'80s big hair and silk suits. Being a fan of something or someone is a very odd thing. An independent observer would find no good reason for the fanaticism but yet there it is, lasting, sometimes, for decades.
Fandom is something like a parallel universe but more real than the science fiction concept. A fandom has its own energy and life force that merges seamlessly with "real life". Friendships are forged, social etiquette is obeyed and (God help us) money is spent (on everything from replica costumery to fannishly appropriate car number plates).
It used to be that if you mentioned "fandom" to non-fan acquaintances, friends or family, a sympathetic and slightly disapproving look would appear upon their faces, as if to say, 'poor you'. There was the instant assumption that "fandom" meant you had no life beyond video tapes, fan clubs and 'zines' and you were bordering on Asperger's syndrome, or worse still, you were, in your leisure hours, an obsessed and dangerous celebrity stalker.
The reality is, in fact, quite the reverse. The fans that I have met over the years are generally highly articulate, warm and interesting people with large imaginations and colourful lives. They do everything normal people do and they participate in one or more fan communities.
They are carefully observant of 'the rules of engagement' when it comes to approaching their favourite artist and go out of their way to kindly but firmly kerb the enthusiasm of the occasional weirdos.
At the same time, they include and encourage all comers with a serious interest in their fandom without concern for race or creed, social or educational background, habits or quirks.
A quarter of a century ago, I became a fan of an American television series called "Remington Steele" starring Pierce Brosnan as 'Remington' and Stephanie Zimbalist as 'Laura'. It was a romantic mystery comedy about a young woman who runs her own detective agency.
The following is something I wrote when one of the fans, who also happens to be a former LA Entertainment Industry PR person, decided to write a book and asked for contributions.
"It is 1982. Every Wednesday night at 8.30 pm, a 15 year old Australian schoolgirl puts down her homework to watch ‘Remington Steele’. Without exception, it is an hour of pure enjoyment. More than that, the girl studies harder in maths (because Laura was a math’s major), she exercises every day (because Laura went in a triathlon and owned at least three Lycra leotards) and she is wary of eating too much chocolate (Laura was a hopeless chocaholic). The girl writes her one and only fan letter and receives in return a signed photo of the actors from Studio City. It smells of an exciting far away place and has to be carefully opened with a fruit knife so as not to tear the envelope.
By 1987 the same girl is in medical school. Disappointingly, no one in her study group looks anything like Pierce Brosnan (or James Read for that matter) and worse still, Channel Nine Brisbane are airing the very last episodes of Remington Steele. But it’s OK. There are bound to be summer repeats of the show to record on the new-fangled VCR (that is, if the cricket isn’t on – oh, let there be rain!)
Goodbye cheerful 80s, hello 90s. The girl is a resident at a large public teaching hospital. It’s all about impossibly long hours, endless night duty, post-graduate study and exams and secondment to remote outback towns. For all practical purposes, the decade disappears into the bowels of a grimy medical ward - everything but the treasured Remington Steele recordings. Even though every line is memorised, every scene and gesture familiar, she still watches. There’s much to glean: how to greet a client, how to sit and stand with perfect deportment, what to wear and how to wear it and how to remain feminine in a male-dominated professional world without playing the feminist card. (It isn’t so clear whether career or relationship should come first but never mind.)
And now, in her thirties, the girl is just past Laura’s age and is running her own practice. The challenge of hiring staff, dealing with government bureaucracy, completing the paper work and choosing the colour of steno pads brings a whole new appreciation for Laura’s situation. The new millennium also brings September 11th, Bali bombings and family tragedy. But amidst all that, the Remington Steele VHS tapes still work and there is the promise and excitement of DVD releases with special extras!
Today, ‘Remington Steele’, still lovely, still fun and still brilliantly written, is there, a soothing balm and tonic. Being a ‘Remington Steele’ fan, for this girl, is like stepping through life with a favourite song softly humming in the background, a perfect antidote to the humdrum of the day. To the cast, to the writers, to the crew, she says and will always say, thank you."
