The Fan versus the Fangirl

[bucket_]

Originally Posted by jdeboer01

In your own opinion (and experience), what drives performing artists? I mean, one can play an instrument, or be an actor on a small local scale, and find satisfaction from that. But others want more from it. Matt famously said he got into music because he "wanted to get laid" but I'm guessing there's more to the story than that.

Every profession has it's downsides. But do most people who seek large scale success at the performing arts also seek fame and fortune? Is that that part of it? Wanting to be "loved" or admired? And do you think that most performing artists take for granted going into it that they will likely lose anonymity and quite possibly their privacy?

Can vary. For most it's a love of what they do, for some it's because they want fame. I kind of despise people who just want fame, and don't have a clue why they'd ever want it. Fame, from what I've seen, not myself, can be cool, but mostly it just destroys any privacy you ever had and gives you lots of weirdos to run away from.

But yeah, although they're both my biggest passions, I want to be successful at music and acting, not for the fame, but to an extent that I want to be recognised for it. I guess in a way that's seeking fame, although I don't see it like that. It's hard to explain really I guess if you have a talent, or think you do, you want to be admired and recognised for it, right?

For me though, acting and music are two very different things. Music, I just want to gig, that's it. Getting recognised for my work would be awesome and I hope I can do it, but gigging and just making music is the main thing. Mooz probably thought this way too. Acting on the other hand... I'd prefer the bigger gigs, shall we say I sometimes think that wanting to be successful will stop me from becoming it; seems to me most successful people didn't neccessarily strive to achieve that, they just got there.

But I reckon for the band, the deep roots of doing what they did is because they loved it. I reckon they never would've thought about all the crazy shit now, they just focused on their music and making it.

Originally Posted by Kueller917

You got the chance to see things from the other perspective though that the crazies might not see. I'm sure if they knew how uncomfortable someone got with it they'd stop. It's sort of a price to fame that you get lots of attention, but not all of it is good. Again, I'm sure the band on their public social sites are aware of this but I'm also sure it bothers them a bit too, resulting in Matt ignoring people and wearing bags on his head and shit.

Mmm, lots are just excitable people that never actually have bad intentions, they just don't know when to stop I don't think it excuses it though, or some of the things that happen.

[JamesPHD]

Originally Posted by Kueller917

You got the chance to see things from the other perspective though that the crazies might not see. I'm sure if they knew how uncomfortable someone got with it they'd stop. It's sort of a price to fame that you get lots of attention, but not all of it is good. Again, I'm sure the band on their public social sites are aware of this but I'm also sure it bothers them a bit too, resulting in Matt ignoring people and wearing bags on his head and shit.

Lol Kueller actually giving these people the benefit of the doubt.

#Cute.

[jdeboer01]

Originally Posted by bucket_

Can vary. For most it's a love of what they do, for some it's because they want fame. I kind of despise people who just want fame, and don't have a clue why they'd ever want it. Fame, from what I've seen, not myself, can be cool, but mostly it just destroys any privacy you ever had and gives you lots of weirdos to run away from.

I can certainly see how there can be conflicting emotions with performing artists. My dad was a hobbyist actor, and was very active in the local college theater groups. He was very, very good, and did go to some auditions in NYC for a time. But my dad is basically very, very shy and introverted. Fame would have killed him if he ever achieved it. I think he found acting to be an emotional release from his own introversion. He could "be someone else" on stage.

Originally Posted by bucket_

But yeah, although they're both my biggest passions, I want to be successful at music and acting, not for the fame, but to an extent that I want to be recognised for it. I guess in a way that's seeking fame, although I don't see it like that. It's hard to explain really I guess if you have a talent, or think you do, you want to be admired and recognised for it, right?

It's funny. I've played guitar since I was a kid, and it means SO MUCH to me as an emotional outlet. But despite that I've hung out with a fair amount of musicians in my younger days, and being told I'm quite capable, I never had the onions to get a band together and perform myself. I would feel as if I were exposing my most vulnerable emotions to a critical viewership. And to have someone think I suck would have killed me. I HATE being the center of attention. It gives me an anxiety attack!

Originally Posted by bucket_

For me though, acting and music are two very different things. Music, I just want to gig, that's it. Getting recognised for my work would be awesome and I hope I can do it, but gigging and just making music is the main thing. Mooz probably thought this way too. Acting on the other hand... I'd prefer the bigger gigs, shall we say I sometimes think that wanting to be successful will stop me from becoming it; seems to me most successful people didn't neccessarily strive to achieve that, they just got there.

Oh, I think you're giving the successful too much credit! Mooz had a publicist even back in the early days, and Matt's dad was intimately knowledgeable about "the industry", shall we say. My dad got a glimpse of the seedier side of acting auditions in NYC, and I surely get the impression that the vast majority of those who are famous didn't have it fall into their laps!

Originally Posted by bucket_

But I reckon for the band, the deep roots of doing what they did is because they loved it. I reckon they never would've thought about all the crazy shit now, they just focused on their music and making it.

Agreed. I think that's part of their appeal. They were musicians first. They didn't come off as attention whores.

[Kati]

I would like to point out that to some extent the creepy fangirling is what entertainment industry wants. If music consumers were not fans, just reasonable people listening to music as such, they would just buy the albums and occasionally go to a concert. They would not go to concerts several times during a tour of one album, they would not buy fan products, they would not buy magazines for interviews, they would not discuss on a forum like this. Unfortunately such a "fan" is not profitable enough for the industry. They want more hype.

This is where "selling an artist's personality" comes into picture. Why the hell do you people think bands do the interviews where they talk about what kind of people they are or their personal lives? They try to make themselves more interesting for the audience (no doubt the record companies require that, it's part of the business). This stuff is much clearer in the Hollywood film industry, actors do these personal type of interviews when promoting films even though films have much less to do with actor's private life than music - a band like Muse is the director, screenwriter and actor of the entertainment type called music (thus their personality has more relevance to the final product), whereas in film industry the actors do most of the personality sales even though the story creation is done more by other people.

Now some people swallow the hook deeper than others. Be it problems with mental health like depression or suicidal tendency, loneliness, boredom, need to identify among social group, all this has effect on how strong is the (imagined) effect of the art on person's life and thus the extent of desparate acts to get closer to the artist.

Yes, stalking a hairdresser or family members on twitter or writing sexual fantasies to web is creepy, but so is going to nine gigs on a tour or calling band members liars when they do not obey some poll results on songs to perform. Writing long posts on a message board at four o'clock in the night is super creepy

I still find it even creepier when artists who blab about their private lives and children in television interviews get all butthurt about paps.

Is it fair that a person selecting a career in entertainment business gets weirdos after him/her when successful/famous enough? When originally it was about wanting to do the art and the probability of huge success was neglectible? I don't know. There are burdens in other professions too, that you don't realise when young and idealistic. At least the very successful artists are able to step out of the business if they are willing to give up the attention and lavish life style.

[Furygirl]

If Matt had an aversion to vultures/paps, he shouldn't have hooked up with that Kate girl. Not that his fame excuses the behavior of the more fanatical fans (they'd be around regardless of his "LA lifestyle"), but I'm sure he had to know what to expect once he got himself "involved".

[JamesPHD]

Originally Posted by Furygirl

If Matt had an aversion to vultures/paps, he shouldn't have hooked up with that Kate girl. Not that his fame excuses the behavior of the more fanatical fans (they'd be around regardless of his "LA lifestyle"), but I'm sure he had to know what to expect once he got himself "involved".

Damn Matt for falling in love with that Kate girl. He should have known that others would stalk him even more ...

Totes his fault and not societies fault.

[Furygirl]

Edit: meh, nvm. Deleted my response post. I shouldn't post drunk.

[JamesPHD]

Originally Posted by Furygirl

I knew I shouldve deleted my post. Not saying it makes it okay how society treats famous people. I'm thinking more of paps, not fans. I'm just saying I'm sure he knew that his privacy would be compromised a bit from what he was used to. Obviously it must be worth it, and hopefully he's used to it. I would not want to be famous!

Bellamy should be allowed to do what he wants to do. If he wants to marry the fracking queen he should be allowed to without being harassed. I understand what you are saying but you are basing it off of it being acceptable to follow people around and take photo's and videotape people (which is sadly our world today) but it still doesn't make it right.

Originally Posted by Furygirl

I knew I shouldve deleted my post.

I know that feeling.

Originally Posted by Furygirl

Edit: meh, nvm. Deleted my response post. I shouldn't post drunk.

Haha, I'm sorry.

[Furygirl]

Dammit! if only I wasn't hindered by my slow, shitty phone.

[jdeboer01]

Originally Posted by jamesoshea

Bellamy should be allowed to do what he wants to do. If he wants to marry the fracking queen he should be allowed to without being harassed. I understand what you are saying but you are basing it off of it being acceptable to follow people around and take photo's and videotape people (which is sadly our world today) but it still doesn't make it right.

Dude, "reality" and "should" are two radically different things. I don't think anyone disputes that Matt should be able to marry the fucking queen or not. Love is love, and no matter who it's between, it's a very cool thing. But I tend to disagree that if someone TRULY wants anonymity, that they would choose a pap-target as their lover, and expect to remain pap-free in their private lives

There are plenty of celebrities that are hugely famous, yet not a staple on "The Daily Mail". It IS POSSIBLE to be a successful actor/musician, and not be a tabloid darling. The individuals at stake have the power to control their private lives if they choose to do so. One needs to realize that there is a love-hate relationship between paps and celebs. It aint rocket science.

[Cindykt-OvertureThief]

Originally Posted by Tofu

*shrugs* idk, I've been reading fanfiction nearly my entire life, and I don't really think it's that weird. It's just manifesting your fantasies and whatnot, for fun. Most of the people I know who actually write Belldom fanfic are quite sensible when it comes to basically everything else discussed so far.

Obviously there are those who take it way too far and start believing in it and look for "evidence" completely seriously, and scrutinize every shred of gossip and evidence… and as far as I'm concerned, yeah, that is creepy.

Eh…my point is, there's having fun and then there's delusional. And it applies to basically everything, not just Belldom, though that's the specific example I wanted to make because I'm personally involved.

+1


Belldom is a fun thing to imagine and crack jokes about, but in all seriousness it's bullcrap. Fanfiction is the same. It's fun to read, but it's not true. Not quite sure why people fly off their handles when they see stuff like that. There's nothing wrong with indulging in a little creative fan-ness once in a while.

As far as I'm concerned though...

- Yeah, I have a Muse poster on my wall, but I also have a poster of Jesus Christ
- Yeah, I enjoy those ridiculous videos and the like on the internet, just like I enjoy the Annoying Orange
- Yeah, my best friend and I squee over cute pictures of the boys and are regular stalkers of the pornogenic threads, but hey, I'm a single female and they're attractive
- Yeah, I keep my Muse CDs in a special box, but I do that with my U2 and Green Day ones too
- Yeah, I look up to Matt as a role model, but I also idolise Mark Knopfler, Bono, Billie Joe Armstrong and innumerable others
- Sure, my own music is influenced by Muse, but I was born with a natural affection for the phase effect and I'm a sci-fi freak

I think the point that I'm trying to make is that it is something to be enjoyed and loved, but not obsessed over, and I don kind of think obsessive super-fangirls/boys are a little... ergh... and they should probably try and find a life somewhere.

[Kueller917]

Originally Posted by Kati

Yes, stalking a hairdresser or family members on twitter or writing sexual fantasies to web is creepy, but so is going to nine gigs on a tour or calling band members liars when they do not obey some poll results on songs to perform. Writing long posts on a message board at four o'clock in the night is super creepy

That's actually something I was thinking too. I think everyone here has pointed out the twitter stalking, hotel waiting, fanfiction writing, etc. as being over the line. But really there are also quite a few people, myself included, that care a lot about which song is better or how good a setlist was (the reactions to Wembley 10th or the Reading broadcast come to mind). Sometimes too much. With all that included into the previous points, I don't think any regular MM poster can say they've never crossed the line to an extent.

[Cindykt-OvertureThief]

Originally Posted by Kueller917

That's actually something I was thinking too. I think everyone here has pointed out the twitter stalking, hotel waiting, fanfiction writing, etc. as being over the line. But really there are also quite a few people, myself included, that care a lot about which song is better or how good a setlist was (the reactions to Wembley 10th or the Reading broadcast come to mind). Sometimes too much. With all that included into the previous points, I don't think any regular MM poster can say they've never crossed the line to an extent.

Amen.

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Kueller917

That's actually something I was thinking too. I think everyone here has pointed out the twitter stalking, hotel waiting, fanfiction writing, etc. as being over the line. But really there are also quite a few people, myself included, that care a lot about which song is better or how good a setlist was (the reactions to Wembley 10th or the Reading broadcast come to mind). Sometimes too much. With all that included into the previous points, I don't think any regular MM poster can say they've never crossed the line to an extent.

Bolded for emphasis. I'm pretty sure someone else has brought this up too, and it's absolutely right. I'm sure I have crossed the line at some point in my short time of being a fan, and even if I haven't yet, I probably will at some point in the future.

I'm not organizing my thoughts very well right now, but I guess it's the people who don't see a line at all that bother me.

I'm taking a journalism course and one of the topics is ethics, and basically the way the rights of people in the public eye can be seen as different from the rights of people who aren't. It's confusing as hell at times and a little depressing.

I've been thinking about this too much over the past few days

[Aquifa]

Originally Posted by Kueller917

That's actually something I was thinking too. I think everyone here has pointed out the twitter stalking, hotel waiting, fanfiction writing, etc. as being over the line. But really there are also quite a few people, myself included, that care a lot about which song is better or how good a setlist was (the reactions to Wembley 10th or the Reading broadcast come to mind). Sometimes too much. With all that included into the previous points, I don't think any regular MM poster can say they've never crossed the line to an extent.

I think the line fairly blurred, though.