On actor interactions

[nny]

Okay, now I've had the time to discuss this with a whole bunch of people, to clarify my point in my head as well as on screen, I'm going to expand on what I was saying in my earlier post. But first, some context for the uninitiated.

A while back, Joe Flanigan was at a con and was telling a story about how sometimes, when other actors are filming reaction shots, he'll screw around and feed them a completely different line. And for an example, he said "I love you, Dr McKay." Naturally there was a huge amount of squealing, applause, all that sort of thing, and fans have since ripped the .mp3 and made it phone friendly and all sorts. It was an awesome fandom moment and it's made us happy for a hell of a long time. Then, at Shore Leave, some fans asked David Hewlett for a response to this, feeding him the line 'I love you too, John Sheppard'. This was filmed, posted on youtube and is linked to on mckay_sheppard if anyone wants to see it.



Here's the thing. I have nothing against the people who filmed it and posted it, but I disagree with their actions; I don't think that it's something we should ask for. Actors are aware of fan culture - it's what they live off, especially in sci-fi shows like Stargate: Atlantis because we are big geeks. It's what we do. And sometimes actors will play along with it, and they'll acknowledge it, because they're also aware of how ridiculously happy that can make us. See Joe Flanigan's comment, see Michael Shanks lisping happily, see Paul Gross talking about how much slash will be written about the new guy. Fandom is a secret that they allow us to keep, in many ways, and it seems to work.

The key thing, though, is that we must allow the actors to establish their own comfort zones with this. It's awesome to have Joe tease the McSheppers, even if he's not aware exactly that that's what he's doing, but asking David Hewlett to buy into and directly condone the subset of fandom is a different thing altogether. Yes, it makes me uncomfortable, since it crosses a line that I've drawn in my head between acceptable and unacceptable fannish interaction, but that's my personal reaction and that has little impact on you. There is the potential, though, that incidents like this can have an impact on the status quo that we love, and that's something that has the potential to affect a hell of a lot of people.

David Hewlett's an awesome guy. He's the most incredibly fan-friendly celebrity I've come across, and he's ridiculously generous with his time and with his life. He has been a fanboy and he gets us in a big way, so something like this is relatively 'safe' to put to him. But if he goes back to the SG:A set and talks to Joe Flanigan - who is far more reticent and has shown himself to be less understanding of the fan culture surrounding the show - about what's been going on, that might have a knock on effect on the kind of things that Joe feels comfortable saying in interviews and at cons. I'm not saying that this will happen, but it's something that should be considered.

We invest a hell of a lot of time, effort and emotion into fandom. But that doesn't give us rights to push for what we want from actors who are individuals, and not the people we build them up to be in our heads.

Personally? I prefer for them to relax with fans as a whole, to be able to joke, to be able to give us the occasional nod and sly wink when they feel comfortable doing so, because it's so much more awesome when it's off the cuff and unexpected and an acknowledgement of what we do and think and create. It's fannish life to extrapolate and twist things to fit and to occasionally take what is offered to us on a silver platter. To ask for more when there's already so much on offer doesn't sit well with me.

I really hope that that made sense, and that I covered all the points that I meant to. More than willing to discuss in the comments because, as with any and all posts made within fandom, your mileage may vary.

Comments

[liz666.livejournal.com]

I saw the post on MckaySheppard and watched it-it was kinda awful putting him in that position. And he was clearly uncomfortable yet still trying to smile through it. I agree with you that from what little I know of the actors, David Hewlett is more at ease with the fans but the possibility of a negative impact following this sort of behaviour by a minority of fans should have been taken into account by the culprits. But it's doubtful that it even crossed their minds.

Hopefully such a consequence won't happen, that this will be an isolated event but I'm wondering how many people watched that and thought 'wow, that's what I'm going to do when I get to see them at a con!'

And you totally made sense to me <3

[indy-go.livejournal.com]

It does make sense, and even without having seen it, it makes me cringey and angry. Sci fi fans have an uphill battle to begin with because everyone assumes we're going to be crazy and socially awkward and stalkery. It paints all of us with the same icky brush, and I wish fans would think and realize that these actors are just people. They're at our mercy, in a lot of ways. And just like we want respect from the writers and the actors, they want the respect from the fans. And that wasn't respectful at all.

Now I hope I'm making sense. *wry smile*

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Okay, first things first?

HI YOU! *squishes tight!*

And yes, you make sense. As much as fans want to be individual snowflakes and recognised as such by actors, we are (except for very very rare incidents) a crowd of Fan. And Fan is as Fan does, and all that.

Hee. I'm so sensical, it's the 2am that does it.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Hopefully such a consequence won't happen, that this will be an isolated event but I'm wondering how many people watched that and thought 'wow, that's what I'm going to do when I get to see them at a con!'

Which is where you run the risk of the next person taking it one step further.

*squishes* I make sense to you because your brain is as loopy as mine. It's pleasing.

[indy-go.livejournal.com]

HI YOU TOO! I know, I've been horribly AWOL lately. Life has been a tsunami of crazy. Waugh.

Clearly you and I and J need to have tea with the Hewlett and the Flan and be so witty and charming and fabulous that they will love all the fans unconditionally.

[liz666.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah-this is the main worry for something like this-that it may escalate into stupid people making more extreme suggestions.

*squishes you back* We has loopy sympatico sweetheart!

[roxy-palace.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree with you more. The idea of putting these people in that position is beyond squicky. It makes me ashamed of fandom. It makes me question what I'm doing messing around in it.

[mercuriazs.livejournal.com]

You both make sense and I think you're awesome. Which is about all I have to contribute, but there you are.

[indy-go.livejournal.com]

*hugs!!*

[darthrami.livejournal.com]

Yes. yes yes.

[beeej.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that vid. It has a definite, "Dance, monkey, dance!" vibe to it.

[doctorfumbles.livejournal.com]

*de-lurks*

Agreed. I didn't watch the video because the idea of putting David in that position weirds me out a little too much. I definitely agree with you about the line in your head for acceptable and unacceptable fan interaction.

[gules]

uh, yeah, i was linked to that video by someone who was fairly enthusiastic about it, and even with a positive buildup it just triggered my embarrassment-squick. agreed, on all counts.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

That would clearly be the most awesome thing ever, we should start petitioning. XD

[villainny.livejournal.com]

I MWAH in your general direction, sir.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

I could never really extract myself from fandom, because for every incident like this there are things like livelongnmarry which is just incredible and really shows what an awesome force fandom can be. Just sometimes it seems like stuff like that gives us a sense of entitlement towards things we don't have a right to.

[villainny.livejournal.com]

:D

[villainny.livejournal.com]

I kinda didn't want to put it that way, but yes. That's exactly it.

D:

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Hey! Always nice to meet a lurker. :D

I think things are always better unsolicited, whatever the medium you're talking about. I was definitely made uncomfortable by the video, and I kinda wish I hadn't watched it now. It's totally not going to detract from the enjoyment of the mp3 of Joe, though. XD

[villainny.livejournal.com]

I have such a strong contact embarrassment squick, I'm right there with you.

[mary-russell11.livejournal.com]

wow...I saw it yesterday, cringed so much my face still hurts and immediately after stumbled upon your 1st post regarding this; I debated then whether to post and decided not to but now...yes.yes. a thousand times yes. you have stolen my words out of my brain(I'll have to sue for copyright infringement*g*) this is exactly why I often feel extremely uncomfortable in fandom although I love it immensely; I simply do not want or need to know anything about actors' private lives-unless they offer it, like DH...and that extends to making them do sth like this...yes, they get paid to act and to appear at cons and promote their show and do interviews...that still does not grant us with any kind of right on them...what you said about them creating their comfort zones..I couldn't have said it better so I won't try to either*points to your awesome text* just...my ickniness level shot through the roof and I hate that...and yes, your example of a hypothetical situation where DH shares this with JFlan and that changes his approach to the show and fans...yes*is irritated with her number of yes-es* that was my thought too...I can see it happen and that's why it bothers me so much when I see fannish creations like this one(and really, I don't mean to offend those fans, just...)...we don't own these people which is what I think some fans consciously or unconsciously think...IMO, at least*is done*
Edit: just so we're clear, I used this „incident“ to make broader observations; I'm saying this cause I've noticed a couple of people dear to me responding to your post and disagreeing so I wouldn't want to seem as being judgmental of their opinions...but I still stand by my words*g*

[perardua.livejournal.com]

You make perfect sense! I couldn't bring myself to watch the vid, as just the thought of it was too embarrassing for me.

[naye]

I think you're wonderfully eloquent on this issue, and just wanted to say thanks for sorting it all out in text so I can sit here and go "what she said!". ♥ (Also? ICK. Seriously, this is making me cringe so bad I could hardly read your account of events...)

[genarti]

What Merc said! You are both pretty much saying exactly what I think.

Slash (etc) is one of those things that's out there for the actors and writers to find, and it's really not hard to run across if they're inclined to look rather than to back away at the first hint. But they have the right to be as involved or as clueless as they want to be. Just because we create works based on what they've done, and ideas of the characters (and actors), doesn't mean that we're entitled to have them participate in our end of it.

[emeraldsword.livejournal.com]

Yes, I did find that vid weird and uncomfortable-making but I didn't really get why - I thought it was good of him to say it but what actually happened and the links I saw about it didn't mesh at all. You've just put into words exactly what was strange about the whole situation, so thank you.