Lainey comments about the GB Vegas Convention

http://www.laineygossip.com/Gerard_Butler_fan_convention_article_1apr10.aspx?CatID=0&CelID=0


Potter... or Spittle?
Am currently obsessed, obviously, with somehow getting my Chinese ass to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando when it opens in June. This however is not a travel priority for everyone. In fact, for fans of Gerard Butler, riding The Forbidden Journey, going wand shopping, and drinking butterbeer probably ranks much, much lower on the list of lifetime experiences than...say... attending a Spittle Convention.

What?

Thanks to Tracey for this AMAZING link. It’s... maybe the best f-cking link I’ve ever, EVER received.

You busy in June? June 3 – 5? Want to go to Vegas? Want to go to Vegas for the 5th ANNUAL GERARD BUTLER FAN CONVENTION?

Please click here for more information. You can also get a “companion pass” for your significant other.

This is what I’m giving Jacek for his birthday. Giddyup baby, I’m taking you to Vegas for some Spittle-jack!

I’ve found my new happy place. The Spittle Convention is my happy place. I am happy every time I think of it.

PS. what do you think the crossover is between Twi-Hards and Gerry-tics?

Attached – Gerry on the cover of the new issue of Architectural Digest recommended no doubt by his booty call Jennifer Aniston.

Agent Bedhead has an article as well. I'm not sure who picked it up first.

http://agentbedhead.com/index.php/archive/obsessed-gerard-butler-fans-crazier-than-twihards/

I am shocked to discover a fanbase, that of Gerard Butler, who are perhaps even more (unnecessarily) obsessed than those of Robert Pattinson. In fact, a Buttler fanclub called “GALS” actually holds a yearly estrogen gathering in Las Vegas and is preparing to hold the 5th Annual Gerard Butler Fan Convention. (Well, I imagine that this year has brought Gerry’s “GALS” a shitload of material — The Ugly Truth and The Bounty Hunter — about which to swoon.) For a mere $265 (not including room & board), one can enjoy a weekend of riveting comradery with fellow rabid Gerard Butler fans. The convention fee also comes with an amazing agenda of activities, including the following:

* “Myspace/Facebook for Dummies,”
* “Gerry Movies and Hanging Out,”
* “Gaelic Gutter Gab for GALS,”
* “We’re All Connected Gala,” and (finally!)
* More “Gerry Movies and Hanging Out.”

Hey, they forgot about “Romcoms Kill The Action Movie Star,” “Shitty Accents 101,” “Enduring The Insufferable Katherine Heigl,” and “How To Pretend To Bang Jennifer Aniston.” I want my money back, bitches.

I just want to make it clear that, personally, I find these articles crass, disrespectful, and mean. The ladies aren't hurting anyone and they're raising money for charity and having a good time. Nothing wrong with that.

I hope GB's new found overexposure fame doesn't mean bad consequences for the fans. There's some attention you just don't want and/or need.

While I wouldn't necessarily start a convention in the name of an individual, I am hardly the one to point a finger when I go to so many sci fi conventions.

Wow...

Despite my personal feelings, even that second one is way over the top.

Conventions like these have been going around for years. I did go to the first 3 cons. If there are enough people, you can have a convention for anything. Women just like to get together, for any reason.

And they do raise funds at the convention for charity.

As for patz vs. gman? Patz's fans win for overindulgence.

I see Holly posted something to explain the whole deal.

I liked Holly's post.

As far as people making fun of conventions, they've been doing it for years. Fanboys have been the brunt of a lot of these jokes ever since the Star Trek conventions started.

Hey, publicity for the GB fan convention!

It's hilarious when rabid football fans belittle scifi fans or movie/actor fans. I'd rather hang out with women fans of actors than men fans of burly well-built male football players. Talk about gay!

Everyone has an interest in something or someone. Everybody should just chill out.

I remember when those crazy people on JustJared took the time to Google my name and found my personal website. Their stalking got me over 100 hits to my site in one day. I don't think I've ever gotten that many hits to my site in one day before, and I've had that site for about 10 years.

Now that I am learning and understanding more about fans and fandom I think the statements were very mean.

I personally would not have the time to be a superfan. But there is no telling what you may do if you have a lot of time on your hands and you are in a certain place in life. I found this site because I saw P.S. I Love You and googled GB while I was waiting on a client to approve copy. Never thought I would become a member but I am glad I did. You are very nice people.

I am amazed at how people attack each other on celebrity gossip sites. It's sad.

Attacking people is fun, but it makes for a very tense and hostile atmosphere. I much prefer fun, humor, relaxation, and friendship.

kayanne wrote:

I am amazed at how people attack each other on celebrity gossip sites. It's sad.

I was too. A little background history on me:

I'm a lot like kayanne in that I was never involved in a "fandom" until about 2004 when I joined a forum for an actor named Steve Bacic. I did it on a whim, simply because I enjoyed his work and wanted to know more about him. Turns out, the ladies on that site were very lovely and urged me to "delurk". I did, and within three months I was going to my first convention to meet some of them. Since the convention was within driving distance, I decided it would make for a good vacation...especially considering it was over Thanksgiving holiday and I was going through some personal things at that time and just needed to get away. I never expected to really get involved in it, but then I met Steve in person and he turned out to be a great guy. Well this led to that and four months later I went to NY for another convention. I met a few other fans, a few other actors, etc....and then I guess I was bitten by the convention bug.

But I was also naive. I guess I just assumed ALL fandoms were like the first one I was involved in - Steve's - but they aren't. I made the mistake of getting too close and trusting the wrong people, and it came back to bite me in the ass. Not that ALL fans are like that, because I've also met some very lovely Gerry fans - everyone here, for example. But it stands to reason that since Gerry has a bigger fanbase, it's sort of like going from the minor to the major leagues. Gerry can't fly under the radar like he used to, and neither can his fans and if folks will attack him, they will attack anyone involved in any way with him. And when your name is out there and you run a fansite for him, you can be fodder.

I firmly believe a lot of the folks on the internet that have a personal agenda with me are those who KNOW me, or at least know of me. They go under assumed names because they're too afraid to face me in person, but they know too much about my personal life to be strangers. I know I haven't been perfect and I have made a lot of mistakes (this stuff is pretty new to me too), but all I want right now is for this "hobby" to become fun again. Pick and choose your battles.

Dk, you are lucky you found a good beginning with Steve's group.

DK, I'm surprised you didn't join one of the Sorbo hordes first.

I'm afraid to go to Vegas for any reason. Too many things to spend money on, and lots of them are very addictive. Also fattening. I'd rather go to Disney World or Disneyland or LEGOland or Seaworld or Universal Orlando now that they have a Harry Potter area (opens June 18th).

My exbf and I just watched "Dear Frankie." I have to be honest that with all the fandom craziness I was thinking I must have something wrong with me to be on a forum about GB. That was a great movie and a great performance. I don't feel silly now The man has some acting skills. It's just all this stuff about his life--which I got into as well because I didn't stop myself (and I should have)--should not trump the man's performances.

I don't see myself as traveling to conventions because I am just so busy as are many other people. I am on my own so I have to work hard to support myself. Besides my PR/writing gigs I teach ballroom and I am embarrassed to say that I am a wedding singer and I do singing telegrams. I started doing the wedding thing in college and I really am bored with it but I need the money. This is one of the few weekends I have had off, mainly because it is Easter weekend.

BTW, my favorite actor is Anthony Hopkins. My favorite performances are "The Desperate Hours, 'The Human Stain" and of course "Shadowlands."

Hopkins doesn't have the crazy fandom. Thank God!

But I do think that GB brings a lot of it on himself so I don't feel badly for him. I just can't believe a 40-year-old man who has been in the business this long doesn't understand how the game is played.

You have 4 jobs??? Wow!

I'm not a GB fan. I'm a DK fan.

DK? I am still trying to learn the abbreviations.

Don't be wowed by the four jobs. My "day" job is my business so if I could grasp some good time management skills that is not so bad. I teach ballroom and do the wedding singing/telegrams on my own schedule, too. However, most weddings are on Saturday and a Saturday off is very rare for me. The challenge is getting the clients to pay on time so that I can pay my bills, which has gotten much better lately and now I am able to save some money.

This is my dream life--living in a medium size town and working on my own. My social life is in a slump but the slumps are never forever. I have challenges like everyone but I cannot complain. I am at total peace with my life!

DK is me.

Thanks for helping me with the abbreviations!

Ballroom dancing??? I love dancing.

I used to sing/play for weddings and funerals. Getting paid is a b*tch. Our music director friend had been doing those all her life and she said basically no money in hand, no music. Period. I found the whole thing pretty stressful so I don't do that anymore.

Movie abbreviations are hard for me because I don't know them all.