I grok Tuvok

[exodus]

There was an actress on Aussie TV called Vivean Gray - brilliant and capable actress. She specialised in roles where she played the busybody neighbourhood gossip (non-judgemental of course!) in very popular Aussie soaps like The Sullivans and Neighbours.

She was so good at the roles that she received nonstop hate mail, directed at the characters for many years. She couldn't even walk down the street or do shopping without being abused and even physically attacked by "fans" of the shows.

This attention lead to her retirement and she moved/returned to a remote area in the UK where she now has nothing to do with TV and leads the life of a recluse.

"Fans" should be ashamed of this behaviour - and it only serves to demonstrate that some "fans" are unable to destinguish between a person and the character they portray.

I've heard this story before.
Very sad.

It's very sad how fanatical some fans are to the point they can't distinguish fact from fiction and don't know or care how it affects the actor(s). For example: Brent Spiner didn't do cons for a few years because a fanatical fan scared the crap out of him. Jeri Ryan's had stalkers.

 

[henbane]

teacake - thought you would have seen Vivean Gray (you're an Aussie too). Did you ever see her in stage productions? She was even better than on TV.

 

[henbane]

I had a savage "run-in" years ago with aggressive female fans of George Thorogood (and the Destroyers). I play bass professionally in jazz and blues bands and have contacts in the Australian recording industry.

Loved George Thorogood and he was in Melbourne around my birthday. I had tickets for his concert. This was 1980's. The founder and then owner of JB HiFi (John Barbuto) was/is a close friend and he secretly arranged with Festival records for me to get on stage with Thorogood and play bass for one song.

George announced it blah blah and I had to get to the stage - well was that an epic journey!!! Even though I was surrounded by security guards, I still got punched, kicked, hair pulled, scratched, not to mention the verbal abuse ...... and the closer I got to the stage the worse it became.

All this just because I was invited on stage to play bass for one song!!! Anyway, the fans reaction wasn't about me. I'm not famous. It was about envy and jealousy which, in the hands of unbalanced fans, are powerful and dangerous emotions. Personally, I do not envy the life that celebs lead - I prefer my anonymity

Apart from all that - it was a great birthday present!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

WHAT WAS THE SONG???????

 

[henbane]

Bad to the Bone!! Very easy to play too (as are most 12 bar blues numbers).

I swear that walk to the stage was way more dangerous than anything the delta quadrant could have dished up - the fans were a like flesh-eating Hirogens on steroids!!

 

[Shatnertage]

It's very sad how fanatical some fans are to the point they can't distinguish fact from fiction and don't know or care how it affects the actor(s). For example: Brent Spiner didn't do cons for a few years because a fanatical fan scared the crap out of him. Jeri Ryan's had stalkers.

What exactly happened to Spiner? I asked this in another thread but didn't get an answer. I'm picturing a fan trying to unscrew his head or something.

 

[exodus]

It's very sad how fanatical some fans are to the point they can't distinguish fact from fiction and don't know or care how it affects the actor(s). For example: Brent Spiner didn't do cons for a few years because a fanatical fan scared the crap out of him. Jeri Ryan's had stalkers.

What exactly happened to Spiner? I asked this in another thread but didn't get an answer. I'm picturing a fan trying to unscrew his head or something.

You know, I don't know exactly.
I just remember for awhile he stopped doing Cons. for a bit and if he did, he wouldn't meet with fans to sign autographs. The rumor was a fanatical fan got to close and scared him.

I believe it could be true.
I remember a few friends of mine were lucky enough to get tickets for the opening of the Star Trek: Experience. When Johnathan Frakes showed up, this women ducked under the velvet rope barrier and charged him just to touch him. I remember the look on his face as he snatched his arm away and recoiled. He was in total shock but asked politely: "Please, don't grab me." You could see she was in total hysterical awe of him and had no idea what she had done or that he was scared.

 

[froot]

^ Wow, I can see why he got freaked out! What a story.

Considering what has happened to famous figures in the past (John Lennon, for one) I can completely understand why an actor/other famous figure would be scared of an overzealous fan. How are they to know if it's someone with a dangerous mental illness or not?

I dunno why fans think it's okay to ignore famous folks' personal boundaries. They wouldn't do the same to Joe Normal on the street, after all (well, some people would I guess.) And what a sad story about the Aussie actress.

 

[Shatnertage]

I was working security at a Julio Iglesias concert once, and as we were escorting Mr. Iglesias out of the arena, a woman charged right up to him and kissed him--with tongue and everything! He was actually a pretty good sport about it, but I can imagine that would be kind of freaky, to be at the mercy of the crowd like that.

 

[henbane]

I was at a Bob Marley concert in Melbourne (one of his last ever concerts) - a woman got on stage and grabbed him in the crotch (gonads, balls whatever you want to call them) - he couldn't finish the song!!!

 

[exodus]

I was at a Bob Marley concert in Melbourne (one of his last ever concerts) - a woman got on stage and grabbed him in the crotch (gonads, balls whatever you want to call them) - he couldn't finish the song!!!

...and I think we also know the story of the fanatic that shot him. It's even mentioned in the film "I Am Legend".

 

[exodus]

^ Wow, I can see why he got freaked out! What a story.

Considering what has happened to famous figures in the past (John Lennon, for one) I can completely understand why an actor/other famous figure would be scared of an overzealous fan. How are they to know if it's someone with a dangerous mental illness or not?

I dunno why fans think it's okay to ignore famous folks' personal boundaries. They wouldn't do the same to Joe Normal on the street, after all (well, some people would I guess.)

That's the thing, Joe Normal isn't on TV.
Too some, a celeb is a God.
They are their saviors and can do no wrong.
...or like the unfortunate Aussie actress wrongfully seen as evil. Remember Jodie Fosters famous stalker? He wanted to kill her because he thought he was keeping her safe. Selena was murdered by the president of her own fan club.

Every celeb has a person like this as a "fan".