claques

Noun

claque (plural claques)

1. (collective) A group of people hired to attend a performance and to either applaud or boo.
   • The most popular singers have been obliged to give free tickets and even to donate cash, lest the claque retaliate by frantic applause at the wrong moment.1930 February 23, “Theatre claqueurs in Vienna form union; now get two Wienerwursts for simple applause, six with beer for special ovations”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times...
2. (broadly) A group of fawning admirers.
   • The most obvious gay connection to opera is the cult of the diva. Stauncher even than the fans of Garland of Striesand, the claques of Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland (among others) have been fanatical in their devotion. Going beyond the usual "appreciation stage" the fans glorify and deify their...1981 December 5, Michael Bronski, “Coming (Out) to Opera”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 20, page 6
3. (broadly) A group of people who pre-arrange among themselves to express strong support for an idea, so as to give the false impression of a wider consensus.