Characters versus Actors and Knowing the Difference

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Title: Characters versus Actors and Knowing the Difference
Creator: caarianna, plus commenters
Date(s): April 3, 2006
Medium:
Fandom: focus on The Sentinel
Topic:
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Characters versus Actors and Knowing the Difference is a 2006 essay by caarianna.

Topics Discussed

Related/Response Posts

The Essay

Last night and earlier today, I've heard about a bizarre LJ site where people get off writing crude, untrue and demeaning stuff about Garett, Richard and his family, as if it was all a) hilarious and b) perfectly okay to post what could well be considered libelous (or is that slanderous?) material in a public forum. I've seen and heard of the fictionalization of the lives of real people before, usually undertaken out of some affection for the celebrities involved or a blurring of the lines in the writer's mind about what is real and what is not, but never have I seen it so maliciously done before. I found myself wondering if the LJ Admin people were advised that this deplorable stuff was being gleefully written about real people, if they'd require that it be taken down.

Normally, I accept that it's a free world on the net and people can pretty much post what they want. Certainly, when it comes to fan fiction, we all agree that it's up to the writer to decide how the characters are portrayed. If a given story happens to be of a genre or characterization that I personally think misses the whole point of the innate decency of the characters, their integrity, and the fundamental equality of their unique and highly prized friendship or relationship, then I just move on. Not up to me to define how anyone else sees fictional entities.

But I find the pillorying of real people in a hurtful, destructive, crass and completely untrue manner very disturbing. The fact that the writers of this stuff seem to think it all hilariously funny makes me feel ill. I wonder if they are, er, healthy people in mind and spirit. Are they sociopaths who get off on the character assassination of real people? Or do they not perceive the difference between real people, the reality of their lives as other human beings, and fictional characters? Or do they think it's perfectly okay to be hideously cruel and blisteringly nasty in what they write -- because it's a free world, after all -- and how they represent these real people, who are in actuality innately kind and generous of spirit, is nobody's business but their own? Okay to write this filth, not in the privacy of closed notes if they, indeed, do feel for some reason that these blameless people deserve their scorn, but in full public view?

Well, it's sure public now -- [a professional reporter] [1] commented on their little scenario last night, having found it linked to an article she had written. The reporter's comments were very smooth, even encouraging -- and one wonders what she may make of what she's found in some future article about what 'fans' have to say about the stars of The Sentinel. As one of these LJ contributors apparently claims to have some personal knowledge of the celebrities in question, through some past role she played, some people could read what is being written and wonder if there isn't truth in it -- and that's when it could get really ugly, if it ends up as speculative headlines on the rags that fill the shelves by grocery store check-out lanes. One can only hope that it's perceived as the spiteful, mean diatribe that it is and that readers make their judgments accordingly about the people who spew such hateful nonsense under the guise of what? Writing satire? Please.

I suppose it's perfectly clear that I find the garbage being written, and the people writing it, disgusting in the extreme. I'm sure others will advise me that I'm over-reacting and, besides, it is a free medium and so people can and evidently will write whatever they want. Nevertheless, there are some things, in my mind, worthy of taking a stand against, and this is one of them. There is nothing amusing in what they are writing. To the contrary, what has been written reads more like a vicious hatred that could be both immensely hurtful and harmful to the celebrities being targeted. If I knew of a way to shut them down, I'd act upon it. Yes, celebrities no doubt come across such stuff from time to time and learn to weather it as part and parcel of being public figures. But that doesn't make the publicizing of this kind of garbage, under the guise of 'fiction' and 'humour', either right or acceptable. It may be futile to rail against it, but no way, having become aware of it, could I remain silent and by silence convey that I thought it was perfectly okay. It's not.

If anyone chooses to comment on this, I'd be interested in your views on the fictionalization of the lives of real people, and the public posting of hate literature about celebrities. I won't, however, share the link to the stuff I'm specifically writing about as I'm not interested in giving these people any free advertising.

Some Comments Posted

[aerianya]: Sadly there is no law against bad taste.

[alyburns]:

Where is this site?

Is it real? Have you been there?

[peter neverland]:

The freedom of speech is one of the trickiest freedoms we enjoy. On basic principle I support the right of everyone to express themselves. Yet, at what point does the freedom to express yourself conflict with the rights of others not to be harmed by your freedoms. Unfortunately self-regulation is a severly lacking skill in today's society. Too often just because we can do something many people take that as they should do it. It seems to me that these people are so wrapped up in their own needs and wants that they don't see the harm their behavior causes.

To put someone down, whether it is an actor, a stranger, a friend, a relative or whoever, and to talk about them like their feelings do not matter brings down society as a whole. It encourages people to see other people as objects rather than as human beings. Sure, there are some that can engage in this behavior and not have it affect how they treat those around them, but everyone is not like that and honestly I'm not even sure I would say the majority of people are like that.

Fiction is a reflection of life; we see something in fiction that we respond to, that's what separates good fiction from bad fiction. So that leaves me to wonder what it is about this degradation that they find so appealing? This is as true in fanfiction as it is in RP, but I think it holds added weight when it is a real person that you are belittling. Someone who if they ever found out about it would be hurt, not just offended, but honestly hurt that complete strangers were ridiculing him in such a vicious way.

My words to those who do it are this, if it was you that the story was about, not just your name but you, how would you feel? And if you really wouldn't mind what does that say about your ability to feel?

My words to authors in general, be careful what you write, because you do influence your readers.

My words to readers, be careful what you read, because words can become a part of your soul.

[jessriley]: What kind of floored me was the reaction of the reporter to all of this. If she is trying to make a success out of her online magazine, supporting or encouraging the mockery of those she interviews doesn’t really seem like a good career move.

[suziq]: Yeah, I found that interesting as well. Wonder if this'll end up in some article or in her LJ at some point.

[caarianna]: Man, what some people will boast about. Frankly, though they mockingly put PatK and Suzi down for their sensibilities in protesting this stuff, I'd far rather be in Pat and Suzi's camp than bragging about how great this poisonous stuff is. The only comfort is that the VAST majority of fans, and even critics of these actors and the show, are not like these people.

[caarianna]: How much do you trust a reporter not to find a story in all this? [snipped] I've wondered if sending her a note, to assure her that what she found is an aberrant microcosm of the fandom, would be worth pursuing, but I'm hoping she just shrugged and moved on.

[caarianna]: Oh, dear. I checked [Brooklinegirl's] LJ earlier, and there was no mention of any of this on it. She sounds very young. If it was her, and she's trying to stir things up, that doesn't bode well. Sigh. If I was the originator of all this, I'd be locking the journal and running for cover, at least until things cooled off. But no one involved seems to understand the risks; they're all having too much fun lapping up the attention and feeling wild and free,

[trislindsay]:

I have seen RP fiction done in funny, silly ways going back 20 years or more (and it certainly went on long before that). And I do mean funny and silly (with ocean going volkswagons and talking animals and nothing in the least demeaning or nasty about the actors). And that writer was absolutely castigated, even though the story was private and did not get out and about through her doing (and that was long before the internet). I thought that was stupid - the castigation - because it was obviously nothing more than silliness. I've read other stories from that time period that were equally funny and based on true-life experiences of the writer and her real interactions with the actors. But again, these were done with love and would not have read as demeaning in any way. The stories were also very private and never made public.

I haven't gone to this site, but from what you've said, it's disturbing. Unless the actor himself is doing the writing, RP stories are fiction and we know that. But the actor involved here probably doesn't know that. I certainly wouldn't want somebody I considered a friend of mine writing demeaning fic about me. I would distance myself from that person and any contact I might have with others who might do the same thing - and by that reasoning that could lead to this actor's withdrawal from his fans who have nothing to do with the RPS being written. And could you blame him? It's like being kicked in the teeth.

RP belongs behind locked posts if it is going to be on LJ. Even if it's silly and stupid and not demeaning, it should be kept locked. If it's demeaning and nasty, especially so. There's a lot of RP fic nowadays, but most of it is kept private, wherein the authors post behind locked LJs, and they are very, very careful about who gets in.

This nastiness is the same lack of respect, in it's own way, that I was writing about a couple of weeks ago that got me in so much mud (wherein I got noted in fandom wank, which was funny actually, for being a 'grande dame' in a fandom I have never been in, and an actor I've never been a fan of). It's bad manners! It's cruelty for cruelty's sake. And a few people are going to ruin it for everyone as this kind of thing gets more publically prevalent.

Why is it that some people feel they must put down others to build themselves up? (And the more they deny it and find it funny, the more likely it is, according to psychiatrists.)

In many cases fandoms police themselves, and I hope that happens here. This isn't a boy-band or a couple of 20 year old actors. We have a great fandom in TS, with good people and I hate to see us all get hurt because of a few.

[caarianna]: Thanks so much for commenting. And, you're right; if the LJ had been locked, none of this would be an issue as none of it would be public knowledge. I'm not sure how a fandom polices itself in an instance like this. There's no 'list mom' on LJ to exert order and two of the individuals who have expressed concern about the stuff on this site have been mocked on the wank LJ. Seems 'being cool' equals 'being cruel' these days and that's sad.

[trislindsay]:

Well, then I am not cool and happy to be that way! And I like my peers!

I did finally go and look at one story and was appalled at the visciousness to Garret, Richard and their families. I looked up 'libel' in the dictionary, and this fit the #2 definition right down the line. They are asking for a lawsuit. All it takes is one lawsuit to set a precedent.

By policing, in this case, probably the only thing that can be done is not feed the monkey. She can be reported for LJ abuse, but they'll just take it elsewhere. Especially with this reporter involved (who is definitely feeding the monkey), this is bound to get out and then Garret will know and the **** will hit the fan. Man, I hope not, but when you start being nasty to families, well that's gonna make them angry. Okay, I don't know, maybe not, but it would me.

[caarianna]: Well, they aren't my family, but it made me furious. So, yeah, linking in the family connection could light a fuse if he ever finds out. I understand that his is not the only family that they mock. Closing the LJ might not stop them, but it might send a message and at least get the stuff out of this public forum.

[trislindsay]:

I would not want RB mad at me. And the whole Maggert clan? No way. And they have large amounts of money and lawyers. And tempers.

Frankly, the whole thing squicked me and I only read one story. The derisive nastiness, and personal gloating glee, seemed kind of, well, sick.

You're right, complaining about the LJ might send a message. Maybe just a request for her to go back and lock or filter her posts would work. I certainly had no trouble finding it at all.

I'm so sorry people got hit over at fandom wank, which got pulled from LJ and is now elsewhere, due to complaints. I don't like anybody getting hurt, and everybody has a right to their own opinion, but now it's been discussed at meta, and over on FW, all in open posts, with links, (well, I haven't been to meta, but presumably it's got links) so info about the stories is spreading like the Black Plague.

[caarianna]: I agree, it all seems 'sick'; I don't think these people are playing with a full deck. I'm sorry to hear the whole thing is spreading as they trumpet the thrill of being crude and nasty. However, maybe the more it spreads, the more irate people will become and the more complaints will flow ... until the stuff is hopefully locked up or removed. ::shakes head:: How twisted is it to get such enjoyment out of writing such terrible stuff about decent people? What kind of lives must these people lead that this is their form of recreation and entertainment?

[trislindsay]:

Let's face it, RPS has been around since day one, but this kind of nastiness about actors and families, well, as you said, is twisted. But I don't laugh when people fall down and get hurt either. And I don't think cruelty to anyone is funny, or cool, or even very smart.

I did read the supposed 'beginning' to these stories, trying to get some background, which was some of the worst writing I've seen, but anyway, GM was mentioned in about one paragraph in a huge post about going to some con and meeting lots of fangirls. I guess on a long drive, there was some black humor, which is fine but doesn't need to be posted publicly just to show how funny she is. This long, boring post (I kept waiting for her to get to the point, which she never did) included a huge picture of herself. Nansi tells me we have met this person, though I don't remember, so you can see how little of an impression she made on me!

I think you are right and this person may have some problems. I hope not, because that is sad. Tearing down others is a way to bring herself 'up', and there are apparently a lot of people eating up her little stories and getting a real kick out of them, which I also find fairly (I've been sitting here trying to find the right word and the only one I can come up with is) pathetic.

[caarianna]:

Well, as Aly said in her LJ this evening, LJ is like high school or work or any other part of life and community -- and people of like minds and spirits will find one another. Some cliques are more pleasant to have in the playground than others.

I hope Aly's right, that GM, if he heard about it, would laugh heartily, but I worry about the 'spark of hurt' he might also feel. I guess it just bothers me on a very fundamental level that people can be so cruel to others who've done nothing to warrant such antipathy and, like you and others, I can't find any humour in any of it. I'm not comfortable with any RLF, though I recognize it has existed for ages (in some ways, perhaps that's how myths and legends started) but RLS, especially such hurtful RLS ... well, I've made my views clear on the subject. I just wish they'd lock it up, but I think they're having too much fun with the notoriety. ::shudders::

[patk]:

>>You're right, complaining about the LJ might send a message. Maybe just a request for her to go back and lock or filter her posts would work.<<

I don't think taking the "legal route" would be the best idea. I mean with the whole fanfic-genre being such a legal grey area and all, there could just be too much "collateral damage", so to speak.

And requesting privately that she f-locks those entries - well, I don't think this would work either because I think she simply lacks the insight and would perhaps only twist it in a "case of someone who tries to limit my right of free speech" or something like that.

Personally I think, the only and best thing we can do is state our general disapproval about such things, showing that it's not okay for everyone. The one or other person might start to think about it, though certainly none of her "fellowers".

PatK

:-)

[ninasis]:

My thoughts? Saturday Night Live does worse EVERY WEEK. MadTV - ditto. Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan - even Jon Stewart. Satire is a well protected form of media - much more protected than fanfic will ever be.

The GarettVerse in particular - it's satire, it's comedy, it's just as fictional as every piece of FPS available on the net today.

I find it interesting that this has become such a big deal in a fandom where a simple browse thru 852 Prospect will have you inundated with fics where Blair is raped and tortured and mutilated, where he is a pregnant elf (complete with accompanying "artwork"), where you have fans creating pieces of erotic art showing Richard and Garett in sexually explicit poses and posting those in UNLOCKED posts for the entire world to see. How in the world is the GarettVerse really as repugnant as folks are claiming? I mean - really, pregnant elf!Blair vs. Funyuns for sex.

I find this whole thing funny and sad and more than a little stupid. The same thing that applies to folks who don't like rape-fics, or who detest incest fic, applies to RPS. Don't like it? Don't read it.

[gershwhen]:

It may be mean and badly written -- but it IS listed as fiction, which means libel doesn't apply. Libel requires that people writing it believe it is FACT.

Libel and slander are legal claims for false statements of fact about a person that are printed, broadcast, spoken or otherwise communicated to others. Libel generally refers to statements or visual depictions in written or other permanent form, while slander refers to verbal statements and gestures. The term defamation is often used to encompass both libel and slander.

I don't personally read it (or care for that matter) but it drives me nuts when people start portraying fiction as "fact" -- this isn't a newspaper reporting gossip, it's someone making up stories.

[caarianna]: I truly believe these people do not understand the risks they are taking. It's silly and foolish when they could protect themselves with something as simple as a lock on the entries.

References

  1. ^ Starry Constellation Magazine, interview with Garett Maggart by Lisa Steinberg
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