Mani-his and Mani-lows ... or my M&Ms (for short)

[Brenda M]

My new daily feature here exclusively on alt.fan., where I talk about the positives and negatives of being a Barry Manilow fan.

Feel free to read, not read, comment, not comment, whatever.

Today’s P/N score (with 10 being the most positive and 0 bring the most negative) is 7.
**********

I have been a fan since roughly 1976 and have just about seen it all, so there’s a lot of memories to draw from, and fun stuff to discuss.

I thought today’s post would be to answer Annie’s excellent question, why do fans want to meet him?

An equally fascinating question is why do some fans NOT want to meet him? (I’ll discuss that in tomorrow’s M&M).

But as to the first question ...

It’s been my experience, Annie, that Barry’s music has had a tremendous impact on his fans. It meets their needs on a deeply emotional level. It shakes the heart. I think very few performers of our generation have that power.

Yeah, I think some fans are “star collectors” ... to quote an old tune ... I think it was from the Monkees. These fans like to meet as many celebrities as possible. For some, it’s just a fun hobby. For others, repeated brushes with the greatness of others compensates for the lack of greatness in themselves. (Just my opinion, of course, as everything I write is only that).

But with Barry, I truly believe that most of the fans who want to meet him sincerely want to give back to him a little of the joy his music has given them. There’s something very gratifying in just being able to look him in the eye, shake his hand, and say “Thank you so much.”

It’s an incredibly positive experience. And once you’ve had that, as I have, you honestly wish every fan could have that same blissful moment. Those few seconds or minutes can last you a lifetime.

So ...I can even understand why some fans would shell out a few grand to experience that.

Now ... there are fans who repeatedly buy platinums. I’ve heard of some fans who have bought upwards of 10!

Annie, I have no clue why someone would spend that kind of cash to repeatedly meet the man. I mean, I almost feel like these folks are purchasing a date with the guy, five minutes at a time.

Me, I’d rather put that 20 grand towards a new car.

So those are a few of my thoughts.

Anybody have any more?

Bren

[a***@gmail.com]

Post by Brenda M
My new daily feature here exclusively on alt.fan., where I talk about the positives and negatives of being a Barry Manilow fan.
Feel free to read, not read, comment, not comment, whatever.
Today’s P/N score (with 10 being the most positive and 0 bring the most negative) is 7.
**********
I have been a fan since roughly 1976 and have just about seen it all, so >there’s a lot of memories to draw from, and fun stuff to discuss.
I thought today’s post would be to answer Annie’s excellent question, why do fans want to meet him?
An equally fascinating question is why do some fans NOT want to meet him? >>(I’ll discuss that in tomorrow’s M&M).
But as to the first question ...
It’s been my experience, Annie, that Barry’s music has had a tremendous >impact on his fans. It meets their needs on a deeply emotional level. It >shakes the heart. I think very few performers of our generation have that >power.

I respectfully disagree. Not about Mr M's ability to move us through music, but rather about his singular ability to do so.

Many performers move us through their music; off the top of my head - who wasn't moved by Miss Celine Dion's "My heart will go on" ? Not speaking about the relative merits of that song, but rather the fact that it gave many of us all the feels.

Mr M has the ability to give us all the feels also, but it's a talent he was born with, not some superhuman, god-like phenomenon that drives me to want to spend three minutes in his presence.

Post by Brenda M
Yeah, I think some fans are “star collectors” ... to quote an old tune ... I >think it was from the Monkees. These fans like to meet as many celebrities as >possible. For some, it’s just a fun hobby. For others, repeated brushes with >the greatness of others compensates for the lack of greatness in themselves. >>(Just my opinion, of course, as everything I write is only that).
But with Barry, I truly believe that most of the fans who want to meet him >sincerely want to give back to him a little of the joy his music has given >them. There’s something very gratifying in just being able to look him in the >eye, shake his hand, and say “Thank you so much.”

I think Mr M probably gets a little joy, courtesy of us fans, every time he peruses his investment portfolio.....that's probs all the thanks he needs.

Post by Brenda M
It’s an incredibly positive experience. And once you’ve had that, as I have, >you honestly wish every fan could have that same blissful moment. Those few >seconds or minutes can last you a lifetime.

Sorry, still don't get it. Not throwing shade - live and let live - but personally I don't get it.

Post by Brenda M
So ...I can even understand why some fans would shell out a few grand to >experience that.
Now ... there are fans who repeatedly buy platinums. I’ve heard of some fans >who have bought upwards of 10!
Annie, I have no clue why someone would spend that kind of cash to repeatedly >meet the man. I mean, I almost feel like these folks are purchasing a date >with the guy, five minutes at a time.

Well, when you put it THAT way.....I'd cash in a CD to purchase a date with Mr Kief. But I'm gonna need more than 5 minutes at a time.....if you know what I mean.....

Annie

Post by Brenda M
Me, I’d rather put that 20 grand towards a new car.
So those are a few of my thoughts.
Anybody have any more?
Bren

[g***@gmail.com]

I'm all for your daily feature. Please tell all. I was 6 years old in 1976 and never seen a BM concert. I find your stories and experiences fascinating. Let loose

[marvin]

Hi Annie and Bren,
To answer the question why do fans want to meet Barry is best answered for me by expressing why I enjoy meeting Barry and other artists I met and continue to meet over the decades.
Since I have been a young child, I was curious about the occupations of people and stated the process of asking people I knew and people that I did not know many questions.. That may have been the main reason I wanted to become a journalist, and am still curious about people and probably will be for the rest of my life.
I enjoyed my opportunity to engage Barry and others I met in conversation because I wanted to learn how Barry chose music as his career. His autobiography answered most of my questions, but it was thrilling for me to do a phone interview with Barry around the time that Harmony had its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse.
I talked with Barry for 30 minutes on the importance of the musical for him and engaged Barry in sharing anecdotes about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn in the interview.
Although Barry was one of the few people I did a phone interview with that I did not follow up and meet in person, I enjoyed our interview and felt that I learned a lot more about Barry that inspired me to enjoy his music and shows even more than before we spoke.
I consider myself to be fortunate to be a journalist, as my interview subjects are prepared to be engaged in conversation with me (and I prepare my questions in advance) and most of the people I meet are happy to do the interviews for the articles I write about their shows. Thanks, Marvin

[g***@gmail.com]

Have a link to the phone interview?

[marvin]

Post by g***@gmail.com
Have a link to the phone interview?

sorry, I do not have a link to the phone interview, but can email you my story if you wish. Thanks, Marvin

[a***@gmail.com]

Post by marvin
Hi Annie and Bren,
To answer the question why do fans want to meet Barry is best answered for me by expressing why I enjoy meeting Barry and other artists I met and continue to meet over the decades.
Since I have been a young child, I was curious about the occupations of people and stated the process of asking people I knew and people that I did not know many questions.. That may have been the main reason I wanted to become a journalist, and am still curious about people and probably will be for the rest of my life.
I enjoyed my opportunity to engage Barry and others I met in conversation because I wanted to learn how Barry chose music as his career. His autobiography answered most of my questions, but it was thrilling for me to do a phone interview with Barry around the time that Harmony had its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse.
I talked with Barry for 30 minutes on the importance of the musical for him and engaged Barry in sharing anecdotes about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn in the interview.
Although Barry was one of the few people I did a phone interview with that I did not follow up and meet in person, I enjoyed our interview and felt that I learned a lot more about Barry that inspired me to enjoy his music and shows even more than before we spoke.
I consider myself to be fortunate to be a journalist, as my interview subjects are prepared to be engaged in conversation with me (and I prepare my questions in advance) and most of the people I meet are happy to do the interviews for the articles I write about their shows. Thanks, Marvin

Hi Marvin,

I can understand why a journalist such as yourself would find it interesting to seek out and meet various celebs and public figures.

For myself, however, as an average person I generally don't try to meet celebrities.

But, I've been thinking about this topic since we started discussing it here, and I realized my initial declaration about 'never wanting to meet celebs' is not exactly true.

When I saw John Waters in a bookstore in Provincetown, MA a few years back I did approach him to say hello, because I think he's a brilliant, albeit batshit crazy (which is why I like him!), writer/director. We had a brief convo and now whenever Mr Waters sees me (he has a summer home in Provincetown) he recognizes me and says hello, which is pretty cool. But I've never approached him again because why would I? Everything's already been said LOL!


And I would have LOVED to attend a meet and greet with Sally Field after hearing her speak in Provincetown, if I had that opportunity, because I felt some kind of authentic connection with her. But there was no meet and greet and I certainly didn't hang around the stage door or try to find out where she was staying or anything of that nature.
I'd still love to meet her, but it's not something I would ever pursue or go out of my way to do. I'm reading her autobiography "In Pieces" right now, which is about as close to a conversation with Miss Field as I will ever get, and nothing wrong with that.


One of my friends managed the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA. back in the day. Our group of friends would work as ushers and runners for events particularly if we wanted to see a show for free (because we were young and had no money) So that's how I met The Monkees when they performed there. I was their backstage runner AKA bitch. Good times.


And finally, back in college I dated the sound guy for Til Tuesday and Suzanne Vega (it was the same sound guy for both, I'm not a whore LOLOL!) for one summer. And only one summer because cocaine was his first love, but I digress. So I got to know Miss Vega and Aimee Mann a bit.
(Aimee Mann = a genuinely nice girl; Suzanne Vega = thinks she all that)


The common theme, I realize, is that I met these people by happenstance; I haven't gone out of my way. Which is why I couldn't imagine trying to meet our Mr M, or paying for a "meet and greet". Meeting a celeb by chance can be cool (depending on the celeb); stalking and/or paying to meet them is kind of desperate, at least that's how I feel.


Celebrity is a weird thing; our relationship with celebs is complex.
I guess there are celebs I'd love to meet: Sally Field, as I said, and Cher. And Hillary Clinton.

But I'm not one to engage with any celeb who crosses my path just because they are famous. I passed on meeting Melissa Manchester, she's very talented, I enjoyed her show out in Provincetown, but I had no desire to meet her so I skipped the meet-and-greet. I just don't think I'd have anything to add to the conversation, and hearing "OMG you're so great!" for the billionth time from yet another random face, well, how does that help either me or the celeb in question?


Returning to Mr M: As much as I enjoy beyond all reason seeing our guy on stage, I don't think it would change my life, or his, if he saw yet another rando fan (in this case, me) telling him how FUCKING FANTASTIC I think he is, and how his music CHANGED MY LIFE! I suspect he already knows, having heard it from the thousands of fans that precede me.

I get the enjoyment in reminiscing here about chasing down Mr M when we were all young. Actually it sounds like the fandom was fun AF back in the '80s.

But! that was then, this is now. To everything there is a season.
Taking the draconian Homeland Security regulations out of the equation for a minute, how sad would it be for a bunch of middle-aged-to-elderly women screaming and jumping around on an airport runway waiting for Mr M's plane to land today?

Picture it: the sensible shoes, the sun glinting off the walkers, the occasional portable Oxygen tank, the Barry Manilow t-shirts.......

(I'm only recapping stuff I see at every Manilow show. And while we're on that subject: why do some fans feel the need to wear a Manilow T shirt to see Mr M? Do they imagine he enjoys looking out on a sea of pictures of himself? Do they fear he might not understand that they are a fan?

Hint: if you're sitting in the first 10 rows, he KNOWS you paid $$$$ to see him. You don't need to wear a T shirt to underscore the fact YOU ARE A FAN. Pretty sure HE GETS IT)


Anyway, Marvin, returning to your role as a journalist, I can certainly understand how your work adds to the public narrative about the celeb as well as gives us fans a glimpse into the character behind the public persona. In other words, keep doing what you do, Marvin!

Best,
Annie

[Dee]

Post by a***@gmail.com

Post by marvin
Hi Annie and Bren,
To answer the question why do fans want to meet Barry is best answered for me by expressing why I enjoy meeting Barry and other artists I met and continue to meet over the decades.
Since I have been a young child, I was curious about the occupations of people and stated the process of asking people I knew and people that I did not know many questions.. That may have been the main reason I wanted to become a journalist, and am still curious about people and probably will be for the rest of my life.
I enjoyed my opportunity to engage Barry and others I met in conversation because I wanted to learn how Barry chose music as his career. His autobiography answered most of my questions, but it was thrilling for me to do a phone interview with Barry around the time that Harmony had its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse.
I talked with Barry for 30 minutes on the importance of the musical for him and engaged Barry in sharing anecdotes about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn in the interview.
Although Barry was one of the few people I did a phone interview with that I did not follow up and meet in person, I enjoyed our interview and felt that I learned a lot more about Barry that inspired me to enjoy his music and shows even more than before we spoke.
I consider myself to be fortunate to be a journalist, as my interview subjects are prepared to be engaged in conversation with me (and I prepare my questions in advance) and most of the people I meet are happy to do the interviews for the articles I write about their shows. Thanks, Marvin

Hi Marvin,
I can understand why a journalist such as yourself would find it interesting to seek out and meet various celebs and public figures.
For myself, however, as an average person I generally don't try to meet celebrities.
But, I've been thinking about this topic since we started discussing it here, and I realized my initial declaration about 'never wanting to meet celebs' is not exactly true.
When I saw John Waters in a bookstore in Provincetown, MA a few years back I did approach him to say hello, because I think he's a brilliant, albeit batshit crazy (which is why I like him!), writer/director. We had a brief convo and now whenever Mr Waters sees me (he has a summer home in Provincetown) he recognizes me and says hello, which is pretty cool. But I've never approached him again because why would I? Everything's already been said LOL!
And I would have LOVED to attend a meet and greet with Sally Field after hearing her speak in Provincetown, if I had that opportunity, because I felt some kind of authentic connection with her. But there was no meet and greet and I certainly didn't hang around the stage door or try to find out where she was staying or anything of that nature.
I'd still love to meet her, but it's not something I would ever pursue or go out of my way to do. I'm reading her autobiography "In Pieces" right now, which is about as close to a conversation with Miss Field as I will ever get, and nothing wrong with that.
One of my friends managed the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA. back in the day. Our group of friends would work as ushers and runners for events particularly if we wanted to see a show for free (because we were young and had no money) So that's how I met The Monkees when they performed there. I was their backstage runner AKA bitch. Good times.
And finally, back in college I dated the sound guy for Til Tuesday and Suzanne Vega (it was the same sound guy for both, I'm not a whore LOLOL!) for one summer. And only one summer because cocaine was his first love, but I digress. So I got to know Miss Vega and Aimee Mann a bit.
(Aimee Mann = a genuinely nice girl; Suzanne Vega = thinks she all that)
The common theme, I realize, is that I met these people by happenstance; I haven't gone out of my way. Which is why I couldn't imagine trying to meet our Mr M, or paying for a "meet and greet". Meeting a celeb by chance can be cool (depending on the celeb); stalking and/or paying to meet them is kind of desperate, at least that's how I feel.
Celebrity is a weird thing; our relationship with celebs is complex.
I guess there are celebs I'd love to meet: Sally Field, as I said, and Cher. And Hillary Clinton.
But I'm not one to engage with any celeb who crosses my path just because they are famous. I passed on meeting Melissa Manchester, she's very talented, I enjoyed her show out in Provincetown, but I had no desire to meet her so I skipped the meet-and-greet. I just don't think I'd have anything to add to the conversation, and hearing "OMG you're so great!" for the billionth time from yet another random face, well, how does that help either me or the celeb in question?
Returning to Mr M: As much as I enjoy beyond all reason seeing our guy on stage, I don't think it would change my life, or his, if he saw yet another rando fan (in this case, me) telling him how FUCKING FANTASTIC I think he is, and how his music CHANGED MY LIFE! I suspect he already knows, having heard it from the thousands of fans that precede me.
I get the enjoyment in reminiscing here about chasing down Mr M when we were all young. Actually it sounds like the fandom was fun AF back in the '80s.
But! that was then, this is now. To everything there is a season.
Taking the draconian Homeland Security regulations out of the equation for a minute, how sad would it be for a bunch of middle-aged-to-elderly women screaming and jumping around on an airport runway waiting for Mr M's plane to land today?
Picture it: the sensible shoes, the sun glinting off the walkers, the occasional portable Oxygen tank, the Barry Manilow t-shirts.......
(I'm only recapping stuff I see at every Manilow show. And while we're on that subject: why do some fans feel the need to wear a Manilow T shirt to see Mr M? Do they imagine he enjoys looking out on a sea of pictures of himself? Do they fear he might not understand that they are a fan?
Hint: if you're sitting in the first 10 rows, he KNOWS you paid $$$$ to see him. You don't need to wear a T shirt to underscore the fact YOU ARE A FAN. Pretty sure HE GETS IT)
Anyway, Marvin, returning to your role as a journalist, I can certainly understand how your work adds to the public narrative about the celeb as well as gives us fans a glimpse into the character behind the public persona. In other words, keep doing what you do, Marvin!
Best,
Annie

I seem to recall one Barry show or interview where he commented on the fans wearing T shirts and he said how odd it was to look out and just see a sea of pictures of his own face. Quite distracting.

[a***@gmail.com]

I seem to recall one Barry show or interview where he commented on the fans >wearing T shirts and he said how odd it was to look out and just see a sea of >pictures of his own face. Quite distracting.

Hi Dee,

I know, right? So many Barry T shirts at the shows!

It's like: there's Barry! and there's Barry!! Oh, and there he is again!!

Here a Barry, there a Barry, everywhere a Barry Barry.....


That, and the chick wearing the yellow feather boa. Seems like there's always one of those.
Whatever does it mean? Does it refer to a SONG or something? Which song would that be?

Wait, I get it......"Ships", right?


Not to mention the streamers that shoot out of the cannons, and the ladies who drape themselves in those streamers........you see them after the show walking around dripping with crepe paper streamers.....that were shot out of Mr M's cannons.....

.....nothing sexual about THAT.....

Annie

[Dee]

Post by a***@gmail.com

I seem to recall one Barry show or interview where he commented on the fans >wearing T shirts and he said how odd it was to look out and just see a sea of >pictures of his own face. Quite distracting.

Hi Dee,
I know, right? So many Barry T shirts at the shows!
It's like: there's Barry! and there's Barry!! Oh, and there he is again!!
Here a Barry, there a Barry, everywhere a Barry Barry.....
That, and the chick wearing the yellow feather boa. Seems like there's always one of those.
Whatever does it mean? Does it refer to a SONG or something? Which song would that be?
Wait, I get it......"Ships", right?
Not to mention the streamers that shoot out of the cannons, and the ladies who drape themselves in those streamers........you see them after the show walking around dripping with crepe paper streamers.....that were shot out of Mr M's cannons.....
.....nothing sexual about THAT.....
Annie

Now I can't get that picture out of my head!! Never thought of it like that before Annie. Little innocent me.

[Brenda M]

You know...

After about 1983, I couldn’t bring myself to wear a t-shirt with his face on it. Was it just too weird?

Maybe.

But I looked terrible in them.

So I think my vanity was the ultimate decision-maker there.

Brenda