DON'T FILM MEEE!!!
Oct. 23rd, 2008 08:43 amIf you luffff the Barrowman, maybe it's best you avert your eyes right now.
Man, this Hub convention thing is going to start hitting fandom_wank, soon, I guarantee it. A quick recap of events: Con organisers and "the talent" get together and tell the attendees that the piss-take play the actors will be putting on MAY NOT BE FILMED under any circumstances. Word is, actors will be FORBIDDEN to EVER DO CONS EVER AGAIN EVER, if video of said play is ever to get out (Yeah, that sort of thing happens a lot, right? NO MORE CONVENTIONS FOR YOU, BOY!!) Cue lots of hush-hush John-asked-me-personally posts on the communities telling people that's VRY IMPOTANT SRS BSNS that people report and tell on those who might be tempted to post videos of said play. Or the panels. No, wait, not the panels, the panels are okay. Right? Oh, no, they're not. Don't post ANY VIDEOS of said convention ANYWHERE, EVER, because PEOPLE MAY DIE AND CAREERS MAY BE RUINED if you do. If you see videos, AVERT YOUR EYES and report them to Showmasters, John Barrowman, John Barrowman's gay dog and the Secretary General of the UN. Are we all clear on this?
Between the lines, and mostly in the John-told-me-personally comments and posts, it becomes clear that, apart from the actual play business, for which it would appear there are legitimate reasons, Barrowman HIMSELF and his managers are slightly uncomfortable with the material of the play and indeed even the panels coming to light. Mention is made that John wouldn't want his nieces and nephews to see all the mankissing and pants. Awww, diddums, John. (ETA: So, obviously, AfterElton immediately devotes an entire blog post to
smirnoffmule's pictures of said mankissing. And pants.)
I have a problem with Barrowman and I've said it a few times before, I think he's a man who uses his sexuality as an excuse to behave in such a way that would otherwise be classed as offensive, but because of his Big Fat Ghey, we all have to find it perfectly acceptable and are not allowed to say anything about it. In the past year of convention-going, Barrowman's asserted his frankly HUGE personality and old-skool-carry-on-risqué-sexuality all over the shop, rubbing it off on the likes of Kai and Naoko and Gareth, and frankly, along the way, turning wee Gareth, especially, from the convention wallflower he was a year or so ago, into a MONSTER of lewd behaviour and blatant sexuality (Oh, God, and that's ALL GOOD, don't get me wrong.) And yes, I credit (and blame) Barrowman for this, and for the way TW convos seem to be slipping and slipping further down into strictly NC17 places to be. And now? Suddenly WE are responsible for protecting his reputation as housewives' and kiddies' favourite. Piss off. You make your big gay bed and you lie in it, John, seriously.
I don't mean to offend what I know are a lot of Barrowmanfans out there, but this latest spate of "No, no, John doesn't want anyone to see it!" posting has got RIGHT ON MY TITS.
Sorry. :(
ETA: Let me clarify, before it gets confusing. I don't have a problem with JB's behaviour, I think it's hilarious. I have a problem with "Oh, that's just John's Big Gay Personality" being used as an excuse for said behaviour (and I think he himself has, on occasion, been guilty of that). "Gay" is not a word that means "allowed to wave his penis in your face". Likewise, I don't have a problem with Gareth's behaviour, which by all accounts is disgusting in the extreme. Great, I hope he gets his cock out soon and we can all sleep easy at night. What I have a problem with is the onus being thrown upon FANS to protect the public and the reputations of the artists from the consequences of said behaviour. If YOU, the artist, artist's manager, copyright owner of the show, think an artist's behaviour is unacceptable or will bring down the reputation of the artist or show in question, the onus is on YOU, the artist, manager or copyright owner to stop that behaviour from happening in the first place. END OF STORY.
Man, this Hub convention thing is going to start hitting fandom_wank, soon, I guarantee it. A quick recap of events: Con organisers and "the talent" get together and tell the attendees that the piss-take play the actors will be putting on MAY NOT BE FILMED under any circumstances. Word is, actors will be FORBIDDEN to EVER DO CONS EVER AGAIN EVER, if video of said play is ever to get out (Yeah, that sort of thing happens a lot, right? NO MORE CONVENTIONS FOR YOU, BOY!!) Cue lots of hush-hush John-asked-me-personally posts on the communities telling people that's VRY IMPOTANT SRS BSNS that people report and tell on those who might be tempted to post videos of said play. Or the panels. No, wait, not the panels, the panels are okay. Right? Oh, no, they're not. Don't post ANY VIDEOS of said convention ANYWHERE, EVER, because PEOPLE MAY DIE AND CAREERS MAY BE RUINED if you do. If you see videos, AVERT YOUR EYES and report them to Showmasters, John Barrowman, John Barrowman's gay dog and the Secretary General of the UN. Are we all clear on this?
Between the lines, and mostly in the John-told-me-personally comments and posts, it becomes clear that, apart from the actual play business, for which it would appear there are legitimate reasons, Barrowman HIMSELF and his managers are slightly uncomfortable with the material of the play and indeed even the panels coming to light. Mention is made that John wouldn't want his nieces and nephews to see all the mankissing and pants. Awww, diddums, John. (ETA: So, obviously, AfterElton immediately devotes an entire blog post to
I have a problem with Barrowman and I've said it a few times before, I think he's a man who uses his sexuality as an excuse to behave in such a way that would otherwise be classed as offensive, but because of his Big Fat Ghey, we all have to find it perfectly acceptable and are not allowed to say anything about it. In the past year of convention-going, Barrowman's asserted his frankly HUGE personality and old-skool-carry-on-risqué-sexuality all over the shop, rubbing it off on the likes of Kai and Naoko and Gareth, and frankly, along the way, turning wee Gareth, especially, from the convention wallflower he was a year or so ago, into a MONSTER of lewd behaviour and blatant sexuality (Oh, God, and that's ALL GOOD, don't get me wrong.) And yes, I credit (and blame) Barrowman for this, and for the way TW convos seem to be slipping and slipping further down into strictly NC17 places to be. And now? Suddenly WE are responsible for protecting his reputation as housewives' and kiddies' favourite. Piss off. You make your big gay bed and you lie in it, John, seriously.
I don't mean to offend what I know are a lot of Barrowmanfans out there, but this latest spate of "No, no, John doesn't want anyone to see it!" posting has got RIGHT ON MY TITS.
Sorry. :(
ETA: Let me clarify, before it gets confusing. I don't have a problem with JB's behaviour, I think it's hilarious. I have a problem with "Oh, that's just John's Big Gay Personality" being used as an excuse for said behaviour (and I think he himself has, on occasion, been guilty of that). "Gay" is not a word that means "allowed to wave his penis in your face". Likewise, I don't have a problem with Gareth's behaviour, which by all accounts is disgusting in the extreme. Great, I hope he gets his cock out soon and we can all sleep easy at night. What I have a problem with is the onus being thrown upon FANS to protect the public and the reputations of the artists from the consequences of said behaviour. If YOU, the artist, artist's manager, copyright owner of the show, think an artist's behaviour is unacceptable or will bring down the reputation of the artist or show in question, the onus is on YOU, the artist, manager or copyright owner to stop that behaviour from happening in the first place. END OF STORY.
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Date: 2008-10-23 07:21 am (UTC)great big HELLYEAH to what you say about barrowman using his sexuality to get away with offensive behavior, though. the reports of his constant teabagging and tit/ass-grabbing of his castmates remind me of aggressive dogs in obedience school: the alpha males will often mount the other dogs (both females and other males) to assert their dominance through sexual bullying.
i'm not remotely suggesting they get barrowman fixed, mind; just that that's exactly what i think of whenever i see him, say, grabbing burn gorman and roughing him about, and hanging onto him far past the point where it gets slightly uncomfortable.
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Date: 2008-10-23 07:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 10:29 am (UTC)Nor do we know how much of a "bad influence" JB has been on the other actors. Did Gareth show his pants to the convention audience because of John, or because of the fangirls? Then how about Kai, who isn't part of the closeknit group of regulars?
I often squirm at some of the tacky, icky shenanigans we hear about. But it's a big step from that to calling it sexual bullying. We have no genuine picture of what goes on on the Torchwood set - just anecdotes and glimpses and nth-hand reports. The teabagging thing grossed me out completely until I saw some bts footage from Last of the Time Lords in which he sneaks up on a crewmember with a used teabag, ready to be flicked!
ETA: Marsters speaketh: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=667TWMdrAjw
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Date: 2008-10-23 07:42 am (UTC)so yeah, amen on all points. ;P
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Date: 2008-10-23 08:15 am (UTC)As to your other points, I'm not sure. I've never really felt that JB uses the gay as an excuse to be risque. I think he is lewd and sexually-oriented, and his being gay simply comes into part of that. Personally, I LOVE that. I love his being open and brash about sexuality and, let's face it, Life. I'd have MUCH more of a problem if he was going around being violent or nasty. To me the sexual openness is liberating. As to the other actors, the impression i've always gotten is that he is very sympathetic to their feelings regarding the matter. Especially as evidenced by the professional conduct he displays when actors are actually doing sexual scenes with him - goes out of his way to make them comfortable. Sure, there are going to be some people who don't like just how full on he is in real life, people are people, but it has always felt to me that he respects those that aren't like that (though i'll grant you, that only works if he's aware/made aware of their discomfort).
Oh, one more thing on the protecting his reputation - all the quotes i've seen have him saying that fanfic and what have you is fine, but it should be in places that are appropriate. fic is fine, false rumors that his nieces/nephews can see are not. I personally haven't seen anything that said he didn't want his neph/nieces seeing him kissing other people in photos, so i can't comment on it fairly, but if it is true, then yes it is his responsibility, not his fans. I suspect though again, that he is more worried about the context and/or where the material is being made available than the act itself. That said, I hope he never changes and continues his wicked ways because I love them!!!
In any case, i'm not offended by your post, agree with some of it and comment on what my thoughts have been on others in the spirit of discussion ;)
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Date: 2008-10-23 09:33 am (UTC)I, personally, don't honestly care either way, because even when videos do come out of conventions, I rarely watch them. I just can't be bothered, unless I know it's really good. But the attitude of people who did attend is so utterly condescending to me - "we were there, and YOU WEREN'T, so you don't know what they said!!11!" Like being able to be there makes your opinion any more valid than someone else's? Please.
That's what I've had a problem with - I know some people were confused about what was going on, and were asking about it, and there was just this rush of utter condensation about the posts asking about video, making sure that they mentioned "and I hope everyone follows these rules so we can have more conventions and not ruin it for anyone else", when the poor people just had no idea what was going on. There was also someone who went and mentioned that "filming is prohibited at EVERY CONVENTION ALL OVER THE WORLD!" and I was like..."What? There are like a million videos from every Supernatural convention EVER. What?"
Wow, I guess that bothered me more than I thought!
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 09:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2008-10-23 09:45 am (UTC)But yeah, if he wasn't gay? Some of the stuff he does would be incredibly offensive. I don't think there's any real malice in it, which is why it doesn't bother me a whole lot. I'm not entirely sure how I would feel if he was doing some of those things to me, though! (See my embarrassment issues above)
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Date: 2008-10-23 10:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2008-10-23 10:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 10:57 am (UTC)He is the kind of person I can enjoy from afar but if I knew him personally I would probably hate him. Too loud, too touchy, too in your face, I'm way to shy and reserved for all that.
And also I wasn't there let me state that up front, but from the reports I have read and the pictures I have seen it seemed to me that John was tamer than I expected him to be. And he was definitely outdone by the other guests. Especially Gareth, Kai and Lachlan.
He had the most serious answers while the others saw every opportunity to make a lewd joke.
Just my opinion mind you.
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Date: 2008-10-23 11:33 am (UTC)I wonder if Barrowman's performances at cons are a way of distancing his real self (whoever that may be) from the hordes of people who surround him and want something from him, even if it's just his attention.
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Date: 2008-10-23 10:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2008-10-23 11:49 am (UTC)As to whether his behaviour is acceptable or not, I couldn't possibly comment, since to my mind, it's acceptable as long as all parties are comfortable with it and I have no idea about how John is recieved by his friends and family in his private life nor would I pretend to. I admit his humour may not be to everyone's tastes but then humour is always a subjective thing. The idea of acceptable vs not doesn't seem to me to be something it's a fan's place to speculate on when they're looking in from the outside on a group of friends. All I can say is that none of his fellow cast members at the hub seemed to be uncomfortable, and they all gave back as good as they got. John was far from the worst person there in terms of potential offensiveness- Gareth absolutely took the crown in that regard. At least JB relies on the innuendo - Gareth's far far cruder (though to be fair, it was Kai Owen who started all the pants dropping - Gareth was only following suit). I also got the impression - though again this is just speculation - that GDL may have genuinely been making Sara Lloyd Gregory uncomfortable during one panel. He did actually see fit to apologise to her at the end, so possibly he felt he was a little close to the bone too. To me, acceptability is down to consent rather than actual content, and the point at which someone is actually upset and embarassed, that's where the line is crossed for me. That made me far more uncomfortable than any willy gag John could have done.
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Date: 2008-10-23 12:38 pm (UTC)In the US at Creation Cons (yes, I've been to many) you will be removed from the con for taping anything like panels or the talent talenting. Even at the larger fan run cons - no filming of panels, etc. Just sayin'.
So, if they didn't want it filmed and spread to the world and beyond, they probably should have taken care of it at the venue - policed it, if you will.
Seeing as they didn't, too bad for them - the internets are vast and a little uncontrolable, much like fangirls.
Now. John Barrowman crossing the line of taste and decorum. He is who he is and always has been. Now there just seems to be a tacit agreement that he may conduct himself lewd and laciviously without censure. Which is fine 'after the watershed', but if I ever wanted to take my 14 year old niece to see him, it would have to be at a panto. While she definitely knows so much about what makes the world go round than I did at her age, I don't think she needs to be smacked in the face with it...
Just my opinion. (And it agrees with yours)
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Date: 2008-10-23 01:11 pm (UTC)As for your fourteen year old niece, I think your attitude is sensible. A friend of mine overheard someone on the phone bitching about how "gross" everything was when she had her daughter with her. C'mon, Torchwood is an adult show, the cast all have reputations for being risque, and you bring a child to an event like this at your own responsbility.
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From:Posted by Nobleroman1
Date: 2008-10-23 12:46 pm (UTC)But I have to agree. He's a grown assed man; don't display the behavior in a public setting if you don't want to deal with the consequences.
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Date: 2008-10-23 12:55 pm (UTC)I'm digressing. Anyway, I had a bad feeling that there was going to be an uproar about this. And I don't really think it's Barrowman, it's most likely pressure from the suits and he's feeling the pressure. Plus, yes, it's not something you want your family to see (and no, I don't mean the gay content... sucking face IS sexual whether it's straight or gay snogging). I've done things at parties that were rather risque, for example. I'm not ashamed at all. But I most certainly would not want photos to get out to my family of me being all... pervy. Who does?
They DID say no filming. That's all. And I don't know if people didn't comply but I haven't seen any video of it myself, just the photos. I think they're just trying to get around some legal crap with the BBC.
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Date: 2008-10-23 01:25 pm (UTC)But as an actor at a convention dedicated to your show you are a SPOKESMAN FOR THE SHOW whether you like it or not. What you do represents and reflects on the show. Personally, I think all the fan-pandering sexual shenanigans are perfectly acceptable for naughty Torchwood, but if they thought the sketch shouldn't get out, they should NOT HAVE PERFORMED IT IN PUBLIC. Seriously, this is Being A Public Figure Rule #1. It's not fun, but that's the way things go.
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Date: 2008-10-23 01:32 pm (UTC)And this is the video where John makes request for no videoing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g0nxNQrdJw).
Personally...I'm on the fence on this one.
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Date: 2008-10-23 01:39 pm (UTC)And, on the schedule, something clearly noting no cameras/videotaping allowed for that skit.
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Date: 2008-10-23 02:50 pm (UTC)Everything I know about the convention is second and third hand reports found online, and the pictures of JB laying one hell of a kiss on GDL, so I don't know exactly what was said or went on there. Still, I agree that if JB has a problem with the way things are reported on the internet or other sources, he shouldn't be doing it. That said, I think JB's concern is all the RPS of him and GDL that is turning up... probably causing all kinds of questions being thrown at him by his nieces & nephews that he likely doesn't really want to deal with so he's hoping the fans will put it 'away' in some hidden corner of the internets. When I showed this post and comments to my husband, his response was - "Why's he asking the fans to hid things when it's the parents responsibility to see that the kiddies don't find the stuff?".
I dunno. All I can say is that the reports coming out of the HUB remind me of the annual reports that come out of the Romantic Times convention and all the over-sexed, lewd conduct that normally restrained romance writers get up to around a certain set of their fans... and then immediately afterwards start running about getting their fangirls to police things trying to hide what happened. I just sorta shrug it off and go on. As long as it doesn't effect the end product, I don't really care what they do or why they do it.
And boy did I just ramble all over while attempting to clarify my agreeing.
MB
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Date: 2008-10-23 02:53 pm (UTC)Phew. Yet again, I am insanely happy that I'm apparently successfully avoiding the places where this happens.
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From:Posted by nobleroman1
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2008-10-23 04:56 pm (UTC) - ExpandRe: Posted by nobleroman1
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Date: 2008-10-23 08:26 pm (UTC)Put all that together with what's known about some of the TW cast's behavior, and how could people help but think "OMG! What horrible, un-reportable, completely pornographic thing must have gone on that they don't want it seen?(!)" And then the con-free fans really wanted (and want) to see it. :P
Of course, the actual reports and stills that finally appeared mostly dispelled that initial impression, but information about the Why?s and Why Not?s is still being jumbled. So - I find it far more upsetting that some of the Folks Who Were There have felt the need to talk about how "angry" they were (are?) that other fans wanted (and most definitely still want) more. As if that isn't why every last one of us became a part of fandom in the first place. :/ (Yeah, I'd call it fandom_wank worthy.)
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Date: 2008-10-24 02:12 am (UTC)That's what got me. I'm glad that you got to go, and I honestly don't care about videos or not. But when you start acting Better Than The Rest of Fandom, fuck off. You know you would be reacting the exact same way if things were reversed!
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Date: 2008-10-23 09:37 pm (UTC)Here by drive by and good lord thank you. *points above* What you said. Cause really having the fans police the fandom for you? Oh thank you SOOOO much *snark*
As a friend said and am stealing her line: "Self entitled idiots" that's what the TW fandom turned into in the space of one single day.
And don't get me wrong, I don't give one single penny to see the videos or not. If we make fandom_wank though this might be the end of my Barrowman obsession (and my RPS comm, which am guarding like the gates of hell).
You don't want to be filmed or photographed or talked about or have posts about you? DON'T GO! Do us all a favor and stay home and be nice and let me live the lie of liking you (and your management) a little bit longer....
Waffling ignore me. Go you.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-23 10:21 pm (UTC)People are reading FAR too much into this. And actually don't seem to understand what actually took place apart from 'ZOMG BOYKISSING IT WAS BARROWMANS FAULT!!!'
I believe the reason it was John pushing the 'don't record this skit' thing so much is because he's Barrowman, he commands the attention of the whole room when he speaks and I'm sure that the guests and crew believed we'd pay more attention to him than we would to (the very drunk) Gareth and Kai or indeed the SM crew. As a matter of fact John kept repeating that we could take still images, and it was Showmasters that said 'No please don't' while John stood there going 'No it's ok, they can take stills' (SM said no in the end because that didn't want the cameras ruining other peoples views or risk the fact that someone was recording it). So he knew photos would get out - so it's not like he was trying to hide what he did in the skit.
Also Gareth initiated most if not all of the snogs that weekend..... of course he doesn't remember this due to the lack of blood in his alcohol stream. Also some people will argue that Gareth was worse than John, John had been gone 10 hours by the time Gareth was shouting for a queue to start some punch-fucking at the party.......
I don't get the big deal, John is sexual - every bloody member of the cast is - John is just louder about it XD
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Date: 2008-10-24 09:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 03:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 06:22 am (UTC)I think the fame and adulation has finally taken its toll on John Barrowman's discretionary brain cells.
For the last few months he has been saying and doing things that he had the sense not to 12 months ago.
We're now seeing the immature, control-freak nature that John seems to feel he no longer has to keep under wraps.
Thank you for putting it so well.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-24 11:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 05:06 am (UTC)I love JB, and GDL and ALL OF THEM. I really do. However, the whole no filming thing really rubbed me the wrong way when I realized the real reason for it. It's really unfair to thrust this kind of responsibility on the fans, and the thing is, THEY'RE the idols to people, not us. If they don't want to be seen in a certain way, don't do it. However, if you want to be risque, then have at it... but don't make us censor you to the rest of the fucking world. The end.
Also, TW is NOT a kid's show. End of story. It is the responsibility of the PARENTS to go and watch what their kids are viewing on the internet. Not the rest of us.
GAH. Chances are JB and them are getting begged by their agents and producers and whatnot, but really. This is too much.
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Date: 2008-12-01 07:32 pm (UTC)