feel like I may be ahead of my time and people will start catching up".

So what is the reaction of Mormondom to this childlike son of our Heavenly Father? Well, as you might imagine, they just want him gone. Most people can handle just about anything except embarrassment, and Nick is nothing if not an embarrassment -to them, to their religion, to their comfort. They want him off the street, but they can't have him arrested because he's not a threat to anyone. Neither can he be forcibly admitted to an institution or be coerced into taking medication. There's no law against dressing in white.

There's nobody in the world who would like to see Nick off the street and out of the public eye more than his own family. One family member hoped Nick's bishop might be able to assist in the situation, but when contacted was only warned to "tell him if he tries to come around here, we'll have him removed."

A call to the church office building garnered no sympathy, either. When a family member called there to ask if there was anything they could do together to resolve the situation, the response was a curt statement that the church was going to sue Nick.

So much for Godly understanding.

Perhaps Nick would never have ended up on the corner wearing temple clothes if the visitor's center authorities hadn't overstepped their bounds sometime earlier. Before God ever told Nick to put on face paint and temple robes, Nick showed up at the temple square Visitor's Center decked out in an all white suit and tie, a look which would not have been unusual for former church president David O. McKay, but for some reason caught the notice of the temple square cops. Standing at one point looking at a painting of Jesus, Nick noticed a white cloth covering Jesus' head. He pulled out his own pocket handkerchief and put it over his own head in emulation, then continued to stroll the grounds.

For some reason a guy wandering around the Visitor's Center in a white suit with a white handkerchief on his head freaked out church security and they asked him to leave. Nick insisted that he wasn't doing anything other than just being there trying to feel the spirit, but they continued to press him to leave. Nick wondered aloud if they would oust Jesus or a Muslim or a woman for wearing a head covering. Eventually the police were called, he was charged with trespassing, arrested, and taken to jail.

After this incident, Nick decided to respect the church's wishes and now stays well outside their jurisdiction, on the sidewalk some feet from church property at North Temple and Main. It was the day after his forcible ouster that the inspiration came to him that when he returned he should wear the complete temple outfit and cover his face with white makeup.

Maybe Church Security should have left well enough alone.

Look, I'm uncomfortable with the temple clothing being exposed to common view, but let's get over it, shall we? Pictures and videos of these clothes are all over the internet; anyone can see them any time, and millions have. The Big Love videos are all over YouTube, and there were reenactments of the ceremonies available in books and on video tape for years before that. Most people not only don't care, but can't understand what all the fuss is about.

All the frantic attempts we Mormons make to bottle this stuff up only makes us look ridiculous. There's nothing left to hide, and continuing to try to hide it makes us look foolish. You can find photo-shopped pictures of everyone from Mitt Romney to Osama Bin Ladin in Mormon temple garments, and it's offensive to those of us who hold these things sacred, but let's not become Islamic extremists about it. It is what it is, so let's let it go, grow up, and move on.

I suspect that what really bothers most of us is we don't like being ridiculed, but I'm also guessing it's a little late for that. Yes, I know the cap seems a bit odd for a religious habiliment in this day and age, but you can see any number of sillier looking headpieces on people standing around outside the Vatican.

A hundred and sixty-five years ago members of the church didn't attach so much importance to the robes themselves, but to the covenants made while wearing them. They didn't worry about others accidentally seeing them, either. They didn't hide them in closets, they hung them on clotheslines.

Besides, I don't think God gets anywhere near as bent out of shape as we do at the thought of these things being exposed to public view. So there's a guy standing outside the temple dressed in white. So what? Just yards away inside there are dozens of people dressed just like him -minus the gloves and face paint, of course. He thinks he's doing it for a holy and noble purpose, so why not just leave him alone?

Better yet, why don't you bring him a sandwich? Nick rarely takes any food with him on his day-long vigils, and he often forgets to eat before he leaves home, so he's losing a dangerous amount of weight as the days go by. If you want to know what Jesus would do about a guy like Nick, Jesus would feed him.

It's hard to fault Nick over his childlike love for everyone, for his readiness to forgive those who pelt him with water balloons and shout cruel threats. He is nothing if not sincere in his desire to do God's will, no matter how misguided the rest of us may think him.

In the waning days of ancient Israel, there were guys like Nick at the entrance to the temple that God put there specifically to be a testimony against those sanctimonious pharisees who took pride in the knowledge that they were serving the Lord, all the while turning up their noses at those lesser beings outside. Today there are also some in Salt Lake who enter the House of the Lord at the North Temple entrance and when they see Nick many of them are disgusted. They ignore him. They snub him. They resent him. They wish he'd just go away. Rarely does anybody hug him and tell him that they love him.

Shawn McCraney says he has long believed that there are few places in the LDS church for those members who are decidedly different, and I have to agree with him. We're embarrassed to have the eccentric among us. We are uncomfortable, for instance, with a member who may be a faithful believer, but who smells of tobacco. We would rather such people stay away from our meetings entirely than to have them slipping outside between meetings for a desperate smoke. It wouldn't befit the image; somebody might drive by and see them. A habitual smoker or even a coffee drinker has no more place among the saints than some fool dressed in his temple clothes trying in his own deluded way to be the best Mormon he can be.

Nick has posited one additional theory about why the Lord has placed him at the entrance to His holy temple in Salt Lake City. He says "I think I'm being commanded to stand at that spot, wearing what I'm wearing, being how I am, so that members can learn acceptance."

"Acceptance for all people," he continues, "We're all brothers and sisters; we're all children of the Heavenly Father and we're all equal. And I think this is what Heavenly Father is really trying to get across."

Doesn't sound that crazy to me.

                                                              ******

UPDATE May 10, 2012:

I recently received the following letter from Nick's father, and he has given me permission to share it here:
I'm Nick's father, Cliff.  I Googled my son's name today, and your blog came up.  I had read thru it back in 09 when he was involved in standing at the entrance to the SL temple and appreciated your take on his situation at that time, and I reread it today.
I see that some "followers" so to speak, must have provided some information recently on your blog that was inappropriate, and you've taken the comments down, and prevented any additional posting.  It's unfortunate that the freedom of expression integral to the internet can tend to encourage those who are irresponsible, and even worse.
FYI, Nick is still having difficulties, and still is not regularly taking medication as he should.  I nearly had a program in place with the cooperation of the SL Prosecutor back in 09 that would have required Nick to do counseling and meds consistently for at least a year.  That might have gotten him on the right track long enough to want to stay there.  It's a long story that I've been dealing with since his teenage years. 
I made a commitment long ago to do what I can to protect him, but the process of protecting him isn't always apparent.  For instance; when he was standing at the temple, he lived with me in my downtown condo.  Rather than have him walk back and forth, I gave him a ride, and checked on him as much as possible during the day.  My reason was to keep him safe from harm given the attitudes of some folks with his clothing and appearance.  While walking on a street on the Avenues he could have been accosted and beat up or worse.  I was accused of  "enabling" him by some...including some church authorities.  Folks just don't understand that there's no way to "make" Nick do or not do what he's going to do.  If he doesn't violate the legal system, and he's not a danger to himself or others, he has the right to be as "goofy" as he wants.
On the other hand...earlier this year I granted him permission to stay in my place in Huntington Beach, CA.  We made certain agreements as to how he would care for the place, and what he would do.   Two weeks ago I made a quick trip to CA to put him out due to his breaking of our agreements.  I wanted him to come back to Utah, but he refused, called me every name in the book, and said if he couldn't stay there he'd live homeless in LA.  He knew that my greatest fear was that he might someday end up that way.  But in this case I felt that I couldn't and shouldn't relent...and so far it seems to have been the correct course of action.
Now, 2 weeks later...after some gyrations and "Homeless in Hollywood" experience...we have our normal loving relationship, and he's living with a friend in Long Beach.  But who knows what tomorrow will bring.  And I mean that very literally.  With Nick, things can change dramatically in the course of a day.
The "real" Nick is one of the best guys a person would ever want to associate with, and I just hope that he can find a way to be that guy consistently.  My youngest daughter is also bipolar.  My daughter lives with me, takes her meds, does counseling, and is working hard to make a "regular" life for herself.  I make it a habit to communicate with Nick at least once, and usually multiple times daily.  I still work full time, so it does feel burdensome at times...but on the other hand...the loving relationship I have with all of my kids is worth every bit of the time, effort and energy.  I have other kids who are just great "regular" folks...although a couple of them currently have some pretty serious issues that they've gotten themselves into and are dealing with.  I find it amazing how different from one another they are, and how smart and talented they all are.  They're all a joy...in their own individual ways.
Nick is truly a very talented person, and has earned in excess of 200K a year at times in sales.  He has a need to succeed dramatically, and it often drives him to excess. For instance:  When he was 15 he got into mountain bike racing, and became the best racer in the western states in the 16 to 18 year old category.  They wouldn't let him race in his own age category, because there was just no competition.  Then in the first race of the season after he turned 16, he got in a wreck, broke his collarbone, and it turned out that he couldn't race for the rest of the season.  He was way ahead when he wrecked with 8 miles of rough terrain left, and he finished the race in second place.  Unfortunately, he developed other less wholesome interests while out with injury...and never raced again.  This was my first real inkling of his bipolar, although I had no clue.  I just knew that such a dramatic shift seemed abnormal.  It's sad that he didn't continue on with it, but this was actually just a mild forerunner to what his life has been thus far.
My hope for Nick is that he can find a way to be consistent in his choices in life...rather then bouncing back and forth.  Even though I'm a "natural" food fan and not typically a proponent of meds, I think that for him, regular and consistent meds along with counseling may be the only solution.  I fear that he will never go there. 
My health is actually not all that great.  My kidneys were damaged in Viet Nam and I was told they would be gone by 1975 or earlier.  I managed to nurse them along thru diet and "good living", so to speak until 2 years ago, when they failed and I'm now on dialysis.  Nick was the first person to anxiously tell me he wanted to donate a kidney if we matched.  He hits me up about it all the time, and I'm getting on the "list" hopefully this month...but I'm not too anxious to take one from one of my kids.  The good thing is that beyond by kidneys, my health is quite good.  I'm committed to hopefully staying healthy enough long enough to see my kids find their way to a good  life. 
Anyway, I thought you might be interested in a little more info and a bit of an update on Nick.  I also wanted to say that I've read some of your blogs, and found them very interesting and well done.  Thanks for providing.

82 comments:

  1. Great way to look at it. I just saw Nick for the first time today when I attended the temple. I was thinking the same thing about how if people wanted to find out about what goes on in the temple, all they have to do is look it up on the internet. If you look at it that way it's not as shocking.

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  2. Well, this person accosted me and my toddler son while I was 9 months pregnant, following me down the sidewalk telling me not to raise my children in this church. I was worried for my safety until a gentleman kindly asked this person to stop following me.

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  3. I am Nick's older brother and he has had issues since I can remember. I agree with most of what you said. The Church Officials and his Bishop have been great to work with though. I am not sure where you are getting that from

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  4. I was given that information from a family member who wishes that his/her name not be made public. I certainly regret if the information was inaccurate.

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  5. I'm wondering if all the publicity Nick has been getting lately has resulted in local church authorities re-adjusting their attitude toward Nick? Anonymous, have you or other family members noticed a change?

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  6. The LDS reaction to Nick is reflective of the greater societal bias towards the mentally ill. I managed a bank in downtown Kansas City that was located next to a mental health facility. The patients were released daily after breakfast to roam the streets until dinner and nightly lock-in. It was the worst of winter, wind chills well below zero, and these highly medicated folks would be roaming the streets looking for a warm library, store front, diner, to hang out in until they were chased away. They looked bad and smelled far worse. Most were non-confrontational, but would be seen talking to themselves. We often let these neighbors come in the bank lobby to stand by the heater vents to warm up. They were welcome to any coffee or treats set up. A few came in daily, warmed their hands and left quietly, almost always thanking someone for the chance to get warm.
    The problem we all have is a lack of training and understanding of working with the mentally ill. I wish the new Surgeon General or LDS Church Leaders would initiate a public awareness program so people like Nick could be assimilated into society rather than shut out in the cold. I'm not condoning taking strangers into our homes, but would like to see more of us follow your suggestion of giving folks a bite of food or a warm smile, letting them know that they are seen, are heard, are part of something greater than the dilusions created by their very sick minds.
    When we all stand before God and are judged for our actions and inactions, I wonder who will recieve the harsher judgement...those who conciously choose to ignore a need or those who aren't capable of making a concious choice at all?

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  7. I'm glad to finally learn what was going on. The story DID, however, unintentionally raise an interesting point. With all due respect, many LDS faithful suffer from a touch of megalomania: they think the world is really interested in them. Truth be told, most non-Mormons, I'd wager like me, had no idea you all wear special robes in the Temple, nor do we care. If LDS folks hadn't made a big deal about what the guy wore, the rest of the world would have thought he went to his local martial arts dojo and picked up a karate gi! Trust me, most non-Mormons don't see him and shout: Oh my stars! He's wearing Temple robes!

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  8. Thank you Alan, for your comments. I agree completely with everything you wrote. My prayers are with Nick and his family. May we all strive to live our lives in a more Christ-like way, and not get so bent out of shape over situations like this.

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  9. Thank you for your compassionate views about "Nick the White Mormon" I and my husband a Physician, will go up to SLC and bring him some delicious homemade lunch and something to drink!:) (water) I am an LDS convert from Jewish background from NY.. we Jews can't say a THING about doing strange things in our pastLOL Isaiah, John the Baptist to just name a few:) I do testify with that said, that there will be people falling away from the Gospel, however the Church as an institution and Church of Christ, will NOT fall away, Christ will come at the second coming and we were promised it would (priesthood etc) not be taken from the earth until then...Well, I really like your site! Love, Kittywaymo and Dr. Kittywaymo

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  10. Well, KittyWayMo, Nick is no longer on duty at temple square. He was arrested last week on some charge from his past, completely unrelated to his present hobby of standing on the corner wearing white.

    Presumably somebody in authority felt it was necessary to dig up some reason to get him off the street, and it was found. The good news is that he may now get the therapy he seems to require if he is properly moved from the legal system into the mental health system.

    Reportedly Nick has been becoming more and more extreme in his obsessive need to get whiter and whiter, adding a second robe on his other shoulder, a white wig, and even a white beard.

    He had completely covered the carpeting in his apartment with white sheets and towels, and had twisted white toilet paper around all his banisters and fixtures in order to make his environment as pure as possible. So It looks like an intervention could be a good thing.

    If this arrest had happened here in California, he'd be right back on the street, but he's enough of an embarrassment to the authorities in Salt Lake that I think they'll keep him in check and he may finally get some help. As long as he is processed properly, of course, and not left to languish in jail.

    So save that sandwich, KittyWayMo. I'm sure the Saviour would be pleased, however, if you visited the sick and the afflicted in prison.

    If I may take slight issue with your statement that the church as an institution will not fall away: God has given us no such guarantee.

    Although "this work shall roll forth" and never again be taken from the earth, there is no assurance that it will always be in our hands, or that it will always be headquartered at 50 East Temple Street in Salt Lake City.

    In III Nephi 16 Jesus himself warns the saints in our day that he may very well take it away from this people and give it
    to some other. So although the priesthood will still reside on the earth, the gifts of the spirit may not necessarily continue to manifest with the corporate church as we know it.

    If we watch conference, we'll notice that the gifts of prophecy and revelation are not very apparent in the institutional church today, which I see as cause for some concern.

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  11. "If we watch conference, we'll notice that the gifts of prophecy and revelation are not very apparent in the institutional church today, which I see as cause for some concern."

    Seems like the the most recent General Conference had a lot of talk about revelation, with an emphasis on personal revelation. We all await new institutional revelations such as new sections to be added to the Doctrine and Covenants but the fact that that doesn't occur every year or even every ten years doesn't mean that revelation has been removed from the Church.

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  12. Just watched the video. This is so sad. I'm a post-mormon, but this guy is obviously misguided. I love him as I do all human beings but I feel terrible that he's wasted so much energy and become so involved with this cult that he can't see anything else. So blind, so misguided, such a hollow existence. It just makes me sad.

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  13. "that he's wasted so much energy and become so involved with this cult"

    Funny, since nobody in this so-called "cult" ever told him to act the way he did.

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  14. I saw Nicks video and was shocked,made an asumtion and learned a great lesson.The lesson is one of love and passion.God works in ways we all might think is not of the norm but he put a so called mentally disturbed man in temple clothes to open the eyes of mormons to wake up.He brought up a good point Acceptance..No matter if youre mormon, jewish, parolee,begger,or whatever.Treat people the way you want to be treated.Love one another and Forgivness.

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  15. Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.

    1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
    2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
    3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
    4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
    5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are ALWAYS wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
    6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
    7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
    8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
    9. The group/leader is always right.
    10.The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

    By Rick Ross, Expert Consultant and Intervention Specialist

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  16. Thanks for your comment Rick Ross. You may have missed the many conference talks, lessons, sermons and more in the LDS Church about how every single person can receive revelation for themselves and also for a confirming witness of what the leaders say.

    I do realize you are trying to throw everything against the wall just to see what sticks in an attempt to defame the LDS Church but none of your other points apply either, except in maybe a very few limited cases where individual members/leaders have got things wrong.

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  17. While Rick Ross was the one who wrote that last, he wasn't necessarily the one who posted that comment; it was only quoted.

    However as sad as it is, I do see a few of those being applied by church membership today.

    Also however, I see more items holding true for the United States Church of Mars and Al Gore's Church of Global Warming more than the church. But we still have to realize, a lot of people think the church is a mindless cult because that's the impression they get from the members. I've been in several meetings where the speaker told the congregation to not only never criticize church leaders, but to never even disagree with them.

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  18. does he still stand outside of that temple

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  19. No, Nick has apparently gotten over that phase and is lying low now.

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  20. Does anyone know how Nick is doing today?

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  21. Although I am not Mormon, I heard about Nick the White Mormon through a blog site. Curious I followed up on Google comments where I also was told that he was on a sex site called Cam4.com.

    Fascinated I followed him for a few day on cam4 watching his audience grow to almost 400. Mostly people taunting this person for deciding to set up his "performance" in a sex chat sight. Ranting and raving about acceptance,global love and proclaiming he was god of planet Nick...he finally declared that he was greater than Jesus and delighted follows hoping to see some nudity called him God of Planet Nick....they were his Nickazoids.

    His cam was on 24/7 with people watching him cook, workout and at the end have a bath in his underwear. What was amazing as I watched periodically from work, was the same core of people dedicated to his cause with a childlike mentality. The thought of cleaning up a sex site with thousands of viewers was their goal. And various Nickazoids were granted access to moderate the room and boot anyone they did not see fit off. Strangely Nick removed the ban on all who did not conform... strangely to have the same abuse follow the next day. He seemed to feed on the attention either good or bad.

    As the week dragged on and the more viewers he got the more unhinged he became to the taunts and comments clearly from people who knew he was mentally unstable. It was also clear that other camers on Cam4 were annoyed that someone was stealing views to watch a man workout in his underwear...and as many conversations about Nick and Planet Nick would spill over into various chat rooms.

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  22. (Continued)
    With pressure mounting about his personal life,at one point he decides in a manic state to inform everyone of his past criminal arrest..five in total, spousal abuse and death threats, showing pictures of his family, siblings and children. This set off a firestorm of comments from audience members. Clearly people hearing that now had an axe to grind with the self proclaimed profit of Planet Nick.

    He was conducting interviews with people and had his parents on his can show who just seemed to add fuel to the fire trying to defend the hundreds of insults and x-rated comments by viewers asking for a strip show to group orgies.

    A few times he flew into a manic rage ripping posters off the wall and would continue to work out in his underwear until all hours of the morning until neighbor's started knocking on his door due to loud music and the noise of heavy weights.

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  23. (Continued)

    Its clear that Nick had a following of mostly gay men on his site sympathetic to his cause and would defend him for hours against the relentless attacks of views clearly coming to Cam4 for other purposes.

    After two attempts to try and rescue the site from being shut down by the administrators due to complaints from views...Plant Nick found its calling on blogtv.com where the core group of Nickazoids daily defend the attacks of those that have followed this self proclaimed prophet.

    It's not clear what exactly is happening at the moment. The quality and technical parameters of blogtv.com are clearly not as tuned as Cam4.com and the planet broadcast often freezes. It seems Nick is somewhat deflated dude to the drop of almost 350 viewers and while diluted, I think realizes that going back to Cam4 is fruitless.
    Hourly you can find him arguing his cause against those that have found him after leaving Cam4, wanting to know why he is on there and how he supports himself...all to which he avoids the questions and reflects to his audience members that they need a group hug and guidance.

    Although one cant help getting caught up in the drama of all this....which makes a Jerry Spring show look tame, I could not help thinking that under all of this is a very cleaver man hoping to cash in on the profits of having so many diluted and desperate lonely followers. Like so many televangelists with crockadile tears, faces pressed against the glass of your tv screen....is planet Nick any different than them? When a paypal account is set up...well I guess I will have my answer.

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  24. I was lured into "Planet Nick". Seemed like a nice guy, not hurting anyone, and preaching love. But then I tuned into "Planet Nick" and it wasn't Nick working out in his underwear or singing and dancing or talking love but in a fetal position crying uncontrollably. He was incoherent and it was scary to see a grown man fall to pieces. After about a half-hour, he was back up, bouncing around and talking about the positive effects of crying.

    As things progressed, things got weirder. His goal to be THE perfect human being, putting his training before his family, became disturbing.

    Then came the supporting cast of characters. His dad would call every few hours and later appeared online. His brother and a friend tried to dissuade from broadcasting on a porn site. But this just seemed to agitate Nick further and plunge him deeper into his reality tv like existence -- high def camera, microphone, large screen monitor, etc. Not to mention more and more workout equipment. It was unsettling to listen to Nick argue Cam4, to justify his nieces and nephews watching him -- how he bathed in his shorts but oblivious to the pornographic ads of the site. It was also disheartening to find out "Planet Nick" and his "Nickazoids" come before his own children.

    Nick seems harmless, but can be volatile when provoked. I followed him to blogtv but when this article was posted there and I read it, then looked up more about the guy ... I feel kinda duped. Of course, he has every right to express himself, but Nick seems to have some problems and each time I watched him, I felt as I was waiting for the other shoe to drop -- as if something bad was going to happen before my eyes. I pray "Planet Nick" doesn't explode.

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  25. After I wrote the above, I went back to "Planet Nick" because, after all, Nick is very charismatic. And also, I wanted to somehow reassure myself that my last few lines were not somewhat prophetic. The "haters" from Cam4 have invaded Nick's new home and have engaged Nick, who isn't so friendly anymore. He's dishing it back out and in a very cool, even cold manner. He admitted to much of what was posted here originally, and he's developing quite a following. I was shocked when one poster "Ms. Freckles" offered to send Nick money and that Nick has purchased gifts for some of his "Nickazoids".

    It makes me sad and ashamed.

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  26. By chance I came across this website as i was looking for more information on Nick the White Mormon, be it fascination or simply that I though he seemed a nice guy.

    I find it disturbing that his family would even consider entertaining his 24/7 webcast of rants and constant arguing of those that get on to bring up his colorful and bizarre past.

    Shame on them(his family) and especially the immediate family that join his show and call in, for not requesting that blogtv remove his right to broadcast for the simple reason not to harm himself anymore that he has already done.

    Clearly he is a disturbed man who is delusional considering himself greater than Jesus and now professing that he is a god of his own planet - Planet Nick.

    After watching for just under an hour...the context of conversation with him and his loyal followers who call themselves Nickazoids, who's mental age averaged around an 8 year old. There were a few who tried to interject intelligent conversation into the mix but most fell on def ears or were shadowed by the endless parade of hecklers that were there only to enjoy the chaos of the room

    Unfortunately, the core group of chatters only seem to feed his bizarre and unstable ego...only to enable him to think that he will be the best person in the world.

    Mental Illness is a cruel disease. I feel very sorry for him and wished that he had real friends that cared enough to pull him back into reality

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  27. Nick is a recluse who spends almost 24/7 online. He rarely goes out, and his neighbors complain. He's developing quite a cult. Just look at the comments above. He matches the criteria. Questions about Nick's past or his present and future goals are dismissed. Nick's father defends him, but his brother has abandoned him. It's a very sad situation. Mental illness is sad indeed, but worse when it goes ignored.

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  28. I believe...Nick wilcox....is in fact the last mormon prophet and there will be no others,for the latter days are nearly upon us.....GOD HELP US ALL..

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  30. Very mature for a man who wears more face paint than a member of KISS.

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  31. If you going to marry a illegal emmigrant don't discuss it to the hole world on planet nick. Just a little advise.

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  32. The man is evidently a self-centered jackass who needs to be locked away in a mental institution in order to save himself as well as the obviously gullible, weak minded people who populate his blogtv room and who desperately need to find a life for themselves. For all those who can remember and those who are willing to do some research, does the Rev. Jim Jones come to mind??

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  33. He's had several breakdowns on cam. The police showed up after threats of going to hurt himself. And though all this, his dad just watches and says "what should I do?" and that he's recording everything in case of a lawsuit. He needs to get Nick some help before he hurts himself on live internet.

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  34. The entire family is obviously dysfunctional. The latest piece of lunacy is that he is appointing all his so-called 'friends' to be operators because he is the king of planetnick and Carmen is his queen, and the sycophants, glowing to be so honored, were busy last night removing each other..ROTFLMAO. This dismayed the mentally unbalanceed king for a few seconds who, nevertheless, kept on appointing his COURT!!! Madness on this scale should not be permitted on the WWW. Can anyone do anything before this descends into something more serious?

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  35. Who called the cops? and who gave the cops his address? The neighbors? I agree this guy is the electronic age answer to Jim Jones.

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  37. After reading the last few posts I clearly agree that "planet nick" is beyond any reality based television show and is heading for an online implosion.

    I removed my membership to blogtv after an online intervention with police and an obvious disrespect for the law. It's obvious his clear disrespect for marriage by announcing an engagement to his "friend" Carmen solely to obtain an green card and not be sent back to Venezuela.

    Intervention is necessary before he completely distroys himself on cam. Unfortunately his family is little or no help with brother and father regularly getting into nasty foul mouthed conversations with the multitude of viewers that tune in for the Jerry Springer like atmosphere.

    The final straw came when his brother and him had an online argument and Nick's brother told him to go kill himself...at that point I tuned out of Planet Nick. The toxic relationships, online dark family secrets and overall insanity was too much to bare...

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  38. So, he married Carmen? How long before immigarations show up?

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  39. I just checked into his blog site and he was dressed all in white and telling us all to convert to Mormonism, the one true religion. Bla bla bla...What a load of crap! Also noticed the surrounding room looked different. What? Did he get kicked out of the apartment in LA? Looks like he is back in Utah. He sure looked medicated tonight.

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  40. Who were all those kids? He signed over his rights to his own children, so who are these? Bet they'll need therapy with having their lives broadcast over the internet!

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  41. What now? Did blogtv also boot him out?

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  42. What in the world happened to blogtv? I wonder if he got the gig on Big Brother. That was the latest project he talked about, oh, besides being president, yes president. He was trying to convince his audience yesterday that the law was being talked about to change the age to be president to 30 instead of 35 (which it has been for over 200 years). Nick said he wanted Carmen to be First Lady and he would be president of the USA and later become president of the world.

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  43. Clearly Nick Wilcox is a very ill man. I watched his decline over the past few weeks and what is really disturbing are the members of his family that have participated in chat room fights, his brother Donovan obtaining his password and cutting off the chat and blocking Nicks ability to control the webcast, and his new wife who he mentioned may times that they were getting married for her to stay in the county and not get sent back to Venezuela. Clearly there is a very uneducated and childish core group of people that defend him and entertain his grand ideas of creating a new political party based on the LDS faith and his push for becoming the next president and Carmen the first lady. A very very ill man!

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  45. Nick is now on ustream!

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  46. The craziness continues at UStream
    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/planet-nick
    Beware though as his little band of brainwashed obsessed followers are ready to attack any "troll" that enters into their saviors space. This group of devoted followers are as wacky as Nick himself!
    PROCEED WITH CAUTION! LOL

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  47. This is so messed up. I see he's all in white again. Just waiting for the face paint!

    Are those Carmen's kids?

    And yes, his "nickazoids" are as looney as he is. It's a damn cult.

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  48. What gets me now is the children having their lives broadcast and made fun of and who knows what else. Isn't there something to be done about their neglect?

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  49. I visited the site yesterday only to find that they left the two children on cam alone. When I went back to the site and they obviously arrived home again, I questioned Nick about leaving the children unsupervised and that they are underage for being on ustream. I was quickly banned from the room.

    Nick is now wearing his white suit and proclaiming that LDS is the only true religion. I fear for those children in a home full of instability. Child protection services should be called

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  50. I saw him on tv the other night... He was endorsing a body building supplement. It was an ad for Six Star Nutrition Whey Protein supplement during Swamp People. He was there with a before and after picture along with three other men. I recorded the program to show my boyfriend "Hey look! its that nut job from Cam4!" Well, to all those who wondered how he earned a living. There you have it. He received an endorsement deal from that supplement company.

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  51. Does anyone know if he got booted from his LA apartment and is now living in Utah? This looney is shaping up to be worse than Rev.Jim Jones.

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  52. I'm really worried about the children. It's bad enough involving them in his weird, warped world, but to leave them unsupervised on Ustream???

    This will all come to a head soon and I fear what will happen. Yeah, it was fun making fun of Nick, his nickazoids, Carmen, the dysfunctional children, the white mormon deal, but come on, children are involved now!

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  53. Well, Nick is back to all in white -- he's just not painted his face yet. His fans are still there and just as defensive as before, and his family as useless as before. Anyone who's been keeping up with this should realize the man needs help and no one's doing anything.

    http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/14032857

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  54. Now he's at Justin TV. He has a couple videos. One has him dressed all in white scarfing down ice cream (and the worst table manners). He seems to be back at his apartment.

    Can anyone update?

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  55. I'm not sure where he is but this guy is definitely a train wreck! not sure when he will crash and burn but just hope he doesn't take anyone with him.

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  57. Nick is back on Cam4 in the last week with the name Fitnessfool. He is in an apartment back somewhere in Orange County CA. He told the viewers he quit his regular job (he said it involved too much travel) a couple of weeks ago. He is spending his time now laying in bed while he is broadcasting on Cam4, smoking weed on Cam, eating and going to the gym.

    Carmen, his "wife" is still back in Utah and is only brought up by Nick if someone specifically asks about her.

    A group of the original Nickazoids must have gotten word lightening speed that Nick is back on Cam4 because they are there, fawning over him. Yes, he is an extremely handsome guy and charming at times, but I don't understand this unfaltering adoration these people have for Nick. Laying in bed, smoking weed and going to the gym are hardly something to admire.

    A few of the "haters" have also arrived and posted not only disparaging remarks about Nick, but also his Nickazoids.

    Nick hasn't mentioned his Mormon faith once in the short time I was there. I haven't been back, don't care to. It was too disturbing the one episode I witnessed last year.

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  58. I couldn't believe it when I saw Nick back on Cam4. More I couldn't believe the new pothead Nick. I didn't stay either when I saw him today. The past experiences were sad enough. This is pathetic. Can't someone get this man some help?

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  59. The whole Nick saga is pretty sad -- and the people who chat with him don't make things any better. But pothead Nick seems to be on a somewhat more even keel than when he was last on cam and completely hypeomanic. Maybe all the pot is evening out the bipolar swings.

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  60. No, he's as bipolar as ever. And every other word was F this and F that. He was talking pretty dirty about his body this time around. Who knows? He might give in to the demands of Cam4 posters to feel needed and some sort of weird security. I feel sorry for the guy.

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  61. LOL....I came running to post this when I discovered that Nick was back on Cam4...only to realize that others were doing the same thing. Pot, pain killers and a potty mouth are new additions to his reality show. Depressing that after a year he is still no better and to add to it, some of the same crazy followers are still there. Season 2 is just beginning!

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  62. Nick is back on the air at Cam4 again. The self professed God of Planet Nick seems to have taken a downhill turn. Eating, lounging on the couch and doing crack seem to take much of his time. What a waste! And all the nutters that were following him before like DinoBravo are their hanging on every word...most likely sad old men with no friends!

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  63. I agree that DinoBravo is the WORST enabler of Nick. Dino has made no attempt to discuss the apparent change in Nick regarding the constant Weed intake, instead, just keeps repeating the same idiotic weight/fitness chat and not confronting Nick about the changes in the jobsless lifestyle and constant Pot smoking.
    I truly don't understand the mentality of these Enablers like Dino. They call themselves "friends" of Nick, but in the end, they are just as pathetic as Nick seems to be right now.

    I have to say the Dinobravo guy is the worst enabler of them all. It's evident that this guy Dino has other agendas, like getting to know Nick in a much more "intimate" way. LOL

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  64. Dino used to send Nick gifts. Seriously.

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  65. Is Nick really smoking crack or just loads of weed? Crack would not be a good thing for someone like him (or anyone really.)

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  67. Dino is bad. We all know what he's after.

    Medicinal? Yeah, sure. Nick is back in the same shape he was last year. Well, I guess Carmen gets to stay in the country?

    Tune in tomorrow for another episode of "As Planet Nick Turns".

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  68. He is back at it on cam4 under a new name. He is on right now.

    http://www.cam4.com/fitnessfool

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  71. i like his new found friends like the street walker and the asain cable guy bruce ..........nice recasting on cam4's part id say ..roll on season 3

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  76. I don't know how this forum ended up becoming a gossip page for people following Nick on camera, but the party's over. Certainly you guys have noticed this blog is a marketplace for ideas, not a fratboy hangout.

    This website was intended as a place for the exchange of intelligent thoughts and ideas. For that reason I resolved from the beginning that I would not censor or delete comments. But what has been offered on this thread of late is neither "intelligent" nor "ideas." I have therefore deleted those comments above that contained overtly crude and suggestive language, and when I have more time I'll probably delete most everything posted on this thread in the past few months.

    If your sole reason for being here is to make crude fun of someone with mental and emotional challenges, this forum is not for you. Go have your fun somewhere else.

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  77. BOO , your no fun alan

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  78. Big words for someone who first exploited Nick to start with.

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    Replies
    1. Rock's post was a plea for members of the church to show some tolerance and understanding toward someone with some mental challenges who was obviously going through his own personal hell. Dressing in white from head to toe was Nick's way of dealing with some black sins he was holding inside, his way of "putting on sackcloth and ashes."

      Rock's piece did not exploit Nick. If anything, it exposed A lack of compassion in many who came into contact with him. Anyone else with a lick of compassion would stop coming around here to gossip about a man who would be better off not having an audience he feels a need to play to.

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  79. Damn there is some good readin on this site.

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