Dionysus All Over Again:
Vindications on the Rights of Fans
From 2003
It's been quite an eventful hiatus for Gale
Harold fans. First, he made his Network TV
debut on Law & Order SVU on May 9, 2003.
The episode was called "Perfect" and he played
a doctor trying to clone babies, who had a cult
of young girls and a couple of professional
women following him.(Who wouldn't?) Then,
Particles Of Truth, Rhinoceros Eyes and
WAKE had showings all over the country.
Then the piece de resistance - Gale did a 2 episode guest shot on Showtime
network's STREET TIME as a heroin-addicted rock star complete with
Courtney-esque albatross.
Think about that for a minute. Gale's first two TV appearances after Brian
Kinney are a cult leader and a rock star. In Particles of Truth he even plays a
character named.... wait for it..... Morrison! I feel so... vindicated. I mean,
talk about manifesting the Dionysian archetype - and the best part is that I'm
obviously not the only one who sees it. I get plenty of feedback on the essays,
so I know a lot of the girls on line get it, but someone who's casting roles sees
it as well. I always said the man should have his own religion. Who knew that
the producers of SVU would think so as well? And who knew the flurry of
interest that Gale's lip-synching would cause? Was it him or not? Yes, he was
obviously lip-synching, but to whose voice? We've heard that he can sing...
Now we are running around trying to get copies of the Nov 03 issue of Vanity
Fair. FINALLY, he makes the cover of a major magazine. Yes, there are lots
of people there, but this is Gale's first cover of a main stream 'zine and I'm
going to revel in it. I'm also a little sad.
We've talked in various groups about how we liked that the rest of the world
hasn't discovered him yet. He's been particularly accessible because of QAF's
location, much to his chagrin. Once he breaks into the main stream, and I think
he will very soon, he'll become "untouchable". He's not motivated to stay in
touch with his fans, not only because of his shyness, but because it looks as if
he thinks the "fan thing" is "cheesy" . (That is not a quote, it's my inference.
He's referred to an article that featured him as a "cheese dish", and we know
he won't discuss his status as "the next big thing" in interviews. ) If he's true
to type, the inevitable "actress/model" will start appearing on his arm and he'll
be less accommodating to the lucky few who get near him at a premiere or a
public appearance.
I could be completely wrong, of course.
So what do you do when your cable dream boat becomes a big star? We've
been lucky. We may even be a little spoiled. I wish he'd stay our sweet little
stoner-boy forever... and maybe he will. It's never happened that I know of,
but that doesn't mean he can't be the first. Maybe he'll still have a place for
fans in his life or in his heart. Maybe he'll stay in Toronto, do indie movies
and grow into the next Dennis Hopper. I'd bet money there's at least one
"Easy Rider" in him.
I have observed that there are two basic views of Actors and fans. One view is
that he owes his fans nothing but his best performance. I'd say the fandom is
about 60% in this camp, and Gale will be there soon if he isn't already. As
usual, I'm of the minority opinion.
My views on this were formed before I published a fan magazine, but that
experience, and the time I spent promoting bands and concerts solidified it.
When I managed a group, the first thing that happened after the last song was
everyone getting a brand new Sharpie from the box in my gig bag and with it
was a gentle reminder that fans were the number one priority - before packing
up equipment, before hooking up with the chicks at the bar, before taking off
with friends. Nothing shows a club owner what brought that drinking crowd in
like seeing them clamor for autographs so they can make it back for last call.
The ultimate "instant gratification". It's something actors only get if they do
theater. The dynamic is more "stretched out" with actors and fans than with
musicians, but it's the same dynamic within the Dionysian context.
A performer should have basic rights. He should be able to do human things -
eat a meal, go to the bathroom, watch a movie, go shopping, be sick, have a
bad day- in relative peace. Good manners go a long way when someone has to
deal with the public. I do think fans have a few rights as well, though. When a
meal is finished, a performer should be prepared to spend a few minutes and
muster a few kind words for fans who've waited respectfully near by. That
five or ten minutes might be a minor inconvenience to the "Star", but it might
be the five or ten minutes of a lifetime for the fan. If you are able to do
something wonderful for someone with so little effort, then do it.
Then there's the question of fan mail. I've had several people express concern
that they wrote to one of several stars "several weeks ago" and were concerned
that they hadn't heard back. I've heard the term "stuck up" more than once as
regards more than one QAF cast member. Here's where we need to be
reasonable. Some stars - like Fab Filippo- have their fan mail sent through
their organization and are likely never to see it. Others, like Thea Gill, will
sometimes write to fans or even call them in some circumstances, but don't use
her as the yardstick because she is quite simply an Angel wrapped in a tiny
Marilyn Monroe package.
Quantity plays a big factor. As TV goes, my guess would be that QAF gets a
light load of mail because the show runs on a subscription service. It's still too
much to expect a response, though. At best, you can hope that your letter or
card will be remembered if there was something unique about it. At this level,
gifts should still be noticed and remembered, and that seems to be the case.
Very few stars give automatic responses, and honestly, if they do it probably
means it's done by a company that processes fan mail so your bon mots are
unlikely ever to reach the addressee.
On the subject of gifts - two points*: 1) Gifts from the U.S. to Dufferin Gate
cross the international border. That means you don't put anything into it you
don't want the feds to find. It won't make it to your addressee anyway,
because they aren't going to be the first to open the package. They won't risk
letting a star get pinched if someone sends a questionable item. Lying on the
customs form is a very big deal, so don't do it. Customs officials are notorious
for having no sense of whimsy. 2) If you send anything of real value, there are
charges that have to be paid for the receiver. Don't send a present that will
arrive with a bill. You can avoid all this by sending through the Showtime
address in New York, but that makes the gift less likely to be received, and it
will probably take a lot longer.
[*information is obsolete since Gale is back in LA]
So why would a fan send a gift to someone they may never meet? Beats hell
out of me, but I know a lot of us have done it. Something in the performer or
the performance speaks to us as fans and we feel compelled to reciprocate, or
to extend the connection. It's less about courtship than most would think and
more about homage. The oldest parts of us feel a compulsion to leave an
offering on the altar. There's also a
good measure of Cinderella Syndrome that goes on - that eternal hope that of
all the others, you might be the Chosen One. (See my page on <A
HREF="http://the-goddess.org/QAF/Randy.html"> Randy</A> for more about
this) For the most part, it's harmless. It
shouldn't expose anyone to derision or slander/
libel<sup>3</sup>.
Fans have a right to get excited when they meet
their idol. Squealing can be a little embarrassing,
but it's harmless. Some people cry when they're
happy, and that's ok, to a point. As long as you aren't creating a scene,
preventing someone from conducting their business (don't make him miss a
plane!) or touching without permission, it's all good.
We've got one more season of QAF that's already in production, and Goddess
willing, there'll be a fifth. And a sixth. And... well, you get the idea. The
point is, we'd better enjoy having him to ourselves while we can. Let's hope
he doesn't forget us when he's a Big Star. Treat him well so he doesn't brush
us off. Pray that he doesn't start to believe his publicity. And keep a little bit
of hope in our hearts, for him and for each other.