anjalee
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Post by anjalee on Aug 28, 2012 11:59:36 GMT -5
I want to be clear here Juniemoon, that I was one of the ones who dislike Randy Travis' reaction to Adam a great deal and found him hypocritical and a bit smug.
But I do not delight in his suffering.
I do think he was lacking self or other awareness at the time of Idol and mirrored conventional dislike for Adam's lac of conventionality - a narrow-mindedness - I sensed it was much more judgemental than just bemusedness. But hidden behind polite restraint.
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Alison
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Post by Alison on Aug 28, 2012 12:26:57 GMT -5
Randy Travis--I didn't think his reaction was negative towards Adam--intrigued, confused, bewildered maybe (a similar state that I have pleasantly found myself in these past several years  . I have always hated the meanspiritedness towards him. ROF--loved it because it confirmed to me that the fearless and fierce would be alive and well on the AI stage. I had already become addicted to CTF and Crazy (Art for Life) performances at that time. I was so excited for what we had in store--yes, I love this crazy fearless dude that can really sing!! Junie, that Stephen Fry clip was wonderful. He touched on so many points that have been turning through my head in the last few years. If I hadn't been so enthralled by our season 8 contestant, would I still be living in my Midwestern bubble of bland and numb? Would something else have sparked something in myself that had been dormant? Tangibly, not a lot has changed for me--same friends, same town, same job--yet everything has changed and I can live in my world and be myself. Was it Adam, was it the virtual community of like minds, was it my stage in life? I don't know and I guess I don't really care. But thank you guys for being part of that spark.  |
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Post by winter on Aug 28, 2012 14:31:36 GMT -5
I have been a longtime Adamtopia lurker, but haven't really felt I have much to add. I am, like everyone, a passionate Adam fan, but can't help out in the business discussions and I generally enjoy (one way or another) his outfits and hair. However, I have been enjoying your garden discussions so much, I was wondering if I might join you? I've been bursting to comment on some of your great topics. :redface:
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Alison
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Post by Alison on Aug 28, 2012 14:45:14 GMT -5
I have been a longtime Adamtopia lurker, but haven't really felt I have much to add. I am, like everyone, a passionate Adam fan, but can't help out in the business discussions and I generally enjoy (one way or another) his outfits and hair. However, I have been enjoying your garden discussions so much, I was wondering if I might join you? I've been bursting to comment on some of your great topics. [img src=" ![]() i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx348/Quu3/Adam%20Smilys/Other%20Smileys/icon_redface.gif"] [/IMG] [/quote] Please join in whenever you want!! Welcome! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2012 16:16:36 GMT -5
Welcome, winter! Please join in!  I have never really understood "modern" vs. "post-modern." mszue, is this something you can explain "in a nutshell"? It would be fun if there were a really good talk show any more ... something like what Dick Cavett used to do ... where guests like Fry, or Adam, could just sit around and talk. Maybe Adam himself could host it one day! |
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Post by winter on Aug 28, 2012 18:27:01 GMT -5
Please join in whenever you want!! Welcome! Thank you, Alison and Junie - I've been wanting to share chai with you and Mika for a while! I'm a writer who loves poetry and discussing cultural issues and Adam of course - so I was thrilled to find you guys. I want to listen to the Stephen Fry video at home and maybe answer Junie's 'questionnaire'  . My Idol perspective is limited. I'm another non-Idol watcher. (I know that might change soon  ). The only thing I would offer is that before Idol, my only experience with true hatefulness on the web was what I sometimes saw in comment sections and I assumed those were just a few trolls. I had no idea until I went looking for information about Adam and found all the Idol blogs/sites that socialized adults (many also parents :-/) would say such hateful, personal things about young people they didn't even know and who hadn't done anything to merit vicious attacks. (I'm sure most of these people are completely fine irl but I still don't understand excusing it as a game or just poking fun.) It actually bothered me and I think of myself as pretty thick-skinned. I think the comparison to sports or any group competition is apt - it heightens the experience and excitement to have an 'enemy' but IMO I think that's a natural impulse that should be resisted :-/. Some echo of the Stanford prison experiment - I think our humanity is something we have to fight to maintain sometimes. (I was glad when Adam said that he didn't watch the early Idol audition phases when the show humiliated people trying out.) Finally, I shared Alison's reaction to ROF. I had liked Adam before that but that's when I fell overboard. I was impressed and amused by the Fierceness and then floored by the Voice. I too wince at people mocking Randy Travis or enjoying what's happening to him now - a little compassion goes a long way. On a lighter note and linking back to ROF in a way - I really enjoyed Adam's twitter run this morning, though I only just saw it this evening. You could so hear his 'voice' and that puckish sense of humor. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2012 9:41:07 GMT -5
winter, this question of the Idol fan culture is something that continues to weigh on my mind. I hope that Adam gets the job -- it would be a great thing for him with all the exposure -- but the Idol stuff is something I've never really gotten used to. Back when I was young, being a big fan of someone meant buying their records, going to their concerts, and clipping pictures from magazines. It didn't involve identifying as part of a group, really, or require blind devotion or anything like that. That article I posted earlier about sports fandom traces the roots of fandom back to tribal warfare. The exploits of our chosen gladiator reflect those intense emotions and it seems to become very important to be known as a committed member of the tribe, as in: - "I've been a fan since 'Mama.'" (Devotion measured by the time spent in self-identification). - "A true Adam fan would never..." (Devotion measured by a code of conduct). - "I've been to 32 concerts." (Devotion measured by attendance and money spent). In other words ... some members of the tribe are more important than others. Of course, the reality is much different. You can do just about anything you want and still feel and say you are an Adam fan. Adam will still take you. I wanted to share an awesome quote from internet entrepreneur Seth Godin -- perfect for Adam: “The opportunity of a lifetime is to pick yourself. Quit waiting to get picked; quit waiting for someone to give you permission; quit waiting for someone to say you are officially qualified and pick yourself. It doesn’t mean you have to be an entrepreneur or a freelancer, but it does mean you stand up and say, ‘I have something to say. I know how to do something. I’m doing it. If you want me to do it with you, raise your hand.’”
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Post by isitjustme on Aug 30, 2012 1:21:41 GMT -5
Oh my, I just had to pop in for a minute and thank you Juniemoon for posting this marvelous YouTube of Stephen Fry. I have adored him for years, and follow this amazing man on Twitter as well. I had to comment that he is very much aware of Adam ... but my poor pea brain just can't remember tonight the context of a tweet he sent to him (Stephen to Adam ... or, oh dear, maybe it was a tweet to someone else about Adam). Perhaps one of the more qualified ninjas in our community might remember the details. This was a couple years ago. Also you might enjoy another YouTube offering (2010) of an evening he spent with Craig Ferguson ... old friends. Craig decided that instead of his usual late night show, he would forego an audience and do a one-guest only evening, a la Dick Cavett. The result was an absolutely delightful, very personal hour. Here are the 4 parts: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GaF1KFGV3Qwww.youtube.com/watch?v=n1nL-Q2iwyIwww.youtube.com/watch?v=yXskQ1C8z3Ywww.youtube.com/watch?v=rvKF_Bf1Xxo |
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nikki
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Post by nikki on Aug 30, 2012 5:26:06 GMT -5
Hi everyone . I see there are some Stephen Fry lovers here, so I'll add a little something. There is this wonderful UK series called Shrink Rap where clinical psychologist, Dr Pamela Stephenson, basically conducts an analysis session with her guests, one of whom was Stephen: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE73B4ACE340175ABThe session she did with Tony Curtis was very moving. Gene Simmons also appeared on the show and he wasted the opportunity - could not get out the way of his ego, surprise, surprise. Some thoughts on AI for you Junie and others if you are interested in looking at the show through a psych lense. People have commented on the social psychology aspect (team sport). At an individual level, I looked at this a few years ago. The most interesting study that I've read - can't remember it offhand - found that the primary reason people watch is to feel superior to the contestants on the show (need for social status) and, unfortunately, the second is the need for revenge. So the humiliation that happens in the early rounds of Idol is no accident, it allows people to project their own need safely. The format where people are sent home is also no accident, for the same reason. If you look at the whole story arcs of these shows as well, they mirror fairy tales, especially overcoming trials and tribulations and moral norming. So, in a very real sense, they are fairy tales for adults that fulfill the same purpose. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2012 9:55:15 GMT -5
Welcome to Stephen Frytopia. What a great place THAT would be! :D Thanks for the videos isitjustmeand nikki!!! nikki, I love psychology, but I'm so dumb sometimes. I keep thinking about a music show ... hoping that American Idol could retool itself to be about finding and encouraging great young musicians ... but it won't ever be that, will it?  Occasionally, an excellent musician may be discovered by the show ... but this analysis explains why the show itself goes on even as the musicians are discarded by "fans" for new champions each season. Jeez. It's all just starting to give me the willies. Who needs it? Here is a present for those who find their way to the Moon Garden: an instant mood-lifter. Warning: side effects may include smiling, a pleasant state of mind, and a sudden drop in angst. Consult your love doctor.  |
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). The only thing I would offer is that before Idol, my only experience with true hatefulness on the web was what I sometimes saw in comment sections and I assumed those were just a few trolls. 
