Mike The Monkey

I completely respect what you’re saying Too Tall [oops your post has gone missing]. But if you have freedom of debate, and encourage us to talk about the issues in the open. Then the possibility for somebody to ‘do harm’ is impossible. If it’s a rubbish suggestion, then it will be thrown out by genuine debate. The event will get stronger, the community will grow, and Showmasters will develop a better name for fairness and openness [which it lacks in some areas at the moment]. At the moment somebody complains, it turns into a fight, like a whirl wind more people get involved, and you’re forced to issue a statement [we’ll do it better next time] and lock threads. But I guess I’m starting to ramble. I’m not sure how you suppress the vigorous defenders of Showmasters – that certainly is a unique problem, that I’ve never seen before. But at the moment, it is a negative, as much as it is a positive. / TurkFox, I pass my baton to you.

I don’t want to be the one that upsets the apple cart. But as a reader of the board for some time – it seems that what you say works in principle, but here will never happen. Even if somebody polity airs a grievance [and often in my head I’ve completely agreed with the first poster], they’re soon swallowed up by 10 people vigorously defending Showmasters, and often petty name calling starts. Then the original poster gets frustrated, and then it just turns into a fight. Then Jason gets involved and turns it into a conspiracy. The whole community has to change. Some people need to settle down a bit - debate should be encouraged and not suppressed by fools, as should learning to accept to other peoples views before rubbishing peoples thoughts. So many times I just read arguments between board members and moderators that honestly are pathetic. But generally, after the way they are treated, I don’t understand why some new members actually come back, this isn’t the friendliest place to start posting. Is that how the 'showmasters community' works?. / There are no conspiracies, there are no trolls, there are no people who want to harm Showmasters, there are no people who wish events not to succeed. There are people who want value for money, don’t want to be mislead, or disappointed after paying hard earned money. There are also people who want to discuss their views, and not all of them are positive. Even if we learn those these simple things, this place would be better.

Ok let’s have a discussion of what is horror, and what isn’t. Hostel is a current horror movie, granted it wasn’t very good, and certainly won’t make any top 100’s – but it’s popular. As is Saw, Halloween, etc etc. The stars from these films are regularly at the American conventions as well as those from the top 100 films. [i did provide examples but they were removed] Both are ‘horror guests’ I’ve mentioned in my posts. / We currently have ‘The Fog’ – which isn’t a ‘current horror movie’ or one that actually makes anybody’s ‘top 100’, and Hellraiser which scrapes in about number 50-30 [and I think I’m being generous there]. The sequels are largely forgotten. / I have no idea why you think I have some vendetta against Showmasters. Is questioning the amount of horror, at the ‘horror themed event’ – really causing trouble? or just a fan having an opinion? Yawn. / I’m not after Courteney Cox, or anything of the sort – who said anything about big names?. Asking for that kind of unattainable star in my opinion, just fuels pressure on the organizers. I just want horror guests! – is that too much to ask!. Sssssh!. / MusicMania = Collectormania 12 ‘Horror’ / dissapointed = disappointed?!?! lazer = Laser?!?! I'm all confused Mike. Forgive me for not highlighting the letters, my life is more interesting. Yawn.

Thank you QS, and the others for seeing where I’m coming from. This is the horror fans chance for guests, every other genre has had its chance – we’ve had Star Wars, Aliens, Lost, LOTR, Hero’s, Star Trek, etc, etc. We finally get the announcement that this is going to be ‘spooky themed’ / ‘horror themed’ and we get this limp squid. Don’t get me wrong, the directors are fabulous. But the others: If you search the internet for ‘top 100 horror movies’. The Fog isn’t mentioned in the majority of lists including the IMDB [the only ones I found had it ranked at roughly 85 and 55]. Hellraiser guests given it’s a UK film, are the equivalent of the common Star Wars characters. / But as you say there are a couple of weeks to go. I just feel a bit let down given the advertising. It seems they booked the directors, and then announced this idea but then from that point forgot all about it.

I have no idea if for example Hostal guests are linked to the other show, and are out of reach. You know more about that than me. But I respect what you’re saying – I just find it hard to believe that these are the ONLY horror guests that we can find for this weekend. That just sounds absolutely crazy. If you use potentially ‘misleading’ advertising, is it not surprising that there are so many complaints here. How about we just go back to being honest with our customers again please?. It seems I for one expected more ‘horror’ than I’m clearly going to get – and once again I’m annoyed I’ve fallen again for these stupid tricks again. / I haven’t called anybody who defends Showmasters evil. I have stated that anybody who encourages ‘false advertising’ is a bit crazy. I have also got frustrated, with others for arguing for arguing sake.

We are talking whole of ‘horror’ here – that’s a hell of a lot of movies!. You’re telling me that it’s almost impossible to get a handful of any characters, from any horror film shot in the US?. It’s funny that ‘other show’ never seems to have a problem. For example they have yet another Hostal guest is listed for their show!. We’ve got Hellraiser again!, and theirs isn’t even a ‘horror themed event’. / David I don’t have grievances with Showmasters. I just expected more horror guests than we have at the moment. How many people do I have to row with on here, before anybody will at least see my point. / This board is impossible – this line basically says ‘well everybody else is using false advertising, so I don’t see why this company can’t mislead me too’. AAAAAAAAAAAGH!.

I see - it’s like this one? You could easily ‘accidentally’ think that this is the one from the movie? This one you think you’re going to get ‘professional photography’ This one implies that effort is going to be made to get horror guests. Not just ring up the Hellraiser agent and book what they’ve got. It’s basically Showmasters spin. / Those people weren’t booked for their horror roles; they were booked for their primary role. It's just lucky for you they also did a horror part sometime in their lives. This is just crackers!.

Honestly you two, with those responses, you clearly must love arguing for the sake of it. So with your logic, we could also advertise this show as a Star Wars themed event [4 cast members], or a Hero’s themed event [4 cast members] too. There are after all ‘more than usual’ – what a complete load of tosh! If you label it and advertise it as horror theme, you should put some extra effort in, that or just not label it anything. / Now we've got to a point where we’re sniffing around other confirmed actors trying in hope, to find if they’ve ever played a bit part in anything vaguely horror like.

At least we’re in agreement that the ‘advertising of a horror themed event’ exists. I accept that there are a few weeks to go, but as it currently stands – there is a distinct lack of horror guests. People will question / highlight / complain [see this thread] and then Showmasters will get all arsey, and announce it’s probably yet another conspiracy. The cycle just continues. All we wanted was what they advertised. I don’t expect a ‘horror themed’ event to be every guest – but I expect it to be more than it is at the moment. / I think you’re trying to humour me with the ‘reunion’ idea QS, as this clearly currently a bit limp.

Let’s just get some ‘basic’ facts sorted first. The majority of Showmasters customers are not registered to this site. Those customers have every right to register and complain as much as those who are registered. If you don’t like my thread, don’t read it – it was hardly rocket science from the title was it?.

I’ve been a keen reader of this forum for some time, I enjoy the events immensely – but I have to say this recent post by the organisers shocked and disappointed me. If the organisers stopped for one second, to realise that the main problem is that they keep making promises, and failing to deliver? – All the time whilst taking a lot of people’s money in the process. I’m sick and tired of hearing ‘we’ll get it right next time’. The poor photo shoots. The wait for goodie bags. The Hero’s disaster. The Patrick Stewart disappearance. The lack of horror guests for the ‘horror themed event’ Instead of posting notes of self pity, maybe it’s a time to stop inventing new events, and start focusing on the quality of the old ones. I applaud you for some of your work, but to think that its some ‘conspiracy’ is completely crazy. We are just paying customers expecting a little bit more value for money [just like in the good old days].

There was [and still is] this big billing of a ‘Horror Themed Event’. But am I missing something?. We’ve got the two directors – fantastic. Then a few common Hellraiser guests [who probably share the same agent] Then a couple from the fog. It’s hardly what was billed is it? / The Americans are doing it so much better: Edited by QS: links removed. Please do not mention other events on this forum. The rules do not allow this. Thanks.