Obsession

I just watched a half hour show about people that are obsessed about a particular television show. No, Not Coronatin Street. This episode was about two people that fell in love with the tv show, Charlie's Angels when they were kids and it's become a major part of their lives even now. When I see a show like that, i subconsciously compare my Corrie-ism to their obsession, to make sure i don't come that close to their level of it. I know i'm a major fan. I have books, dvds, i tape certain episodes that i want to keep such as Hayley's wedding, the Richard Hillman story ending and the Mad Maya week. I own other memorabilia such as a set of flying ducks, a cross stitch i did, a few ornaments and i treasure the photos i took when i've visited the set. I know huge amounts of Corrie trivia that i've gained from watching and reading. I participate in a few online forums and blogs.

However, i don't, as the woman on the tv show has done on occasion, take the day off work and prepare for a party held in honour of one of the actor's birthdays. It hasn't inspired my career like it did this one man, who became a makeup and hair stylist in Los Angeles, inspired by the Angels' looks and style. They have both got a huge collection of photos and 1970s and early 80s memorabilia, games, toys, advertising products that the various Angel actresses promoted. The woman in the show actually talked two of her friends into a photo shoot. They wore wigs and carried pretend guns and did some of the Angel classic poses. Her husband was the photographer. I'm damn sure i'm not going to have my picture taken in a Bet beehive or Hilda rollers just for the fun of it. (I might, however, if i was invited to a Corrie themed fancy dress party or ping if everyone else was dressing up too!) I only talk about the show to friends who also watch the show. I don't drag my non-Corrie friends to pings unless they want to go.

Some people might say i'm obsessed. I really don't think so, though. I'm a dedicated fan, true. I write about it, i blog about it, i go to pings to talk about it, I've met a lot of really good friends (and gained a fiance and i know others that have met the loves of their lives) in a corrie chat room. I've even done a couple of corrie-themed painting (see?). I've gone to fan events and met a few of the actors and heard them tell all about behind the scenes which I always find fascinating.

But it doesn't consume me. I don't think, when i have a decision to make, "what would Ken Barlow do?", or when i do something think "This is like something Steve McDonald would do". Seriously, one of the women interviewed admitted she sometimes thinks that way. There's nothing wrong with loving a tv show so much that you collect, you blog, you meet other like minded friends with the same love. But I console myself thinking A. that my favourite show is still on the air after 47 years, not something that was shown for 5 years in the late 1970s and B. I actually get paid for Corrieblogging! It does seem a bit over the top to be that obsessed about a show you loved as a kid that isn't around anymore other than in cheesy remake movies. Which they never mentioned by the way. I wonder what they think of the remakes?

I know someone that is probably in the realms of the obsessed. He told me once that he doesn't take any vacations away because he has to be home to change the tapes hin his vcr every day (he tapes about 5 or 6 shows in addition to Corrie, on 5 or 6 vcrs, each dedicated to it's own show) So am i obsessed? Maybe some people might think so but when you read or hear about some of the fans out there, I realize that I just love it, I don't live it.