The NickKnack CaddyWhacks are an affiliation who are fans of Nick's '62 Caddillac and/or other inanimate objects from Forever Knight. There are several aspects to CaddyWhack-dom.
NickKnacks may like Nick's "evil pink shirt" from the episode Games Vampires Play, his multi-purpose remote control, his motorcycle, his mostly empty fridge, his dragon statue (over the mantel), his cactus (undead? you decide) -- or how about Schanke's duck lamp or LaCroix's sword pin?
What's not to like? And don't say color!! *grin*
The Caddy is an important part of the show, as are all of Nick's possesions. Imagine how the show would change if he didn't have these things? They add depth to an already deep show, and help characterize Nick.
Why have a Caddy when you can fly?
This question was posed on FORKNI-L. Actually, at first it was proposed after the episode Queen of Harps in which Nick rides a horse, and the question was "Why have a horse when you can fly?". It applys to both.
There were some interesting ideas on why Nick has the Caddy. Number one, of course, is because its cool. However, it obviously has to be deeper than that.
Imagine showing up in some isolated town in medeival times, with no obvious means of transportation. It would be fairly suspiscious. Therefore, a horse was nescessary for sake of appearance, due to the fact vampires had to follow the Code and pretend to be human. This is also true of the Caddy. If Nick showed up at work each day and didn't have a car, people would start to wonder.
This is especially true since Nick claims to have a "sun allergy" and definetly can't go out in the sun. To get to work on time, he'd have to leave pretty early if he walked... perhaps before sunset. This might occur to his human coworkers who would then get a little suspicious.
Nick strives to be mortal, and tries to be in every way he can. Cars are very important to humans in this day and age, and so are a symbol of humanity in Nick's eyes.
Maybe Nick wants to be macho, just a little. This may also be why he has the motorcycle. Cars and other means of transportation are status symbols, and maybe Nick hasn't gotten over that, even after 800 years. Someone proposed that he has the motorcycle because of the idea of "danger" it holds... however, since he's a vampire, it holds no real danger for him. Maybe its another ego thing, and he has it because he wants to look dangerous.
There's always the "wind in the hair" thing too. In "Black Buddah" (part one?), Tracy asks Nick why he has a convertible if he can't go out in the sun. The rush of wind in a convertible is probably as close to flying as a lot of humans get. Maybe it's Nick's way of flying when mortals are around.
And maybe it's just for fun.
What's this *One True Love* thing?
Part of the CaddyWhack affiliation is, not only are we fans of the Caddy, but that the Caddy is Nick's One True Love. This came up after many debates on FORKNI-L of whether Nick loved Nat or Janette (or even LaCroix) more. Mortal or Immortal beloveds. Nick's True Love is one of Inanimate Love. It doesn't matter if you believe this to be a CaddyWhack, but even if you don't, it is a running joke in the CaddyWhacks, and therefore you should understand it.
The posts below were used with permission of Allie and were written by her and her friends.
"Vampire in trunk" is abbreviated "VIT". This is refering to the fact that Nick has often escaped the dangerous rays of daylight by hiding out in the spacious trunk of the Cad. Somewhere out there, you can get a bumper sticker that says this, however, I've lost the information. If anyone can help, I'd be grateful. "Vampire in Trunk" is sort of a motto of the CaddyWhacks.
It is pretty indescribable. Like Nick, many CaddyWhacks cherish the Caddy's color, despite how... different... it is.
According to one Caddy collector, the color of the Caddy is called "aqua-irridescent". However, I've done some digging, and found a Cadillac enthusiast who had color charts. The following was his reply to me (and I did, by the way, mention that because of the premise of the show, most of the pictures were at night):
"The Web pictures I saw of that '61 Cad are not very bright. As best I can make out, however, the color is #29. It is called "San Remo Turquoise Poly" [a metallic color]. Indeed it looks just like the Mediterranean sea at San Remo !
On the Ditzler paint chip chart the code # is DDL-12435. On the Dupont chart which I also have, the code is 4226-L or 882-95096-L.
Hope this helps.
MrCadillac."
Nick's Caddy is called a '62 in the show. However, a "car actor", a '61 Caddy, played his car in Forever Knight.
According to Liz Newman, one of the CaddyWhacks, the Cad's model is the Series 62. Thanks so much Liz!!
What is the Caddy's license plate?
The plate of Nick's Caddy is 35H MV6.
What's "the original Nick's caddy"?
This is from the original "Forever Knight" movie, Nick Knight. In this movie, Nick's Cad was black (OOooOoOOooO....). According to Liz (thanks again) it was a '59, also Series 62. The original Nick's Caddy had 13" fins!!!
What are some particularly Whacky episodes?
There are so many episodes that are full of CaddyWhackiness. (In no particular order.)
One of the most touted is "Close Call" (CC). In this episode alone there is a VIT scene, both night and daylight scenes of the Cad, and a Schanke/Caddy scene involving a soft cloth that just can't be beat. It is one of the main "True Love" CW episodes of all time.
"Dark Knight" (DK) is almost too painful to mention. Someone... *gasp*... cuts the Caddy's brakelines... Schanke's driving along blaring polka music from the Cad's audio system (blasphemy!), Nick VIT, and a big, heart-rending crash!!!!!!!!!! This definitely has the CaddyWhacks groaning, moaning, and covering their faces with their hands. You get to see the Cad post-crash, rather bunged up, as well. Horrible but very CaddyWhacky. Schanke fawns over the Cad in this episode (I'm beginning to think there's some sort of illicit affair going on between them!).
"Black Buddah" (BBI and BBII) (both chapters) for not only some excellent Caddy-in-motion scenes, Tracy-Caddy scenes ("the convertible comment"), but also for... the Black Buddah.
"Games Vampires Play" is branded Whacky merely for Nick's Evil Pink Shirt.
For those CaddyWhack's who's material obsession crosses over from Nick to other characters, "Curiouser and Curiouser" (C&C) can't be beat. No only do we have such NickKnacks as the manatee magnet on the fridge, dragon-turned-rabbit statue on the mantel, a spiffin' kewl "vorpal blade" (could go on and on)... but LaCroix's attire, from buttons to suit, is absolutely to die for. How about that dainty teacup? Plus a nice, if broken, mirror. (Quite Malky.)
Lets not forget "Trophy Girl" for scenes of LaCroix's laptop!
"Queen of Harps" is NickKnackish for the horse scenes and the beautiful harp. It seems in this episode, all the characters are just as obsessive as the CaddyWhacks over the harp.
"For I have Sinned" contains Joan of Arc's cross. Nick tries to find peace with some anti-vampire NickKnacks. *grins*
And, of course, "Partners of the Month", for Schanke's wonderful, underrated duck lamp. Quack!
Both Nick Knight of Forever Knight and Angel of the Buffy: the Vampire Slayer spinoff, Angel, drive large, gas-guzzling, classic convertibles. However, Angel's car is a black 1968 Plymouth Belvedere GTX. Note its extremely tinted windows and lack of a rear-view mirror.
How does one become a CaddyWhack?
Just say you are one! You don't have to ask. *smiles* Anyone who'd like to be a CaddyWhack (or NickKnack) can be one. Many members of the affiliation put "CaddyWhack" in their signatures. The acronym some people use in their .sig files is "CW" (or "NKCW" for members who would like their NickKnackishness known).
You can also join our list (below).
Is there a CaddyWhack faction/affiliation mailing list?
Yep! To join, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caddy or fill out the form below.