Mommie Fiercest
Portland invaded by vampires…and “stalker” moms?
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 Twilight’s Robert Pattinson, a.k.a. “Edward” IMAGE: Byron Beck |
[April 30th, 2008]
This is a story about soccer moms.
Or, more specifically, sweet yet utterly obsessed moms and the lengths to which they go to chat with their favorite imaginary teen vampire.
This is the world of TwilightMOMS.
Twilight is the first in a series of best-selling young-adult novels by Stephenie Meyer. First published in 2005, the series follows the story of “Bella,” a teen who is forced to move to the “small town of Forks, [Wash.]” In Forks she falls in love with Edward, a 100-plus-year-old vampire who looks like a hot teen himself. And, much in the same vein of other young-adult blockbusters like Harry Potter, these books are now being turned into movies. The first, Twilight, has been filming in and around Portland, which has doubled for Forks since February.
“I started [TwilightMOMS] because I was going through some midlife crisis. I was obsessed with the books. I thought I was the only adult woman who had read the books and was preoccupied 24 hours a day with the relationships between these vampires, werewolves and humans. It was my shameful dark secret. I never talked to anyone about it except the teenage girls that babysat my kids.”
That’s Lisa Hansen, a 34-year-old Utah mother of two. Hansen started up her TwilightMOMS fansite on Oct. 6, 2007. At first it was just Hansen and a few other fans. But the site grew—quickly.
Although there are at least 100 other Twilight-related fansites—most of them by and for teens—the relatively new TM has soared to the top in popularity in less time than it takes to text-message. That’s saying a lot, considering that to be a TM you must be one of the following: over 25, a mom, or married. Hansen says TM—forums full of recipes, exercise tips and fan fiction—has 4,000-plus registered members with 100 new ones a day, and at any given time between 6,000 and 23,000 ominous-sounding “lurkers.” “In the beginning we found out what actors had filled the [Twilight movie] roles of the [books’] characters. We knew the fans didn’t know and nobody was telling them. So we went ahead and did it,” explains Hansen about the Moms’ unique niche in the Twilight zone.
Hansen—who works full time, has a “full load of housework, kids, husband and a website that feels like a second full-time job”—only got to visit Twilight’s Portland set once toward the end of filming (it’s scheduled to wrap May 1). But there are plenty of local TMs who are more than happy to keep their fellow vampire-lovers up to date on daily Twilight set drama.
I discovered this not long after the film started shooting in early February and WW posted a couple of cast pictures on wweek.com. “Hi, Byron. I belong to TwilightMoms,” read the email. “If you need any help stalking, um, I mean doing ‘investigative reporting,’ please let me know. I am pretty excited about all of this so I would be willing to do anything (follow you around with a fan, grab your coffee, whatever) to help. (Lynds).”
That’s Lyndsey Wymore. A cute, curvy, 31-year-old local part-time pharmacy tech, “Lynds” was one of the first TMs to sneak on the movie’s set. By the time she contacted me she said she had already ventured onto a closed Clackamas set, chatted up the actor who plays Edward, Rob Pattinson (also known as “Cedric Diggory” from the Harry Potter flicks), and generally hung around where she wasn’t supposed to be.
That’s the M.O. of the TMs. They’re always popping up where they least belong. Summit Entertainment’s Wyck Godfrey, the film’s producer, says rabid fans are just part of the package. “It’s great that Twilight already has this built-in fan base,” Godfrey says about the “religious fervor” Twilight has whipped its frenzied fans into. “[Overall] it’s been a positive experience.” Then again, this measured response is coming from a pro who dealt with paparazzi sneaking all over the Portland set of Summit’s Jennifer Aniston vehicle Management last year.
Access to any film set can vary depending on the studio and talent. Twilight has been open to the media. Guests of the filmmakers were also afforded access to the set. Bloodthirsty moms? Not so much. But with chutzpah and a willingness to drive hours to whispered-about out-of-town locales, almost anybody can figure out a way to wrangle their way to within viewing range of a set.
Story continues below
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And that’s what these obsessed TMs did. Despite a website code of conduct that says no TM is to interfere with the production, on one of the days I visited the set Wymore and a friend were there handing out cookies and coffee from inside the kitchen of the Viewpoint Inn, near the mouth of the breathtakingly beautiful Columbia Gorge, the site for Twilight’s pivotal prom scene. They weren’t supposed to hand out cookies. Hell, officially they weren’t supposed to be there at all. They just did it. (Wymore says they “got in” via the Inn’s owner.) Later the Moms tried to sneak into an area where MTV and Seventeen magazine were interviewing Twilight’s stars. They were shooed back to the kitchen.
Local blogger the One True B!x (Christopher Frankonis), runs “Can’t Stop the Serenity,” a global charity event that screens Serenity—the follow-up to the TV show Firefly, another series with a fanatical following. “I’ve never heard of some group routinely inviting themselves to watch film shoots,” says Frankonis. “[There are] always random individuals who try to go get “scoops” by trying to snag pictures or videos of high-profile shoots in their area (Batman in Chicago or the new Star Trek in L.A.). But that sort of concerted coordinated effort by the TwilightMOMS is new to me.”
Hansen believes the TM site has helped its members. “Many women ‘found themselves’ again after having fallen into routines after marriage—work, kids, etc.,” says Hansen. “The social-ness has brought enthusiasm back into [their] lives through the common bond of these books. Perhaps the greatest thing it offers is proof that none of them is actually crazy.”
Right. That said, the TMs are capable of crazy stuff.
Take, for example, one of Wymore’s local TM buddies: 31-year-old, married Washougal, Wash., mom Rhonda Domurat (the one who helped Wymore hand out cookies). A huge fan of the book, she jokingly admits she sometimes forgets to clean her house, or even feed her kid, due to her obsession with Twilight.
“You have to understand,” Domurat explained, “I will do anything for Twilight.” And she has. Not only has she visited the set more times than she can remember (she was only officially invited once), she’s also tried out to be a teen extra and even has taken “leftovers” (the ultimate no-no) from a working set. “I scored a tree from one of the places they shot where they attached rebar to trees and stuck them on stands as a part of the scenery,” she told me. “Nothing like dragging your 2-year-old through the muck in his red wagon to grab a piece of discarded movie scenery!”
For Domurat, it’s as important to see the truck Bella drives as it is to see the actress, Kristen Stewart, who plays her. That’s how much she loves this book. But movie sets are not always the best place for excitable moms with itchy Internet fingers. Especially ones who are protective of their “baby”—whether it be a book, movie or Internet site.
“We have our reputations to protect,” said Domurat after she noticed I had jotted down a note that her husband was planning to take her and their family off to Disneyland the next day to “get away from all the Twilight madness.” She looked at me and said, “I hope you’re writing something nice about us.” That was a big change from an email conversation I’d had with Domurat a few weeks earlier: “So here’s an angle for your story...hehehe,” she wrote. “Twilight Moms a bunch of soccer moms? Heck no—they’re Stalker Moms!”
She’s right, nothing gets in the way of the entitled fan-ladies and their first loves. “In all honesty, I don’t think that any of the press or people involved with the movie realized what they were in for,” TM creator Hansen says. “They had no idea of the rabid fan base. I think we did our part to make it known to them that WE ALWAYS WANT MORE!”
Generalization is ALWAYS dangerous. The fact is, the majority of the Twilight Moms are very responsible women. They care for their family and some have full-time jobs. Obssessing over Twilight is something done in what little spare time there is. I cannot speak for every Twilight Mom of course, but to say that TMs care more for the books than their family is down-right outrageous and insulting. The media likes to twist things around for better circulation and viewer rating. Sometimes they lie, but that's business and it's what rakes the money in. Yu really shouldn't make such general statements that are more often than not, simply untrue.
Oh, Sam, give me a break... Possibly you're so stuck on being grown up you forget what it's like to be young. I bet your kids (if you have any) love you and think you're the coolest thing since baked cookies - not! Yes I'm a Twilight fan and a Harry Potter fan - I have fun with my kids doing it and they have fun with me and think I'm 'pretty cool' too. And it's just a joke that they don't take care of their kids (only someone who has no sense of humor wouldn't realize this). Of course they take care of their kids. They cook, clean, and read Twilight at the same time. Jeez, stop being such a stuffed shirt!
LOL Byron, thank you for a partially accurate article. I actually kind of like it. You say some fun things about our site and it is nice to see Lisa quoted. :)
But as Rhonda and Lynds' "mission control," I just want to clarify a few things.
#1) We do not allow interference with production. Silently watching a scene from afar (or sometimes near) does not equal "interference with production." Anytime we are near production, we are silent, respectful and courteous, the opposite of interference.
#2) About the Viewpoint Inn/prom scene. We were first told that we could not be there, and then we were specifically told that we could be there for one day while the media was there. We were told this in person, by a Twilight rep, (you know who) in the presence of FIVE TwilightMOMS. There is no way that we would have come without explicit permission from a rep at Summit. Yes we are friends with the owners of the Viewpoint but we were not planning to be there until we were told we could.
#3) There was no "shooing back to the kitchen." LOL that is just sillyness.
#4) We don't honestly forget to feed our families and take care of the house. That is just a longtime joke on TwilightMOMS.com and has nothing to do with the movie...again, its a JOKE. :)
#5) The tree that was taken from the set is a nice tree, and it was left behind, basically to be wasted. Why does it matter who takes it or why, after they are done with it? Notice, Rhonda said its was "discarded."
Just wanted to clarify.
:)
This is a tad creepy. This sort of behavior I would certainly expect from a group of teenage girls wanting to gush over Mr. Pattinson (or any of the young guys in the movie). But for a TwiMOM to go to such lengths over a bunch of teenagers IS creepy. I can only imagine what the actors and actresses on set could be thinking.
Hey commonlawwoman...and this also applies to amanda:
Would it be less creepy for you to know that we aren't doing it solely for the actors? As Byron mentioned in the article, we are just as excited to see Bella's truck as we are to see any actor. This isn't all about a celebrity. Its also about the locations of the shoots. Most of our excitement on the site is over a location or a certain scene, not an actor.
And Rob Pattinson is 21 (I am 25). Even if I were 40, he would still be hot, and not a teenager! LOL
Enthusiasm from fans of any age is great. But there is a line between excited fan and women who sneak on set uninvited. I think it shows a total lack of respect for the cast and crew who are doing their job. And hiding behind the excuse that they are obsessed fans (they even call themselves stalkers) doesn't make the behavior acceptable. Even the producers have been quoted as saying that they keep popping up where they aren't supposed to be. Get a grip, fans of all ages. The cast doesn't want you there because they are trying to WORK. Most likely, when you leave with your autograph books and cameras they are snickering behind your backs. Be respectful fans and let them film in peace.
Not a stuffed shirt. But a grown up who knows their place.
Excellent reporting of the facts Byron, without the spin. commonlawoman is dead on. Creepy.
I think the article is great. There is a line that you shouldn't cross. I'm not saying don't go, but regulate yourselves. If you are invited by all means go! Don't go when you aren't invited. I don't understand going multiple days, especially if you have all ready seen the actors, and gotten your pictures.
Thank You TS!
I appreciate the article, but some things were inaccurate when it comes to TwilightMoms. TM has strict rules when it comes to conduct, both on the boards and in "stalker" mode (one if the many reasons I love the site so much). Stealing, interfering, sneaking around are certainly not acceptable. The TMInsiders (the very select group which Rhonda and Lynds are a part of as our "super sleuths") are HUGE on conduct, something that has been recognized and applauded/awarded by Summit.
We may be obsessed... but we're respectful, too :).
Thank you for that! And I would also like to add that Stephenie Meyer is a member of Twilight and recommends her friends to join!
The most ironic thing about all of this is that NOBODY finds it "creepy" that a 34 year old MOM was the one who actually WROTE the books, visits the set, and talks about how excited she is to see and meet them.
Double standard here??? Yeah, I think so.
um, you're telling me that you can't see the difference between to person who WROTE the book visiting the movie set and a middle-aged mother who is a fan of a YOUNG ADULT book creeping around the set every day.
oops, I meant for this to be under this comment, not the one above.
Thank you for that! And I would also like to add that Stephenie Meyer is a member of Twilight and recommends her friends to join!
Though some of the comments seem to be geared towards the disgust of the TwiMoms, I am disgusted with the reporter. It is very obvious that the majority of the quotes he used from the TwiMoms were originally delivered in a jokingly manner, yet when the reported used them he implied that the moms were serious. Whatever happened to just reporting the facts and unbiased journalism? No wonder this reporter works for a small time paper, with such skewed, partial, slanted, and biased writing any widely published paper would see him as only a liability.
Obviously this is a TwilightMom. It is one thing to be upset about how your comrads are portrayed, but can you really blame a reporter who met/talked with these women who freely admitted to their behavior? Not to mention having the producer confirm that their behavior wasn't exactly profession. Perhaps you should direct your rage not at the reporter, but at the TwilightMoms who embarrassed their entire website by proudly admitting to being 'stalkers' whose husbands have to whisk them away in order to get peace.
yeah, 34 yr old Mothers can only WRITE YA books, but never never never committ the cardinal sin of being a FAN of it!
btw- she didn't write it as a ya novel to begin with, that's just how the publishers decided to market it.
To be fair, the difficulty-level of Stephenie Meyer's writing puts it on par with most Young Adult novels. That's not to say that I believe reading books marketed to young adults or children is a problem. Many wonderful texts are intended for children but have a considerable readership of all ages (e.g. The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the His Dark Materials trilogy). However, the book does has a simplicity to it that, combined with the easily readable quality, make it feel very different from the sort of novel I would characterize as 'adult'.
I'm too young to be a TwiMom member, but I honestly can't fault these ladies for finding something they love and enjoy. It seems like they catch a lot of abuse for it (not here, so far, but elsewhere on the internet), so I think it's great that they have the strength to be unashamed and resilient.
Haven't we all been made to feel as if our interests sucked? Haven't we all felt shitty as someone mocked a band we adored? These women aren't hurting anyone, and they're probably being calmer and more courteous than some young fangirls will be towards the actors once this movie hits theatres. It's my opinion that most Twilight fans are above the intended age-range of the books, anyways. What difference do a few more years or a family make? What's the big problem?
Gosh, people having interests! Imagine that!
THANK YOU SARAH!!!
I never got the memo that once you become a mom you can't be enthusiastic about something. I think a book like this that brings the generations together is a blessing to womanhood as a whole!!!
Don't you know??? ALL Mothers are supposed to be at home, barefoot in the kitchen catering to the needs of everyone around them at ALL times! It is a sin for a mother to enjoy herself every now and again ;) And to find enjoyment in a book?!?!? Well, that is just crazy talk.
I am a lurker over at TwilightMom's and honestly this article is exactly what I have been thinking to myself everytime the TM Insiders (as they like to call themselves)bring "exclusive" scoop. As a mere observer I'm embarrassed for the actors and crew who have to take the requisite photo op with them and yet they come back again and again. I was unaware up until now that their visits were merely crashing the set as opposed to actually being invited as media. From what I've read on their site they obviously mislead their members. These so called TM Insiders need a dose of self-awareness. If the producers are suggesting your stalking the set and then even the actors make off the cuff comments that they hate children (which I took as a jab to these women) then maybe it is time to focus on the kids and wait patiently for the movie like the rest of us.
Anonymous:
We have never crashed the set. We do not mislead our members, this is a misleading article. We have been invited officially once, and unofficially twice, not always by the same person. The rest of the time we have quietly watched from the sidelines like the rest of the general public and fansites. It doesn't make sense that Summit would invite us on set if we truly have been a headache.
If you're lurking over at Twilight Moms and not posting, then sorry, but it doesn't sound as though you're waiting patiently to me. Frankly, the true way to convey your "embarrassment" to the owner of and contributers to Twilight Moms it to simply avoid their site and do not support them.
And Sam, I think these women openly discussing literature on an internet message board is far less disturbing than a man who sneaks around there to see what they're doing, simply for the sake of being able to criticize it later.
I am reading all of the postings on here from everyone and seriously, why do you all care? These people are actors, and they chose this life, so boo hoo if they don't like it. And to the rest of the folks on here, look at yourselves and the petty comments you all are making about these women. If they did something really horrible on the sets, wouldn't they make the sets closed? Or have security escort them off the grounds?
Look at yourselves and the spite in yourselves before you post horrible comments about women you don't even know.
LA Woman, you are right. It is scary. But I think that every1 has a rite to Stephenie's books. I mean, they arre sold everywhere!! I know that I would do
the exact same thing that the TwiMoms are doing if I was old enough (I'm fifteen) and my parents let me. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Breaking Dawn, and it is annoying me that people are critizing TwiMoms becuase of what they do. I, personally, think that doing that is incredibly stupid.
Applauded and awarded by Summit? What a joke!
Obviously you know nothing about the people who run Summit Entertainment. I've never been around a cast & crew that so adamantly disliked a certain group (TwilightMoms) as the Twilight cast & crew (etc.) disliked the TwilightMoms. Peter Silberman, being the overly generous and kind guy that he is, did let them on ONCE - but believe me, he recognizes his mistake now and I am doubtful that that will happen again unless the "insiders" clean up their act - drastically.
Thanks onset for your candor but I doubt the TwilightMom's will heed healthy advice. They're at it again, this time stalking the California locations with their t-shirts, books, and cameras. Here's hoping the next movie of the series is a CLOSED set.
It's inconceivable to me that a woman (Rhonda) taking set pieces out of the trash as keepsakes is offended by the word "stalker".
It is unfortunate how much negativity this article has wrought. We should remember that being positive will always outshine the dark of negativity. The Twilight Series has brought thousands, upon thousands of people together. Teens, Mothers and even Fathers. It has gathered people on websites, like TwilightMoms and hundreds of other fan-based sites, with the common thread being the words of Stephenie Meyer. For me and many others, it has forged a stronger, closer relationship with our daughters - sometimes sons - and anything that does that should be praised and applauded not criticized or mocked. Focus on the positive...make love not war....Clichés? Maybe, but they are more than appropriate and they fit perfectly in this situation.
A friend of ours was part of the crew for this movie (Most of the crew employed by Summit Entertainment was local - way to go!) and he said the TwilightMoms were annoying at best.
The actors, who were very friendly (most of the time) were horrified by these women, who were old enough to be their parents and how they wouldn't leave them to work in peace. They, like the rest of us couldn't understand their obsession.
He also said at one point, one of the cast was ill and the TwilightMoms still wouldnt stop with their obsessive behavior - it basically forced this person into their trailer all the time they were not filming.
He said they continually took pictures and constantly asked questions to crew who were trying to do their jobs.
And yes, when they were invited on to the set on one or two occasions, they were disruptive then - being told to stand back from the filming on more than one occasion. The remainder of the Moms they showed up to the set uninvited and unwanted.
These women should be ashamed of themselves, not reveling in their adolescent behavior. I wonder how they would like it if people showed up at their place of work to continually disrupt them?
Unfortunately, Lisa Hansen cannot control the actions of every TwilightMOM. If there has been inappropriate behavior by any member of Twilightmoms, that is deeply regretted and unfortunate, because we have a strict code of conduct. But as far as the select few who were actually invited on set,(I am one of them) that is complete rubbish that anyone ever has had to ask us to stand back or be quiet. We don't pester actors for pictures (I don't have any pics or authographs and they have been in town for months) or ask the crew members questions while on set as official guests. We are quietly observant when we are on or near the set, uninvited or not. I am pretty upset that we are either being generalized by the actions of a few, OR, lies and rumors are being spread.
It appears your strict code of conduct means very little to some of the members of your site. All you have to do is look at the signatures on your web board (which I visited thanks to your link above) to see these women have pestered these poor actors and crew for photos and autographs.
What I don't understand is why you would want to be invited on to the set - what did you have to achieve there? Are you a writer or a journalist? Are you a a make-up tech or a lighting expert? Do you have intricate knowledge of vampires which would have benefited the filming of this movie?
As a fan you should not have been allowed to enter the set - open or closed. And if you were it was by the graciousness of the people from Summit.
Obviously there was no need for you to be there; as you and the other Moms obviously had nothing to contribute to the filming of the movie.
As for Mrs. Hansen, she has the excuse of writing a blog, albeit a strange one (in my eyes). She should have come to the set alone, done what she was there to do and left when she was finished.
If you were quiet and unobtrusive then I do feel for you being generalized by the actions of the others. Frankly, I see there are too many sources reporting similar behavior which I outlined for it to be lies or rumors.
In my opinion, if you lie down with dogs, don't be upset if you get up with fleas.
Maddy, our strict code of conduct does not prohibit getting a pic or a signature when an actor has a moment to come over and visit a fan. This week, while the cast & crew are doing work in California, quite a few members of the cast were gracious enough to take a few moments to have interaction with fans, some of our site, some from other sites. I think that is awesome! Celebs have fans, musicians have fans....and if a member of the cast chooses to walk over and visit with a TM or anyone else for that matter, there is nothing wrong with that. I find it presumptuous of you to think that because a member of TMs has a pic with an actor, that they had to pester them to get it.
Why we want to be invited on set is the same reason any website or "media outlet" would like to be onset, and that would be to give a set report to our readers the same way MTV gives set reports to their viewers. Same thing for when we conduct interviews...it is for the fanbase, member or not. That may not contribute to the actual "filming," but it contributes to the hype and publicity, which equals money to your friend and those involved.
Lisa did visit the set with a few others, and did what she was there to do and she did leave when she was finished....I'm not sure what you meant by that...
I'm sorry but I agree with Maddy here. Currently on your site there are posts with information on where they are currently filming. 24 hours after the last, "where are they today" thread you had three other threads with women posting their pictures with the cast and crew. Don't you guys realize that by feeding this information to the public you are condoning and instigating this type of behavior? Yeah the crew and cast are nice enough to come over to appease you guys but only because the mothers show up by the dozens and sometimes with their young KIDS for the pity photo. Be responsible enough to admit wrongdoing and encourage others to STAY away. If someone is telling you that TM has a poor reputation on set then you should attempt to do something about and it starts by staying away from the set, all of you.
One more thing, Maddy. I am defending the girls in the article, who I know personally, and who were painted to be a certain way. The article does not portray Rhonda and Lynds accurately, and that is who I am defending. I have no way of knowing how every local TM behaves.
And your comment about there being too many sources reporting similar behavior...it isn't hard for one person to exaggerate, lie, or be confused and to report it to someone who reports it to someone else, like what you are doing.
I question how you can 'defend' the ladies in the article since they seemed quite eager to share with the author their enthusiasm for 'stalking'. Sure, I doubt they really forget to cook or clean and they take care of their kids, but how do you explain the email from "Lynds" and the other quotes? That "Rhonda" willingly confessed to taking a tree from set and called herself a "Stalker Mom". Either own it and don't apologize for the behavior or admit you sounded a wee bit scary. But don't act like you have been portrayed inaccurately.
This question is to all of the ladies who keep putting in their two cents,why do you care? Are your lives so empty that you have to made rude comments about women you don't even know? Who are all of you to judge these women? Are your lives so empty that you have nothing better to do than remark on the actions or others? Again, as I posted yesterday, these folks are actors, this is the line of work they chose, and they are paid for the movies they make. Everytime a movie is made, fans, whether fanatics or not, show up to watch. That is part of being famous and again, they are paid for this. Maddies comments about showing up to someones work, well most companys are private, but when you are filming in a public locations, that's the price you pay for the job you choose.
Wrong again. I've worked countless sets and NEVER have I seen the kind of stalking that went on with Twilight. EVER.
I care because these sets are my work place. And whether these "moms" think so or not, they ARE an imposition when the entire crew is wary of them and the cast members have to hide in their trailers just to avoid them.
You obviously care enough to come post a response. Why is it that those who agree with the reporter are "wrong" for doing the same?
Ah yes, but you see the problem lies in the fact that (from what I've read on your site), the actors are not approaching YOU. You are approaching THEM. Which would be fine, were this a one time deal. But it's repeatedly - and usually by the same two or three people.
What other media outlet (as you claim TwilightMom's to be - which is a stretch) is at almost every set over the course of filming, taking pictures, video, and asking the actors for interviews and autographs? I can't think of one that I have seen there more than once, maybe twice. And certainly none of them are hitting up business owners just to get on set at their location. You honestly don't see how that just MIGHT be going too far?
That, right there, is the problem. The Twilight Moms, specifically the "insiders" don't seem to know when enough is enough.
People can agree with whomever they want, but were any of you at the location at all times during filming that you witnessed what was going on, or is it here say? Do you know these people personally to attack them in this forum? Your right, I care enough in the fact that these women don't deserve the slanderous comments that are being made about them. Anyone that would like someone to verbally attack them, step up.
Yes, I was on the set - thus the name. And guess what? I saw the same women at just about every location.
Nothing I've stated here is slander. It's the truth as witnessed by myself, the rest of the crew, the directors and producers, and the cast.
They've humiliated themselves (repeatedly) and given their website a bad name. The blame for that lies with them and them alone.
I think what you TM bashers don't realize is that Summit WANTS supportive fans. Because supportive, excited fans will make for a successful movie.
In fact, I wouldn't be suprised if Summit is being so great to it's internet fans b/c it's part of their marketing strategy.
I've read time and time again that Catherine Hardwick and company actually aproaches the fans and not vica verca. She even told some TMs where to find Robert. SHE VOLUNTARILY TOLD THEM.
Twilight is going to be huge, and everyone's career's will skyrocket ... alot in part b/c of sites like Twilight Moms.
Supportive fans? Sure, what company doesn't want support for its work?
This goes way beyond support? Support is going to see the movie? Buying the DVD. Buying the books.
Support does not include following the cast and crew from location to location. It appears to me the only hype these women are generating is hype for their web site - which does not benefit the movie one inch if people think that the people who run it are insane.
What is wrong with these ladies? Are they are unable to defend themselves? Surely they have computers, keyboards & the ability to type out a response?
Why were you appointed as the designated spokesperson for them? Was it because their doings got the TwilightMoms in enough trouble already?
They were obviously capable enough to voice their opinions when they gave an interview - can they not speak for themselves now; or are they on a plane to Los Angeles?
I really don't care what these women do or don't do. However I do care when I know firsthand these women caused problems on the set and you feel the need to correct a writer at a site I read daily for 'inaccurate reporting'.
Where were the inaccuracies? You said; "You do not allow any interference with production". However you then went on to inform me (your comment on May 1 at 8.15am) Mrs. Hansen has no control over individual TwilightMoms. So which is it?
You then went on to say "The tree that was taken from the set is a nice tree, and it was left behind, basically to be wasted. Why does it matter who takes it or why, after they are done with it? Notice, Rhonda said its was "discarded." I really don't think anyone in the production would have cared less, really. Either, or…. She took it. Its as simple as that. It contributes to the overall behavior of the individual.
As for lies and rumors, well I would tend to believe someone I have known for 15 years who has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years rather than a group of fans who may perceive their presence in a different manner than it actually is.
And if the stories were coming from just one source, well I would agree it could be considered a lie; however you have various outlets reporting horrendous behavior from these women.
Perhaps instead of wasting your time defending them, you should be looking at how they are perceived by the professionals in the industry and other people around them.
Oh and by the way, your Code of Conduct states and I quote;
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE TM members to ignore comments, blogs, or statements on other sites/personal blogs, etc. that they feel are directed toward TM that seem offensive in ANY way.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE TM members NOT to respond to rude, mean, hurtful, etc. comments directed specifically and obviously at TM.
Regarding offensive comments or statements made anywhere on the internet directly or indirectly about TwilightMOMS, I strongly encourage members everywhere to IGNORE THEM COMPLETELY.
In light of your comments on this site, it appears your strong code of conduct is not so strong after all.
You know what, I don't want this to get nasty. As I mentioned in my frist comment, I actually kind of like the article, I just wanted to clear a few things up.
"These" women (Rhonda and Lynds) did not "cause problems" on set, I don't care who told you. I was there, you were not. If you are talking about any of the other 5,300 members of our site that could have caused a problem by interfering with production and going against our rules, those people and their behavior are unbeknownst to me. And we cannot control anyone, even when we try to set guidelines. Why don't you have your friend get in contact with us so we know exactly who the troublemaker is? Does said troublemaker exist?
Rhonda did not steal the dang tree!!! Why don't you have your friend call up the property owner/caretaker who gave it to her?
We DO care how we are perceived, and like I said I am only defending the actions of the 2 women in the article, that's all, and it isn't a waste of time. It is exhausting, however.
Yes, I am encouraged to ignore negative remarks, but I personally feel that it is wrong to allow lies to be spread.
If TwilightMom's know what's good for them they would STRONGLY discourage their members from sneaking onto the set. I went to the website to see what the deal was and and it's so true that they posted where the set locations are so as to encourage the stalking! I feel like this article is an expose! Ha!
Hey Jenny, this sounds like a threat of sorts.
In response to OnSet's comments:
We've never claimed NOT to have been on location a lot. Its obvious from our photos that at least one of our members have been to most locations. A few of us have been to almost all of them, including me. What's the harm in watching on the sidelines? That's what Rhonda, Lynds and I have done everytime.
I have no idea why the cast or crew would be wary of Rhonda, Lynds or myself. The only time an actor was approached by Rhonda, Lynds, or myself was in February pre-production, and at the greenhouse location while a group of other fans were getting pics, etc.
And keep in mind that I can't account for other people, as I haven't been around any of the hundreds of moms in the area while on set. For all I know, a member of TwilightMOMS could have hounded an actor or made them feel like they had to hide, but that is beyond any knowledge that the admins or I have about the members of TwiMoms. OnSet, can you please pass along our deepest apologies for any inappropriate behavior made by any member of our site?
I have mentioned this before but I'll say it again, for us, (Rhonda, Lynds and me) it wasn't even about the actors. It was about the awesome scenes from the books and the gorgeous and perfect locations chosen for the film, as visual representation of the books that we love. We don't "hit up" locations to gain set access! LOL (If you are talking about the Viewpoint, refer to my very first comment) We "hit them up" so we can enjoy the location and share pictures with our members....we have a closer relationship with the Viewpoint because we have fun events there.
Just because it needs repeating, Rhonda, Lynds and I (the "insiders") when we have been on set officially or watching a scene from a distance, we have been quiet, courteous and respectful. Rhonda and Lynds have approached a few actors on 2 occasions out of many.
Again, please pass on our sincerest apologies for any member of our site that has created a problem. It would be nice if that member could apologize themselves, but since I do not know who they are, I will do it for them. The instances you presented were incorrect about the individuals in the article (Rhonda & Lynds) and I am just trying to get things straight.
TS - In your own mind your presence may be totally respectful and harmless, but can't you try to see it from the filmmakers' perspective and contemplate that JUST MAYBE you are actually disruptive and causing a problem - especially if various sources keep bringing up the same issue? You will probably just continue to justify it to yourself as everybody is lying or exaggerating, but there is the distinct possibility that they are telling the truth, but you are too close to the subject to see it.
The entire Twilight fandom is aware of and embarrassed (not jealous, embarrassed) of the Twilight Moms. Are we all just lying and exaggerting too?
Dear Onset.
I find it curious that no one in the crew seemed to mind that you had production assistants going out to dinner with the cute young girls that were hanging around your sets. Or texting back and forth with them at the same time as well.
I find it curious that It was ok that the man doing the DVD extras always had a young gaggle of girls following him around and exchanging phone numbers with him. I find it extremely curious that no one has brought to attention the huge huge number of pictures and autographs by all the kids that were at numerous sets that some had parents drive them for hours to get to. But for some reason these women have been branded crazy for simply following something that they are going to promote for free.
I also felt that this reporter guy seems like he has something personal against these women. Why would he quote them about something they obviously didn't think would be taken this way?
Maybe he's a little jealous that these non reporter women are getting a better glance at this movie then he is and all he can do is try to make a story out of them.
Ahhhh the jealousy argument. You just gave yourself away, TwilightMOM.
Let's be clear here. No one is jealous of you stalking and annoying the cast and crew of this movie. You give this fandom a bad name with your inappropriate behavior. We are not jealous, we are embarrased for you and by you.
The fact that you would even think a legitimate reporter would be jealous of a bunch of stalkers should be cause enough to step back and take a good hard look at reality.
hahahahaaaa on this wanna be reporter guy!!
Did you all look at the other - so called - articles he's done? He did some thing on Kristy lee cook totally misquoting her all the while having the video of the what she actually said embedded with the article!!
And he writes some gay column thing in this FREE rag!!!
Wonder what the advertisers in this FREE paper think about the fact that it attacks MOMS!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAA
Well would you look at that; so because he writes for a gay column he's wrong?
Reading all these nasty comments makes me think, Hmmmm? Would everyone be so huffy it we were talking about young, single, hotties. Would they be annoying too? Or does it just gross you out that older (some 25 ha ha)women are fans? Just wondering because the "disgust" level seems abnormally high.
I wonder if the OMSI - oregon museum of science and industry - a place where MOTHERS take their children would like to know that they are advertising ( its a banner on the side of this very page. ) ON A RAG that attacks MOTHERS. advertising is what makes this RAG money. No adverstisers - no money = reporters out of job.
Nowhere in this article could I find where the TwilightMoms were attacked. Perhaps you are unable to understand the writer has only conveyed the opinion of himself and obviously several other people (of which I refer you to the comments section of this page).
You are not being attacked if someone publishes a differing opinion to your own. The ladies in question (who have been mysteriously absent throughout the train of comments) were obviously interviewed and have the ability to demand a retraction or any apology if they were misquoted.
If you are referring to the reader (above) who allegedly 'attacked' (if you could call it that) - that is a reader opinion, not the Willamette Week.
Personally, I have always found if you don't like what the publication has to say, then don't read it. Byron was providing a social commentary on a situation which obviously has several sides to it.
If you feel strongly enough about this issue, then you could always forward to advertisers a copy of the article (showing where the Mothers were attacked - if you can find it anywhere in this article) along with a letter of complaint rather than just leave your own threatening comment on this story.
Oh, and by the way, didn't your mother teach you that two wrongs (if indeed there was a wrong in the first instance) don't make a right?
to the person who wrote this (and, I suspect, wrote the two comments above it)
People will take your argument much more seriously if it's presented intelligently.
He wanted to write a hatchet job on the TM's and that's what he did. It doesn't matter that the quotes are out of context right? He gets more attention with a negative article. We Twilight Moms are having a great time. We are not tying our kids to trees while we hunt Robert. Give me a break.
I'm so confused by all of this because I had no idea there was such a controversy going on. Also, a few people mentioned that lots of blogs have commented on annoying fan behavior but does anyone have any of those? Now I'm curious and I want to see them. :) I'm a member of TMs and have looked at the set pictures but I guess I just assumed that people who were causing problems would be asked to leave or if behavior got out of control they would close the set. Knowing that there are people commenting here who were workers on set and they found a lot of the fans annoying really upsets me. I support the movie first so if the workers found fans to be in the way then yeah I think that is an issue. Did they think about adding security and closing the set? Or maybe there wasn't enough in the budget for that.
Hmm... There is not too much to say though because if it did cause such a problem then there will definitely be tighter security if there is a sequel. Too bad though that so many people are upset. Another thing to keep in mind is that the twilight fandom is very comparable to the harry potter fandom. There are tons of blogs about the harry potter filming so fans know when and where they are going to be. The big difference with that is the sets are always completely closed and security is really tight. It sounds like Summit just wasn't prepared for the early excitement for the movie and thus should have handled security differently and then none of this would have happened. imo :)
Byron, I fucking love you. No matter what anyone says, don't change the article. Some(not all) of these women are insane and deserve to be exposed. I am a younger Twilight fan that got onset through the normal, legal way of becoming an extra. No matter what these ladies think, they are ruining the fandom and the way cast and crew view ALL of us. It sucks that they think we're all crazy just because of a few people. I hope that for future sequels production will be stricter about who gets onset.
Yeah I joined the TMs a long time ago after I first read the books. I'm young but I am a mother so I thought I'd fit in more than I would with high school aged fans. After a few instances of lurking I was rather disturbed by the behavior of some members of the group. Not to mention some of the things I stumbled across on the site.
I'm not going to sit here and berate them because it'd be immature, but I'm not surprised by what I read in the article or the response that they've had to it. I've seen them respond in such a fashion to things that any other adult would have overlooked or written off as juvenile behavior.
I don't see how these women can obsess over this book in such a fashion. Yes it's good and I enjoyed reading it but it's not the end all to good books. I've found many books I enjoy reading that are probably better written then Twilight. I'd recommend wandering away from the YA fiction section at Barnes and Noble sometime. The general fiction has a lot of fantastic books I'd recommend. Having such an obsession with one thing is clearly unhealthy. If they took up other endeavors, then Twilight could be a healthy hobby instead.
That's just a suggestion though, not an insult.
See, you're exactly the kind of Twi mom I like; you respect the fandom and you have more than one taste in books and you seem to care for your family.
Congratulations on doing it well. Unfortunately it's not quite enough to redeem the fandom.
seeing as most of the extras were getting stoned while they were working .... it must have sucked having moms around.
As some one who works in the filming industry I have to say that people like this are a major pain in the butt. One of the banes of the business.
Yes we are a business. We produce a product and we have deadlines, schedules and budgets to maintain. Why people feel it is alright to invade our work place has eluded me for years. It isn't like every day is "Take your obsession to work day."
Their uninvited presence disrupts filming. The things they "steal" (Yes, I said steal. If you take it with out permission you are stealing. It is illegal. Even with your cute little child in tow.) costs us money. As well as time, if we have to reshoot and something has to be replaced. Because we can't find it ... because some lady with kid in tow took it ...
The people that were written about in this article are some of the worst offenders I have ever heard of. And I have heard and seen plenty.
And they do it for ... the love of a series of books ... What ever. Or the vicarious thrill of being able to brag about it. Or toss it in the face of other fans who would love to do the same thing. Being the first to have a big scoop. Now there is Nobel Prize winning reasons. Can't deny it either. I have been doing my research and see that there are a couple of "factions" that do all but go at each other with knives and clubs.
Please, have your obsessions and your 30+ year old fantasies about young people just a little over half your age. Privately. Leave the rest of us out of it. Stop making our jobs harder by having to worry about which one of you is going to go for that fanatical dip in the "fan pool". Go wacko on set and just ruin a good days shoot.
Enjoy your books and act your age. The film set is not your oyster. Not a play ground for your fantasy. It is a place of business and we should be able to do our jobs in peace.
Now, go ahead and bash, thrash and other wise drag me through the mud. It will just prove my point.
Wow. I dropped by one of the movie sets in CA, stayed off and out of the way, and wondered why some of the crew were rude and some were really nice. Now I know. While on the set, and later hearing some of the rude things that crew members said or did, I thought it would be disappointing to the director and the actors making the movie to have the fans treated rudely. The director and actors seemed totally happy to talk to us. If they weren't, it was smart of them to keep that to themselves as it will be those same fans that will be buying the tickets to see the movie. The cast are apparently great actors, including the director herself, because they never let on that the fans were bothering them. In fact in all the pictures I've seen around, they look pretty happy. I saw a lot of age ranges in photos that have been posted which leads me to believe that the older fans are being discriminated against. I don't know how crew members are paid, but maybe the fan/movie goer revenue is not a part of their salary. I did meet a couple of really friendly crew members, so thank you to them.
The article is full of partial truths and skewed just slightly to add to the "creepy" effect it was going for. I don't know what to say to that. There are probably fans who cross the line from every age bracket, but to exploit a group of women who have a passion for a great project and are lending their support to the author, director, and actors--that seems to be the most immature thing that could be done. Fortunately, the fans written about in the article seemed to have either posted here respectfully, or are just staying away from some very skewed information. It is difficult, if not impossible, to defend oneself when the prosecution is out for blood. I don't really blame them for staying silent. They know what really happened and where their hearts were, and that's all that really matters.
The difference between younger fans stopping by the set and the TMs featured in this article is a glaring one: they (self-admittedly) have gone to nearly every single film location. They chat up crew members, hand out cookies (WTF?) and are a general nuisance. Call it skewed reporting, but there are even Youtube videos that clearly show them trying to get Robert Pattinson's attention while he does his best to ignore them and walk away.
It seems that people can't comprehend cast and crew being nice as nothing more than that - just being nice. It does not mean they like having to sign autographs and take pictures when they aer working, it does not mean they want you to return to set every day and bother them or even just stare at them from afar. They are appreciative of the support but you should in no way misconstrue appreciation as encouragement.
You want to know why crew members get upset, huh? O.K, let me put this into perspective for you. From "behind" the camera.
Most crew I know are good people who enjoy positive input and, in limited amounts, fan appreciation. But when it becomes a 24/7 preoccupation with people showing up at every single location shoot and trying to finangle their way onto closed sets, it's not so fun anymore.
Although seeing filming may be a big thrill for a fan, the hordes who
descend on popular productions (film and television) and perpetuate
the intrusion by broadcasting their accounts and photos and any information
they gathered creates a continuous problem. They are there ALL the time.
No area is safe or sacred any more, even if they stay on the boundaries.
It's bad enough to have invited guests such as contest winners and media
because the presence of *any* non-essential personnel creates a change in the normal work dynamic. You start adding fans to the mix and it gets overwhelming. Yes, some fans are reasonably polite, but there are the ones who take it too far and create ill will. Then any fan encounter becomes tainted thereafter.
After several encounters, especially in this type of rabid fan group, the major problem becomes the number and frequency.
How would you like it if every single day some outsider showed up at your work place and just by being there
create a schedule disruption?
How about them taking pictures of everything you do and if you talk to them and try to be nice, you then have every snippet of conversation posted on the internet?
How about if you have a group of individuals at your work who are higher profile (think: actors) whom you'd like to not be harassed or stressed and are too nice to say anything for fear of creating negative publicity (nothing like a fan spurned!) and are trying to accommodate everyone and still do their job?
I saw some of your comments
how tired and stressed the actors looked - think they might just like to be left alone to do the work they were hired to do?
And don't give me that garbage about how they just love all the fans and every show of support. We all like support - but in measured doses.
It's un-nerving, especially when the same individuals show up again and again. We tend to think people like that are stalkers.
It's irritating, because we'd like to be able to do our jobs without the continous distraction of having people show up unannounced and uninvited.
You might think you're being polite and respectful, but you're not. This is a place of work - it's not your playground or Disneyland. This might be
your fan dream realized, but for those of us in the business, this pays the
bills and puts food on the table.
You do not have the right to disrupt filming in any fashion, intentional or unintentional.
You do not have the right to expect to be treated as VIPs when you are not invited in first place. And on the flip side, you shouldn't be surprised if the crew gets upset when you show up anyway.
The cold, hard reality is that this is not about you, your wants, dreams, expectations or demands. This is a professional production that's trying to create a product that will do justice to the creators, writers, actors and production staff. And ultimately to the viewers who will decide if they want more.
Be a fan and support your shows by buying movie tickets, DVDs, merchandise. etc.
Don't become a problem and liability.
Kevin -- I have never read this book or worked on a movie set. Your point about people invading your work space seems valid, but from what I have read it doesn't seem like your production company was doing much of anything to keep it a closed set. Times have changed and if this book is as big a seller as it appears it should have been assumed that the set would need a lot more security and secrecy about locations, etc. If they knew about every location in advance doesn't it sounds like someone left a shooting schedule laying around for a fan to pickup?
This is just sad, plain and simple. Let the people do their jobs, and be happy that a movie is being made out of such a wonderful book. There is a difference between supporting the movie and becoming bothersome.
and to address an earlier question: Yes, I would still be disgusted if the gaggling group of persistent fans were under the age of 25: it's not about age; it's about conduct.
But then again, according to twilightmoms.com, I'm only a 17 year old that spends her entire time saying, "oh my Gawd! Edward is soooo hott!" Obviously, I know nothing about rspect for others and proper conduct.
then again, I'm not the one stalking the Twilight set.
Oh, this is hilarious. Finally someone points out how creepy TwiMoms are and get noticed for it! The Twilight fandom on LiveJournal has been mocking them for months now but it seems to have gone under the TwiMom radar.
A bunch of creepy old ladies lusting after actors half their age? Gross. If this was TwilightDads and it was men saying all the things that TwiMoms say about Robert, but about Kristen, there would be an uproar. Acting like crazy teenyboppers while at the same time mocking the teenage fans for doing the same? Very mature, ladies. Very mature. And the fact that they seem to think all teens "liek OMG tyep liek DiS aLl ThE tIeM~!~" makes them appear very prejudiced, narrow-minded, and disrespectful. Do your children know you talk that way about them, TwiMoms? It would be very hard not to hate MY mother if she had that level of condescending attitude towards teenagers.
In short, TwiMoms are the joke of the fandom.
Kids, don't grow up to be a TwiMom.
Honestly, I love how some twimoms defend the rest of the lot; I know there are a few who join because they like the books and can squee over it online, and they keep it online, and I know they don't abandon their families. The thing most twimoms don't understand is that we ridicule the rather ridiculous and mad mothers (in the strictly technical sense) who quite literally take the TwiMom motto to heart; abandoning their homes and becoming stalkers.
Where the heck is your sense of responsibility? For God's sake you're not stalking the actual characters! They're ACTORS, and very young adult actors at that.
Byron, thank you for ruining my day by enriching my sense of what's happening. Our kids are adapting to this culture by turning into vampires. And it's a smart move, given the fact that there are 7 billion humans out there and the buffalo are gone. Nourishment is going to have to come from somewhere. But if anyone asks me which handbasket the world is going to hell in, I'm going to say video.
Speaking of which, Kevin's post was like a little peek into the world of making the product. The Trekkies were right; go nuts, live in a fantasy world, read the blogs and fanzines ...
O Babylon. But you gotta love what interesting times these are.
Is this not disturbing to anyone. I went to their site, they are proud of this behavior. I don't think I would ever be proud of placing a hobbie over the care of my family. And teh movie set stalking? Maybe they should be called Twilight TMZ, instead fo Twilightmoms. A mother is supposed to be an example. I would expect this behavior from a 15 year old. Not from a grown woman with a family of her own. This is shameful.