World of Weird Al Yankovic

scottidog @ June 29, 2009 06:58 pm wrote: ETA: I hope Weird El comments here. She's said some really profound stuff about Al over the years and she's exposed to the fandom of some really big stars. I'd love to hear her input.

Thanks. I'm not sure what you're thinking of when you say "profound." I like most people I consider Al fans. They're a responsible group for the most part. Same with Elton John fans. The only ones I've met I consider irresponsible are the people who've gone into debt tour chasing.

I've always liked the way Al treats his fans and he gets even more respect from me because of it.

As for my own fandom of Elton John and Al -- I've only written one "fan" letter to each of them. I just wanted to let them know how I felt about them when I had a good opportunity. I gave both their letters in person, so I know they got them. I gave Elton his at concert in a card with a dozen yellow roses. He sent me a personalized autographed photo 2 weeks later. I gave Al his the first night I met him in one of those autograph lines. I got an autograph that night, but a few months later he acknowledged my letter when he thanked me for something else.

weird_el @ June 29, 2009 06:30 pm wrote: Thanks. I'm not sure what you're thinking of when you say "profound."

You said something early in my fandom that I've always remembered. You said (I'm not sure I have the exact wording, but this will be close) "More than being a fan of his music, I'm a fan of who he is as a human being."

And it pegs exactly why I'm a fan. His music is, oddly enough, one of the last reasons I like him. I do love his music, don't misunderstand. But I admire him on a different level and it has more to do with who he is and less what he does.

But I don't think I've ever written him a fan letter. I did write a condolence letter, but that's hardly the same thing.

Can't say I have ever associated being anyones fan to any sort of "unequal/self-abasing/humiliating/pathetic/unreturned element "
That's the fans money theyre spending after all. We choose to support this person in return for what they do to please us.. its commerce.

Stars who are too big for their boots often come crashing down. Al's meetings with fans are a part of that deal- Its a little give and take from each side. It *might* be enjoyable for him or not.. I guess it depends who is there. I imagine its often a real pain, but he is a professional and has to put up with all sorts.. thats why he's had a thirty year career, because he can put his personal concerns aside and get on with the job in hand. Other less businesslike people will put themselves first, and not bother... so yeah we are lucky he takes the time to maintain the relationship between himself and the fans when he is touring or doing public appearances, or even in chance encounters.

The more I read over that article the more I loathe and despise the author of it. She REALLY thinks shes something doesnt she?.. what a b*tch


Yeah, and another aspect is that people often like a celebrity BECAUSE theres no chance that that celebrity will ever personally break their heart, so again that picture of the requisite amount of self loathing self abasement to lower oneself to admiring a distant person again falls short .

Al's never going to beat me up or steal my purse is he?. Liking a person who WOULD do that is what I would equate to self-abasing. This woman has everything bass-ackward and I think she doth protest too much. This article says more about her than it does about anything else.. Woo big surprise.. not

The only ones I've met I consider irresponsible are the people who've gone into debt tour chasing.
................. ive done that

I'm hugely irresponsible myself...

Unemployed single parents ought to sit in cold dark houses eating stale crusts and bewailing their lot (which I do do, but only cos I'm saving up to blow a stack on going to the USA to watch a 10 minute film and meet up with a whole bunch of similarly odd people for no particular reason other than not wanting to sit home bewailing my lot)

weird_el @ June 30, 2009 01:30 am wrote: I got an autograph that night, but a few months later he acknowledged my letter when he thanked me for something else.

Apparently Al never got the "polite indifference" memo.

Okay, we'll give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and assume that none of us are the soulsucking sorts of fanatics in the article. How do you keep yourself from becoming that? Are you tempted? How do you know when you're getting a little close to the line? Discuss.

Something I've been wondering about recently, as I read the tweets from my favorite musicians, is does their increasing our access to their private lives also increase their risk?

I was watching an tv show about the killing of Rebecca Scheaffer. These nutcase stalkers already think they have a special connection to their obsession. What happens when they get tweets updating them on what the person had for dessert, or what movie they saw?

It's kind of scary when you think about it.

Well, that's an interesting question. Whenever I read about Al's whereabouts on Twitter, the thought runs through my head of "hey that's only 15 minutes from here! I could totally go to the LA Zoo right now!" but then I realize "oh yeah, that's totally weird and creepy."