(James) Dean.

[caithream]

So, okay, this post. I have heard the is-Jensen-just-shy-or-a-complete-ass debate many times. The first time I heard it I was like, "You've got to be kidding me, right?" All those many, many interviews, never once have I seen him be an ass. I don't even know how that rumor got started. I definitely don't think he's shy, either. Nor socially awkward, nor anything.

I've thought about this long and hard before in the past with other fandoms. Actors who play the roles of people we love are always under the constant barrage of people throwing themselves at them because of their characters. I remember back in the LotR days, all those interviews with Dom, Billy, Elijah and Orlando, and hearing about girls breaking down and crying for God's sake, and I was like, "...uh." I mean, how awkward is that? I would never, ever be one of those girls, the crying "OMG MARRY MEEEEE" type, and I could never be around those type of people, because it embarrasses the hell out of me. When I went to the FX Show, I even felt funny about queuing up and getting autographs and pictures because... I dunno! They're just people, and I am getting their autograph? I don't know. I can't quite explain it. I loved it, but at the same time it's like, kind of awkward. It's like... the same kind of thing with this same comm; they're gathering together a bunch of stuff to send to Jensen for his birthday, and I've never really been able to wrap my head around that kind of stuff too. I mean, that's fantastic, kudos to them, but it's like... he's an actor, you don't even know him, and you're sending stuff to him for his birthday? I don't even know if I'm totally alone on this train of thought, or even if I'm explaining myself properly, but that kind of stuff has always made me feel awkward.

I am coming to the point! I promise. Heh. Jensen, I think, feels the same way. I think he just wants to do his job, what he loves, acting, without all the promo stuff. I'm sure he loves the photoshoots, loves being on set, loves meeting people who love the show, but when it comes to being in a very fan-oriented environment, especially with females, he wants to bail. And I don't blame him at all. The very idea of weeping, hyperactive girls throwing themselves on him makes me have embarrassment empathy into the next millenium. So no, I don't think he's an ass, even with the reports that he doesn't spend that much time on the carpets autographing and whatnot, because I'd want to get the hell out of there too. I don't think he's shy, or anything of that sort, because geez, have you seen the interviews with him and Jared?

Ah, Jared.

I have to, at this point, quote this:

Well, alright. But it's only because it came up, not self-aggrandizement.

So we're waiting in line at the Paley Festival, and I'm coming out of the men's room (which is a rather hard-to-spot door) and there's this high-pitched shrieking coming from my right beyond the ropes, so I'm turning left and looking right, and walk right into a guy who's looking to his left, and our belt buckles clink, and there's a potted plant on one side and a wall of security guards on the other (with their backs to us) so nowhere to go and I see this poor guy looking quite unhappy (the wrinkled forehead, the tightness around the eyes, not breathing) and I think 'Hm, Ackles is six foot exactly, so there' because we're exactly the same height and he's got this miserable expression that says 'please don't be a freak please don't be a freak' and I step into the potted plant to let him past, and he nods in thanks, but security is in 'protect the Pretty' mode and now he can't get past them either, (I scared them, coming out of nowhere) and his eyes are darting around and the shrieking (you know who you are, DeanGirls) was causing little birds to fall dead from the trees for blocks around and he was looking more uncomfortable and then (this is the part you'll think I'm inventing but hand on my heart) he suddenly exhaled, and the tension around his eyes relaxed a bit, so evident that I turned to see what had caused this. About thirty feet ahead was the photography backdrop area, lights and cameras and fans and reporters and Jared and he slid between me and the guards and Padalecki had a microphone in his face, and smiling at the reporter, but his eyes were on Ackles coming towards him.

Dean guards Sam. Jared guards Jensen.

Guys. I... guys.

I just. Nothing ever has made my heart hurt so much with love. I can't even put into words how much I love this, and the CROSSOVERS between their characters and sweet Jesus. With Jared, being the person that he is, so very outgoing and really into all the fan stuff, I think it's easy to put Jensen in the non-fan-lovin' catagory, but I just can't think so. He's just a little more of an introvert than I think people give him credit for. I would LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING to just be able to meet them both on the street or whatever and have a casual conversation, and not at one of these convention dealios.

Anyway. I love this post, because it reaffirms what I think, and I'm pretty sure I'm not just projecting what I'd like him to be instead of what he really is. We've got evidence, heh.

...And if you didn't want to read all that, HERE OKAY FINE.



Omfg hi.

THIS POST. It's just too much. This and this made me cryyyy I was laughing so hard. OH GOD.

I was supposed to go to the art museum today and... I totally didn't. AHAHHAA. Seriously, I can't bring myself to care. I will just look the paintings up on Teh Internets! I hear it is handy.

Tomorrow I have two classes, one presentation, and a seven hour shift at work. SO MUCH SUCK. :(!!

Comments

[stepliana.livejournal.com]

oh my god that post is making my LIFE.

[fresleyforever.livejournal.com]

Pretty cap!

RE:the whole Jensen shyness thing. I don't think he's snobbish-doesn't seem to come across that way in interviews. I feel that like me,he is nervous with people he doesn't know. I can get extremely uncomfortable in a new situation.And when people pay me a compliment or praise me I'm like "Really? You think so?" Guess I don't have a lot of confidence at times.

I am going to the Asylum convention in May and the whole talk about Jensen had me worried. I'm scared that he will be freaked out! I'm gonna try and be as calm as possible and not scream at him. I have never done that to someone I have met. I'm terribly nervous and mumbly. I have mini freak outs.

My plan is just to be normal and thank him for coming and in the photoshoot,ask "May I have a hug" or something to that effect. It worked for Sean Maher and I was petrified! Saying that I think Jared will freak me out too as he is so friendly and outgoing!

Sorry if I am rambling I just needed to let it out!

[amyshaped.livejournal.com]

I am completely with you on the whole shy Jensen thing and that thing that you quoted.. MY HEART.

I couldn't believe when people were saying he was either super snotty or he was diagnosed with Aspergers. I mean.. do people think that shy doesn't exist anymore? I can completely understand how scary it could be to have all those girls screaming in your face and acting inappropriately.

[giventofly37.livejournal.com]

THAT QUOTE. ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME WOMAN?!

[random-serious.livejournal.com]

That story, that story! OMG! gakgakdgfkgiytvflquh

[flusteredspeech.livejournal.com]

Seriously, is it so hard for people to understand the guy's just a, you know, guy? Granted, a guy with a job that puts him in the spotlight and a face that gets my panties in a twist, but I ain't gonna go shrieking that in his face, either. Man, if I had to deal with the fan activity any of these guys get, I'd become a freakin' hermit.

As it is, I'd call myself shy, in the sense that I'm uncomfortable in a crowd of strangers unless I've got someone with me that I know and trust. I've even been told things like, "I thought you didn't like me at first," by a now close friend or, "We didn't know what to do with you, you hardly said three words your entire first month," by co-workers I now make laugh on a daily basis. I need warm up time, and I don't like to talk about myself or my personal issues with people I don't know very, very well. I'm actually kind of crap at the whole "sharing and caring" moments altogether, I tend to keep things to myself. It's normal, it's human not to want to spill your guts to everyone, it doesn't make you an ass.

Jared and his love of all things ever in the universe, that's just a freak of nature. ♥

Also, your talk about conventions and meeting celebrities in controlled environments like that is EXACTLY how I feel. It makes me feel awkward, and I don't think I could ever actually attend something like that because it's sort of like going to the zoo.

In conclusion (and it's about damn time): I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. And I will never tell them that. Ever.

[unhobbityhobbit.livejournal.com]

Omg, you've got me all worried about going to Asylum now. Of course, I'm not just going for the celebrities (I want to meet the fans too!) but I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable.

And I can completely understand feeling uncomfortable in that kind of situation. Screaming hoardes scare me even when it's not me they're screaming at.

[forgotten-pixie.livejournal.com]

Dude, I feel exactly the same about fannish stuff. Like, I'm a total fangirl but it's never occured to me to go to a con/send them anything/make any efforts to meet the people involved with the show because as much as I think they're awesome they're just people and I don't know them/have nothing really to say to them and it makes me uncomfortable thinking about it! I don't know if thats odd or whatever. If I were Jensen I'd totally feel uncomfortable with hordes of screaming girls, I think he'll probably get more used to fannish stuff as the years go on (James Masters on Buffy who was popular for a long time I always liked in his response to screaming fangirls at these things; when they screamed take your shirt off or somthing he'd just be like "Hell no!" Hee)Plus, it's gotta be hard being comapared with Jared who seems to find the whole thing pretty easy.

[la-victorienne.livejournal.com]

SARAH. oh. sarah. that story from the paley festival, and the way he just relaxed and oh my god i am crying i swear to god and i'm not even pmsing so there's no reason for me to be this emotional but OH MY GOD. i've always seen that from jensen, that easy sort of love for what he does but also that very viggo quality of wanting to get out of his own premiers if he could. and jared, jared must be a leo because he soaks it up but it's the same thing with me and one of my best friends, katie, because i'm out there and dynamic and this that and the other and she's just shy and content to love what she loves and when i'm there it's like i'm protecting her because i need something to protect. and i can so fell that from jared, feel that over all protective vibe kind of because he's so oh my god tall but also because he just knows himself and the people around him and OH MY GOD I'M STILL CRYING.

[magikalrhiannon.livejournal.com]

From what I heard, the fan side of things freaks him out a little. I think you're right Sare. I don't think he's an ass either - I just think he just wants to do his job, something he loves to do, and just get on with it without having to face the fruitcakes that take things that step too far. I think he had it a little with Days, but nothing like SPN - which is aimed at the market that has the squealing "OMG YOU'RE THE SEXIEST THING IN THE WORLD AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO EXPRESS IT WITHOUT ACTING LIKE THE WORLD'S BIGGEST STALKER-FREAK" fans. Which is a shame really, because this show is just improving their skills as actors like nothing else.

I'm *so* thankful that Jen has Jared to help him in this, because without Jared there to take up the slack in this area, I think he'd have cracked by now. Is he shy? I think a little - at least around those he doesn't know very well or in large crowds. Introverted? For sure. I think he's just a normal guy from Dallas, Texas, who makes his living pretending - effectively and convincingly I might add - that he's someone else and having a good time doing it.

Would I love to meet him? No doubt. I'd love to have a chat and say hi and yeah, I love his work but that I appreciate what he puts into it. I love his home town - and that's something that I share with him, a love of Dallas and Texas and the teams that are from there (Stars, Mavs, Cowboys etc). Same with Jared. They're just Texan boys.

And I also think that he's human. He's not Dean, he's not perfect, and he's a guy. So he's gonna have faults. Everyone does. Can he be an ass? Sure, of course. There will be times when he's a prick to someone - show me someone who isn't?

Nah, Jensen Ackles has my utmost respect. I love his work, and while I say I love him - I mean that in what I've seen, what I've heard, what I've read - he's the kind of guy I'd have for a friend. *shrug*

I found the same thing with Mike Modano - lovely guy one on one - hates crowds. He's shy and introverted, but he does the publicity cuz he has to. I have all the time in the world for Mike - and I imagine Jensen to be very similar in this regard.