Please please read this with an open mind

[Christine]

It seems that the address thing became public to some of you at the MFC with no bad intentions.. but that being said, I still don't think it should have.. as there is not clear line on when it becoms intrussive and when it is acceptable..

what might be seen as harmless to you, will be harmful fo him if the wrong people get hold of the info..

 

I don't think anyone here is arguing against that. None of us wants people to loiter around Mika's house to the point where it is noticeable and alarming to him and his family.

 

All we can do at this point is to safeguard the information to the best of our ability and discourage anyone who has it to not go to his house or send things there.

 

It would also help the cause if Mika himself would be more prudent and not do things like tell the whole world that he loves gifts, in particular the ones left on his doorstep.

 

He is constantly giving fans the wrong signals if what he really wants is for them to back off and not get so personally attached to him. I think people being delusional isn't the sole reason fans are overly familiar with Mika and crossing too many lines.

[Marianne84]

At the age of 17 I used to dream of meeting Elvis when I die. I soon realized how stupid it was to think about it and that I would have to live my own life. I had never before had any celebrity crushes and haven't had ever since. So I guess it was just because I was lonely and sometimes, honestly, wanted to be dead.

 

Racha, I hope you meant also me when you refered to "amazing great mature people". I agree with the things you have pointed out. I don't want to marry Mika either, and I don't care that I don't know where exactly he lives, because I would never knock on his door anyway without an invitation. To me Mika is a super talented performer and songwriter who deserves all the success he can get. But most of all he is a person with feelings! I can somewhat feel related to him as a person and as an artist, although I'm a different kind of artist. He was bullied at school and I'm not afraid to admit that the same happened to me - for 9 years. So that is why I can't just think of him as an entertainer.

 

I met Mika briefly at the afterparty, but I didn't get to say much to him and felt a bit disappointed for that. I didn't run to the alley and try to see him again though, because I thought that was for those who weren't at the party. I didn't even jump up on stage even though I was in the front at both Brixton concerts. I don't say that's completely childish acting as Mika encouraged people for that. But mind you - I almost got a foot in my face and was really scared for my life during Lollipop at the first Brixton concert! I really felt like I was in the middle of a cow herd. I thought only the first row were allowed to jump on stage but seemed like everybody wanted to do that.

 

My first meeting with Mika in Stockholm in November was much calmer than the one in Brixton. There were only about 20 people to wait him after the gig and he talked to everyone. I gave him my first Mika Bearman and he seemed genuinely pleased about it. He gave me a big hug which I wasn't expecting. My point is that I have noticed how hard it is for me to treat famous people in any other way than I treat my friends. Mika seemed like a friend although I know he isn't and never will be. Heck, I even patted Palladium's drummer on the shoulder at Hammersmith and talked to him like he was a friend of mine. And that wasn't even the first time I did that!

 

I'm just saying that I respect Mika both as an artist and a person. I love him, but not in the obsessive way. I don't even read this forum every day. But don't be offended. I was looking forward to meeting MFCers as much as seeing Mika when I went to London in February. I actually had some drawings to give to Mika but I gave up the hope of meeting him during my trip when I didn't meet him at Hammersmith and left my sketchbook at my hostel for Brixton gigs. What a mistake! But I didn't expect to be invited to his afterparty, did I? I'm glad I was invited. Although I didn't get to say much to Mika I finally met Martin and ended up having a hilarious conversation with him! Aww, he's so funny! I will tell all about it in my MySpace blog when I have time to write more.

 

Amen.

[katydid1994]

I think many time pop stars don't feel like talking to their fans, but end up doing it as it is part of the job.. and goes hand in hand with promoting themselves...

 

I should really just stay off this thread, but the fans are what make you successful. Your not a star if no one is listening, and if we all just say that's a nice song and move on, then there wouldn't be a very long career.

 

Also, just because you are interested in the artist behind the music, does not make you obsessed or immature. There would be no point to interviews then either, just hey I'm Mika and here's the next single.

[Petra]

I just came back from work and I have been reading and multiquoting everything and everyone from page 15 on but then I finally gave up because I dont have enough time at the moment and I also think that my opinion (in case someone cares about hearing it) has already been displayed in different posts (thanks Violet, thanks Racha, thanks Christine, thanks Kelzy, thanks...).

 

So before I get back to work for uni, I would just like to post something that came up my mind when I was in London. It is probably not something that perfectly fits into that discussion here but I want to mention it anyway.

 

The thing is that I absolutely love London and that I'm one of those people that lurk around areas where there is absolutely nothing of interest for tourists for hours and hours, photgraphing buildings (I love it. *points at her MySpace*) and whatever comes my way.

And I'm a big fan of British movies and I LOVE visiting film locations in London (as there are quite a lot - just think of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Love actually, The Calcium Kid,...) - so in order to see where The Calcium Kid was filmed, I ran through Lambeth for hours after having examined street signs in the movie & googled for the streets. I finally succeeded in finding the house where The Calcium Kid "lived" (well, sadly just in the movie) and I photgraphed it, the street and everything else. But then, suddenly, I noticed that there was a man behind the window IN the house and I suddenly felt unbelievably bad. So I more or less tried to look as legitimate as possible and walked on (slowly... so that I wouldnt seem like a common burglar who was planning something). However, London is a maze. So I finally ended up in that road again (which was indeed not really planned) and in that very moment when I went by THE house, this guy from behind the window came out with his dog, looking at me like I was a stalker.

Problematically I felt the need to go back to that street and that area (I'm hopelessly devoted to that movie ) when I was in London months later and I , OF COURSE, ran into that guy with his dog again (while I was sitting in the little park opposite of the house). I guarantee you that he recognised me and the look on his face showed me that he was thinking about telling his dog to bite me .

 

When I went to London last March (which was approximately 10 days before I entered the MFC and about one week before I even heard about Mika for the first time), I also hung about (if that is the right English term) different areas, including Primrose Hill, Kensington and so on and so on. So the chances that I have actually been to and photographed houses and areas where celebrities live are really really high. Maybe Jude Law, Amy Winehouse and all kinds of other London-based celebrities thought they had a professional stalker in front of their house who was even audacious enough to sit down on the pavement in front of their house/car to spend 10min on eating a yoghurt.

I've also been to the area where Mika lives before - of course without knowing that he lives there (as I didnt know him then). However, everything was fine & easy last march because I didnt KNOW about anything. I could walk around the area, take my pictures, sit down whereever I wanted, watch people walk by, look after good-looking guys with curls and just FEEL well.

Now, everything I feel when I get to Kensington is that I'm a stalker. And that is a very very bad feeling indeed. The area is beautiful, I like being there, I like walking around there and this is NOT because my favourite singer lives there. It is... it's London. I don't want to have that ugly, stalky feeling in me, that stone in my stomach, when I'm around there. I want to get out of the tube, walk 150m, get a hot chocolate at Starbuck's, sit down in a park and just feel well because I'm there, in London. Not because Mika lives just around the corner.

I know that this is off-topic (as my longer posts usually are ) but I just want to say that there is also another side of that whole situation. Not only Mika feels bad, but I (lots of people) do, too. I felt bad when I and a fellow MFCer were trying to find something to eat in Kensington (which is really just where that damn hostel HAPPENS to be and we WERE hungry AND looking for food) and then we suddenly met a group of EIGHT people (well-known MFCers and at least ONE which Mika knows as well) and they suspected us to be stalking (which was, I promise and confirm by oath, NOT the case).

 

I really wish I would know less about where Mika lives.

[Marianne84]

Thanks Racha. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is a cliché but applies to me and to Mika too obviously.

[Christine]

I really wish I would know less about where Mika lives.

 

I'm glad I know, I just really wish he lived somewhere else. If I didn't know, I would be spending all my time in London practically on his doorstep because that's what I've done in London since Mika was a teenager.

 

At least now I can avoid it and not contribute to the problem of fans hanging around during the gigs.

 

Why couldn't the family have settled in Camberwell or Hackney or some other crap part of town I have no interest in frequenting?

[Ruth]

I guess part of the image that many people admire is the fact that Mika makes himself accessable to his fans and always communicates how thankful he is to his fans and their support..

after all, if it wasn't for the fans, he would not be the star he is.. they are the ones that buy the records, tickets, DVDs, etc..

they also make him feel special.. and it is nice of him to acknowledge that..

 

One of the things I love about Mika, besides his music, is the friendly personality he shows in interviews, on TV and towards his fans. I have never felt as if he is making an effort to behave so well; it comes naturally to him along with his ready wit.

 

 

He has to keep that friendly smile on his face when people offer him gifts.. and his bodyguard and manager's job is to control people and make sure they do not cross the limit.. and hence why ice-man exists in the first place..

 

Have you seen the look on Mika's face when he's given gifts. He looks like a kid on Christmas morning:) How could anyone be a fan without trying to make him look so happy?

 

It's like Mika's giggle. I have nothing to say to him that could make him laugh, but I'd love to be around when someone else does it. I've said that, (to defend some of the party go-ers) I think that was a reason for people staying around him.

 

 

And, as I keep piping up, none of the photos or YouTube show him struggling with the situation. His security and management were there and did not need to intervene.

[Petra]

I'm glad I know, I just really wish he lived somewhere else. If I didn't know, I would be spending all my time in London practically on his doorstep because that's what I've done in London since Mika was a teenager.

 

At least now I can avoid it and not contribute to the problem of fans hanging around during the gigs.

 

Why couldn't the family have settled in Camberwell or Hackney or some other crap part of town I have no interest in frequenting?

Christine, honestly, these are actually places I DID visit more than once. Oh dear, that guy should move to the city where I live because this is the place I NEVER go to.

[Christine]

no one should change their lifestyle outof guilt of being perceived as something they are not..

 

we all know who we are... those who have something to hide are the ones that need to be ashamed of themselves..

 

That was my philosophy when I was there in December. But when I heard people were in the area in February I thought it necessary to be careful of where I was going and not linger too long anywhere close to the house.

 

It's not about guilt and shame. It's about not wanting Mika and his family to feel like fans are intentionally hanging around the house because I worried that would make them feel intruded upon and uneasy. You can't expect them to know whether your intentions are innocent or not if one day you're in the front row and the next you just happen to be at the end of their street in a city with a population of 7 million.

 

I intend to avoid certain parts of the area out of courtesy to Mika and his family, not because I feel guilty.

[Christine]

Christine, honestly, these are actually places I DID visit more than once. Oh dear, that guy should move to the city where I live because this is the place I NEVER go to.

 

Yeah I'd never go anywhere near him if he lived in Toronto either.

[Petra]

And, as I keep piping up, none of the photos or YouTube show him struggling with the situation. His security and management were there and did not need to intervene.

 

But you could SEE that he was getting annoyed with the whole situation. Not in the photos, though. Or it is just me interpreting mimics the wrong way.

[Kelzy]

1. If you were in London, would you feel tempted to drive past Mika's home?

1. Yes. Just once though.
   
2. Maybe. It doesn't really interest me, but I won't say never.
   
3. Yes, and I would lurk out the front drinking coffee and wait to see him leave.
   
4. No, not at all. I feel that it is an invasion of his privacy.
   
5. It's a fans obligation to know where he lives in case he gets drunk and forgets.

2. If you were in Mika's neighbourhood and you saw him walking towards his home would you:

1. Approach him and start a conversation with him
   
2. Lurk behind the bushes and take photos of him checking his mail.
   
3. Run the other way, arms flopping everywhere.
   
4. Do nothing to attract attention and feel bad for being nearby.
   
5. Run up to him, do the chicken dance and then run off before he recognizes you from Myspace and the MFC.

3. If you were on a train and Mika was sitting opposite to you would you:

1. Say Hi to him. After all, it's in public.
   
2. Ignore him as he isn't working, and not in "celebrity" mode.
   
3. Sit next to him and offer to fix his curls.
   
4. Get off at the next stop and feel guilty as if you'd just invaded his private life.
   
5. Stare at him and drool until he finally passes you one of his tissues.

4. If you accidentally received Mika's email address, would you:

1. Keep it, but never share it with anyone and never ever email him.
   
2. Give it to some friends and make them promise not to email him.
   
3. Delete all evidence, as you should never have had it to begin with.
   
4. Email him once to let him know who you are and that you got it by accident, and ask if he wants you to delete it and not contact him again.
   
5. Spam him with photos of celebrities you think he should date. Starting with You

5. You find out your cousin is dating a friend of Mika's. Do you:

1. Hang out at your cousins place hoping that Mika will drop by to see his friend.
   
2. Not care. The connection means nothing as you only like his music.
   
3. Do everything you can to make sure they stay together so that you can meet Mika at their Wedding and catch the Bouquet.
   
4. Wish them all the best and tell your cousin to ring you if they ever get to meet Mika.
   
5. Get plastic surgery to look like your cousin, knock her on the head when she's sleeping, steal her money then dump her unconscious butt in Ireland.

6. You meet Mika, but the encounter only lasts 30 seconds. You later see him sitting in a cafe. Do you:

1. Wave as you walk past and flash your MFC badge at him.
   
2. Walk into the cafe and sit down next to him and say to the waitress "I'll have what he's having."
   
3. Hide your face and feel embarrassed that he might see you and think you are one of "those" fans.
   
4. Walk into the cafe, say Hi again and then leave within 2 minutes.
   
5. Stop out the front of the cafe, point at Mika, then lick the window suggestively.

That will do for now

 

I'm going to bed now.. *waves*

[Niki27]

First of all, I don't think there's any point in surmising about whether or not the afterparty is related to Mika's new security. But I don't think it's fair to blame everyone in the MFC for the irresponsible behaviour of a few. People need to take responsibility for their own actions and it's not fair to paint everyone with the same brush, especially since we know that a lot of MFCers behaved completely respectfully towards Mika during the afterparty. And imo, Mika is perceptive and intelligent enough to realise this.

 

Once again, seems like you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

I am not painting everyone with the same brush. I firmly believe most people on this forum behave and do respect Mika's privacy. I also think the MFCers who went to see his house really meant no harm. But what I mean by shared responsability is that, as a group, maybe we weren't careful enough.

 

Christine said it: many people here got information about where M lives etc. I myself got such information after 3 days on the forum, and trust me , I didn't ask for it. Just like Babs said: knowing is not a problem, what matters is what you do with the info. The fact is that info has spread and keeps spreading, and we don't know who might hear of it next.

 

As a group, we should be careful, that's my point: anybody can read this forum.

[Petra]

1. If you were in London, would you feel tempted to drive past Mika's home?

1. Yes. Just once though.
   
2. Maybe. It doesn't really interest me, but I won't say never.
   
3. Yes, and I would lurk out the front drinking coffee and wait to see him leave.
   
4. No, not at all. I feel that it is an invasion of his privacy.
   
5. It's a fans obligation to know where he lives in case he gets drunk and forgets.

2. If you were in Mika's neighbourhood and you saw him walking towards his home would you:

1. Approach him and start a conversation with him
   
2. Lurk behind the bushes and take photos of him checking his mail.
   
3. Run the other way, arms flopping everywhere.
   
4. Do nothing to attract attention and feel bad for being nearby.
   
5. Run up to him, do the chicken dance and then run off before he recognizes you from Myspace and the MFC.

3. If you were on a train and Mika was sitting opposite to you would you:

1. Say Hi to him. After all, it's in public.
   
2. Ignore him as he isn't working, and not in "celebrity" mode.
   
3. Sit next to him and offer to fix his curls.
   
4. Get off at the next stop and feel guilty as if you'd just invaded his private life.
   
5. Stare at him and drool until he finally passes you one of his tissues.

4. If you accidentally received Mika's email address, would you:

1. Keep it, but never share it with anyone and never ever email him.
   
2. Give it to some friends and make them promise not to email him.
   
3. Delete all evidence, as you should never have had it to begin with.
   
4. Email him once to let him know who you are and that you got it by accident, and ask if he wants you to delete it and not contact him again.
   
5. Spam him with photos of celebrities you think he should date. Starting with You

5. You find out your cousin is dating a friend of Mika's. Do you:

1. Hang out at your cousins place hoping that Mika will drop by to see his friend.
   
2. Not care. The connection means nothing as you only like his music.
   
3. Do everything you can to make sure they stay together so that you can meet Mika at their Wedding and catch the Bouquet.
   
4. Wish them all the best and tell your cousin to ring you if they ever get to meet Mika.
   
5. Get plastic surgery to look like your cousin, knock her on the head when she's sleeping, steal her money then dump her unconscious butt in Ireland.

6. You meet Mika, but the encounter only lasts 30 seconds. You later see him sitting in a cafe. Do you:

1. Wave as you walk past and flash your MFC badge at him.
   
2. Walk into the cafe and sit down next to him and say to the waitress "I'll have what he's having."
   
3. Hide your face and feel embarrassed that he might see you and think you are one of "those" fans.
   
4. Walk into the cafe, say Hi again and then leave within 2 minutes.
   
5. Stop out the front of the cafe, point at Mika, then lick the window suggestively.

That will do for now.

 

I'm going to bed now.. *waves*

 

Is this an open poll and will people be able to see what I vote for?

[Niki27]

It's your right to feel so, Racha

I just have a different perspective, and personally feel like I'm responsible too, somehow. I wasn't in London, I have never been to his house, I've never spread info, but I am part of this forum, which is more like a community, imo, and I therefore feel like I'm part of the process.

[Ruth]

1. If you were in London, would you feel tempted to drive past Mika's home?

1. Yes. Just once though.
   
2. Maybe. It doesn't really interest me, but I won't say never.
   
3. Yes, and I would lurk out the front drinking coffee and wait to see him leave.
   
4. No, not at all. I feel that it is an invasion of his privacy.
   
5. It's a fans obligation to know where he lives in case he gets drunk and forgets.

2. If you were in Mika's neighbourhood and you saw him walking towards his home would you:

1. Approach him and start a conversation with him
   
2. Lurk behind the bushes and take photos of him checking his mail.
   
3. Run the other way, arms flopping everywhere.
   
4. Do nothing to attract attention and feel bad for being nearby.
   
5. Run up to him, do the chicken dance and then run off before he recognizes you from Myspace and the MFC.

3. If you were on a train and Mika was sitting opposite to you would you:

1. Say Hi to him. After all, it's in public.
   
2. Ignore him as he isn't working, and not in "celebrity" mode.
   
3. Sit next to him and offer to fix his curls.
   
4. Get off at the next stop and feel guilty as if you'd just invaded his private life.
   
5. Stare at him and drool until he finally passes you one of his tissues.

4. If you accidentally received Mika's email address, would you:

1. Keep it, but never share it with anyone and never ever email him.
   
2. Give it to some friends and make them promise not to email him.
   
3. Delete all evidence, as you should never have had it to begin with.
   
4. Email him once to let him know who you are and that you got it by accident, and ask if he wants you to delete it and not contact him again.
   
5. Spam him with photos of celebrities you think he should date. Starting with You

5. You find out your cousin is dating a friend of Mika's. Do you:

1. Hang out at your cousins place hoping that Mika will drop by to see his friend.
   
2. Not care. The connection means nothing as you only like his music.
   
3. Do everything you can to make sure they stay together so that you can meet Mika at their Wedding and catch the Bouquet.
   
4. Wish them all the best and tell your cousin to ring you if they ever get to meet Mika.
   
5. Get plastic surgery to look like your cousin, knock her on the head when she's sleeping, steal her money then dump her unconscious butt in Ireland.

6. You meet Mika, but the encounter only lasts 30 seconds. You later see him sitting in a cafe. Do you:

1. Wave as you walk past and flash your MFC badge at him.
   
2. Walk into the cafe and sit down next to him and say to the waitress "I'll have what he's having."
   
3. Hide your face and feel embarrassed that he might see you and think you are one of "those" fans.
   
4. Walk into the cafe, say Hi again and then leave within 2 minutes.
   
5. Stop out the front of the cafe, point at Mika, then lick the window suggestively.

That will do for now

 

I'm going to bed now.. *waves*

 

Very good. An answer for every type of fan. Love it!

[Kelzy]

Is this an open poll and will people be able to see what I vote for?

Yep.. Then we'll know what type of "crazy" to label each other with

 

this is so funny.. thank you for bringing some humor into this thread:roftl:

I get funnier after 2am:naughty: (it's 3am here)

 

Goodnight everyone!

[Petra]

those who abuse this information should be held responsible.. not all of us have this info... and some who had this info did not abuse it...

in other words, it is not my responsibility to clean other people's $H*^... if they don't know how to behave.. that is their problem.. I refuse to be seen and treated as part of that clan..

 

Racha, I totally agree with you!!! I like my friends here- the MFCers I met on the forum and at the gigs (those that I'm still in contact with) and I strongly believe that they are NOT a part of the group that gives/could give a bad name to the fanclub. There are good people around here who know that Mika is a human being (a damn accomplished one, though ) with the same feelings and thoughts we have and thus treat him like that. I like those who do and who (more or less ) think about everything the same way I do. However, there are people who see him as prey or a piece of meat or whatever and I too, just like you, do not want to be treated as one of them.

Sadly, it is not easy to distinguish between those two types of fans for an observer from the outside (not sure about this word.. I cant come up with a better translation at the moment).

[greta]

1. If you were in London, would you feel tempted to drive past Mika's home?

1. Yes. Just once though.
   
2. Maybe. It doesn't really interest me, but I won't say never.
   
3. Yes, and I would lurk out the front drinking coffee and wait to see him leave.
   
4. No, not at all. I feel that it is an invasion of his privacy.
   
5. It's a fans obligation to know where he lives in case he gets drunk and forgets.

2. If you were in Mika's neighbourhood and you saw him walking towards his home would you:

1. Approach him and start a conversation with him
   
2. Lurk behind the bushes and take photos of him checking his mail.
   
3. Run the other way, arms flopping everywhere.
   
4. Do nothing to attract attention and feel bad for being nearby.
   
5. Run up to him, do the chicken dance and then run off before he recognizes you from Myspace and the MFC.

3. If you were on a train and Mika was sitting opposite to you would you:

1. Say Hi to him. After all, it's in public.
   
2. Ignore him as he isn't working, and not in "celebrity" mode.
   
3. Sit next to him and offer to fix his curls.
   
4. Get off at the next stop and feel guilty as if you'd just invaded his private life.
   
5. Stare at him and drool until he finally passes you one of his tissues.

4. If you accidentally received Mika's email address, would you:

1. Keep it, but never share it with anyone and never ever email him.
   
2. Give it to some friends and make them promise not to email him.
   
3. Delete all evidence, as you should never have had it to begin with.
   
4. Email him once to let him know who you are and that you got it by accident, and ask if he wants you to delete it and not contact him again.
   
5. Spam him with photos of celebrities you think he should date. Starting with You

5. You find out your cousin is dating a friend of Mika's. Do you:

1. Hang out at your cousins place hoping that Mika will drop by to see his friend.
   
2. Not care. The connection means nothing as you only like his music.
   
3. Do everything you can to make sure they stay together so that you can meet Mika at their Wedding and catch the Bouquet.
   
4. Wish them all the best and tell your cousin to ring you if they ever get to meet Mika.
   
5. Get plastic surgery to look like your cousin, knock her on the head when she's sleeping, steal her money then dump her unconscious butt in Ireland.

6. You meet Mika, but the encounter only lasts 30 seconds. You later see him sitting in a cafe. Do you:

1. Wave as you walk past and flash your MFC badge at him.
   
2. Walk into the cafe and sit down next to him and say to the waitress "I'll have what he's having."
   
3. Hide your face and feel embarrassed that he might see you and think you are one of "those" fans.
   
4. Walk into the cafe, say Hi again and then leave within 2 minutes.
   
5. Stop out the front of the cafe, point at Mika, then lick the window suggestively.

Amazing!

I vote for this test to be distributed to all the Mika fans..those who collect a certain type of result aren't allowed to violently worship the Wiz{but they gain a warm place @ the Zoo}

[Niki27]

That is very noble of you .. I respect you for it..

 

But I have been to the gig and after party.. and i have been reading some of the "weird" threads... and as I much as I met lots of lovely people in london.. lots of fun people.. and yes I did have a blast.. some of the people are truely people that I will stay in touch with... but there were also many that I can not relate to..

 

and if I do, they will tarnish my image and self respect because their behaviour was not something i can relate to and would not want to ..

 

this is exactly why when i wrote the post, i wasa little hesitant.. because I did not want to offend most of the lovely people here.. but unfortunetly.. there are others that might be part of the MFC or the Mika's fan world that are just too different from me..

 

Oh no it aint noble or whatever, it's just how I feel

The difference is that some of my friends actually went to his house... And although I wasn't with them, and although I told them off, and although I KNOW they don't consider Mika as a prey, and meant no harm, it really disappointed me. I asked them why they had acted like this and they had no real answer... curiosity just took over. That's probably why I feel responsible too, in a way: I wasn't able to prevent it. That's what I meant earlier on: not shared guilt,but shared responsability

[neeve272]

Once again, seems like you misunderstood what I was trying to say.

I am not painting everyone with the same brush. I firmly believe most people on this forum behave and do respect Mika's privacy. I also think the MFCers who went to see his house really meant no harm. But what I mean by shared responsability is that, as a group, maybe we weren't careful enough.

 

As a group, we should be careful, that's my point: anybody can read this forum.

 

Ok, I understand what you're saying, but I still don't think everyone should feel responsible for the actions of a few people.

The fact that anybody can read this forum...I think that is an issue, but not for this thread I guess.

 

don't...

they did it out of free will...

it was their decision and it reflects who they are..

 

I agree with Racha here. Niki, the fact that some of your friends did this does NOT mean that you should feel responsible in any way. People are always going to do things for their own reasons and you should not feel guilty for the actions of others, even if you feel that the club as a whole is in some way responsible for encouraging this behaviour.

[Christine]

now on a more serious note, it is a huge area, and i think bumping into him just because one used the tube station that has his area's name will have probably a 0.1% of bumping into him or his family... now, bumping into him right infront of his house or street .. that's a different story

 

If Mika had never gotten a record deal and I had no idea who he was or where he lived, I'd say my chances of passing him, one of his family members or friends on the street the next time I was in London was much higher than 0.1%. I estimate the chances that I did cross paths with Mika when I lived there is close to 100%.

 

I certainly don't need his exact address, but I am glad to have a good idea of where he lives because otherwise I'd be in his local chippie, pub, coffee shop, post office, supermarket, etc. and likely staying in a flat much closer to him than where I actually chose to stay. I wouldn't be bumping into him at a museum, I would be inadvertently bumping into him right down the street from his house and as you said, that's a very different scenario.

 

It may sound absurd, but seriously, it's a pain in my ass to have Mika living where he does when I visit London. The only other neighbourhood I know so well is clear on the other side of town and as such it was too far from the gigs and other MFCers.

 

It's your right to feel so, Racha

I just have a different perspective, and personally feel like I'm responsible too, somehow. I wasn't in London, I have never been to his house, I've never spread info, but I am part of this forum, which is more like a community, imo, and I therefore feel like I'm part of the process.

 

I agree with that since I'm so close to the situation. But even if you're not and don't feel any responsibility for what has gone on in the past, I think as a member of a community you can influence people's behaviour in the future.

[Christine]

I don't see why you should feel uncomfortable hanging out in your old neighborhood..

 

I didn't, until recently. Especially since, up until December, Mika couldn't have possibly recognized me unless he was stalking me on MySpace or something.

 

But now I do not feel comfortable being front row centre one night and hanging out at his local Starbucks the next morning. Not when there are dozens of MFCers milling about and fan behaviour is just generally becoming extreme.

 

Mika has been exceptionally generous with his time while he's working and the least I can do is pay him and his family the common courtesy of keeping my distance while he's not working. I don't expect them to understand my motives for being in their neighbourhood and I'd be dishonest if I said I had never been curious about what the house looked like or whatever.

 

I don't live there anymore so there's no reason I have to be in the immediate vicinity.

[Niki27]

I agree with that since I'm so close to the situation. But even if you're not and don't feel any responsibility for what has gone on in the past, I think as a member of a community you can influence people's behaviour in the future.

 

Exactly.

[Laurel]

I don't live in London, and living in a small and crappish seaside town in essex it's somewhere I absolutely love to visit on a yearly basis. I'm still a tourist though. Always go to the same places whenever I go.

 

I always always go to the Museum's..... Can't not see my Dinosaurs.

 

Every year I threaten to buy something from the gift shop and every year Mum drags me off without buying a stuffed Wolly Mammoth or something.

 

 

Haven't a clue how close Meeks lives to this area.... don't wanna know.

 

Not stopping even if he's just around the corner. I love the place .... love Hyde Park.

 

Actually I spend more time in Covent Garden and Oxford Street

 

Half those questions my answers aren't even there.

 

Am I the only one that if I saw him walking towards me If I'm on a dayout sightseeing in London - would just carry merrily on my way past him. Would be a tad annoying if I was wearing a Mika top or something, but I still wouldn't bat an eyelid. But then he'd probably notice that more than me ....

 

LOL, actually I once walked past Graham Coxon in Covent Garden wearing a Blur t-shirt and that was after he quit. He did look at me, and I do love him to bits (Have every solo album he's done) but I just carried on. I was slightly gobsmacked and have kind of kicked myself since as I've never ever met him yet. But that figures.

 

So yep that would be me.