I’ve mentioned this before, what with the backlash some extreme Star Trek fans had for a new movie before it had even been released, but considering recent events where some feel the need to stalk me on twitter to prove they’re not mental, their failed efforts have encouraged me to post what I see the difference is between being a fan… and being completely barking mental.

I see nothing wrong with being a fan of anyone, or anything. For example, I’m a fan of people. It’s well known I’m a big fan of pro wrestler Raven, I even nicked his pose. I’ve met Raven at one of his seminars and talked to him about this very subject. Do I hold that moment close to me, assume he’d remember me and hope that he’ll read this and mark out over me? No. Do I hope that we can be life long friends, that he’ll share with me the love I have for him? No. Do I love him? Again, no. I’m not a mental.

Katee Sackhoff or Nicole deBoer? Yes, I’m a fan of their work. I’d even go as far to say I’m a fan of their hotness. Do I love them and wish I could get close with them, we’ll have a special relationship and be special to each other? No. If I’m bored, I’ll have a special moment with myself and Google image search and get on with the rest of my day.

Being a fan of something, or someone, is a nod of appreciation. You like them, they’ve done a good job. Well done. Nathan Fillion. I’d say he’s a pretty good actor. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve seen him in and if I see his face in an ad or name in the credits. I’ll watch it. If he’s going to be at a con, I’ll consider going over and saying hello. Share a joke, have a giggle, take the piss then I’ll go eat a burger.

I did that with Casey Biggs. I’m a big fan of his role in Deep Space Nine. I met hm, had a chat, went for a smoke and a burger. I even had a photo taken with him. And was geeked up. Will he remember me? No. Should I expect him to? No.

Being a fan isn’t a bad thing. Meeting someone who’s work you admire or respect, also, not a bad thing. Outside of geekdom, the average Joe does it all the time with footballers. It’s when they expect more from their fandom they cross the line from average geek, to insanity.

If I were Nathan Fillion and I came cross a fan site, I’d be flattered. I might even have a little giggle. If I read on and read comments about loving me, having deep desires for me and other bizarre things. I’d be terrified. If that person said it to my face, and I’d never met them. I’d smile, nod and hope never to cross their path again and possibly have a restraining order put against them.

It’s not healthy. And it’s often a substitute for having a life so ordinary, so mundane and so unfulfilling that they try and fill that void with something else. Something pathetic. In a way I feel sorry for them, but at the same time, they’re scary, scary beasts.

In the big picture, I’m no one. At all. In the slightest. I’ve had fans who come to a show, ask for an autograph, aprecate the work. Some who comment positively and negatively on forums and in person. I apreciate every one of them for coming along and I’m glad they had fun.

Then I’ve had those types of fans. The crazies. I’ve had a fan who created a little fantasy world around me, told everyone that I was her lover, posted on my company’s forum telling everyone about our imagined illicit affair and she even claimed to be carrying my baby. Is that normal? No, it is fucking not.

The other type of fan I hate are the superfan elitists. These come in subtle forms, and extreme forms of superiority complex idiocy.

The subtle forms are easy to spot, and make you roll your eyes immediatly. “I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who for years, and I think it sucked so I must be right.” As if their longevity of a fan overrules your opinion. This came into play a lot when Star Trek was released last year. All sorts came out of the woodwork to declare they were fans since the 60′s, that they’de seen every episode and this was a horrible, horrible movie.

Of course, that was before anyone had even seen the movie and there are still those type of people posting online that still haven’t seen the movie and are trying to tear it apart. Because they know better.

The more extreme fanatics will of course make no qualms about pointing out they know better. That their opinion rules above all. They’ll tell you this directly, bash everything about you, try to tear you apart because you dared to like something they didn’t. They don’t care about being in the minority, they only care about being right.

That too, is not healthy. Not just from a debate standpoint, but it’s just psychotic the level of ‘devotion’ these people give to a TV show. It’s a TV show! You’re the ones William Shatner were talking about when he said his immortal line ‘Get a life’.

Those types of fans rip the fun out of everything. They turn a piece of entertainment, regardless of it’s content, into the word of God. Those are the types that alienated the Star Trek fanbase into the basement dwelling geek stereotypes while the less anal Star Wars fans ruled.

I’ll use recent commenter and master of the geeky top ten, Marty Michaels as an example. He hates Dark Knight. I like Dark Knight. I prefer Deep Space Nine, he prefers Voyager. I like the Tenth Doctor, he doesn’t. I like Star Trek 11 and think it gets better every time. He thought it was alright and that it doesn’t stand up to multiple viewings. I dislike Star Wars. He likes Star Wars.

Are we going to fall out over it? Do we put each other down, or think of ourselves as better than each other for our different views? No, we’re not idiots. We talk about what we like and dislike, sometimes at great length and my phone bill will sky rocket with texts flying back and force about new BSG versus old BSG. But we’re not moronic enough to think that our views rule above all.

Those who do, well… it’s insanity. Why do these people hold up a TV show as gospel? Who is arrogant enough to believe his opinion is the only one that matters?

What about the rest? Who would say their in love with an actor and not realise they are absolutely bonkers? Who devotes their life to someone instead of living their own?

I’m a geek, a terrible geek, and I extend my old job of dressing up like a prick as an excuse to create costumes and dress up as a prick alongside many others dressing up as pricks. Occasionally they’ll be a Princess Liea costume and life suddenly makes so much sense. I enjoy certain sci fi shows, wrestling and more…

But I have my limits. Being a fan of someone, something, is not a bad thing. The superfans and the crazies go beyond those limits.

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Tags: doctor who, fandom, geek, sci fi, star trek