Appreciation Thread for Ambers Mum & Alysons Mum

[taralicious]

Amber Benson as role model-discuss.

To me, Amber is a role model because she is a real person i.e, flesh and blood.

She's not one of these manufactured celebrities who's entirely a media construct and is therefore incapable of showing even the slightest trace of individuality or even an original thought.

Having the good fortune to meet her at MR 2003, and seeing the extraordinary lengths she'll go to to please and not disappoint her fans, despite another cold, I was drawn even further into her mix of warmth, compassion, kindliness, charm, elegance, and good-natured humour liberally sprinkled with sexual double-entendres.

As the character of Tara Maclay and also merely as Amber Benson, when giving interviews, she has given a fair number of us the courage to accept ourselves for being different than the mainstream herds would have us; the narrow-minded petty cult of mediocrity who're afraid of anything which exists outside of the neatly coloured-in lines they live in.

She stood up to the weight-conscious Hollywood machine, with their stick-figure images of beauty and refused to surrender her dignity and self-respect and gained our admiration for pointing out the hypocritical fallacy in the entertainment industry.

She is a testament to the adage that if you want something bad enough, you will find a way of accomplishing it.

Her sterling work in writing, directing, producing, and starring in "Chance" show the versatile range of this Renaissance woman at such a young age.

She is an inspiration to me as the stories that I have inside me to tell, as a writer, make me want to leave them behind as creative and positive tales of people's lives and their struggles with the duality of good and evil.

Amber Benson is imbued with both of these natures as from her own mouth she is fallible and she f**cks up alot but she tries to treat people with the respect and compassion which they deserve.

Too many of those imbued today with celebrity status are in the practice of destroying and humiliating each other but Amber shines like a beacon of hope and radiates a peace and tranquility that we Amberholics try to emulate.

(This was written better earlier but it got erased so I hope my meaning is clear in this version.)

[sam7777]

Amber Benson is my role model because she really understands about her gay fans and how important it is for them to have a positive image of themselves on the screen. She said as much to Curve Magazine (posted by Liquidreams in the Amber on the cover of Curve thread):

Quote:

---

"You don't get many romantic comedies about two gay men or two women. There's a whole segment of the population that is not getting its needs addressed, and I felt this film was trying to address them. Plus," she adds, "it has a happy ending."

....

"It's so sad that, on the one hand, you say, 'Oh, it's just a TV show,' yet, on the other hand, it had a horrible impact on people," she says. "You hate that it can be negative and hurt people."

...

"As an actor, of course, it appeals to me to play kind of evil and bitchy and sexy, but, as a human being who gets letters that say, 'I didn't kill myself because of what you and Alyson did,' that part of me goes, 'You're not just an actor any more; you're making a social commentary now, baby. You've got to be responsible.' And I couldn't be responsible coming back, because as an actor you have no control."

---

Check out the thread for the whold interview. It's a good one. Amber is a class act. I wish more creative people in Hollywood were like her and actually thought about the consequences of what they put on the screen. Thank you Amber.

_____________________

I see dead lesbian cliches

[Avern1]

Hello from Czech So I have question for Julii (LostSoul) or for some from Brigade: I posted donate to Amber birthday but I dont if this was accepted... cos nobody tell any word

[boredn0w]

Avern1- Julie will get with you soon thru email.



Tina

ABB Graphic Designer

www.ambers-birthday-bridage.org

Edited by: maudmac  at: 1/9/04 1:53 pm

[Avern1]

Thanks Julii for mail and boredn0w for writing here... Julii I send you mail with details of my donate... SORRY IF I DOING SOME PROBLEMS...

[SaraBiga]

Because of her sense of responsability.

And because she encourages people to follow their own dreams and telling their own stories... just doing it.

[Alia16]

I love Amber because she seems real. She's understanding and passionate and just has feelings for others, which is a rare kind these days. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that draws me to her, but it's something special

[everbreeze]

A quiet butterfly that comes silently nestled in clouds of infinite wonder. She is never forceful, or too assertive. She is always understanding and tolerant, ever patient and loving. Calm and gentle as the bubbling brook, strong and powerful as life churning ocean. Has a silent authority that is never questioned. THAT is why she is MUSE.



There were times when it got to difficult to write. But whenever I thought about you (Ms. Benson) I couldn't help but to sing praises of her. The words just seems to flow...



I just hope that you enjoy the writings I gave you. Loved Albert Hall went to see it both times... and I still grin everytime I think about the hug you gave me at the Once More with Feeling Soundtrack signing. Hope you like the Corrine May CD I gave you~!

[LostSoul]

Hi All,



I just wanted to let you know that I am compiling information on how many people participated this year.



I won't be able to give a monetary total of contributions because Make A Wish doesn't provide that information when they send the announcement to me.



I will say that participation was, unfortunately, down this year.



Part of that is my fault because I was so busy with other things in my life. I think the fact that I was on the boards less contributed.



As far as the t-shirts go, we are working with the printer. He has received the design. I should receive word on when people can start ordering sometime this week.



I'll keep you posted!



Thanks again to all of you who donated!



I do plan to begin work on the ABB earlier this coming year. Future plans include: a revamped Web site, possibly a t-shirt included with donation, and more ways to donate (other than just online).



I'll put a sneak peek of the t-shirt design up on the Web site within the next couple days.



Thanks for you support!



Julie (LostSoul)



LostSoul

Edited by: Warduke at: 1/25/04 1:12 pm

[AmbersSecretAdmirer]

Yes, as someone with neither credit card nor bank account I am stuck as to how to donate to online good causes. Being able to send things by cheque or Money Order would be appreciated as many more I think would help if more ways were made available to us.

TARA AND WILLOW 2GETHER 4EVER!!! BLESSED BE ETERNALLY!!!

[xita]

I would suggest that maybe you should go donate to a local charity in her name. It's the thought that counts.

- - - - - - - - - - -
"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[urnofosiris]

Yeah, it's the thought that counts and just thinking about how much you appreciate her counts too. If after the continuing high turn out of fans at whatever public appearances she makes, the gifts, the hugs and the thanks she gets, the online praise, the support and interest in her work, she still does not know how deeply she is appreciated then nothing else will ever make that clear. Personally, I'll probably only donate something in her name if she herself asks for it, other than that I'll just keep doing it anonymous or in my own name to whatever charity I choose. There are so many worthy causes, I wish I could support them all, but I have not won the lottery yet.

[AmbersSecretAdmirer]

Sounds a good idea. Donating in her name. However it would be nice to hear a list of those charities that Amber herself supports.

TARA AND WILLOW 2GETHER 4EVER!!! BLESSED BE ETERNALLY!!!

[LostSoul]

Hey Birthday Brigaders ... I wanted to let you know that I updated the website to include this years' T-shirt design. Go to www.ambers-birthday-brigade.org and click "ABB T-shirts are Back!" on the left side.



I will email the link for ordering to everyone who donated in the next couple days. It looks like the price is going to $14.75 + shipping again. Of course like always, if you need a bigger shirt or if you want a grey shirt or a sweatshirt, there will be an extra charge.



Again thanks to James Butler for the photos that were used.



Take care,

Julie (lostsoul)

[AmbersSecretAdmirer]

Love the design, and the message is simple but inspiring!! Will Amber see the finished design before it goes on general sale or will it be a nice surprise for her?



I do hope she is fully aware of how much of an inspiration she is.

TARA AND WILLOW 2GETHER 4EVER!!! BLESSED BE ETERNALLY!!!

[urnofosiris]

Quote:

---

I do hope she is fully aware of how much of an inspiration she is.

---

I think all the people standing in line for hours to meet her, all the gifts she gets and the fact that people are willing to buy a movie like Taboo must have given her a clue.

[taralicious]

The message on the 2003 ABB t-shirt was the definitive conversation-starter for me last year and caused me to sing Amber's praises to anyone who'd ask about it.

I'm such an Amber whore that I'll effusively gush about her given even the slightest opening

[Warduke]

Quote:

---

...the fact that people are willing to buy a movie like Taboo must have given her a clue.

---

Exactly Garfield, like people willing to buy Beyond the City Limits to see a certain redhead

---

Firebird: One Browser To Rule Them All.

[xita]

I am even worse. I bought that movie, the theory of the leisure class. Though, I must admit I haven't watched it yet. But I can and that's the point



I'd buy cartoon if I could hear Amber's voice



Amber

- - - - - - - - - - -
"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[Warduke]

Oh yeah, anything for the girls

---

Firebird: One Browser To Rule Them All.

[xita]

I'll even put up with Schwimmer for Aly lol.



I am like the only person who liked Taboo. Might be a good night watch that agaiN!

- - - - - - - - - - -
"Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off now!"

[urnofosiris]

You could play at least a little hard to get you know.

[AmbersSecretAdmirer]

I hope Amber approves, if she ever sees it.

http://needmoreamberintheuk.blogspot.co ... amber.html

This is the correct one LOL

[taralicious]

To paraphrase the great John Fogerty, I think it would be fair to say you
"Wrote a blog for Amber
Wrote a blog for truth;
Wrote a blog for Amber
But you could even talk to her."

[Dorothy]

deff agree with you, well, xcept for the being in contact with her.

Tara... How I miss her, stupid Whedon just stopped showing her all of a sudden. Would have loved to see her grow further, gain even more strength... Such a beautiful endearing strong young woman

[crystalsinger]

I hope Amber approves, if she ever sees it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq1MN1FYa4M

Um... Nice speech, but where is the blog of which you speak?
I thought I was gonna get RickRolled...

[Nue]

Um... Nice speech, but where is the blog of which you speak?
I thought I was gonna get RickRolled...

me too...

[AmbersSecretAdmirer]

Just realised I put the wrong link in. Teach me to not properly check my posts. That's the right one now .

[Thorn]

All true of course. Amber's awesome.