Mikasounds, Twitter and Facebook updates - Part 12

[RAK1]

For me the issue wouldn't exist, because I can only go to see him now, if I can sit down and watch his show. The last time I went to a m&g was in Hammersmith in 2010. He took a long time to come out, so I started to feel ill, so though I love him, I decided m&gs are not for me.

But from what I've seen in the past, there are a few people who ruin it for the rest of the fans. You can tell that they would step on their own grannies to get to Mika, but one thing about Mika is that he knows who the good guys are, and appreciates them. The first time I attended a m&g, at the Brixton after-party in 2008, he made it clear people didn't have to push in, he would see them all, and he did.

I don't like the idea of people trying to see him at home, or anywhere else that intrudes on his private life. But I think most people are respectful and wouldn't do that. Of course, the obsessive types come with the territory when someone is famous, so there will always be some who take it too far.

 

He didn't see everyone at that afterparty, I know a couple of people who did as they were told stood back to wait for him, but because others ignored his request to sit down and wait and clung to him like limpets, so when he got around as best he could, he stopped and left, and those that did as he requested missed out because these other people were selfish!

And this was back in 2007.

My worry is, like I said before the safety aspect.

You can say that you will lead by example, but I have been to many meetings after gigswhere I have tried to help make an organised line for Mika to walk along, giving everyone a chance to talk to him, but once he comes through the gate, people ignore the fact that he will get to them, and a free for all ensues.

And you can try to convince yourself otherwise, but it DOES happen, and as the fanbase grows it WILL get worse, especially with younger exciteable fans.

Prime example, in Dublin in 2008, we were in line and some people just down the line from myself and Kath got a bit over excited as he came out the door, and we told them, as John had done minutes before, to stay in line or the meeting would be cut short and Mika would leave. These girls ran forward to try to get to him and we told them that John wasn't joking, it would get cut short, they went back in line, but others pushed forward and I asked them to get back, that Mika would reach them shortly, but they ignored me and even tried to push past John, which was a mistake, as he put them right on what would happen if they didn't behave. I told him I tried to tell them, and he said it was okay, this was what he put up with all the time.

But why should whoever is looking after Mika at these things gave to put up with it?

Kids I get, and you can actually (on most occasions) reason with them, but some of these people are adults and do know better, but choose to ignore simple instructions.

And we can all say that if we do go along to events, like this one the other evening, and say we can control other fans. But if more happen in the future, and more people turn up on the off chance of seeing him, and more the next time, and more the next time, and some of these people aren't as polite as you are, are a little aggresive, and won't take instruction from you, how will that end up?

You can say it's just speculation, but at early meetings at gigs people thought it wouldn't happen, but yet at later gigs it did.

I am thinking in a safety aspect, for Mika and fans alike.

If you chose to think it won't happen, fair enough.

But if, and when it does, please don't say you weren't given fair warning.

[Alireine]

He didn't see everyone at that afterparty, I know a couple of people who did as they were told stood back to wait for him, but because others ignored his request to sit down and wait and clung to him like limpets, so when he got around as best he could, he stopped and left, and those that did as he requested missed out because these other people were selfish!

And this was back in 2007.

My worry is, like I said before the safety aspect.

You can say that you will lead by example, but I have been to many meetings after gigswhere I have tried to help make an organised line for Mika to walk along, giving everyone a chance to talk to him, but once he comes through the gate, people ignore the fact that he will get to them, and a free for all ensues.

And you can try to convince yourself otherwise, but it DOES happen, and as the fanbase grows it WILL get worse, especially with younger exciteable fans.

Prime example, in Dublin in 2008, we were in line and some people just down the line from myself and Kath got a bit over excited as he came out the door, and we told them, as John had done minutes before, to stay in line or the meeting would be cut short and Mika would leave. These girls ran forward to try to get to him and we told them that John wasn't joking, it would get cut short, they went back in line, but others pushed forward and I asked them to get back, that Mika would reach them shortly, but they ignored me and even tried to push past John, which was a mistake, as he put them right on what would happen if they didn't behave. I told him I tried to tell them, and he said it was okay, this was what he put up with all the time.

But why should whoever is looking after Mika at these things gave to put up with it?

Kids I get, and you can actually (on most occasions) reason with them, but some of these people are adults and do know better, but choose to ignore simple instructions.

And we can all say that if we do go along to events, like this one the other evening, and say we can control other fans. But if more happen in the future, and more people turn up on the off chance of seeing him, and more the next time, and more the next time, and some of these people aren't as polite as you are, are a little aggresive, and won't take instruction from you, how will that end up?

You can say it's just speculation, but at early meetings at gigs people thought it wouldn't happen, but yet at later gigs it did.

I am thinking in a safety aspect, for Mika and fans alike.

If you chose to think it won't happen, fair enough.

But if, and when it does, please don't say you weren't given fair warning.

 

Rose, I get what you mean, and I agree, we can't really persuade people not to act like jerks if they don't want to. But I still believe that it is possible to convince (by showing the example) those who are there regularly.

Maybe I'm wrong and maybe, as you say, more and more people will come and act without respect toward him. But in that case, Mika will simply not stop anymore, and will rush to his car as he did the last week of The Voice (many shouting Kendji fans were there ). Yes, it will be too bad for us and for those who keep respecting him, but so is life

Today (May 2014 ) in France, going waiting for Mika at such events as the Palais de Tokyo gig is not dangerous for him or for the fans, as we could see by ourselves. Then why stopping now (as long as it's not disturbing him) just to be sure it won't get worst?

If things have to get worst, they will (I doubt about it for France, but who knows), in that case we will adapt to the new situation

Just my opinion

[Alireine]

We can just agree to disagree and everyone is free to do what they want if they are not hurting others.

 

[camille*]

Mélanie, you know how much I like you and the girls you were with the other night, but I have to say that when I read on Twitter that some of you were going to the said place, I was very surprised. It's just really my personal point of view (or the point of view of a provincial ) but I think that even if I was in Paris it wouldn't have crossed my mind to think of going there. Maybe I'm a strange fan or not as much a fan as some of you are. I can understand that you saw this tweet as a kind of invitation to go and try to meet him but I think I feel more like a lost fan in the worldwide masses so I really took this tweet like he was informing all of us what he was doing (which is obviously always nice of him)

 

Having said that, I'm dreaming to live a moment with Mika such as the one you experienced. I'm not saying I'm jealous, I think I take enough distance not to feel jealousy. But that maybe now in order to meet Mika it's easier to go and meet him somewhere where there was no real reason to be instead of the ten or so gigs and the 8 recordings of The Voice I've been to..? So of course it makes me want to follow your group and go meet him if he's in France another time (that would be, in my dreams when I would live in Paris ) So I can understand the worries of some fans here who think this kind of actions will grow.

 

One more thing, it's quite new to me that I know and follow on Twitter some more French fans (since The Voice) so maybe it's always been like that and our (my) comments seem strange to you, if so, I'm sorry, I realise I'm often very late in my knowing of things happening in the Mika fan world

 

Lastly, I hope it doesn't hurt anyone that I post here, I have nothing against any of you, I just wanted to express my point of view on this. And it always comes easier for me to write my feelings in English

 

And thanks Mélanie for your report! It's always appreciated

[buttonslovesu]

When he tweets he is on plane to somewhere, does he want fans waiting at the airport, I don't think so!

 

When he tweets he is in Hyde Park, does he want fans to turn up there, I don't think so!

 

When he tweets picture's of him having a barbecue at home, does it mean he wants fans to turn up at his door, I don't think so!

 

So I don't see this tweet about the secret gig for Swatch, to be any different.

 

In my opinion he is letting us know what he his doing, which is nice, but not an open invitation to turn up where ever he is but as I said that is my personal opinion:wink2:

[mellody]

Just a clarification. It's true that some fans waited for him at the hotel when he came to "La Voz" Spain for a short appearance but the wine which some fans gave to him as a present and that he tweeted about was at the m&g in Salamanca, almost one year ago

 

ah sorry, seems like i mixed up 2 different things then.

 

Rose, I get what you mean, and I agree, we can't really persuade people not to act like jerks if they don't want to. But I still believe that it is possible to convince (by showing the example) those who are there regularly.

Maybe I'm wrong and maybe, as you say, more and more people will come and act without respect toward him. But in that case, Mika will simply not stop anymore, and will rush to his car as he did the last week of The Voice (many shouting Kendji fans were there ). Yes, it will be too bad for us and for those who keep respecting him, but so is life

Today (May 2014 ) in France, going waiting for Mika at such events as the Palais de Tokyo gig is not dangerous for him or for the fans, as we could see by ourselves. Then why stopping now (as long as it's not disturbing him) just to be sure it won't get worst?

If things have to get worst, they will (I doubt about it for France, but who knows), in that case we will adapt to the new situation

Just my opinion

 

i also think that mika knows in which cases or places he can expect security issues, ofc it would've been stupid of him to write such a tweet about a private gig in naples, an hour after the public gig. but he wouldn't do that. sure, there always are occasions where people don't stay in line or otherwise behave in a bad way. and there always were, even back in mid-2007. when there are only 10 people, ofc it's less a problem than if there are 100. 10 can crowd around him and have a nice chat, 100 can't. they HAVE to stay in line to make it work for everyone. in ibiza in august 2007 there were a handful nice fans, and one stupid paparazzi guy and a few autograph hunters, who got on mika's and our nerves. people like this, or also fans who are overreacting, can be everywhere, and they can spoil it for you, whether there are 10 or 100 people.

so i don't see any sense in saying "stay away, or if you don't, at least keep it to yourself, so you don't give others wrong ideas". i've seen this kind of secrecy in other fandoms, always hated it, and was really sad to see at some point that it also had arrived in the mika fandom. tho it's by far not as bad as it used to be among some boyband fans in the 90s. fine if you want to keep some things to yourself, but if your own worries about what *might* possibly happen lead you to try and tell others what to do or say, it's going too far imo.

 

i think most of us, like melanie and nina said, are worried to get on mika's nerves if we go too far, so everyone is doing their best, and wouldn't do anything they feel uncomfortable with. and mika does react in different ways, you can be pretty sure to know it if he's not in the mood to meet fans. and also, if he is. so just because other fans have a different opinion on whether what you did was too much, because their own definition of what they feel comfortable doing is different from yours, shouldn't make you feel bad. it does tho, it has happened to me in the past as well (think it was about tweeting to mika) - but as you can't tell people to keep their opinion to themselves, same as they can't tell you what to do or say, the only solution is a) experience and b) friends who support you. so melanie, please don't take it personally if some call you stalkers - you were there, you saw mika's reaction - and i hope this gives you enough confidence to know that you did nothing wrong, no matter what other fans might say.

[Marilyn Mastin]

He didn't see everyone at that afterparty, I know a couple of people who did as they were told stood back to wait for him, but because others ignored his request to sit down and wait and clung to him like limpets, so when he got around as best he could, he stopped and left, and those that did as he requested missed out because these other people were selfish!

And this was back in 2007.

My worry is, like I said before the safety aspect.

You can say that you will lead by example, but I have been to many meetings after gigswhere I have tried to help make an organised line for Mika to walk along, giving everyone a chance to talk to him, but once he comes through the gate, people ignore the fact that he will get to them, and a free for all ensues.

And you can try to convince yourself otherwise, but it DOES happen, and as the fanbase grows it WILL get worse, especially with younger exciteable fans.

Prime example, in Dublin in 2008, we were in line and some people just down the line from myself and Kath got a bit over excited as he came out the door, and we told them, as John had done minutes before, to stay in line or the meeting would be cut short and Mika would leave. These girls ran forward to try to get to him and we told them that John wasn't joking, it would get cut short, they went back in line, but others pushed forward and I asked them to get back, that Mika would reach them shortly, but they ignored me and even tried to push past John, which was a mistake, as he put them right on what would happen if they didn't behave. I told him I tried to tell them, and he said it was okay, this was what he put up with all the time.

But why should whoever is looking after Mika at these things gave to put up with it?

Kids I get, and you can actually (on most occasions) reason with them, but some of these people are adults and do know better, but choose to ignore simple instructions.

And we can all say that if we do go along to events, like this one the other evening, and say we can control other fans. But if more happen in the future, and more people turn up on the off chance of seeing him, and more the next time, and more the next time, and some of these people aren't as polite as you are, are a little aggresive, and won't take instruction from you, how will that end up?

You can say it's just speculation, but at early meetings at gigs people thought it wouldn't happen, but yet at later gigs it did.

I am thinking in a safety aspect, for Mika and fans alike.

If you chose to think it won't happen, fair enough.

But if, and when it does, please don't say you weren't given fair warning.

I didn't realize there were people he didn't get to at Brixton. I know he tried, but as you say, people wouldn't leave him alone. After I'd had my moment, Alan and I stood back so as not to be in Mika's way, but lots still hung round him and most were old enough to know better, and behave, better.

I sometimes think it's a wonder there aren't more accidents at gigs. I imagine the One Direction gigs must be fraught with danger for fans and band alike, as all their fans are young, and a lot are really obsessed. It would be interesting to know how security is handled at their gigs.

Mika is certainly getting more younger fans. I hope the security is good enough. But the days of the stage invasion and the impromptu Twitter party, have to be a thing of the past now. Also, if he's doing a secret gig, It's best if he doesn't tweet the location of the gig. He seems to have got away with it this time, but if hoards of fans turn up to something else like that, with no crowd control, It's only a matter of time before either a fan, or even Mika himself, gets hurt.

[mellody]

I sometimes think it's a wonder there aren't more accidents at gigs. I imagine the One Direction gigs must be fraught with danger for fans and band alike, as all their fans are young, and a lot are really obsessed. It would be interesting to know how security is handled at their gigs.

Mika is certainly getting more younger fans. I hope the security is good enough. But the days of the stage invasion and the impromptu Twitter party, have to be a thing of the past now. Also, if he's doing a secret gig, It's best if he doesn't tweet the location of the gig. He seems to have got away with it this time, but if hoards of fans turn up to something else like that, with no crowd control, It's only a matter of time before either a fan, or even Mika himself, gets hurt.

 

about the first point: as i work in concert security, i can tell you. it's simple: more staff, clear instructions. in fact i worked at a 1direction gig once, the floor was seated, and we managed to keep fans in their places - actually much better than at other gigs with older crowds. i don't know whether it was due to more staff, clearer instructions, or that the younger fans tend to see security as gods and listen to you - probably a combination. but depending on the band and the type of the venue and of the show, there are different security concepts - there are companies that do nothing else all day long than plan and execute such things.

 

about the 2nd point: last year mika was very well able to appear at a fan party, without all hell breaking loose, or anyone getting even remotely close to being hurt. sure, in italy it might be a problem atm. but that's the positive side about him not being equally famous in every country: in the uk or germany, he could still throw a twitter party any time.

[Christine]

so i don't see any sense in saying "stay away, or if you don't, at least keep it to yourself, so you don't give others wrong ideas". i've seen this kind of secrecy in other fandoms, always hated it, and was really sad to see at some point that it also had arrived in the mika fandom.

 

so melanie, please don't take it personally if some call you stalkers - you were there, you saw mika's reaction - and i hope this gives you enough confidence to know that you did nothing wrong, no matter what other fans might say.

 

We can all make reasonable arguments as to why it's perfectly acceptable for people to turn up on this particular day or how it shouldn't be kept a secret but this is not what prompted this discussion on Twitter. I didn't call Melanie a stalker. I didn't even know she was there. I didn't call her friends stalkers either. I said that following Mika everywhere he goes (as many have been doing) because he happens to be in your city is stalking because it is. You can spend 5 hours a day examining Mika's facial reactions and determining that he is not bothered and it doesn't change the behaviour.

 

The criteria for determining whether behaviour is normal/acceptable/something you want to encourage others to do is not based only on whether you want to be close to Mika and whether you are not upsetting Mika. Based on that criteria it would be okay to neglect your children or cheat on your husband or slack off on your job until you get sacked.

 

I am not talking about Melanie and I am not talking about this one day, but this culture of excessive and brazen behaviour that seems to be perfectly acceptable now. I recently saw a picture of someone virtually sat outside Mika's house, posted in public. Is this not stalking because it didn't bother Mika? Is it something that should be openly shared because secrets in the fandom are bad?

 

As I said I have seen it all and I know what some individuals are getting up to. I am not buying that this culture of stalking Mika everywhere he goes results in everyone staying within normal and respectful boundaries.

[tiibet]

...but this culture of excessive and brazen behaviour that seems to be perfectly acceptable now. I recently saw a picture of someone virtually sat outside Mika's house, posted in public. Is this not stalking because it didn't bother Mika? Is it something that should be openly shared because secrets in the fandom are bad?

 

As I said I have seen it all and I know what some individuals are getting up to. I am not buying that this culture of stalking Mika everywhere he goes results in everyone staying within normal and respectful boundaries.

 

I agree with you that there is stalking, of course. I've seen it since the beginning. But it was not normal or respectful then and it's not normal or respectful or in any other way acceptable now. I mean, who could seriously imagine it's okay to go near his home?? Maybe I'm living too much in my own world as I'm mostly worried about new (celebrity) fans who follow his car, go too close to him and start to scream and demand autographs as soon as they see him Big groups of people seem to think that is acceptable.

Edited May 24, 2014 by tiibet

[mellody]

christine, my post wasn't directed at you, even if you might have been the only one who used the word "stalker" - i don't know, i haven't been following the twitter discussion and i don't remember who wrote exactly what here on the thread. and i certainly don't want to start a discussion about the boundaries where stalking starts or ends. i understood from your first post that whatever it was that you wrote on twitter was more about someone lecturing others of what to think (about mika on tv shows) than about those fans going to meet mika at this certain occasion. that's perfectly fine.

 

i just think that with all that was posted here on the thread on this topic (and maybe also on twitter, as i said, i didn't read it there), even if there are different opinions, it might make melanie feel bad about her decision to go, and i don't think that's good. i think many of us have insecurities (i certainly do) when it comes to what mika thinks or what might disturb him or not. none of us really knows. only if you meet him, and he's beaming all over his face at the sight of you, or he answers your tweet or anything like that, you are sure for a short moment that you must've done something right. then a discussion starts among fans about whether what you did was right, or if you went too far, and you might just have interpreted mika's happiness about seeing his fans, because you were happy yourself. i'm sure i'd start feeling bad, or at least insecure about my decision, no matter how sure i had been just hours before.

 

as i said, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and to voice it here - i'm just telling melanie (or everyone else in a similar situation) to trust her feelings about mika's reaction, and not let such comments pull her down. i don't think the opinions posted are intended to make anyone feel bad (except maybe those who really invade mika's privacy by going to his house etc., but nina is right, those kind of people also have always existed, and it's not what we're talking about in this "secret" gig case), so it's not an accusation. it's just that i've been in a similar situation in the past and wanted to share my thoughts, support melanie, and probably also defend my own opinion, since i would've done exactly the same in this case.

[silver]

MIKA official ‏@mikasounds 17m

 

Ascolto Biagio Antonacci dal vivo su RTL102.5 , una voce bellissima, mi emoziona ! @AntonacciBiagio

 

Could someone explain what this tweet is about?

[Marta.]

MIKA official ‏@mikasounds 17m

 

Ascolto Biagio Antonacci dal vivo su RTL102.5 , una voce bellissima, mi emoziona ! @AntonacciBiagio

 

Could someone explain what this tweet is about?

 

Mika seems to be listening on the radio RTL102.5, Biagio Antonacci, a famous Italian singer....this night he is in Bari for a gig and it is possibile to listen to his concert on the radio...

Edited May 24, 2014 by Marta.

[buttonslovesu]

MIKA official ‏@mikasounds 17m

 

Ascolto Biagio Antonacci dal vivo su RTL102.5 , una voce bellissima, mi emoziona ! @AntonacciBiagio

 

Could someone explain what this tweet is about?

 

Listen to silverchair live on rtl 102.5 a beautiful voice, excites me

 

Thats what bing translate said:aah:

[silver]

Mika seems to be listening on the radio RTL102.5, Biagio Antonacci, a famous Italian singer....

 

Thanks

[silver]

Listen to silverchair live on rtl 102.5 a beautiful voice, excites me

 

Thats what bing translate said:aah:

 

Online translation programs usually translate any language into gibberish

[Christine]

christine, my post wasn't directed at you, even if you might have been the only one who used the word "stalker"

 

it might make melanie feel bad about her decision to go, and i don't think that's good.

 

You weren't directing at me but your comments just reinforce what Melanie has said about people calling her a stalker. It's not your fault but I want to clarify that that is not what happened. Because as usual I am being subjected to abuse because people cannot understand plain English and distort what is actually said because they filter it through their own insecurities, they just take secondhand information at face value and make judgements, etc.

 

i think many of us have insecurities (i certainly do) when it comes to what mika thinks or what might disturb him or not. none of us really knows.

 

Honestly I don't even care what Mika thinks about any of this. He knows how to discourage this behaviour and if he doesn't that's his problem. But it doesn't change the way I view it.

[Marta.]

Online translation programs usually translate any language into gibberish

 

silverchair???

Edited May 25, 2014 by Marta.

[Marta.]

This is Biagio Antonacci...he is a good singer and songwriter...he's in Bari for a gig now, in the south of Italy and probably Mika is listening to him live on the radio....

 

Edited May 25, 2014 by Marta.

[Marilyn Mastin]

about the first point: as i work in concert security, i can tell you. it's simple: more staff, clear instructions. in fact i worked at a 1direction gig once, the floor was seated, and we managed to keep fans in their places - actually much better than at other gigs with older crowds. i don't know whether it was due to more staff, clearer instructions, or that the younger fans tend to see security as gods and listen to you - probably a combination. but depending on the band and the type of the venue and of the show, there are different security concepts - there are companies that do nothing else all day long than plan and execute such things.

 

about the 2nd point: last year mika was very well able to appear at a fan party, without all hell breaking loose, or anyone getting even remotely close to being hurt. sure, in italy it might be a problem atm. but that's the positive side about him not being equally famous in every country: in the uk or germany, he could still throw a twitter party any time.

That's interesting. I suppose a lot of younger people would take notice of instructions. Older people sometimes think they know better, especially if the security guard is quite young and looks, to them, like he ought to still be in school.

Yes, unfortunately, in the UK he can basically do as he likes. I wish he was still famous here, but at least he probably doesn't get mobbed or pestered in London.

[guylainem123]

When he was in Lisbon a few years ago, he also tweeted the hotel he was staying in.

 

Did he post the hotel he was in or a picture from a window and fans recognized it? i can't remember if this happened in Lisbon or another European country

 

Already happend on sunday. But I suppose it could be cause the situation was very peculiar

Teens or something chased him at the hotel the day before and that very sunday and anyway 60 000 people at his gig were quite a lot to deal with.... So I don't know if it's a start of him running right away after gigs or just a random fortuity.

 

I would never expect him to stop and chat after such a large concert. It would be madness After the Montgolfieres festival in Montreal where there was (i think) 12000, there must have been at least 300 people waiting for him at the exit. It was hell walking through to his area for our little M & G.

 

I have to agree with Mellody. If he really wanted to keep it private and not have people turn up he wouldn't have mentioned the gig or the location. He surely knows the effect that tweet would have had on people.

 

But what would be the point of expecting people to turn up, being fully aware that no one can get in? It makes no sense, he's not that self centered, is he?

 

 

He tweeted before the event, and not after. One hour before exactly. More, everybody on Twitter had the same interpretation, saying that this was not secret if he was telling that, and that of course it was kind of an invitation. I can't believe that MIka tweeted it without knowing the consequences: the guy likes to play, right? And, of course, you weren't there to see his face, and we might sometimes overrate his reactions, but not this time. He was willing to chat, even surrounded by his team, and stayed longer with us than he is usually doing when tired or busy. So, for me, there is no need to discuss further about whether happy or not he was to see our group of fans.

 

I also saw many people tweeting that it wasn't "so secret" after all, i even said it.

 

He's done many "private events" for businesses that we knew about, but didn't tweet about. That's why i'm under the impression that it was in a way to promote one of his many sponsors.

 

I do wish you could have gotten in, as it would have been so unexpected and fun. I've seen this last minute thing work a few times, like at tv shows where you need a ticket to get in & fans manage to be the +1 as someone mentioned.

 

I think because we are familiar with Swatch, it may have felt different than if it was for company ABC or some school who got him to play a private gig for example. I think it this case, instead of "secret" he should have used the word "private" It was probably a better description.

 

 

From here on, i'm not specifically responding to your post Melanie... it's just random thinking/talking

 

I think we all have personal boundaries we don't like broken and expect them to be respected. I tend to apply my boundaries to Mika. When i ask myself questions like "would I like that done to me?" or if i have to consult others to see if they think it's ok, it gives me the signal that perhaps i'm getting a little close to that invisible comfort line.

 

What i'm saying is a fandom question / food for thoughts in general. I've been questioning myself about this for many months. (I blame it on lack of Mika musical activities )

 

I didn't really expect people to post "i agree" "i don't agree", but more of a soul searching thing.

 

When alone, we don't necessarily have the same boldness as when in a group of people. When in a group, people feed off of each other & push things a big further, and wake up the next day with the traditional "what was i thinking" thought in their head, even if at the time, it felt perfectly ok.

 

Let's say Mika is in Montreal. We all know he's in Montreal, he tweeted about it, but it isn't fan related at all. If i was to run into him, i think i would actually feel uncomfortable with the thought that he may think i'm trying to be where he is, that he'd think i'm some kind of a nut job, even if it was by coincidence.

 

I hope you all realize that my talking about France and Italy has nothing to do with the fans in those countries... it could have been USA & Canada and i still would have posted what i did. It just so happens that that's where the action has been/will be at the moment.

 

As for the fans stalking, that's a total other issue.

I've heard of fans knocking on his door, his parents' door, leaving gifts at his door, sending their child to ring the doorbell because they heard his piano being played (under the pretext that the child acted so quickly, it couldn't be stopped & taking pictures of when Mika poked his face through the door ), following him to restaurants, hotels after gigs or looking through the windows of establishments, peaking inside his private tent at festivals etc.... And some of those are fans who are considered level headed, but under the power of being in a group, their actions are bolder and at times inappropriate. And by the way, these stories were not 2nd or 3rd hand repeated, they were first hand accounts told to me by the people involved... so no middle man or misinterpretations involved.

 

I've also heard of fans spying on fans, following them to restaurants, stalking fans whereabouts, hiding in bushes if need be... just in case these fans knew something and they'd get a bigger piece of the Mika pie than they would.

 

Stalking to me doesn't have to be something illegal, but something inappropriate. Something that wouldn't be done to another person, another stranger if it wasn't in this case, Mika or anyone who is connected to Mika, like his manager or even mods!

 

This getting a "piece of the Mika pie" thing is also worrisome. I've heard fans who physically pushed other fans out of the way so they could have a picture with Mika, i've heard of fans being nasty to other fans, pretending to talk on behalf of Mika, as if they had an inside track, just to discourage other fans, therefore protecting their slice of the Mika pie. I've heard of fans telling stories of things that happened even before they were Mika fans and talking about it as if they were there experiencing it themselves, when in fact, it's all hearsay & may be far from the truth.

I think lots of it is like the telephone game.... the truth at the beginning, everyone's version of events mixed together at the receiving end.

 

I think i'm due for some new music, i'm thinking too hard.

[Christine]

Stalking to me doesn't have to be something illegal, but something inappropriate. Something that wouldn't be done to another person, another stranger if it wasn't in this case, Mika or anyone who is connected to Mika, like his manager or even mods!

 

This is exactly what I meant. I have asked people why they think Mika is an exception and the only answer I have ever received is "Because I want him to know who I am/chat to him/give him gifts/etc and it's difficult because he never comes here/there are too many fans after a gig/etc". As if social norms do not apply simply because you really really really want to reap the rewards of ignoring them.

 

And now the answer I'm getting to this question is "Mika invited me and I was there to support him." I mean come on, can we just get real? At least be honest about it. I would never say that it bothers Mika because he often rewards this type of behaviour and I think he is extremely understanding and tolerant and more often than not enjoys interacting with fans especially in a small, calm group. I have experienced it myself because I have found myself in some "borderline" situations and he has been cool about it.

 

But at the same time I am certain he is not fooled either. When he told the story of the planet painting to the audience in Toronto he pretty much said that we were stalking him. It was the same situation. He had been tweeting his whereabouts for days. He even moaned that there were Jonas Brothers fans hanging around his hotel. I actually joked at the time that he was feeling unloved and looking for fans to make a fuss over him too. But it was just a joke, not something that would have justified turning up at his hotel or anywhere else. Obviously he was very cool about it when we did come across him and fans approached him, but he is not stupid and I can't imagine he believes anyone wants access to him for his benefit and not their own.

 

Again sorry I am not trying to upset anyone but if we're going to talk about it, let's be honest and realistic. You can say it's none of my business but then I would suggest not broadcasting it all over the internet and using this "extra-curricular" access to pretend that you speak on Mika's behalf in order to tell other fans what they are allowed to say to him. Accusing me of jealousy, accusing me of saying things I did not say, trying to redefine what the word "stalking" means is not going to change reality.

[smokesignal]

 

I think we all have personal boundaries we don't like broken and expect them to be respected. I tend to apply my boundaries to Mika. When i ask myself questions like "would I like that done to me?" or if i have to consult others to see if they think it's ok, it gives me the signal that perhaps i'm getting a little close to that invisible comfort line.

 

I think this is the reason I'm uneasy with the discussion here. The stalking in the sense of going to his house or a restaurant or party he's at is one thing (and a terrible one too) but to me this is different. First of all because based on that tweet, I think people could hope to get in, so I don't blame them for trying. As for sticking around to wait for him afterwards, I don't think I would have done that (although it was probably fun to hang around with friends, so I might have stuck around as I have after previous gigs). I don't have any serious objections to it either. The reason is that his was not part of his private life. He was working. And that to me is a huge difference.

 

Finishing a concert doesn't mean the work is finished. Getting past fans - crazy or otherwise - is part of the job. If I go to a client I'll sometimes have comfortable shoes in my bag. But I won't switch shoes until I'm a few hundred metres away, because as long as I am in sight, I'm working. For me that means I have to look professional, for Mika it means dealing with fans. In my time off I happily wear old shoes that I haven't polished in months, and Mika shouldn't have to deal with fans in his time off. But when working it's a different story imo.

[cathouzouf]

I think this is the reason I'm uneasy with the discussion here. The stalking in the sense of going to his house or a restaurant or party he's at is one thing (and a terrible one too) but to me this is different. First of all because based on that tweet, I think people could hope to get in, so I don't blame them for trying. As for sticking around to wait for him afterwards, I don't think I would have done that (although it was probably fun to hang around with friends, so I might have stuck around as I have after previous gigs). I don't have any serious objections to it either. The reason is that his was not part of his private life. He was working. And that to me is a huge difference.

 

Finishing a concert doesn't mean the work is finished. Getting past fans - crazy or otherwise - is part of the job. If I go to a client I'll sometimes have comfortable shoes in my bag. But I won't switch shoes until I'm a few hundred metres away, because as long as I am in sight, I'm working. For me that means I have to look professional, for Mika it means dealing with fans. In my time off I happily wear old shoes that I haven't polished in months, and Mika shouldn't have to deal with fans in his time off. But when working it's a different story imo.

 

You summarized what I think very well:thumb_yello:

[Christine]

Finishing a concert doesn't mean the work is finished. Getting past fans - crazy or otherwise - is part of the job. If I go to a client I'll sometimes have comfortable shoes in my bag. But I won't switch shoes until I'm a few hundred metres away, because as long as I am in sight, I'm working. For me that means I have to look professional, for Mika it means dealing with fans. In my time off I happily wear old shoes that I haven't polished in months, and Mika shouldn't have to deal with fans in his time off. But when working it's a different story imo.

 

Being hired by a corporation for a private event is not working for the public ie his fans. Neither is going to the Voice studio to tape the behind the scenes segments of coaching contestants.

 

What is the difference between these situations and him recording his album in a studio? Or is it also okay to hang around outside of Greg Wells studio now if Mika is working inside? Because it sure was not okay before.