SPN cons vs. SGA cons

[katikat]

You know, reading the Twitter reports from the latest SPN con I realized one thing - I like the SGA cons and reports better. Why? Because the SGA actors keep their significant others out of the spotlight.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm happy that Jensen is happy with Danneel and that Jared is happy with Genevieve. But I think it would be wiser if they kept their relationships more private. And no, I don't say it out of jealousy or some misguided belief that Jared and Jensen would fall madly in love with each other if it wasn't for their girlfriends. No, I just vividly remember the bruhaha that turned the fandom upside down when Jared and Sandy broke up. It was his fault or her fault or who knows whose fault and it was embarrassing for everybody involved. Talk about overexposure. Compare that to Joe Flanigan's attitude - he tells a funny story or two about his kids and wife, but he keeps them separate from his career. I think that it helps the fans separate the actor from his role and his career from his private life.

So yeah, I think that it would be wiser if Jared and Jensen kept the private part of their lives more private. It would give the crazy fans less fodder and help the actors maintain some privacy.

Comments

[ckll.livejournal.com]

As a J2 fan and other j2 fans, we know WHY they don't keep their relationships private.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

We don't know if they are together or not and if they don't come out outright, we will never know for sure, presumptions aside. I'm just taken aback a bit that they seem to take their girlfriends everywhere, from cons to sets and on regular basis. That's rather unusual in TV, I would say, and besides, I would have thought that the girls would want to further their own career, not just follow their boyfriends around. But if that makes them happy, who am I to argue.

[ckll.livejournal.com]

he thing is that this time even some of the girls' fans found weird and strange their presence there while they are busy with their own shows and jensen speaking about his private life which is so unusual from him

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I don't know about that, all I read were the tweets :P But I am rather surprised that the girls don't mind to be known first and foremost as the "girlfriend of..." instead of an actress...

Will you be linking the con reports in your LJ or in the comm?

[ckll.livejournal.com]

I read random reports from the comm (vancouvercon tags) or http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Salute_to_Supernatural_Vancouver_2009

[fools-game.livejournal.com]

I think a part of it might be that both all of their relationships have been with actresses they've actually worked with.

Of course, the other part of it is that the SPN fandom has absolutely no sense of boundaries and is totally comfortable with the idea of asking deeply intrusive question about the personal lives of actors and then commenting and speculating on it at length.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

True, of that there's no doubt. Some of the questions presented made ~me~ feel embarrassed.

On the other hand, I read the Twitter reports from yesterday's panels and Danneel sat in the audience and according to the tweets, Jensen kept turning to her and addressing her so often, that she was all red-faced.

I don't know, I wasn't there after all, it's all hear-say for me. But if the attention doesn't sit well with them, maybe discretion would be the way to go?

Re: SPN cons vs. SGA cons

[redina]

Danneel sat in the audience

I wouldn't mind a hot gal sitting next to me. ;-) As to why have the girlfriends with them, I can totally understand 'free first class hotel stay' and being able to splurge on the amenities at the convention's (and fans) expense... but being in the same room as fangirls? I think it's something each couple has to discuss/decide on what works for them. Personally, I don't mind either way; I just know I'd want my 'money's worth' of them 'entertaining' me on stage--I don't need to be rude to them either to be 'entertained'--since this is a paid gig for them with a rate *starting* at $50,000 for *each* (Jared and Jensen), often less than a day.

I also say this as a gal that's only been to a few celeb/fan conventions. {g} I usually prefer fan-only conventions for cost reasons, plus, as a slash fan, it often just works out better.

Re: SPN cons vs. SGA cons

[katikat.livejournal.com]

$50.000 each? OMG! Yeah, now I can understand why some fans feel that the guys owe them something when they are on stage. Wow, that's a LOT of money!

Re: SPN cons vs. SGA cons

[redina]

Those were apprx figures from last year, so monetary inflation, even with the economic downturn, has probably caused that amount to go up.

Those expensive gifts the guys like giving each other? Pocket change after these conventions, plus, at least under US tax laws, a good accountant could get some income tax discounts on gifts (e.g. 2008 was up to $12,000 could be written off... oh, say like a, what, $$$$ watch to Jensen). While some fans have tried to make Jared look 'dumb' and he often presents an easy-going demeanor, he's a very smart cookie, when he wants to put his mind to it.

On a selfish note, damn, I'd love to make $50,000 in a day! :-D

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Speaking totally from a J2-shipper's pov, I think the girls were there because they needed to be seen, for obvious reasons.

But looking at it objectively ie that the girls really are the guys' girlfriends, I find it ... odd that they're there at all. Some of the reasons that I could think of on why they were there:

1. Jensen is so in love with his gf that he needed her there.
2. The J2 fantasies/blind vice have gotten out of proportion that they need to show the fangirls that they're totally straight.
3. The girls wanted to be there - you know, being territorial and hands off our men they're ours sort of stuff.

I can't help but remember what Gwyneth Paltrow once said in an interview. She said that she and her hubby try not to be at each other's events so as not to take the limelight off each other which I think make lots of sense!

[katikat.livejournal.com]

It really is kinda odd. I mean, I haven't seen it in any other fandom, you know, the GF attending ~everything~ the actor attends (You remember Jensen's theater gig? Danneel was at every performance, for Christ's sake!). I mean, Danneel attends almost every con in a ~very~ visible way and to be perfectly honest, I can understand that some fans are getting frustrated because of that. Not out of jealousy but the guys ~are~ being paid handsome money to be there and pay attention to the ~fans~. At the beginning, it wasn't so, but lately, it does feel like the GFs are everywhere. I mean, if it's because the guys are so madly in love, then good for them, but it just feels really... odd.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Were/are you in the Smallville fandom? Was Jamie that visible before she married Tom?

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I have no idea. I wasn't really a part of the SV fandom. But I know that TW didn't really attend any cons, did he? This year was his "virgin voyage" ;P

[redina]

This year was the first time I attended San Diego's Comic Com, and while I didn't get J2, the full cast of SV attended, wow, including Tom Welling at the *last minute*--or at least the announcement went up... 1-2 days before the convention to possibly limit fangirl stalking. What I do remember was how he looked so *uncomfortable* at SDCC, but when on the spot, he performed for the fans. While I'm a casual fan of SV, I've asked another SV fan and this was a *very* rare appearance by Welling, which was probably spurred by CW wanting the extra publicity. From what I was told, he *might* have done a couple fan conventions at the very beginning--this is unconfirmed--but since then, he hasn't done fan conventions.

Tom married Jamie kinda young in his career, but so far, he's committed to her and their marriage (7 years?), AFAIK. Not doing conventions and staying out of the media spotlight probably has kept him out of 'hot water', thus, Jamie was not visible... but he supposedly also likes being a 'homebody' and avoids the media in his downtime:
http://www.superheroprofiles.com/smallville-star-tom-welling-and-wife-jamie/

Even before their marriage, since he avoided the media, Jamie also wasn't seen much, outside premiere events. As a tangent, IIRC, Erica Durance's husband, who also helped her career, was in the SDCC audience for the SV panel.

Even though these celebs have attractive spouses or girlfriends and the 'average' fangirl is not 'Hollywood chic', it still doesn't necessarily negate how some fans are 'throwing' themselves at celebs--really, as was the case with Jensen at Asylum, awhile back, with a fangirl actually attempting to jump him. Though, some celebs have slept with fans. Amusingly enough, sometimes bringing along a girlfriend/wife can offer more bodily protection for a guy, against fangirls, than trained guards. {chuckle} In a way, wouldn't surprise me if Jensen dragged Danneel because he needed her support.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Jamie looked very beautiful there, so ...elegant and graceful, like a lady.

[redina]

elegant and graceful, like a lady.

Agreed and they love each other, whether 'cleaned up and fancy' or just doing regular stuff like grocery shopping as an average husband and wife.

[astri13.livejournal.com]

I don't know what report came out about Vancon but I have not seen either Danneel or Genevieve one single time at the whole Con. Until someone told me they were there, I had no idea. And Jensen once mentioned her in his panel and in that instance turned towards her - I assume she was sitting there - that one time and that was it.

So, honestly, I can not say they flaunted it in any way. And I think they should be allowed to mention them.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

As I said, I just find it weird. In no other fandom have I seen the significant other of the actor follow him around this much. It's almost every con, each and every one of Jensen's theater outing... It's odd *shrugs* Whatever.

I wasn't there and whatever floats their boat. I just prefer when it's the actor, not the actor plus one at these things.