# Why Would An Actor/Actress Not Want A Fan Club/Official Website
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 12, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091 "2006-03-12T22:26:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/1 "2006-03-12T22:26:27Z")
Just wondering…
Why would an established, fairly well-known actor/actress be hesitant to give the go-ahead to a group of fans to run an official website/fan club for the performer?
The fans are established professionals in their own fields…advertising, public relations, corporate management, a CPA, a paralegal…
We have assured this person that we do not want to intrude upon his/her personal life, but want to celebrate his/her career. This is a person who to this point has never answered fan mail, etc., but is very gracious and humble when approached by fans.
We respect this person’s decision, but, jeez…why become a performer if you don’t want attention? I’m not talking front cover of the National Enquirer, showing your altogether like Paris Hilton attention either…I’m talking…this is your upcoming project…kind of attention.
I’ve seen accountants in community theater productions in church basements want more attention.
Go figure…
???
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### Author:  [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/2 "2006-03-12T22:35:10Z")
It could be the “official” tag. The artist might be concerned about how the fanclub/website could reflect on them and simply not want to deal with the hassles.
Just as a for instance, imagine a internet mailing list / message board where it becomes neccesary to ban some disruptive member. If I am Celebrity X, I don’t need the headache of having some loon with aeons of spare time going around badmouthing me all over the net because a moderator that I didn’t hire on a message board I have nothing to do with banned them for reasons that have nothing to do with my work.
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### Author:  [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/3 "2006-03-12T22:36:47Z")
Perhaps the celebrity wishes to exercise the greatest possible control over his/her publicity and therefore prefers that information about his/her career behandled through publicists, studios, etc. rather than strangers on the internet over whom s/he can exercise no control.
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/4 "2006-03-12T22:38:38Z")
Are you going to go ahead and run an unofficial site?
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### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/5 "2006-03-12T23:00:40Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#):
>
> Are you going to go ahead and run an unofficial site?
An “unofficial” website has been in existence for over a year now. It is quite professional, designed by a highly-skilled web designer and has no “chat” type features where anyone need be banned. The performer’s management is aware of the site and has said that they liked it. This has all been going on for one year.
We have approached this professionally and sent our resumes, well written letters of recommendation from dozens of fans, etc., etc. and have been told time and time again, he/she is very interested, but doesn’t want to make a decision at this time until so and so project is complete. Okay…fast forward to just before Christmas. His/her management gave us the go-ahead to call the fan club/website “official” with the promise that we would sort out all the arrangements after the holidays. After the holidays a major project was announced and so he/she said, even though he/she is very interested, he/she wants to put off making a final decision until this project is over in June.
Okay…in January, I had an opportunity to talk to this person and said, “You know, I hope you aren’t weirded out by all this fan club/website business”. He/she said: “Well, you know, I kind of am…”. I said, “Please understand that we don’t want to intrude upon your personal life in any way, we only want to celebrate your career. You have a tremendous talent that has given a great deal of pleasure to a large number of people. This fan club/website would be our gift to you because you have earned it.”
I’ve been asked by the group to be the “mouthpiece” because I’m a publicist and talk for a living. I’d give it up, but it’s almost become like a game…really, I’m not even going to be the president or anything like that.
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### Author:  [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/6 "2006-03-12T23:28:13Z")
I would call this celebrity a pretentious shmuck - but that’s just me.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/7 "2006-03-12T23:37:14Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#):
>
> I would call this celebrity a pretentious shmuck - but that’s just me.
Oh, yeah. I can see where somebody not wanting to lend his official name to a website and fan club touting his talent and career would be pretentious instead of just modest.
You know, even actors can be modest and embarassed by the prospect of basically having a website or a fan club that they’ve personally endorsed as official raving over them. It’s rare, but it’s possible. I know that if I had ever been given the talent or the drive to become even moderately famous in films or television I’d be dreadfully embarassed when people recognize me and make a fuss. It’s just the way I am.
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### Author:  [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/8 "2006-03-12T23:55:38Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> You know, even actors can be modest and embarassed by the prospect of basically having a website or a fan club that they’ve personally endorsed as official raving over them. It’s rare, but it’s possible.
Or, s/he may feel that such adulation distracts from the work by focusing on the performer rather than the performance. It is the actor’s job to bring life to a script and the director’s vision, and shifting particular focus on the person doing the work is counter to that. Fans can create their own sites to discuss nuances of the performances to their hearts’ content, but I see no reason why the performer should feel obligated to put their stamp of approval on it, no matter how professionally it’s done.
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### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/9 "2006-03-13T00:00:38Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Oh, yeah. I can see where somebody not wanting to lend his official name to a website and fan club touting his talent and career would be pretentious instead of just modest.
>
> You know, even actors can be modest and embarassed by the prospect of basically having a website or a fan club that they’ve personally endorsed as official raving over them. It’s rare, but it’s possible. I know that if I had ever been given the talent or the drive to become even moderately famous in films or television I’d be dreadfully embarassed when people recognize me and make a fuss. It’s just the way I am.
jayjay…that’s exactly my take. I may not like it, nor may my friends, but this person has a right to turn down our offer. Different people have different values. We are willing to wait until June for a final answer. After that, we really don’t want to be put off again. At that point it will be too embarrassing. There comes a point where you just walk away. If this were a business proposition, I would have walked away a long time ago. But, since this is something I have been doing with friends for fun, I have let it go on and on.
I sent a note to this person last week (along with a freshly baked batch of cookies) asking that he/she have coffee with the person who will be serving as president of the fan club if and when it comes to fruition…I said, they don’t even have to discuss the fan club or website…I just want him/her be able to introduce themselves “properly” so that the “star” can see who they would be dealing with.
The person who would be serving as the president of the website works 1/2 block from where this particular person is currently performing.
No answer.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/10 "2006-03-13T00:14:47Z")
I wish I knew who this star was. Sounds intriguing.
Bruce Willis likes to take an active hand in his website, even though he doesn’t run it in any way. he uses it as a platform for a semi-regular blog, and to rant a little sometimes, as well as the usual Q&A and Promo stuff. The site’s down right now, but he’s pretty cool. He even writes on his messageboards. My point being, that’s possibly a good example to show. If it was currently live. But it’s not.
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### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/11 "2006-03-13T00:34:24Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#):
>
> I wish I knew who this star was. Sounds intriguing.
>
> Bruce Willis likes to take an active hand in his website, even though he doesn’t run it in any way. he uses it as a platform for a semi-regular blog, and to rant a little sometimes, as well as the usual Q&A and Promo stuff. The site’s down right now, but he’s pretty cool. He even writes on his messageboards. My point being, that’s possibly a good example to show. If it was currently live. But it’s not.
Part of what we have offered to do to give the club/website a “higher purpose” is to raise awareness/funds for the performer’s favorite charity. (Whatever that might be.)
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### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/12 "2006-03-13T00:39:37Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#):
>
> I wish I knew who this star was. Sounds intriguing.
>
> Bruce Willis likes to take an active hand in his website, even though he doesn’t run it in any way. he uses it as a platform for a semi-regular blog, and to rant a little sometimes, as well as the usual Q&A and Promo stuff. The site’s down right now, but he’s pretty cool. He even writes on his messageboards. My point being, that’s possibly a good example to show. If it was currently live. But it’s not.
Someone with nowhere near the star status of Bruce Willis. Usually 4th or 5th billing.
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### Author:  [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/13 "2006-03-13T01:17:17Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> You know, even actors can be modest and embarassed by the prospect of basically having a website or a fan club that they’ve personally endorsed as official raving over them. It’s rare, but it’s possible. I know that if I had ever been given the talent or the drive to become even moderately famous in films or television I’d be dreadfully embarassed when people recognize me and make a fuss. It’s just the way I am.
I agree on that point. Celebrity fan club websites can very easily turn into gush fests that border on–if not outright crossing into–deification. Also, websites of this type have a tendency to attract potential stalkers. Those are two reasons why I think this actor or actress may be bit apprehensive about giving his or her personal stamp to the website.
> [@](#):
>
> Someone with nowhere near the star status of Bruce Willis. Usually 4th or 5th billing.
Maybe this is giving away too much information but is this person fairly new or a familiar character actor/actress?
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### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/14 "2006-03-13T01:34:29Z")
> [@NDP](#):
>
> I agree on that point. Celebrity fan club websites can very easily turn into gush fests that border on–if not outright crossing into–deification. Also, websites of this type have a tendency to attract potential stalkers. Those are two reasons why I think this actor or actress may be bit apprehensive about giving his or her personal stamp to the website.
>
> Maybe this is giving away too much information but is this person fairly new or a familiar character actor/actress?
All I can/should say is it is someone whose work most everyone would be familiar with, but whose name would escape them. It would be like…“Oh yeah…I remember…”. But if I named he/she most people would say, “who?”
Yeah, I agree. I don’t want to expose anyone to potential stalkers. There are some things on the internet about this person that are just plain weird. There are all different types of people in the world. Not all of them are nice like us.
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### Author:  [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/15 "2006-03-13T01:50:58Z")
> [@Squeaker Snow](#):
>
> All I can/should say is it is someone whose work most everyone would be familiar with, but whose name would escape them. It would be like…“Oh yeah…I remember…”. But if I named he/she most people would say, “who?”
So, in other words, this person would be–to credit Fametracker–a [Hey! It’s That Guy!](http://www.fametracker.com/hey_its_that_guy/) type of actor or actress.
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### Author:  [@Squeaker\_Snow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squeaker_Snow)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2006, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/16 "2006-03-20T00:48:21Z")
> [@NDP](#):
>
> So, in other words, this person would be–to credit Fametracker–a [Hey! It’s That Guy!](http://www.fametracker.com/hey_its_that_guy/) type of actor or actress.
Oh absolutely! S/he is listed on that site. Funny you should mention that. Non-recognizable to the point that s/he can spend an entire day unrecognized, but they’re selling pieces of his/her wardrobe from his/her last movie on eBay.
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### Author:  [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2006, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/17 "2006-03-20T01:06:40Z")
I’m not sure why you _would_ want an official fan website.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/18 "2006-03-20T02:49:39Z")
1. Cf. Selena and Yolanda Saldivar.
2. Believe it or not, there are a _lot_ of people in show business who do not seek or are uncomfortable with fame. Just because _you_ think being famous is great doesn’t mean everyone else does. Some people actually don’t want to end up like Kurt Cobain.
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### Author:  [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2006, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/19 "2006-03-20T05:44:51Z")
Frankly, I think it sounds like you’ve already way overstepped the bounds of polite inquiries well into hounding.
> [@Squeaky Snow](#):
>
> Okay…in January, I had an opportunity to talk to this person and said, “You know, I hope you aren’t weirded out by all this fan club/website business”. He/she said: “Well, you know, I kind of am…”. I said, “Please understand that we don’t want to intrude upon your personal life in any way, we only want to celebrate your career. You have a tremendous talent that has given a great deal of pleasure to a large number of people. This fan club/website would be our gift to you because you have earned it.”
This person has told you that they’re uncomfortable with the idea of a fan website. And you’re still pushing it? Have some respect for his/her feelings and let it go. How is pushing this on them a “gift”?
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2006, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-an-actor-actress-not-want-a-fan-club-official-website/348091/20 "2006-03-20T09:28:49Z")
Following the conversation where the person said they were kind of wierded-out, I think (if it was me) the batch of cookies and invitation to meet the fanclub president “you know, just to talk and stuff” would have pushed it over to bizarro stalker territory. YKMV.
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