Category Archives: inspiration

Recent Fan News

This past weekend in the headlines focused on fan stories, an 111 year old man named Bernando is able to meet some Yankees greats and stand on the field of the baseball team that was founded the same year he was born (click HERE for the story). Otherwise, actress Angelina Jolie walked the red carpet with her fiancee Brad Pitt for “World War Z” after she recently announced she was going to have a double masectomy, and she strolled that red carpet with a gift a fan gave her to comfort her during this trying time (click HERE to read it). Love seeing these positive stories!

Ke$ha’s Crazy Kids

Ke$ha with fanOne could argue that fanatics are the modern day version of tribes. They are part of different groups with different beliefs and different attitudes, but when looking at Ke$ha‘s fans, AKA Animals, it’s easy to perceive them as a tribe of their own. Adorned in neon face paint, glitter and torn clothes, they follow their pop-rock infused leader and her catchy tunes to the ends of the Earth.

In her MTV mini documentary “My Crazy Beautiful Life”, which was filmed by her brother and airs episode/part 5 tonight, a large part of her focus is on her intense fan base. In episode three, we meet Dante, a fan in his 30′s (a “Dinosaur”, a nickname from a Ke$ha song about older guys), who is pulled up on stage after Ke$ha sneaks a peak at an interview he did on camera before the concert. In episode one, a memorable fan speaks out, and makes Ke$ha choke up a bit, about how he is bullied in school and how her music gives him a place to escape.

The MTV mini doc is honest, gritty, and you are sure to walk away feeling a little more Animal-istic. Visit Ke$ha’s site and if you feel so inclined as to want to join her party in a more intimate way, become a “convert” or “missionary” on in her fan club, Ke$ha’s Family! She is touring America this summer, so be sure to catch her!

 

Songs about Fanaticism

Songs about or touching on pop culture fanaticism, the positive and negative aspects included:

  • “This One Goes Out To You” Backstreet Boys
  • “Not Afraid” Eminem
  • “Touch my Hand” David Archeletta
  • “Paparazzi” Lady Gaga
  • “Stan” Eminem
  • “The Queen” Lady Gaga
  • “Letter from a Fan” Barry Manilow
  • more from Spinner.com
  • more to be added soon!

Professor Gaga

Deflem KoreaProfessor Mathieu Deflem is a great example of the American dream. He came from overseas to live and be an educator in America. Deflem definitely knows his stuff, as he gets to teach a lot of courses focused on his interests. And like any American, he is passionate about pop culture.

Team Jack

photo credit TeamJack.com

photo credit TeamJack.com

In the vast landscape of podcasting available to internet users, there is no doubt many of the these feeds are devoted to aspects and opinions on the many channels of pop culture. Standing high above all of them when it comes to the point of view of what it means to be a fanatic is Team Jack, part of the Smodco  Broadcasting family brought to you by Kevin Smith. 

Jack Morrissey, the namesake of Team Jack, was approached by film maker Smith to podcast due not only to his knowledge of pop culture, but for his radio voice, as he dubs it. Instead of focusing directly on the mediums of film or otherwise that Jack and his co-hosts Matt Cohen and Greg Yolen are interested in, his podcast became focused on the voice of, the analyzation of, and the sense of community in being a fanatic. 

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Why ‘Warm Bodies’ Is Not ‘Twilight’

Edward vs R: Why 'Warm Bodies' is not 'Twlight'. Photo from ScreenCrush.com

Edward vs R: Why ‘Warm Bodies’ is not ‘Twlight’. Photo from ScreenCrush.com

Here we are again, dear readers. Another blog where I truly do not want to get personal, but this article is about more than the namesakes it features. This is about hopefully distinguishing some large arguments in regards to film comparisons by taking a fanatic point of view and applying it with facts as well as reasoning. Looking beyond aesthetics and dissecting the subjects at hand. Basically, in layman’s terms, I really hope after reading this, people stop whining about why “Warm Bodies” is the same thing as “Twilight”.

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Meet Fong Sam

 Meet Fong Sam. Fong runs Haxbee, which is the Headquarters of Blacksparrow Auctions. Wait, what in the heck is a “Haxbee”?

“Haxbee is a made up name, I’ll be honest with you,” he says. “But what I’d like for it to stand for is, if I do my job right, is to stand for honesty and excellence.”

Okay but seriously, what does Haxbee do? “We are primarily a company that deals with collectibles, pop culture and entertainment related. I’ve been doing this for 14 years, and this is me going out on my own, doing what I enjoy doing.”

If Fong looks familiar to you, then you might have seen him on Syfy’s Hollywood Treasure. The reality show was based on the inner workings of Profiles in History, which Fong parted ways with on good terms to start this new venture.

Fong has recently taken in an expansive collection of hero costumes from The Hunger Games starring Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, and more powerhouse actors. Worthwhile pieces to mention are the leather hunting boots of Katniss Everdeen from the beginning of the film, colorful pieces from the character Effie Trinket, and wonderfully flamboyant outfits belonging to the charismatic Caesar Flickerman.

“What I really want to do is take this [the collection] out on the road and get engaged with fans,”  “Do things where I can interact more with fans.”

“I’m just trying to live in the moment,” Fong says humbly, despite a bright and involved year ahead of him of tours and more. May the odds be ever in his favor!

To listen to Fong speak more in depth about Haxbee, listen to his recent interview with the BlogTalkRadio channel of news agency Wormhole Riders here, and be sure to follow him on Twitter, as well as the Haxbee and Blacksparrow Auctions Twitter accounts.

No More Rumors

IMG_4571It has to be one of the most talked about moments via a Syfy show this year. Grant Wilson, the cofounder of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), walks away from the wildly popular TV show “Ghost Hunters”. Immediately, the rumor mill started. Was he divorcing? Was he dying? Could he not stand the attention and fans anymore?!  Anything people could think of became discussed.

The truth? Grant talks about it directly to the fans and inquiring minds  in this mini film, a Fan-Culture.org production featuring lush pieces of live music from CarpetShark, with a no-frills bonus video HERE with full interviews. Transcripts of videos can be made upon request.

Going Gets Tough: Groff Gets Going

Nick Groff at Nashua NH Barnes & Noble There are probably a lot of celebrities and public figures who would not be up for a book signing and discussion following the morning of a family member’s funeral, but Nick Groff of “Ghost Adventures” was not about to let his fans down at a Nashua New Hampshire Barnes and Noble on Saturday, November 17th. Very nice of you to do, Nick! Check out the full video of the event HERE and a video where Nick does some fan shout outs HERE. You can send Nick condolensces on his loss via Twitter HERE, or to just follow him and become a fan, too!

A Tough Nut to Crack

NuttyMadam Metro photoHer name is Emma Clark. You may not know her by that name, however. If one were to mention YouTube’s Nuttymadam, or “the crying Twilight fan”, or “AMAZING BOOOOK”, that may ring more of a bell. Emma is a Twilight super fan, and the eyes of the pop culture community are on this young woman as the Twilight film series is drawing to a close. Part Two of Breaking Dawn is slowly releasing around the globe, and though the DVD/BluRay will be out months from now, the fans have reached a bit of a mourning period of the saga ending, which Emma agrees with via Twitter.

NuttyMadam tweetThough the film series has drawn to a close, Emma has gained a lot of recognition over the years for her dedication to the Twihard fandom due to her outspoken and spirited views on Twilight with all things that go with it. I’ve even interviewed her quite a few times on my BlogTalkRadio show HERE. Aside from watching her YouTube videos, check out THIS, THIS and THIS for some great recent interviews or final movie coverage she has done for large media outlets who have taken notice of her, including celeb gossip blogger Perez Hilton, who is her biggest fan!