Guys. GUYS. GUYS.
I know some of you are new to fandoms. You’re young, you’re in your teens or twenties… Or even older and you’re still new. But seriously- actors love to hear that we like their work- not that we’re obsessive over every detail to the point where we write about it, draw…
And then you have people like Tom Felton who says that there’s stuff like “Hagrid/Dumbledore”. That, boyo, is a rarepair. If you found that, that means you specifically went looking. Likewise Dominic Monaghan shameless pokes fun at the TinHats ;)
I would never be a person who suggests showing fic to celebs. Or - heaven forfend - those people who show graphic manips to people. Except, you know, people like Tom Felton or Elijah Wood, who both were shown them on national TV and had amusing anecdotes about them. Tom’s brother seemingly told everyone that one of the Harry/Draco images was a real photo he had taken, and insisted on using it as his computer desktop.
But generally, if I had access to a celebrity, the most I would ever show them would be a painting or a drawing. My fic is for fandom only. I would never, ever go out to deliberately get an actor/actress to read it, because that’s not how fandom works. Fandom is something you come to. You don’t take your fandom and beat someone over the head with it until the read it. If they go a-looking, then on their own head be it. Like Rumpel says in OUaT, everyone has a choice. Let them choose if they want to be traumatised by how naughty their fans are. Don’t just force it on them.
There’s a fine line between showing appreciation, and terrifying performers, and that’s what divides the Executive Fangirls from the Weirdo Fangirls. People who cross it are the reason so many awesome performers are wary of meeting fans - I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen actors literally flee the area due to complete discomfort in the presence of these kind of people (good example: a Cats fan who had her teeth filed, wore cats eyes contact lenses and a collar and tried to rub up against one of the performers. I have never seen a grown man run so fast in my life. Or the occasion when the Phelps twins were presented with Fred/George art. Yes. That kind).
Simple rule: You can be as fangirl/boyish as you like, but always be aware of the line, and do your best not to cross it.
I had a feeling the whole Twitter thing was getting a little weird. Then I saw what people were doing, and I shuddered a bit. I’m also in the boat of “don’t show your fan works to the actors.” I never intended Emilie or Robert to see my fanart, but someone sent it to them and there’s nothing I can do to stop that. I was both thrilled and terrified, but at least took comfort in that I didn’t do it myself. Basically everything I feel is summed up in these two posts, there is a certain line you don’t cross when it comes to these things. It’s all about respecting the actors and not shoving your fan works into their faces just to get their nod of approval.
I also now love the term “executive fangirl” and am going to adopt it for myself.
My fanfiction is mine. Like it, love it, hate it. But really, making the people they’re about uncomfortable because of it? Tsk.
An “executive fangirl” sounds quite like me. That and I will never get a chance to meet any of my fandom pairings.. so yeah :)
