I understand, were you are coming from, this was my first celebration, I was kind of scared going, because I thought there it would be, freaks of all kind, at the park. I was A little put out, I saw the same girls in the front, you know who you are, they were mean and nasty, if they did not get in the front, it was no use being in line at all. I gave up tring to see prince in the front row, I got a chance to shake his hand cool. I went on my merry way, he is just a man, but a very fine man at that, I enjoyed myself even thought I went by myself. every night, I enjoyed meeting, really cool folks, Derrick, from New york with his fine self, Marlon&tina from Canada, the man was too fine, and ray with his funny self he should be a stand up. too cool. and GIGI, girl you are super cool, and Sir.Jak I hope you will be able to play at the park next year, that would be nice, sorry I am giving my shout out but it was so nice meeting such wonderful nice people. for a change, real people, not fakes, yeah, my email is nagai43@hotmail.com someone email me. There were so many to wom I have met, Damion, you are too cool, thats about it, thanks for reading. peace love and be wild.

I consider "fam" to mean short for family. Are we not a "Prince Fam-ily" so to speak? If I call myself a fam, it is because I have attached some sort of meaning to it. If you would like to sit on your soapbox, then go ahead. But you might take a moment and think that you might be wrong in some cases. Maybe you should try asking "Fams" what it means to them and why, instead of assuming that we are all clones in what we feel and the way we act.

Berry said:

***

Sens,,,said:
I agree with Berry. Instead of telling us what we
as fams are, why not ask us? The description given in
the intro certainly does not fit the majority of us.
I like the term. I don't like the FAN-atic term.
Maybe we can do a thread. "If you are a FAM, explain
your position, If you are not a fam, just read."

FAM is the abbreviation for "Free and Accepted Masons." Maybe Prince is hinting at something.


EDIT: Interesting information from a Freemason web site FAQ list:

Do I have to be invited to become a Mason?

Don't wait to be invited - you will die waiting.

Masons are prohibited from actively recruiting or asking non-Masons to join the fraternity, to insure that candidates come of their own free will.


...
[This message was edited Mon Jul 15 15:17:58 PDT 2002 by IceNine]

ShabasLove said:

I'm confused by this. What happened? Who got jabbed in his "junk" by whom?

I agree...some of the ´fams´ actually dont think by themselves and believe that everything Prince does is out of this world. I am a fan of his music and even some of his attitudes, but I love other artists too, and I criticize when P does throwaway stuff.

GustavoRibas said:

You said it!

That is exactly what my problem is with the word "fam" being used to describe fans.

I think that the average "fam" is a few steps farther along the road to obsession and stalking than the average fan. If Prince coined the term to denote someone who is beyond being a fan and actually might consider taking a bullet for him, I can see the need for distinction.



Here is a good question for the "fams" out there:

What would you do if Prince decided that "fam" was not a good term for his fans and started calling you "Splingzoinkers" instead? Would you walk around proudly calling yourself a "Splingzoinker" in public and on the internet?


...
[This message was edited Mon Jul 15 15:28:52 PDT 2002 by IceNine]

Everyone is missing the point behind this thread. I seriously doubt that some of you even read the brilliant post by Shabas if you are still harping on the word "fam".

He is talking about the behavior of Prince fans. It just so happens and I agree that most of the people that he mentioned in his post would call themselves "Fams". Did you not read the post by the girl who got hurt and had to sit in the lobby because people got so excited when Prince walked in that they trampled her? .

So people please read the damn thread and think about BEHAVIOR not the word "FAM".

Fam is short for Fam-ily to me as well.And,like in one of Prince's questions from the NPGMC he asked "Xactly how big is our family ??" We are all part of the entire human family.I feel it promotes a sense of love4oneanother as well as a comfort of being around each other with the elimination of Xenophobia.Anyone who wouldn't wash their hand after meeting Prince is a "fanatic" who promotes Xenophobia.I met and shook hands with Prince and thoroughly washed them a few minuets later upon using the facilities before leaving.And,some ask why he dosen't come out and talk more.He knows the fanatics are out there still.Fanics that use the term fam are not knowing the meaning.Prince said he'd rather call people his "friends" which tend to become a part of one's "fam-ily circle" after awhile.

IceNine said:

Well everyone around here was real quick to drop "friend" and start using "fam" so I'm guessing yes they would.

lovemachine said:

A damned fine point... and sad...

ShabasLove said:

Neither do I. But as (YAWN) I've said b4 on threads like these...where else can u?

It's all in fun. Here...at a Prince FANsite...lest u 4get where u r.

Well, I don't get the comment about somebody getting jabbed in their "junk" when Prince walked by. Did somebody grab Prince's booty or something?

Leighsa said:

Sorry about your leg. On the old Prince.org, a woman posted about what happened to her when she went to see Prince at the Mill City. She was pushed around and some guy stepped on her ankle. She ended up having to go to a hospital and had to use crutches.

I agree with whoever said that some Prince "fams" can be mean and nasty. They want to be close to Prince so bad that they'll step on a smaller person. The crazy thing is that Prince is so small, if he did get in the middle of a Prince fam crowd, he'd be mauled to pieces.

ShabasLove said:

I want to point out that the above are the most intelligent and right-on comments I've ever seen posted on Prince-dot-org.
Thanks ShabasLove for being "bored at work" and taking the time to say what's needed to be said here for so long so clearly and eloquently.

IceNine said:

..please suggest this to the npgmc...i love the term 'splingzoinkers' and i would love to spend next years celebration with fellow splingzoinkers from all over the world...

hehe..as for the 'fam' thing..i don't mind it on the website, but it does bother me a little to hear people actually use it in conversation...but you know...if people need to use it to feel they 'belong' to something and the 'fam' thing makes em happy..then more power to em...

Yes and "whats with" this new and suddenly common use of "frickin'" all the time. I thought I invented that.

npgrocks said:

Well said... you get what you pay for!!

violectrica said:

Friggin

does sorta say it all now

June7 said:

Yeah, I agree.
How many ppl getting trampled on over some typed 4's & 2's? I wasn't at the Celebration, so I can't speak for those situations, but as far as judging ppl & getting annoyed over "FAMatic" behavior in general:
is it anything that is hurting you in any way?
These ppl causing any harm to come your way?
If the answer is NO, then shut the duck up.
Find something better to do with your boring
time that be so judgemental of people.
They are having some fun. Are you?

ChickenLittle said:

I believe the appropriate term for this behavior is FAMpede!

ShabasLove said:[quote]It's tantamount to typing in 'U's and '2's and '4's — a tired habit that provides a good indication of an insenient "fam". Why, if a "fam" is so enthusiastic about Prince's originality, and prides themselves on their own originality, are they so prone to follow any transient whim he throws out there? While that particular whim may have stuck around for a while, it isn't simply the way he has always written. It was something manufactured, something calculated, as part of his image. It is not a way to facilitate communication. I have witnessed the fact that he, himself does not constantly write in such a demented form.
quote]

theC
because of the WAY I TYPE I'M A FAM???i type this way as a shorthand style 4 me.u crack me up most say i hate prince but by yr definition i'm a fan.if u don't get the 2 and 4.then maybe it's meant that way and don't get mad at me because u can't get in2 the vibe.if u don't like my typing SKIP THE POST.and i guess if i type the REGULAR style that is MORE original...give me a break and find something better 2 cry about.OK?
[This message was edited Mon Jul 15 18:29:02 PDT 2002 by theC]

What fams are to me...

...the trapped in the eighties, Edwardian coat wearin', big-back-yard-sportin', push up to the front, kill you if you get in their way hootchie mamas who try to dominate every Prince show...

...those who were ready to hang themselves over the whole JW thing...

...those who think they have some kind of relationship with P 'cause they are "fams"; think sand-dollars and special outfits...

...those who view the NPGMC as some infallable, perfectly run business enterprise, ready to run a sword through anyone who criticizes...

...those who view prince.org in the aforementioned way...

...anyone who starts a post about P's jock, feet, or any body part for that matter...

...anyone who starts mindless thread about "which song is the best..."


What's the point...? P is an artist...just appreciate the art...or don't...

"frickin fam"

I love alliteration.

LOL@welcum2thedawn, welcum...How come u dont orgnote me anymore ?

welcum2thedawn said:

U gots no idea what FAM means or is.
A fam doesnt go crazy when Prince wants to dance at the park..a fam is cool and lets the man have space to do his thing..a fam appreciates the genious that is Prince and accepts that prince is not god or without fault...a fam goes along for the ride ...but that dont mean they dont have a car of thier own...a fam doesnt steal from the park or degrade it...a fam respects the man, the artist..but doesnt worship him or idolize him...a fam is focused more on the music than the man or the clothes or hair or women he may lay with...a fam digs the sounds he be makin,,but knows when the man is gettin weak or just playin w/the tunes...a fam takes the serious work/songs serious and laughs at the humor in others...
a fam posts on this site,,,very rarely,,,compared to the FANS who have 1000 threads and nothing to say...

u know what? I do it as a shorter way of typing. And u know what's even funnier? Is that when I send a msg to npgmc... I don't do it because I like my formal emails to people to be appropriate.

So just when u think u know what your talking about...u really don't.

Try going to Yahoo games. U would swear they are all P fans. U will see so many typing shortcuts. And I bet you 99% don't even know what a fam is!

So now what?















I'm just curious...When at Paisley, whether it be a show or discussion...how do u know who is a fam and who isn't???

This thread is very presumptuous...

thepope2the9s said:

thank my god...a fam expert...

i forgot to add...

...those who come to the blind rescue of any "fam" who may have even be remotely or even hypothetically dissed...
[This message was edited Mon Jul 15 18:21:01 PDT 2002 by welcum2thedawn]

this is a cool topic.I think titles are ridiculous anyway. I was once friends w/ someone who worked w/ prince a long time ago and this person asked the question "I wonder if they believe in Jesus the way they believe in prince?" I had to wonder myself. I got over all the screaming and getting excited over prince when I was 16. I didn't scream at the concerts either. You miss so much when your acting a fool. I used to hang out at glam slam LA and i used to see some characters. I remember this guy came into the club dressed like prince it was the time he was battling it out with warner bros and the guy was dressed up like graffitti bridge, mayte was there one day and he was dancing right behind her and he really thought he was prince i don't even think she saw him but i was rolling. It was so funny because he would get kicked out and was told you can't come back till you change your clothes so rather than going home to change he would stand there and argue with the bouncers. i would never dress like prince (back then in his presence) and i never let on that i thought he was all that and when i got close to the club in my car i would change the music from prince to hip hop its all about the beats when you go to the clubs anyway.And after the club if prince was still in the club or in his limo we all had to pass by the doors and the limo to get to the freeway so hip hop it was again. I didn't want him to know that i was into him in that way. I guess i was playing mind games too. Well it must work to be yourself because my friends and i ended up going to afterhours and since i and my friends conducted ourselves like decent people he would come and dance next to us and felt comfortable around my group of friends. it got to the point that i heard he would exclusively ask for my friends and i to be at the club, i guess it was because we didn't crowd him, infact none of us spoke to him. I chose not to speak to prince because first i didn't know what to say and i didn't want to say the wrong thing or for him to say the wrong thing to me,because if he did i know how I am and the sista in me would have come out and we would have been arguing. so to keep it all fun and keep on being on the a-list i kept my distance even though he always came and danced right next to me. I guess if you want him to see you, you must be yourself and let prince come to you. He likes to watch people dance and have a goodtime, trust me prince got a kick out of watching us dance, especially when the old- school songs came on and we would do the cabbage patch.

welcum2thedawn said:

TRUNKS said:

theC
that's funny i used 2 go 2 glam west and i remember that guy'we used 2 call him graffiti bridge.he used 2 crack us up i also used 2 b invited 2 those private after parties in the resturant side of the club???do u remember les???or james???
[This message was edited Mon Jul 15 18:38:29 PDT 2002 by theC]