Stevie and Fans

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

But sometimes it can be equally as awkward to try and stand-up mid hug.

HA!
They are short, so it should be easier.

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

think of it this way, i manage a clothing store. my "customers" can come in during business hours. when i leave the store , i don't want them waiting outside asking me to select their outfit, or tie his tie.
not sure what you do, but when you get off "work" do you see clients? or do you want to go home and rest or go get dinner, etc.
haven't you done what you were PAID for??
it seems sort of callous, but we are all in some or another form of business.
Stevie seems generous enough with her time, and upon random, "free-time" encounters , quite gracious. but after ad day of rehearsals, a night of performing, perhaps she just wants to have Stevie-time. should we be-grudge her that?
she can't logistically meet every fan who wants time with her, or the 4-12,000 fans would be lined up waiting their turn.

I agree with this. I think she does a fair amount of meet-and-greets, and when she does, she does them genuinely. However, there are many times where she simply cannot do it because of other obligations and still other times when she just doesn't want to do it because she is human and can have moods like any of us. I've touched her hand a few times but never really MET her, and as much as I would love to, I really don't think she owes it to me. After she finishes the show, she has given me what she owes me.

[kimmersxa]

Originally Posted by MikeInNV

After she finishes the show, she has given me what she owes me.

i'm with you on that one.

on a side note: i don't think the not standing up for the contestants who tried hugging her on Idol makes her stand-offish or aloof. honestly? i don't necessarily want to hug every person who i talk to and makes the gesture to hug me. does that make me a bitch or a queen? no, i just have weird space issues. meaning: this is my personal space and maybe i'm not feeling particularly like having other people in it today. could you imagine having to hug every stranger you meet? not everyone has the best grooming techniques either

again, we don't really know her as a person, but i'll say this: she was incredibly warm when i met her at that Amoeba signing last August. she actually took the time to have a brief and unique conversation with me. held my freakin' hand at the very end and looked me directly in the eye and said how much she appreciated me.

[APerfectLie]

I think Stevie cares for her fans immensely, but with all the weirdos out there I see why she doesn't open herself up for everyone to meet. Not only that, but I think the fact that she doesn't go out of her way to meet everyone makes meeting her much more special. Anywho, this topic reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from her:

"I feel lucky that they are still on the other side of that door. When people come up and ask me for an autograph at dinner and they go 'I'm so sorry to bother you, but your music just saved my life' and I'm like, to myself I think, 'what's REALLY going to bother me is when nobody asks for my autograph anymore!' Then I'm going to be sitting there in the restaurant going, 'does anybody want my autograph?'"

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by kimmersxa

on a side note: i don't think the not standing up for the contestants who tried hugging her on Idol makes her stand-offish or aloof.

I don't either. Although I've never paid that much attention, I don't think any of the mentors typically get up when the contestant come in. Not a big deal, we know she took pictures and signed at least one autograph with the contestants later. Obviously they don't film (or at least they don't show) the entire interaction between the mentor and the contestant.

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

think of it this way, i manage a clothing store. my "customers" can come in during business hours. when i leave the store , i don't want them waiting outside asking me to select their outfit, or tie his tie.
not sure what you do, but when you get off "work" do you see clients? or do you want to go home and rest or go get dinner, etc.
haven't you done what you were PAID for??
it seems sort of callous, but we are all in some or another form of business.
Stevie seems generous enough with her time, and upon random, "free-time" encounters , quite gracious. but after ad day of rehearsals, a night of performing, perhaps she just wants to have Stevie-time. should we be-grudge her that?
she can't logistically meet every fan who wants time with her, or the 4-12,000 fans would be lined up waiting their turn.

Exactly what I was thinking! If I were Stevie I would run for the hills after a gig. Who wants to deal with all the nuts? She puts herself out there for the Edge walk and even that has elements of terror for her I'm sure. All I want from Stevie is her music and great performances on stage. Why do we have to touch her, talk to her, stalk her, etc? We as fans are not entitled to any of that (contrary to what many think). We don't know her and we're not her friends. And that's okay!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by kimmersxa

i'm with you on that one.

on a side note: i don't think the not standing up for the contestants who tried hugging her on Idol makes her stand-offish or aloof. honestly? i don't necessarily want to hug every person who i talk to and makes the gesture to hug me. does that make me a bitch or a queen? no, i just have weird space issues.

Seriously. At this point, I resent it when people want to shake my hand. It's ok in an office setting, but outside of that I am thinking, "Really, do we have to?" when a hand is extended. I mean just nod and say hi.

The social hug and kiss between strangers is, to me, disgusting.

Michele

[David]

Originally Posted by michelej1

The social hug and kiss between strangers is, to me, disgusting.

The wondrous Judith Martin speaks ill of it, too, and I agree with her.

She speaks of an instance years ago when she encountered the grotesquely touchy-feely Leo Buscaglia. He apparently recognized her (they were not acquainted other than with each other's celebrity), reached for her physically, and grappled her in a big hug. She maintained her civility (natch), but was not pleased.

Her view, aired long afterward, is that people are under no etiquette obligation to suffer the hugs and kisses of strangers, and that handshakes are the polite and accepted way to show goodwill.

We've become a hug-and-kiss society, which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't all so phony. Nowadays you see people doing this all the time on the reality TV shows, and it's squirmy. People are introduced to other people for the first time, and they throw their arms around them and squeeze.

Hugs and kisses show tenderness, affection, etc., among loved ones (family or friends). That status of affection requires time to develop. The idea that you should engage in behavior that mimics that degree of intimacy but do so upon first meeting someone is offensive.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Seriously. At this point, I resent it when people want to shake my hand. "Really, do we have to?" when a hand is extended. I mean just nod and say hi.

The social hug and kiss between strangers is, to me, disgusting.

Applying your fist to my fist has become acceptable behavior as a handshake used to be. I'm comfortable with that. I don't want to have direct contact with anyone's fingertips and hands. God knows what they have touched before they touched mine. It always seems when I'm in a social situation the person who has just blown their nose always makes their way over to me for a handshake at some point.

[Macfanforever]

I think I said this before.I hope Stevie does not touch her face. eyes and mouth after the Edgewalk .She better have some of those Sani-Dex Antimicrobial Alcohol hand wipes somewhere close by.Imagine the germs she could pickup from fans.

[NoLight77]

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

Exactly what I was thinking! If I were Stevie I would run for the hills after a gig. Who wants to deal with all the nuts? She puts herself out there for the Edge walk and even that has elements of terror for her I'm sure. All I want from Stevie is her music and great performances on stage. Why do we have to touch her, talk to her, stalk her, etc? We as fans are not entitled to any of that (contrary to what many think). We don't know her and we're not her friends. And that's okay!

I don't think the few people waiting outside of the venue are nuts. Or stalkers. Or weirdos. I think they just want a chance to see Stevie or meet her. It's happened to many other people, so why shouldn't they give it a chance?

[NoLight77]

I guess all the people in the "For those of you who have met Stevie" thread are weirdos and stalkers?

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by NoLight77

I guess all the people in the "For those of you who have met Stevie" thread are weirdos and stalkers?

I think there is nothing weird or stalkerish about meeting a celebrity in a controlled, deliberate manner, i.e., backstage after a concert, at a record/DVD signing, etc. But I do personally think it's not natural to approach someone famous when they are just out and about living their lives privately. I have seen tons of famous people walking around on the street, but I would never, ever feel it within my rights to crowbar myself into their world just because I recognized them or watched/read/listened to/admired their works. A friendly wave from a distance is where I draw the line.

[NoLight77]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I think there is nothing weird or stalkerish about meeting a celebrity in a controlled, deliberate manner, i.e., backstage after a concert, at a record/DVD signing, etc. But I do personally think it's not natural to approach someone famous when they are just out and about living their lives privately. I have seen tons of famous people walking around on the street, but I would never, ever feel it within my rights to crowbar myself into their world just because I recognized them or watched/read/listened to/admired their works. A friendly wave from a distance is where I draw the line.

I myself have never run into a celebrity when they are out and about. I have only waited outside after a concert.

[WildHearted]

If I saw a celebrity randomly, and they were someone I actually cared about, I would definitely approach them. If I saw Paris Hilton or someone walking down the street, I'm not going to bother her because that's just excessive and if it doesn't mean anything to me other than a cool story then I'm not going to inconvenience them. But Stevie? Of course I would say hello.

I understand not feeling 'right' about bothering famous people - more power to everyone who vows not to, I suppose. But they are celebrities by choice, so I don't understand the demonization of wanting to meet someone you admire. They're entitled to their privacy, of course, and if you're being a creepy stalker then there are obvious larger problems to deal with....

The only person I have ever met in a non-controlled setting was Miley Cyrus, but that was somewhat atypical because it was on a movie set and I'll spare the details but it was a weird stroke of luck, the whole encounter. I do have a picture, though.