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shadowkatHave you ever become obsessed about something? To the extent that you write about it? Have pictures. Fantasize? If so what? And how far have you gone?
I've been wondering about this a lot lately. How every human being has a bit of a compulsive-obsessive streak. That we all find ourselves distracted by something, maybe compelled by it, either out of boredom or a need or no clear reason we can identify. But what type of relationship do we have with this object of our obsession which usually isn't something we can obtain. In fact more often than not the thing we get the most obsessed with remains forever outside our reach, unattainable and we like it that way. If we ever got it - it would lose it's appeal.
My current obsession is well Spike. For a while I managed to delude myself into thinking it was BTVS, silly me. While I adore the show and love ATS, it's the character of Spike I became obsessed with in the Fall of 2001. Why? I don't know. It may have been a combination of things - having my career ripped out from under me by an asinine bastard who deserves to be slowly dismembered and flayed...(let's just say it's a good idea I left), and September 11...which we get to re-visit yet again this week. Will I ever be able to say that date without cringing? At any rate I needed something - something to grab hold of...and there on the screen was this character who no matter how many times he got knocked down, he jumped back up and tried again. So what if someone told him he was evil? That he could never be good? That he couldn't have the heroine? That she could never love him? He'd just smirk and keep trying. Pit-bull mentality. I admire that. And I liked the fact that he took action and changed his life, didn't let a little thing like a soul stand in his way. Why did I become obsessed with Spike in Season 6? I was Spike in Season 6. And I could not predict his trajectory any more than I could predict my own. The actor who played Spike seemed to convey all the emotions I've felt on screen, my own wrestling matches with unrequited love, all of it. Was it over-identification? Maybe, but isn't that what happens when we get obsessed with something? Did I adore Spike? No. It's not the same thing. I just found myself identifying. More so than with the other characters. The emotional intensity of the connection was re-inforced by the need to use something to distract myself from the on-going pain of the situation I was in. Every time I lay awake at night or had to sit across from my boss - I would replay the scene from Smashed or OMWF in my head.
I'd think about what Spike would do. Luckily I finally left that position. For a description of what I went through - visit www.toxicboss.com. The reason I'm describing this is to attempt to explain something - to myself and others - the nature of obsession or fascination with a topic. The odd thing about my identification/obsession with Spike is that prior to Season 5, I wasn't really that into the character. I was an Angel fan, a Buffy/Angel shipper up to Season 4, heck my first online excursion was in Season 2 when Angel became Angelus and I went nuts hunting stuff on David Boreanze and the character, not overly so...just more out of boredom than anything else. Things were going pretty well in 1997-98. And my other addiction? X-Men Comics? I was into Jean Grey/Cyclops. Cyclops was my favorite. Didn't understand why people liked Wolverine so much or wanted him with Jean Grey. Give me the tall brooding types, not the talkative bad boys. Even the guy at work - I lusted after - was a brooding type.
(Heck I based a character in my book on him.) But something happened in 2001, my world got flipped upside down and suddenly Mr. Tall, Handsome and Brooding took on the face of my conniving boss, I no longer liked the guy who I couldn't read. Because I can't trust him. And suddenly I was a Spike and Wolverine fan. I can't for the life of me remember why I felt the way I did before. It's the oddest thing...but suddenly everything I cared about shifted to the left. I stopped buying comics or watching daytime soaps (another guilty pleasure), and began taping Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series. I started hunting the net for fanfiction and music videos and finally began writing essays. The last time I'd written an essay on Television was in 1988. Suddenly I was writing two a week. Why? Because something in these shows hit me where I lived. Just like these songs from Warren Zevon are hitting me where I live. (Right now that's Splendid Isolation, ;-)). Prior to 2001, I watched BTVS, but never taped it unless of course I was gone that night. Now I not only taped, I refused to leave my apartment or the tv set when it was on. What caused the obsession? Dissatisfaction. A need to find something that made sense of things, when nothing seemed to? I think that might be it.
My obsession or interest never went as far as some people's. I don't go to conventions. I've never met any of the actors in person and seriously doubt I ever will. And I certainly don't send post-cards to the network execs or fanmail. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just not me. I like the fourth wall intact. More or less.
That said - I would like to make a little plea or public service announcement on behalf of the
fans of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden and James Marsters:
**PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FANS OF JIM BUTCHER
and JAMES MARSTERS**
Apparently a producer name of Morgan Grendel has optioned the rights to Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novels to make a tv series. If you are unfamiliar with Dresden - the novels are supernatural noire detective novels - with the hero a somewhat morally ambiguous wizard who solves mysteries like Philip Marlow meets Merlin. James Marsters has done two audio books for him: Fool Moon and Storm Front. Very good I might add. Butcher met Marsters at DragonCon and is interested in him playing Harry. According to a friend of mine: "Gendel is looking to make it a tv series and he's meeting with network execs next week. He's going to set up an email account today or tomorrow so we can direct emails to him and show what a massive fanbase JM has, which is going to be part of his pitch. And Nick Cage's production company has become involved as well. Gendel is looking for fan support from both JM and Butcher's fandoms. I doubt Butcher has anything like the JM fandom for numbers, but every little bit helps.
I'm assuming that Gendel needs this to get pre-production financing. Now, of course, the big problem is that JM is already under contract to Fox for 2 seasons of AtS. There's no guarantee however that AtS will continue into a 6th season, so we're also pushing this as promotion for JM. If network execs see that JM has this kind of fanbase, it won't matter what happens with Dresden, it will be impressive for him personally. And of course, Gendel might not get backing for a series, but might get it for a mini-series or a tv movie. Or they might decide, this is a great idea but we can't afford to wait for JM to become available. But for us, right now, it's a chance to promote JM on another level, not unlike the Thank You Ads, so we're all gung-ho about it."
Now if you don't like Spike? This is a way to get JM out of the Jossverse and doing something new ;-).
If you do? It's a way to further JM's career. Hey I love Spike, but I also love Dresden and JM and I want to see what he can do. So either ignore...or stay tuned for more info.
**Okay end of JM public service announcement.**
(Hey it's my live journal, can do whatever I please, right?)
This is a good place to discuss fan obsessions with celebrities. Something that fascinates me but which I don't quite understand. I may be obsessed with seeing more of JM's work or watching Spike, but I have 0 interest in meeting or interacting with the guy. He's just an actor doing a job. Human, like me. I was discussing this phenomen with my friend cjl on Sunday...and I wondered why is it that people worship celebrities? To the degree that they would pay hundreds of dollars for a chance to see them from the back of a huge room or wait hours and hours in line for a signed autograph and a quick hello?
David Boreanze got paid 200,000 for Brighton Con, he charged at least 50 for autographs, and it cost at least 200 for people to see him. People saved for months to get the opportunity. This boggles my mind.
Then there's the DragonCon fan who exposed herself to a crowd. In a very good analysis of fan behavior at this link:
http://forums.morethanspike.com/index.php?s=7af323057046bfd42cdbd6b72114291c&act=ST&f=5&t=1530&st=0
A poster describes the flasher fan as a screamer. She divides fans into groups: screamers, weepers, and bunnies in the headlights. (I think part of the reason I'd never go to one of these things, is I'd be so embarrassed I'd be a bunny in the headlights).
The screamers are exhibitionists, scream, flirt, pinch butts, the weepers see it as an emotionally moving experience, and the bunnies well that's self-explanatory. The Beatles, George Clooney, SMG, Madonna to James MArsters have dealt with this.
Clooney has described the phenomenon as the cancer of success. But for most, especially the cult TV stars and rock stars - fans are their bread and butter.
It's bloody hard being an actor. Think about it. Where were David Boreanze and James Marsters before BTVS came along? Unemployed actors in LA, taking jobs as they came. And they were amongst 1000s of others hunting jobs. Then they get BTVS, and they start getting paid anywhere from 30,000 - 60,000 an episode. They start getting invited to Conventions.
Why go? Two very good reasons - one maintain that fan base, and two money. Now SMG doesn't have to do that - she had a movie career, same with Seth Green and Alyson Hannigan. Charisma Carpenter may live to regret doing it. Amber Benson? She's gotten Chance sold to fans and even got it made based on fans.
So I understand the celebrities end of it and I do not envy them. I couldn't do it.
But what about the fans? What are they getting out of it? Maybe the same thing I get out of posting on the internet? Or obsessing over my favorite show?
Perhaps. Don't know. Human behavior is fascinating isn't it? Especially when it's our own.
I'll leave you with a few lyrics from Zevon's Invitation to Heaven...
"gentle rain..falls on me...and all life folds back..into the sea.. we contemplate eternity beneath the vast indifference of heaven...they say everything is alright...they say better days are near, they tell us these are the good times but they don't live around here..." Sad, yes...but touching.
I've been wondering about this a lot lately. How every human being has a bit of a compulsive-obsessive streak. That we all find ourselves distracted by something, maybe compelled by it, either out of boredom or a need or no clear reason we can identify. But what type of relationship do we have with this object of our obsession which usually isn't something we can obtain. In fact more often than not the thing we get the most obsessed with remains forever outside our reach, unattainable and we like it that way. If we ever got it - it would lose it's appeal.
My current obsession is well Spike. For a while I managed to delude myself into thinking it was BTVS, silly me. While I adore the show and love ATS, it's the character of Spike I became obsessed with in the Fall of 2001. Why? I don't know. It may have been a combination of things - having my career ripped out from under me by an asinine bastard who deserves to be slowly dismembered and flayed...(let's just say it's a good idea I left), and September 11...which we get to re-visit yet again this week. Will I ever be able to say that date without cringing? At any rate I needed something - something to grab hold of...and there on the screen was this character who no matter how many times he got knocked down, he jumped back up and tried again. So what if someone told him he was evil? That he could never be good? That he couldn't have the heroine? That she could never love him? He'd just smirk and keep trying. Pit-bull mentality. I admire that. And I liked the fact that he took action and changed his life, didn't let a little thing like a soul stand in his way. Why did I become obsessed with Spike in Season 6? I was Spike in Season 6. And I could not predict his trajectory any more than I could predict my own. The actor who played Spike seemed to convey all the emotions I've felt on screen, my own wrestling matches with unrequited love, all of it. Was it over-identification? Maybe, but isn't that what happens when we get obsessed with something? Did I adore Spike? No. It's not the same thing. I just found myself identifying. More so than with the other characters. The emotional intensity of the connection was re-inforced by the need to use something to distract myself from the on-going pain of the situation I was in. Every time I lay awake at night or had to sit across from my boss - I would replay the scene from Smashed or OMWF in my head.
I'd think about what Spike would do. Luckily I finally left that position. For a description of what I went through - visit www.toxicboss.com. The reason I'm describing this is to attempt to explain something - to myself and others - the nature of obsession or fascination with a topic. The odd thing about my identification/obsession with Spike is that prior to Season 5, I wasn't really that into the character. I was an Angel fan, a Buffy/Angel shipper up to Season 4, heck my first online excursion was in Season 2 when Angel became Angelus and I went nuts hunting stuff on David Boreanze and the character, not overly so...just more out of boredom than anything else. Things were going pretty well in 1997-98. And my other addiction? X-Men Comics? I was into Jean Grey/Cyclops. Cyclops was my favorite. Didn't understand why people liked Wolverine so much or wanted him with Jean Grey. Give me the tall brooding types, not the talkative bad boys. Even the guy at work - I lusted after - was a brooding type.
(Heck I based a character in my book on him.) But something happened in 2001, my world got flipped upside down and suddenly Mr. Tall, Handsome and Brooding took on the face of my conniving boss, I no longer liked the guy who I couldn't read. Because I can't trust him. And suddenly I was a Spike and Wolverine fan. I can't for the life of me remember why I felt the way I did before. It's the oddest thing...but suddenly everything I cared about shifted to the left. I stopped buying comics or watching daytime soaps (another guilty pleasure), and began taping Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series. I started hunting the net for fanfiction and music videos and finally began writing essays. The last time I'd written an essay on Television was in 1988. Suddenly I was writing two a week. Why? Because something in these shows hit me where I lived. Just like these songs from Warren Zevon are hitting me where I live. (Right now that's Splendid Isolation, ;-)). Prior to 2001, I watched BTVS, but never taped it unless of course I was gone that night. Now I not only taped, I refused to leave my apartment or the tv set when it was on. What caused the obsession? Dissatisfaction. A need to find something that made sense of things, when nothing seemed to? I think that might be it.
My obsession or interest never went as far as some people's. I don't go to conventions. I've never met any of the actors in person and seriously doubt I ever will. And I certainly don't send post-cards to the network execs or fanmail. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just not me. I like the fourth wall intact. More or less.
That said - I would like to make a little plea or public service announcement on behalf of the
fans of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden and James Marsters:
**PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FANS OF JIM BUTCHER
and JAMES MARSTERS**
Apparently a producer name of Morgan Grendel has optioned the rights to Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novels to make a tv series. If you are unfamiliar with Dresden - the novels are supernatural noire detective novels - with the hero a somewhat morally ambiguous wizard who solves mysteries like Philip Marlow meets Merlin. James Marsters has done two audio books for him: Fool Moon and Storm Front. Very good I might add. Butcher met Marsters at DragonCon and is interested in him playing Harry. According to a friend of mine: "Gendel is looking to make it a tv series and he's meeting with network execs next week. He's going to set up an email account today or tomorrow so we can direct emails to him and show what a massive fanbase JM has, which is going to be part of his pitch. And Nick Cage's production company has become involved as well. Gendel is looking for fan support from both JM and Butcher's fandoms. I doubt Butcher has anything like the JM fandom for numbers, but every little bit helps.
I'm assuming that Gendel needs this to get pre-production financing. Now, of course, the big problem is that JM is already under contract to Fox for 2 seasons of AtS. There's no guarantee however that AtS will continue into a 6th season, so we're also pushing this as promotion for JM. If network execs see that JM has this kind of fanbase, it won't matter what happens with Dresden, it will be impressive for him personally. And of course, Gendel might not get backing for a series, but might get it for a mini-series or a tv movie. Or they might decide, this is a great idea but we can't afford to wait for JM to become available. But for us, right now, it's a chance to promote JM on another level, not unlike the Thank You Ads, so we're all gung-ho about it."
Now if you don't like Spike? This is a way to get JM out of the Jossverse and doing something new ;-).
If you do? It's a way to further JM's career. Hey I love Spike, but I also love Dresden and JM and I want to see what he can do. So either ignore...or stay tuned for more info.
**Okay end of JM public service announcement.**
(Hey it's my live journal, can do whatever I please, right?)
This is a good place to discuss fan obsessions with celebrities. Something that fascinates me but which I don't quite understand. I may be obsessed with seeing more of JM's work or watching Spike, but I have 0 interest in meeting or interacting with the guy. He's just an actor doing a job. Human, like me. I was discussing this phenomen with my friend cjl on Sunday...and I wondered why is it that people worship celebrities? To the degree that they would pay hundreds of dollars for a chance to see them from the back of a huge room or wait hours and hours in line for a signed autograph and a quick hello?
David Boreanze got paid 200,000 for Brighton Con, he charged at least 50 for autographs, and it cost at least 200 for people to see him. People saved for months to get the opportunity. This boggles my mind.
Then there's the DragonCon fan who exposed herself to a crowd. In a very good analysis of fan behavior at this link:
http://forums.morethanspike.com/index.php?s=7af323057046bfd42cdbd6b72114291c&act=ST&f=5&t=1530&st=0
A poster describes the flasher fan as a screamer. She divides fans into groups: screamers, weepers, and bunnies in the headlights. (I think part of the reason I'd never go to one of these things, is I'd be so embarrassed I'd be a bunny in the headlights).
The screamers are exhibitionists, scream, flirt, pinch butts, the weepers see it as an emotionally moving experience, and the bunnies well that's self-explanatory. The Beatles, George Clooney, SMG, Madonna to James MArsters have dealt with this.
Clooney has described the phenomenon as the cancer of success. But for most, especially the cult TV stars and rock stars - fans are their bread and butter.
It's bloody hard being an actor. Think about it. Where were David Boreanze and James Marsters before BTVS came along? Unemployed actors in LA, taking jobs as they came. And they were amongst 1000s of others hunting jobs. Then they get BTVS, and they start getting paid anywhere from 30,000 - 60,000 an episode. They start getting invited to Conventions.
Why go? Two very good reasons - one maintain that fan base, and two money. Now SMG doesn't have to do that - she had a movie career, same with Seth Green and Alyson Hannigan. Charisma Carpenter may live to regret doing it. Amber Benson? She's gotten Chance sold to fans and even got it made based on fans.
So I understand the celebrities end of it and I do not envy them. I couldn't do it.
But what about the fans? What are they getting out of it? Maybe the same thing I get out of posting on the internet? Or obsessing over my favorite show?
Perhaps. Don't know. Human behavior is fascinating isn't it? Especially when it's our own.
I'll leave you with a few lyrics from Zevon's Invitation to Heaven...
"gentle rain..falls on me...and all life folds back..into the sea.. we contemplate eternity beneath the vast indifference of heaven...they say everything is alright...they say better days are near, they tell us these are the good times but they don't live around here..." Sad, yes...but touching.
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no subject
Date: 2003-09-10 10:29 pm (UTC)BTW, have you read Annie Sewell-Jenning's and Wisteria's Hard Candy? It's a highly depressing series set during S6 detailing the Buffy-Spike relationship... really angsty and shows it all in all its glorious ugliness.
Spike and Hard Candy
Date: 2003-09-10 10:54 pm (UTC)I'm one of the few people who actually liked S7 Spike. Why? Character evolution. I enjoyed seeing them peel away the layers.
Show the gentle soul beneath the bravado, yet also show the bravado and temper and brutality were a part of him as well. That you can be both a really nice/gentle soul and a complete bastard/dark/snarky and violent at the same time. The writers did a good job of showing this with Willow as well. But then I also identify with him.
I didn't fall in love with evil Spike, I fell for the character beneath all that. The glimmers I saw in S6, S7, and S5. I fell for the complexity. If any of that makes sense.
But like I said, I'm in the minority. Next year? Expect a return of snarky Spike. That's not a spoiler by the way. Unless you live under a rock. ;-)
Re: Spike and Hard Candy
Date: 2003-09-11 12:00 am (UTC)Well being interested in S7 Spike probably made S7 much more interesting! I think something just didn't hook me.. I just read someone's LJ in which they described the on again off again Buffy Spike relationship in S7 as not really developing their characters, and I tend to agree. We get to see Buffy kind of care for Spike but not say anything, and that ambivalence doesn't quite have the attraction that the S6 relationship did. I guess mostly it was the sense of resolution I felt after Spike got his soul and subsequently went nuts. I loved the Spike who tried to be good despite himself and who didn't know what the hell he was doing, and I guess the soul kind of took a bit of that away for me. Although I absolutely loved his final scene in Chosen.
And no worries about spoilers -- am spoiler whore most of the time. And oh, I desperately want Angel/Spike interaction with more Fanged Four history.