On being a fan..
I've been reading some of the "stuff" about the GoTR concert. For some time now, I've been facinated by this idea of being a fan. I've never met James Marsters, but I've got a pic of him as my wallpaper..or do I? I'm going to babble, so I'm trying the cut thing for the first time. Truth is, I have a pic of Spike. One character played by a man I don't know. Someone that I don't think I'd know even if I met him and spoke with him for awhile.
Before anyone gets offended, this is just some stuff that's been rumbling around my head as I try to figure out what an almost 40 year old woman is doing with a fan obsession to rival that of a "Tiger Beat" subscriber. (anyone old enough to know that magazine?)
Here's my thought. James Marsters is in a business where image is everything. Talent is good..but come on if it was only about talent we can all name people that would have never made it on to the screen. I've just always assumed that what he does, is give the people coming to see him, what they want and what will work for him. I don't necessarily mean he's not sincere, but I also don't think it's a good indicator of who James Marsters is. It's an indicator of who he thinks he needs to be.
All the talk about does he drink doesn't he. Yes he does. There are pictures. Does it matter? That's where I'm stuck. Why should I, a person that won't ever know this man, give a moments thought to it?
I'm facinated by the fact that fans think they can know the "object of their affection". We don't see them in their day to day life. We don't talk to them when it isn't business for them. We see only what they want us to. That's as it should be. To judge him, favorably or unfavorably, about who he is as a person, just seems a bit unfair. I don't care how many concerts or cons we go to, we don't know him. All we have are guesses based on glimpses. I'd hate to think that I was summed up by people that only saw me in one facet of my life. If something happens and a star gets arrested or worse, the most we can assume is wow, they've got a problem at the moment. No more no less. We don't know them any better than that.
If you saw me at work, most likely you would initially think I'm very caring. If you saw me only at home, you may think I'm a bit odd. At the store, something else. Truth is I'm all those things and the people that know me...know that. They know I've got my own demons to wrestle, my own inner nagging voice, my own quirks. It's silly for anyone to think they know someone from just one snippet of their life. I usually check out with the same clerk at the grocery store. Does that mean she knows me? Fandom is very strange.
I've had people ask me why I haven't met James yet. Money is the biggest reason, but I guess, I also think I'd be a bit creeped out to stand infront of someone that I feel like I've known for years, and at the same time realize I don't know them at all. I like my world a bit more solid than that. Ok done for now.
Before anyone gets offended, this is just some stuff that's been rumbling around my head as I try to figure out what an almost 40 year old woman is doing with a fan obsession to rival that of a "Tiger Beat" subscriber. (anyone old enough to know that magazine?)
Here's my thought. James Marsters is in a business where image is everything. Talent is good..but come on if it was only about talent we can all name people that would have never made it on to the screen. I've just always assumed that what he does, is give the people coming to see him, what they want and what will work for him. I don't necessarily mean he's not sincere, but I also don't think it's a good indicator of who James Marsters is. It's an indicator of who he thinks he needs to be.
All the talk about does he drink doesn't he. Yes he does. There are pictures. Does it matter? That's where I'm stuck. Why should I, a person that won't ever know this man, give a moments thought to it?
I'm facinated by the fact that fans think they can know the "object of their affection". We don't see them in their day to day life. We don't talk to them when it isn't business for them. We see only what they want us to. That's as it should be. To judge him, favorably or unfavorably, about who he is as a person, just seems a bit unfair. I don't care how many concerts or cons we go to, we don't know him. All we have are guesses based on glimpses. I'd hate to think that I was summed up by people that only saw me in one facet of my life. If something happens and a star gets arrested or worse, the most we can assume is wow, they've got a problem at the moment. No more no less. We don't know them any better than that.
If you saw me at work, most likely you would initially think I'm very caring. If you saw me only at home, you may think I'm a bit odd. At the store, something else. Truth is I'm all those things and the people that know me...know that. They know I've got my own demons to wrestle, my own inner nagging voice, my own quirks. It's silly for anyone to think they know someone from just one snippet of their life. I usually check out with the same clerk at the grocery store. Does that mean she knows me? Fandom is very strange.
I've had people ask me why I haven't met James yet. Money is the biggest reason, but I guess, I also think I'd be a bit creeped out to stand infront of someone that I feel like I've known for years, and at the same time realize I don't know them at all. I like my world a bit more solid than that. Ok done for now.