WHY I QUIT CORE FANDOM - Part 2

 . .So there. . . They said their part, I said mine and thought that would be the end of it. Maybe they would even say "Yes, those are dumbass statements" and then I received a letter from Joyce Katz to which I just had to respond:

 

You and Dedee have been such good friends to us, for such a very long time.

 

 . .That's why I am disappointed not only with the lack of support from local fandom, but with the derisive and mean-spirited comments before and after the convention. And that Arnie condoned by not condemning the spreading of these lies and remarks by his inner circle.

 . .In my 20 years as a local fan, I've never asked for anything - except support for this convention. Or, if not that, then respect for those trying to do something for fandom at large that Vegrants fail to recognize. Support from Vegrants, at a minimum, would have been a line in VFW (or another fanzine) such as "Local fans are having an event featuring genre guests" with a link to our website. But certainly NOT printing thinly veiled affronts like "The Ideal Convention" with lines like:

 

"The Omni-Con, as I outlined in the article, represents everything I hate about conventions, everything that I think is venal, stupid, greedy, commercial and exploitative." or

"Scott, decided to try to put on an exploitative, commercial inspired convention called Xanadu".

 

or waiting till the con was over to write:

 

"...the fannish air seems a little sweeter now that it's done."

 

or

 

Xanadu has apparently drained the energy and, possibly, the enthusiasm of the newer Vegas fans. . ."

 

 . .To which I wonder: Oh really, who? Names please, that I may personally send them a letter of apology.

 

 . .Bill Mills' comment that Arnie printed, even if in jest, that a woman who likes cons bigger than Corflu is a "rotten con-whore" leaves much to be desired but shows an innate contempt for those who attend our convention.

 . .I've always gone out of my way to support the conventions Arnie enjoys and would never have written, let alone publish, anything so derisive, as Arnie's cracks about Xanadu Las Vegas. Really, Joyce, can you not see how harmful Arnie's public and private remarks are?

 

It seemed to me that everyone who was there said they had a real good time.

 

 . .Oddly, everyone thought Xanadu Las Vegas was terrific except for the members of Vegrants Elite. I have no problem with even-handed reviews of Xanadu Las Vegas pointing to our shortcomings of which there were many, but writing ridiculous things is evidently considered support in "Core-Fandom". And since everyone else had a good time, why would you want to rob fandom of this by destroying this type of convention?

 

Both you and Scott had made it clear in repeated conversations that Xanadu was not going to be a fan convention. You both said that you intended to tap into the larger community, to try to draw a larger crowd.

 

 . .Xanadu Las Vegas was always intended for fans, that's why we hit all the local clubs trying to enlist support. At no time did we ever consider inviting anyone who is not a fan of Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror. I think Arnie and I, and perhaps even you and I, have a fundamentally different concept of what fandom should be. I adhere to the Ackerman philosophy that fandom should be available to anyone, anywhere, at any time, and their only prerequisite being they enjoy the subject matter and by attending a convention, wish to learn more.

 

We were told, over and over, that a certain number of people had to attend, to make the convention break even. In that regard, it seems that the convention failed. Not failed to provide a good time for the attendees, but failed in making its financial goal.

 

 . .Yes, there is always a financial goal at which you feel the convention you wish to present can support itself or not, generally gauged by paying attendance. That's why, I suppose, you asked people not in the CORFLU membership (like us) to donate into the "Corflu Kitty", and not rely specifically on memberships to make your financial ends meet. If you are not concerned about your convention's ability to support itself, then why charge memberships at all? Wouldn't that be the ultimate faanishness? Certainly NOT asking groups Arnie perceives as "venal, stupid, greedy, commercial and exploitative" to host your pizza parties.

 . .I really don't know why you would want me to attend (Vegrants), since my viewpoints are the complete antithesis of yours and Arnie's and certainly since I could never write the disparaging things Arnie and his inner circle has about another's fanac.

 

I think it is important for me to try to explain why Arnie and I were unhappy at the direction Xanadu took.  I am sure you know that we are both absolutely dedicated to core fandom, or trufandom if you prefer, or fanzine fandom.  But Xanadu, according to what you and Scott told us, was designed to be a money-making venture, not a fannish gathering.  To us, making money off our hobby would be almost unthinkable.

 

 . .So this is what it's been about all this time; because we wanted to run it like a business instead of a "Fannish Gathering" spawning all this animosity? Sheesh!

 

I don't want, to cause a rift in local fandom, and so I am requesting that you keep this letter Do Not Quote/Do Not Print.

 

 . .Because gullible fans like Robert Lichtman will fall for Arnie's baloney, I think it's time for the truth to be available for those who still care about Fandom.

 

IT JUST DOESN'T END

 . .Ahhhh well, I was hopping that would be the end of it, but alas, Arnie added a chapter with yet another metaphorical tale headed off with this forward:

 

The Fanfather: The Inside Story

Alan White’s mass attack on about eight different members of the Vegrants caused everyone a lot of pain. There are many good things that can be said about Alan, so despite the fact that he went off the deep end, made numerous miss-statements and broke Joyce’s DNQ, it made us all feel pretty bad to have a long-time friend go over the top into this kind of reprehensible behavior. Although the original targets were Linda Bushyager, JoHn Hardin, Ken Forman and Nic Farey, I knew that in his flailing around, Alan would eventually get to me. When he did, it was a preposterous load of crap about how I control what individual Las Vegas fans say, do and write. I thought this was so ridiculous that it inspired me to write a faan fiction story.

 

Pretty heady stuff, since it should be plain, there was no "Mass Attack", I merely responded to several snarky comments about our convention. You may ask yourself just why Arnie would be so concerned about my "miss-statements" and not concerned with any of those by his Vegrant Elite. Shame it caused everyone a lot of pain, but it wouldn't have if he hadn't shown it to them.

 

IT GETS EVEN MORE PETTY

 . .While I'm flattered being credited with inspiring Arnie's creativity, he did manage to hit upon one of my pickable bones; that being the volume at which they sing and play their instruments. You see, Las Vegrants is basically two separate entities. There is the back room which contains Arnie's Association of Asskissers, and those who frequent the living room in pursuit of thoughtful conversation.

 . .Personally, I would caution Arnie from making it uncomfortable for the living room set as they are the real backbone of Las Vegrants.

 

“What is it you want, Bill?” asked the Fanfather in a more conciliatory tone.

“Like I said, Fanfather, they say when I sing I sing too loud. They say when I sing, it means Nic Farey will sing and they don’t like him, either.

“Everyone is going to love your singing, the louder the better.”

 

 . .Fitting this one was left for last as it pretty much sums up their reasoning.

 

BACKSTORY

 . .Several years ago when Podcasting was the thing, both Bill Mills and I simultaneously set up shop. I purchased two website names: "Voices of Fandom" and "Voices of Cancer". Turns out, Bill wanted "Voices of Fandom" and pitched a fit. He was so wacky for "Voices of Fandom", I thought I'd take the high road, and cancel it. By then, he'd purchased "THE Voices of Fandom" and I never brought it up, but "Voices of Fandom" has now been sitting out there in cyberspace un-owned for a number of years.

 

 

 . .I guess, Bill and the Fanfather never bothered checking the availability of the website before writing this:

 

“There’s this web site, VoicesOfFandom.com, that would be perfect for me. I could sing and play whenever I want and not have to worry.” “So you need what? I’ll write you a check for the hosting.”

“That’s the problem, Fanfather,” Bill said forlornly.

“The man who owns the domain and the hosting company won’t give me a chance. He says he’ll take it down and hold the name before he lets me use it.”

“And this is the thing you want?” asked the Fanfather.

“Yes, Fanfather,” Mills replied quickly. “More than anything.”

“I want you to go home and pet your iguana and your wife,” said the Fanfather. “Rest up, write some songs, and in a month he’ll give you what you want.”

“How do you know, Fanfather?” asked Bill Mills.

“I’ll send James Taylor to see him. He’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

 

 . .Is that pathetic or what? That which Bill wants "More than anything" won't take the time to see if it's available. But in the end, fitting as it illustrates what I said at the outset. . . they manufacture their own truths and publish them.

 

 . .Let's hope this is the end.

 

NOPE, IT CONTINUES

Here it is, August 27, 2009, 4 months after Xanadu Las Vegas and Arnie's nasty comments are still being published as these two comments in SNAPS 47 illustrate:

 

“The Fanfather”was funny, but rather by-the numbers as Brandonizations go. Nonetheless, this is one good outcome of Alan White’s over-the-top misbehavior.

 

and

 

Alan White caused a lot of pain when he ruthlessly attacked eight individual Vegrants and the club as a whole. We’d all known him for many years and empathized with his inability to accept a string of failures that culminated in Xanadu.

 

What string of failures? Illuminate them for me please.

 

This is one good outcome of Alan White’s over-the-top misbehavior.

 

If he's referring to "The Fanfather", the outcome was that James Taylor would make me an offer I couldn't refuse to relinquish ownership of a url I don't own. Uh. . . James never showed up. Does Bill Mills now own the url? Not at this writing, so I don't understand what the Hell Arnie is talking about, do you?

 

If Arnie truly believes I "ruthlessly attacked" anybody, why will he not print this attack for everyone to see and quake in their boots? Why will he not print the initial comments from Ken Forman, Linda Bushyager and John Hardin that started this whole thing? Clearly, if he did, everyone would see that in fact I attacked no one and reveal himself to be just a caraaaaazy old man who surrounds himself with drones and calls himself "The Kingfish".

 

Hopefully, the end.

 

<Back to Chapter 1

Back to Writing Contents>

Return to Top of Page