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raloriaThe video from Jensen & Jared about not being on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or any other social networking site is now out there. I'm glad the guys did something about this, to actively take steps in preserving their own images and reputations as well as protecting their fans, but sad that they even have to do such a thing.
I can't understand why people feel the need to impersonate celebrities anywhere online. What's wrong with being yourself? We're all unique individuals. We shouldn't feel the need to gain popularity or acceptance in pretending to be someone famous.
I'd also like to say that fans who get sucked into following these impostors are not always stupid or idiots. If so, I'd have to count myself among them. I'll admit to being naive at times. Over the years I've been the butt of many jokes because I simply didn't get them. I blame it on being an only child and living a relatively sheltered life. As a kid, I never got to interact with people my own age very much. College was great in getting me somewhat "caught up" with my peers socially. I like to think I'm getting better at "reading" and understanding people, but I've still got a ways to go and I'd like to think despite my social shortcomings that I am somewhat intelligent.
You may remember earlier this month when I was followed on Twitter by who I thought was the actor Kurt Fuller. I'd only been following him for a day or two and one morning he followed me back. Sure, I thought it was odd and disconcerting for an actor to follow me on Twitter. His Tweets were not totally outside the realm of possibility and it's not like I've ever met the man. But within an hour or so, and knowing there are people out there pretending to be Jensen & Jared, I began to have some serious doubts. I even Tweeted to him about possibly proving he was really Kurt Fuller. Immediately after that his account was gone. Looked like I had indeed been had.
At about this same time, I'd been monitoring, but not following, a few Jensen & Jared Twitter accounts. A couple were fairly easy to spot as fake (yet they had many followers). But looking back through all their tweets, not seeing any photos outside of ones that anyone can find easily online, not to mention the deplorable language, and the fact that 2 of the Jensen & Jared accounts started on the same day....it all pointed to 2 impostors. I sadly learned that the Jensen one was actually a person I had recently mutually friended here on LJ. I was very disappointed and shocked by her behavior and cut all ties to her here and on Twitter and email.
Two other Twitter accounts I was monitoring were a bit more plausible. I wouldn't say I really believed they were Jensen and Jared, but they had me wondering. Yes, I know they both said they didn't have such things during VanCon last year, that Jim has been preaching it for months now, that the likelihood of the guys even having time to be online that much seemed impossible. Yet, I still wondered. After all....they could always change their minds. Misha is on Twitter, Jim's on Facebook & Twitter, Danneel, Steve, Chad are on Twitter, too. So I kept an eye on the accounts, still having my doubts in light of what was happening with the other ones. Eventually, they too admitted to being fakes. Clif Kosterman, the bodyguard for Jensen & Jared also got onto Twitter and starting doing what he could to take these impostors down. Luckily, it seems to be working. They're not all gone, but there are less of them now.
What I'm trying to say is, yes, there are impostors out there. Some fans have made poor choices (like that gal that went to meet what turned out to be a guy pretending to be Jensen) and some people are easily taken in and will follow all sorts of people. On the other hand, some of these impostors were pretty darned convincing. It's easier to be sucked in by them, myself included (a bit). Do I feel like a fool? Yes, a little. But I wouldn't call the fans who've followed these impostors stupid. It's easy, when you're a big fan, to be misled. Unfortunately, there are people out there that will prey on fans, will use their devotion to celebrities against them and to perpetuate their own nefarious purposes.
Some of the comments I've read out there about this video have been very hurtful and some by people on my flist. I don't think fans should be put in one big melting pot and told that they're stupid. We come from all walks of life, we're from different age groups, we all have differing levels of knowledge and experience.
If you think I'm gullible and stupid, please defriend me. After all, why would you want to be associated with an idiot like me?
I can't understand why people feel the need to impersonate celebrities anywhere online. What's wrong with being yourself? We're all unique individuals. We shouldn't feel the need to gain popularity or acceptance in pretending to be someone famous.
I'd also like to say that fans who get sucked into following these impostors are not always stupid or idiots. If so, I'd have to count myself among them. I'll admit to being naive at times. Over the years I've been the butt of many jokes because I simply didn't get them. I blame it on being an only child and living a relatively sheltered life. As a kid, I never got to interact with people my own age very much. College was great in getting me somewhat "caught up" with my peers socially. I like to think I'm getting better at "reading" and understanding people, but I've still got a ways to go and I'd like to think despite my social shortcomings that I am somewhat intelligent.
You may remember earlier this month when I was followed on Twitter by who I thought was the actor Kurt Fuller. I'd only been following him for a day or two and one morning he followed me back. Sure, I thought it was odd and disconcerting for an actor to follow me on Twitter. His Tweets were not totally outside the realm of possibility and it's not like I've ever met the man. But within an hour or so, and knowing there are people out there pretending to be Jensen & Jared, I began to have some serious doubts. I even Tweeted to him about possibly proving he was really Kurt Fuller. Immediately after that his account was gone. Looked like I had indeed been had.
At about this same time, I'd been monitoring, but not following, a few Jensen & Jared Twitter accounts. A couple were fairly easy to spot as fake (yet they had many followers). But looking back through all their tweets, not seeing any photos outside of ones that anyone can find easily online, not to mention the deplorable language, and the fact that 2 of the Jensen & Jared accounts started on the same day....it all pointed to 2 impostors. I sadly learned that the Jensen one was actually a person I had recently mutually friended here on LJ. I was very disappointed and shocked by her behavior and cut all ties to her here and on Twitter and email.
Two other Twitter accounts I was monitoring were a bit more plausible. I wouldn't say I really believed they were Jensen and Jared, but they had me wondering. Yes, I know they both said they didn't have such things during VanCon last year, that Jim has been preaching it for months now, that the likelihood of the guys even having time to be online that much seemed impossible. Yet, I still wondered. After all....they could always change their minds. Misha is on Twitter, Jim's on Facebook & Twitter, Danneel, Steve, Chad are on Twitter, too. So I kept an eye on the accounts, still having my doubts in light of what was happening with the other ones. Eventually, they too admitted to being fakes. Clif Kosterman, the bodyguard for Jensen & Jared also got onto Twitter and starting doing what he could to take these impostors down. Luckily, it seems to be working. They're not all gone, but there are less of them now.
What I'm trying to say is, yes, there are impostors out there. Some fans have made poor choices (like that gal that went to meet what turned out to be a guy pretending to be Jensen) and some people are easily taken in and will follow all sorts of people. On the other hand, some of these impostors were pretty darned convincing. It's easier to be sucked in by them, myself included (a bit). Do I feel like a fool? Yes, a little. But I wouldn't call the fans who've followed these impostors stupid. It's easy, when you're a big fan, to be misled. Unfortunately, there are people out there that will prey on fans, will use their devotion to celebrities against them and to perpetuate their own nefarious purposes.
Some of the comments I've read out there about this video have been very hurtful and some by people on my flist. I don't think fans should be put in one big melting pot and told that they're stupid. We come from all walks of life, we're from different age groups, we all have differing levels of knowledge and experience.
If you think I'm gullible and stupid, please defriend me. After all, why would you want to be associated with an idiot like me?
