http://www.cronicaromana.ro/foto/878_42002.jpg

A night out with the stalkers

Vienna is over, for almost a week, but I am still thinking about it. It was a wonderful show, but not all is wonderful these days. I have, first and probably last time ever, made my way to Rob’s hotel after the show and what I saw there… was far beyond my imagination.

The hotel Triest is located in what the Viennese call the drug market, in a side-street of Karlsplatz (Karlssquare). Although being almost downtown, this area is greatly avoided by people during the night – and often even during daytime. It is one of these areas where you don’t go, especially if you fulfil certain criteria, like being female, alone, young, blond, disoriented, not from Vienna, and potentially helpless. I was there, at one o’clock in the morning, and I am all of the above.

Even the way to the hotel was scary, because I was so sure that a lot of fans would do the same and that I would be able to hang on to someone. That was a mistake – because the only one I could hang on to were two prostitutes, descending the subway at the same station. I only realised when we all stopped at the traffic lights and I looked at them more closely. First scare of the night, not the last.

For some reason, I had actually really naively believed that I could sit in the bar, drink some coffee, have a look around and leave again. When I arrived at the gates of the Triest it became obvious that I would not be able to put my plan into effect. I did not even walk up to the security guys in front of the doors but socialised with some of the about 30 fans who might have become a victim to the same illusion. When you sit on the sideway, in front of a posh hotel, in the middle of the night, at Vienna’s drug market, with people you have never seen before, it all adds up to a strange atmosphere this place gets. If you take the time and listen to people’s stories, and look at their faces. There’re the first-try one’s who are just there, maybe even for coffee, but not much more. Then there’re the pseudo-sexy ones, looking older than they are, or nicer than they are, or just cheaper than they really are, wearing less or least of what their wardrobe offered them. And then finally, there’re hopeless ones that are still there, for the third or forth day, or maybe it’s the third or forth hotel they are sitting at, waiting for that man who never came. They all look lost, just as lost as the two girls I talked to, desperately, lovelorn but discouraged hoping that Rob might come and get them, as he had shaken one girl’s hand the night before, when she had stood in the first row of the concert. They all don’t talk much, and whenever there’s a new girl entering the crowd she is jealously looked at, as every one more seems to mean one more competitor for the empty side of Rob’s bed that night. It’s just good that some of them did not take themselves so serious, and so I found myself sitting on the sideway with two more Germans I had never met before, and had a hilarious time joking about the dreary scene underneath Rob’s windows.

Not everybody had that much fun though, and the people I have seen I did not think could really exist. Some had nice ideas about how to get in, like two lovely twins, dressed exactly the same. Others were more creative but just as well more frightening. Like the girl with the suitcase. She came, dragging a tiny suitcase behind her, and insisted that she had booked a room at the hotel. Of course, she was not on the list, and of course, she had not booked a room. Of course, she had never met Jonny Wilkes and he was, with great certainty, not waiting for her inside, as she insisted. And by common sense it was obvious that she had not just arrived in Vienna, simply because I have never met anybody travelling in extra-high heels and extra-short white skirts. And, as a short remark, her suitcase was way to small to be the travelling luggage of a girl and both airport and train station had closed hours ago. Simply ridiculous. So even the suitcase girl found a place on the sideway and waited with us. Still, I don’t know what actually we were all waiting for, maybe for a miracle, as we all knew that Rob as sick and Jonny’s mum was there, so why on earth should he have been bored enough to come outside, considering also that the bar was full of people? We were there, because we were there. In reach, if he wanted us. But we all secretly knew he didn’t. Just as the lady in the fire-red blouse, who was sitting at the edge of a pot plant the hole night, staring at the doors and not talking a word. Only the silent, empty look she had in her eyes gave me a hint of what she might be looking for.
The same as the about fifty year old woman, wearing a long white trench coat and tousled hair, who, suddenly coming out of nowhere, rushed up to the security in front of the gates…
“Is he really inside?” she said hastily and breathless.
“Sorry, ma’am I can’t answer” the security replied.
“But he is inside? He is indeed inside?”
“Sorry, ma’am, I can’t tell you.”
“But will you let me have a look inside to find out?”
“No, I’m sorry ma’am.”
“But he is inside, he really IS inside?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“But he is there, he is THERE, is he?”
“I can’t tell you.”
With these words she ran away, just as fast as she had come.

I did not yet mention all the people that simply were there to ask if they could go inside and left again, or all the girls in their short skirts, with too much make up in their faces, selling only one message: “Bed me”. Dignity was not on the menu that night.

But apart from all these strange people the really most ugly and scary part of the night were two men, how came out of the hotel about every half an hour. They were fifty, maybe even older, one of them gave a sloppy impression, the other one was dressed all in white but green shoes and had blond curls. Faded sunny boy. They chatted up the girls, preferably the ones that wore the least, and let them enter the hotel with them. Finally, we had become an unpaid call-girl crowd to be chatted up: “If you’re cheap enough I might take you inside”. It sent shivers down my spine when finally one of them started to stare at me. I turned away when he started to walk into my direction. Today it even surprises me, but it must have been because I was blond or because the skirt girls were sold out, as I was sitting there in jeans and jacket. I still remember him looking at me, the impression is stuck in my head, still causing me to tremble.
It is just sad, simply sad, what some people are willing to do to get a chance to see Rob. Simply sad. And what might be the saddest part is the ignorance, with which some are taking advantage of it, like these two men, or the security guy, who in the end recommended the suitcase-girl to chat up the ugly guy to finally get inside.
It is not about seeing the man you appreciate anymore, trying your luck to meet someone famous, or about talking to someone you find fascinating. No, in front of the Triest there were only two groups of girls. The meat market, waiting to be bedded by Rob or whoever else might offer them a chance to see him in whatever way, and those, who were just there but secretly knew they would never get anywhere else than to the sideway of Robs hotel.

Just, as a final footnote, I had a night out with the stalkers, but the ones I met were just the amateurs.
The people I met in front of the Triest were not the real stalkers, because all the real stalkers had a room booked, or a table reserved, or had sold themselves to someone who had done that before, or could afford it, for hundreds of Euros, waiting behind the closed doors, for someone who was neither there nor likely willing to be.


Kathi M

Fantastic report Kathi. IMO the best you have written to date. I felt your emotions, i could imagine the scene perfectly and the heavy 'sadness' that hangs over this article touches me.

Thankyou so much for sharing this.

Why did you go there?

I don't live in Vienna, but in a smaller city in teh south of Austria. But I had to stay in Vienna over night because there are no trains going after 11.30pm and there is no way you could make it to the staion on time. So, given the opportunity that it did indeed not matter whether I went to bed two hours earlier or not, I simply wanted to try my luck and see what it is like.... The result you can see above....

That was great Kathi. Very interesting, scary and insightful. I could never imagine going through all that alone, you must have been scared. Glad you are safe and thank you for sharing your experience. :)

Kthi omg great review
it must have been hard and really scary i wouldnt dare do that even more if i was alone

Best article I have ever read, regarding the stalker-scene.... more than brilliant.

Good article Kathi, but I can't help but think that it was a bit foolish to go alone. I am glad it all worked out for you and we got an interesting article for it. The next time you do research please be safe.

Thank you all! I debtated that for days here in the shoutbox, if I should or should not do it. overall, i don't think it was really dangerous, I mean it's Vienna after all, but it was scary, no doubt........ Anybody else ever made similar experiences? What do you think about hotel stalkers?

I am staying at Robs hotel (I think ) when I go to mexico, not as a stalker, although a glimpse would be nice but as a nice hotel in a big strange and possibly dangerous city. The extra security will be nice for all of us. If I get to see Rob and or anyone else what a nice bonus. If I am a stalker so be it. I won't be following him to his room.......

Excellent article Kathi and you have certainly caught the reader’s attention and imagination http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/froehlich/a020.gif

But why did you go there in the first place http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/c010.gif Especially alone and late at night http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/a070.gif I know you said you had some time to kill but was it primarily to do some research http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/a040.gif And how did you find out where Robbie was staying? Why would a ‘’posh’’ hotel be in a risky area of Vienna http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/c045.gif

Good questions Mon ones I think she and anyone with the same idea need to think about.

Fantastic report Kathi - thanks for sharing! :)

define stalker for me, would you?

i found this: "Stalking is a series of actions that puts a person in fear for their safety. The stalker may follow you, harass you, call you on the telephone, watch your house, send you mail you don't want, or act in some other way that frightens you."

now, i've been to a few of his hotels this tour, and i wouldn't call myself a stalker and nobody i know would call me a stalker either. there's a difference in sitting in front (or even inside) his hotel and waiting for something to happen, and actually being a danger to Rob.

you wrote "all the real stalkers had a room booked, or a table reserved". they aren't anymore "real" than the people waiting outside. they're just more clever, because they know there's no point in waiting outside as he would never just walk outside and greet his fans. so yeah, if you want to see him, either book a room or reserve a table to get in.

and it's never all about seeing rob either. we had a lot of fun nights with his band, who usually ended up telling us we HAD to come back the next evening. it's just fun, nothing bad or dangerous about it. and if rob walks by or sits in the bar for a while, then yeah everyone's attention is mainly on him, but we all know not to go and talk to him or even take a picture.

and even if he doesn't show up, i don't go home disappointed, because i've just had a fun night out with friends.

i just hate the word "stalker", some even call us "groupies", you're right there are a lot of girls with extra short skirts in the hotel-bars. we just make fun of them, or make a game out of it, which one of those short-skirted girls is the first that goes up to rob's room. i've won that game at least once now lol.

maybe it's a good thing though, that those hopeful girls you wrote about stay outside his hotel, a lot of people told me they leave somehow disenchanted, after they have seen him in his hotel bar. but if you get lucky, you'll have him sit at the table next to you for more than 2 hours, being totally normal and relaxed and having lots of fun.

the main reason i sometimes go to his hotels, is that where else would you be able to get a glimpse of what Rob is like, not being Robbie Williams? once you've seen Rob just being himself, you'll notice what a difference there is to the entertainer Robbie Williams.

we never feel like we annoy or threaten him in any way. he usually smiles or even winks at us when he sees us. i've asked a few members of the band about that as well, if they are ever bothered by fans who show up at hotels over and over again. let's just say, for the most part they really like it. they spent every evening in a hotelbar, so it's nice to see some familiar faces. of course there are always some weirdos, who they don't like to see..but those have usually done something strange before, like running to rob inside the hotel lobby or things like that (just read Feel and you know what i'm talking about). i sometimes feel a bit sorry for them...

anyhow, on some points i agree with you, the whole thing with those men picking up women outside by promising them to get inside is really disgusting. i don't think this happens usually though. i mean if you're that desperate to get in, just book a table, it's not that hard!

i've had the experience though, that most people who call others stalkers or groupies are mostly just jealous. they'd like to do it themselves but don't have the guts for it.

btw, i'm a U2 fan as well, and people always think things like that don't happen to bands like U2. ah well, for example U2 have stayed in the same hotel as rob has in amsterdam, last year. and i've been there last year for them and this year for Rob. and actually for U2 there were at least 100 people waiting in front of the hotel all day long, even during the nights. this year for rob the biggest number of people there was maybe 30. then again, with U2 people would never judge you or call you a stalker..

That was excellent Kathi great thanks

That's an interesting point anjarw thanx for sharing...........
well since u kinda defined what a stalker is i will tell u all my story

bout 3 years ago when i was still studying i had a guy following me from college to home for like 3 months it was really scary i even had my friends and bf acompany me coz i was too frightened to walk alone and it was daytime not night................ i reached a point where i couldnt walk out my house and go to the grossery store........... well after talking to my parents about this one day i decided that i had to be brave and go talk to that man he must have been round 30's or smth i had a group of friends with me i was walking on one side of the road and my friends on the other inc ase smth happened he was always behind me but in a distance so i just stood for one sec turned around and started asking him questions on whats the reason for doing this he didnt say anything then i shouted @ him that if he keeps on following me i will call the police and he will be in trouble ( can't tell u how scared i was that time shaking and ready to faint) thank god i had my friends with me
from that point and on he stopped following or appearing where i was

i think kathis and anjarw opinions r quite different but hey cant blame anyone its just how each one of us sees things so if u wanna go to robs hotels so let it be. Don't know if short skirts and miny tops will help

Maybe anjarw sweety for many u r not a stalker but for others u might be its just how ppl see and perceive things and ideas............. i personally would like to go in one of the hotels rob is staying but its not the case that i dont have the guts to do it or i am too chicken (i'm too shy for that and i woule probably feel like i was annoying and bothering) i dont want to go there to be picked up or look like a desperate girl who wants to live her fantasy coz @ the end of the day thats the reason most girls/women go there to live the dream and experience the fantasy because this is what we r actually offered i think a dream and an illusion
:)

Hi Kathi and everybody...

It`s my first post here(except the introducing one few days ago when I discovered PureRobbie)


You wrote nicely Kathi...it was nice recognizing some characters from that night in front of DasTriest...I was there aswell..for about one hour on Saturday night.

I arrived in Viena on Friday night(plane landed at11pm), we took the CAT to Wien Mitte and then walked our way thru our hotel( me and my boyfriend). Perfect weather and awsome city!!! A funny coincidence was that our hotel -AllYouNeed- is just two streets away from Triest. So we passed just the hotel sidewalk on Friday night, having no ideea what was going on..with all those ppl outside. We just thought it was a club or smthing...and did`nt pay too much attention.

Next day we went to the concert which was AWSOME and enjoyed it sooo much , especially that we already saw Rob in Budapest exactly one month ago, on July19th. I was in cloud 9 the whole weekend, can`t even find my words to describe it....We were there quite close to the stage..not front row..but maybe like 10th row.....Close enough to see Robbie`s funny faces and that spark in his eyes...and the way he looks at his crowd when he bends a little while singing.....The feeling I had it was that he was actually looking at me..even if I`m perfectly constient that what he saw was a bunch of about 30 girls in one blink of an eye. But it`s nice to be so close...you get these weird familiar feeling(maybe because of Budapest too)

Anyways....we left the concert in these awe...and took the subway till Karlsplatz and then walked our way thru our hotel. I was holding dearly my RW plastic glass, wearing my Adidas jacket and had this huge smile on my face, singing Monsoon all the way....Passed again near Triest without knowing it....and while in our room deciding if we`ll go out or not that night(it was about 12.45 am) I came out with the ideea of checking `the club` near us(Triest)..lol...like I was really thinking that we could go in a what looked like a fancy club where most of the ppl were outside trying to get in somehow. Then my boyfriend said...well..that`s actually a hotel, I saw it tonite, it`s called Triest....

You can imagine that I went mute for few seconds..couldn`t believe my ears....Geeeez....me?! who I always notice every single detail ..how could I skip this?/ passing near our MAN`s hotel?? lol...

Of course I went out of the door that minute and went straight to the groupies....My plan was to take a close look at the hotel and some pics of it..as I`m camera addicted...and I found it sooo funny, staying near Rob`s hotel..(I knew he always stays in Triest in Viena, he actually even mentioned it on stage)

I agree with Kathi I had a weird feeling while I stood there. It`s a bit frustrating knowing he`s few metres away..and you can`t do anything about it...I mean catch a glimpse of him. You just sit there and awaits smthing..you don`t know exactly what...Then you check out the ppl there....Kathi described it perfectly....The girl with the suitcase was hillarious indeed....her suitcase was actually leopard printed!..and yes I saw the white dressed man..and all. I talked to few German girls aswell..really funny and relaxed ones...I didn`t know what others kept talking to the bodyguards...few of them kept going in and out the hotel. There was a party inside that`s all I can tell..I saw some band members going in...they were nice and smiled to `poor` us. At one point the firemen arrived as an alarm went on at one of the hotel entries. Some girls were looking up at the windows hoping that Rob will somehow come up and they`ll get him down on a ladder or smthing ..lol...

It was strange as ..as much as I wanted to see Robbie I didn`t want him to see me there..if u know what I mean...I refuse to believe that those girls there were actually thinking that he will come up at the door and pick one and go to bed with her..or elope with her(The suitcase girl must have thought about it, though ;) )

I tried to look at the bright side...some of them just had posters for autographs..They were harmless. So was I. It`s curiosity who drags you there and why not..an extra bonus to the concert...the possibility seeing Robbie entering the hotel...
To me it was just a funny night. It`s just that I left a bit sad..it got a bit windy and cold....and with every step I made I was thinking I`m getting far away of my dream weekend..as in the morning we had our flights back home.
It was like leaving Robbie behind somehow....And who knows if i`ll ever be able to attend his concerts again..Even if it`s my priority and i`ll do my best.

So...thanx Rob for 2 perfect concerts, for great music and for putting a smile on my face. Always.

And thx for listening u ladies..if I posted it wrong pls excuse me....I`m not yet familiar with the board. Will post my concert pics soon.

hugs to you all and enjoy the British SummerLeg those of you who are going:rr:

alina

:) thanx for sharing the experience monsoon :)

yeap u got my point what exactly i wanted to say lol i'm not good in writing and expressing my thoughts and feelings so glad u did it on my behalf lol lol

Now that's hilarious, really! Monsoon/alina, we must have met, because I was there about the same time. Yes, the leopard suitcase......... no comment. if you can recall some blond girl in her twenties, in jeans and a green jacket at the sideway opposite to the entrance, joking about the suitcase girl, that was me. if you took pics of the triest, let me have some, will you? ;)
I think i saw you, because i remember someone with a white addidas jacket... But i don't remember your face, i'm sorry.

Anja I respect your opinion - still i cannot agree with you. But you have all rights to disagree with me as well.

Mon, I don't know why the triest is so badly located but I suppose the hotel was there before the junkies.... :o I didn't think I'd be there alone, because rob's hotel has been all over the papers for a week in advance, and at the triest i wasn't there were about 30 people but i was pretty sure it should have been hundereds, so i suprised me that I walked there alone too. Why did I go there. Curiosity. I was wondering, in case for some reason I'd be lucky enough to witness, what he might be like off stage.

great review kathi. i cud really feel the desperation of the other girls and the hoplessness of the situation. thanks for sharing your experiene :)

@kathi - I also want at least once experience that crazyness of stalking outside Rob's hotel :) but never had been lucky enough to find out which hotel i have to search for :) (ok, in Gothenburg I knew which hotel, but i couldn't fight my company i traveled with as they had different plans)

may be I'll be lucky enough in Milton Keynes :)

btw - how'd you think, ppl, will Rob stay somewhere in MK or every night will go back to London? (it's not that far as i understand)

if not at htel - i will have chance to wink at him at stadium as i'm 5 days in MK :)

I'm sure he'll return to London after each MK gig, its not that far at all

I agree words like ‘’stalker’’ and ‘’fan’’ can mean different things to different people http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/a070.gif I don’t want to get hung up on the definition of a word. What interests me more, is WHY? Are our own lives so dull and boring that we need to spend a night on a pavement outside a hotel in a strange city, just for the very slim chance of spotting Robbie in a bar http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/c010.gif

I am sure that the band members and entourage are very ‘’polite’’ when spoken to but let us not be naïve here, I would love to be a fly on the wall when they are out of earshot! Then again, perhaps not, because I can only imagine what comments they must make http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/a100.gif

I would certainly discourage anyone from even considering it. First and foremost, for your own safety. Secondly, try to see if from Robbie’s perspective. When I go to a concert, ‘’for the next two hours, his arse is mine’’. When it is over, it is over. I would not like my colleagues to follow me home from work, let alone camp on my doorstep! Would you http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/konfus/a015.gif

I can fully understand the need to relive the experience when the show is over. Then why not go back to your own hotel, open a bottle of wine http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/nahrung/d025.gif stuff yourselves on high carbohydrate snacks (normally much needed after a very long day of queuing) kick off your shoes, curl up on the bed, and re-live the concert experience with your friends, all in the comfort and safety of your own hotel room. It works for me http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/musik/e010.gif

http://www.cronicaromana.ro/foto/878_42002.jpg

A night out with the stalkers

Vienna is over, for almost a week, but I am still thinking about it. It was a wonderful show, but not all is wonderful these days. I have, first and probably last time ever, made my way to Rob’s hotel after the show and what I saw there… was far beyond my imagination.

The hotel Triest is located in what the Viennese call the drug market, in a side-street of Karlsplatz (Karlssquare). Although being almost downtown, this area is greatly avoided by people during the night – and often even during daytime. It is one of these areas where you don’t go, especially if you fulfil certain criteria, like being female, alone, young, blond, disoriented, not from Vienna, and potentially helpless. I was there, at one o’clock in the morning, and I am all of the above.

Even the way to the hotel was scary, because I was so sure that a lot of fans would do the same and that I would be able to hang on to someone. That was a mistake – because the only one I could hang on to were two prostitutes, descending the subway at the same station. I only realised when we all stopped at the traffic lights and I looked at them more closely. First scare of the night, not the last.

For some reason, I had actually really naively believed that I could sit in the bar, drink some coffee, have a look around and leave again. When I arrived at the gates of the Triest it became obvious that I would not be able to put my plan into effect. I did not even walk up to the security guys in front of the doors but socialised with some of the about 30 fans who might have become a victim to the same illusion. When you sit on the sideway, in front of a posh hotel, in the middle of the night, at Vienna’s drug market, with people you have never seen before, it all adds up to a strange atmosphere this place gets. If you take the time and listen to people’s stories, and look at their faces. There’re the first-try one’s who are just there, maybe even for coffee, but not much more. Then there’re the pseudo-sexy ones, looking older than they are, or nicer than they are, or just cheaper than they really are, wearing less or least of what their wardrobe offered them. And then finally, there’re hopeless ones that are still there, for the third or forth day, or maybe it’s the third or forth hotel they are sitting at, waiting for that man who never came. They all look lost, just as lost as the two girls I talked to, desperately, lovelorn but discouraged hoping that Rob might come and get them, as he had shaken one girl’s hand the night before, when she had stood in the first row of the concert. They all don’t talk much, and whenever there’s a new girl entering the crowd she is jealously looked at, as every one more seems to mean one more competitor for the empty side of Rob’s bed that night. It’s just good that some of them did not take themselves so serious, and so I found myself sitting on the sideway with two more Germans I had never met before, and had a hilarious time joking about the dreary scene underneath Rob’s windows.

Not everybody had that much fun though, and the people I have seen I did not think could really exist. Some had nice ideas about how to get in, like two lovely twins, dressed exactly the same. Others were more creative but just as well more frightening. Like the girl with the suitcase. She came, dragging a tiny suitcase behind her, and insisted that she had booked a room at the hotel. Of course, she was not on the list, and of course, she had not booked a room. Of course, she had never met Jonny Wilkes and he was, with great certainty, not waiting for her inside, as she insisted. And by common sense it was obvious that she had not just arrived in Vienna, simply because I have never met anybody travelling in extra-high heels and extra-short white skirts. And, as a short remark, her suitcase was way to small to be the travelling luggage of a girl and both airport and train station had closed hours ago. Simply ridiculous. So even the suitcase girl found a place on the sideway and waited with us. Still, I don’t know what actually we were all waiting for, maybe for a miracle, as we all knew that Rob as sick and Jonny’s mum was there, so why on earth should he have been bored enough to come outside, considering also that the bar was full of people? We were there, because we were there. In reach, if he wanted us. But we all secretly knew he didn’t. Just as the lady in the fire-red blouse, who was sitting at the edge of a pot plant the hole night, staring at the doors and not talking a word. Only the silent, empty look she had in her eyes gave me a hint of what she might be looking for.
The same as the about fifty year old woman, wearing a long white trench coat and tousled hair, who, suddenly coming out of nowhere, rushed up to the security in front of the gates…
“Is he really inside?” she said hastily and breathless.
“Sorry, ma’am I can’t answer” the security replied.
“But he is inside? He is indeed inside?”
“Sorry, ma’am, I can’t tell you.”
“But will you let me have a look inside to find out?”
“No, I’m sorry ma’am.”
“But he is inside, he really IS inside?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“But he is there, he is THERE, is he?”
“I can’t tell you.”
With these words she ran away, just as fast as she had come.

I did not yet mention all the people that simply were there to ask if they could go inside and left again, or all the girls in their short skirts, with too much make up in their faces, selling only one message: “Bed me”. Dignity was not on the menu that night.

But apart from all these strange people the really most ugly and scary part of the night were two men, how came out of the hotel about every half an hour. They were fifty, maybe even older, one of them gave a sloppy impression, the other one was dressed all in white but green shoes and had blond curls. Faded sunny boy. They chatted up the girls, preferably the ones that wore the least, and let them enter the hotel with them. Finally, we had become an unpaid call-girl crowd to be chatted up: “If you’re cheap enough I might take you inside”. It sent shivers down my spine when finally one of them started to stare at me. I turned away when he started to walk into my direction. Today it even surprises me, but it must have been because I was blond or because the skirt girls were sold out, as I was sitting there in jeans and jacket. I still remember him looking at me, the impression is stuck in my head, still causing me to tremble.
It is just sad, simply sad, what some people are willing to do to get a chance to see Rob. Simply sad. And what might be the saddest part is the ignorance, with which some are taking advantage of it, like these two men, or the security guy, who in the end recommended the suitcase-girl to chat up the ugly guy to finally get inside.
It is not about seeing the man you appreciate anymore, trying your luck to meet someone famous, or about talking to someone you find fascinating. No, in front of the Triest there were only two groups of girls. The meat market, waiting to be bedded by Rob or whoever else might offer them a chance to see him in whatever way, and those, who were just there but secretly knew they would never get anywhere else than to the sideway of Robs hotel.

Just, as a final footnote, I had a night out with the stalkers, but the ones I met were just the amateurs.
The people I met in front of the Triest were not the real stalkers, because all the real stalkers had a room booked, or a table reserved, or had sold themselves to someone who had done that before, or could afford it, for hundreds of Euros, waiting behind the closed doors, for someone who was neither there nor likely willing to be.


Kathi M

A good read on such a sad subject. Your depiction of those few hours expresses the sadness behind the situation perfectly.

Fans, stalkers, fanatics, call them what you like, they're just people who like music/films/tv shows etc & feel a need to get close to a celeb. A glance, a handshake or a quick chat is exciting for them, takes them away from the mundane and for a moment they share a celebs world.

Then there's the seediness. Men and women willing to offer themselves to a celeb just because they are 'celebrity'.. this is where the sadness creeps in. Its more than a fan after a quick glance or chat - it's somebody willing to give themselves up to someone they don't know. Its prostitution and the payment is the satisfaction of scoring a celeb.

to true mmp

Its prostitution and the payment is the satisfaction of scoring a celeb.



It's definetely sort of prostitution, but on the other hand I think as long as any celeb gives these "prostitutes" what they want they wont stop hoping, waiting, stalking. In case the celeb would ignore the men or women outside the hotel, the stalkers would probably stop their horrible habit.

Good points made by all. With what we read in the press, tabloid or otherwise some people feel they have a chance with a celeb, so the responsibility lies on both sides. Also a lot of what people say, non celebs that is, is all in jest. I think if given the chance most would like an hello and perhaps a picture and would never follow through on the invite to the room.

this is all so true , i never actualey realised that people would go to such lengths just to be the celebrity for 5 seconds !

@ntla I think if given the chance most would like an hello and perhaps a picture and would never follow through on the invite to the room.__________________
i totalley agree with this !

I must say I agree with both Kath M and Anjarw!
It all depends on what's your point... what r u there for!!!
There's a movie about groupies... don't know the title.... but it shows both sides of the story!
I'm willing to write a script about fans........ this thread was reallly elucidating ! I must admit I've never thought about booking a table at the hotel... very clever !!!:thx: I've already booked myself a table at the hotel Robbie'll probably stay in here in Rio! You know..... I'm doing research for my movie... As if...;) don't know if I'll have the guts to go...... anyway! Truth is: we feel a need to be close to people we like! Sitting next to the boy you have a crush on, wait for the cute new employee to finish his tasks so that you'll stand together at the elevator lobby ("lobby".....is that right?), BOOK A TABLE AT ROBBIE'S HOTEL.......... all the same> different levels though!
What really bothers me are the stereotypes, the labeling..... !!!
Today the confirmation for Robbie's concert was FINNALY out! But I felt like punching someone.... "get your carnival outfits at the ready as this is sure to be one hell of a show" ????:angry: IS IT GOING TO BE A "COSTUME SHOW"? Never heard of one before! Am I supposed to go dressed like an indian? Or they are expecting outfits from Rio’s official caranaval? Cos there are all kinds...from topless bikinis to all covered up with a plume hat!!!!

I've been reading this thread for a while now and it certainly throws up many 'issues'

I guess it's all about perception, one persons definition and anothers reality rarely tally.

I've heard that there are 'fans' who are really happy when RW tells them to **** off just because he has 'spoken to them' This can't be right can it ?


lennon x

I've been reading this thread for a while now and it certainly throws up many 'issues'

I guess it's all about perception, one persons definition and anothers reality rarely tally.

I've heard that there are 'fans' who are really happy when RW tells them to **** off just because he has 'spoken to them' This can't be right can it ?


lennon x


Some people are so desperate & it's so sad really.

Congratulations Kathi

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Please credit kathi by hitting her reputation scales

congrats kathi xx

http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/midi/froehlich/d028.gif Kathi http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/midi/froehlich/d032.gif

Good job Kathi, mark it for your resume..:)

Thats fabulous Kathi Well Done


lennon x :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/feuer/a110.gif that is brill congrats

WOW!!

Well done Kathi. I did rep already!! :D

Congrats Kathi, well done! Superb article! :D

Well done Kathi, you deserve it!

Congrats Kathi!!!!! wtg..here are few pics from Triest that night....They are not very good though...And I was actually wearing a black Adidas jacket....I`m sure we noticed eachother at the time ;) Don`t mind my dumb smile after the concert was over..;)))))

Thank you all very much! I was really really happy when i heard the news. I was, still am, blwon away and I'd like to say thanks to you all, especially to my test readers and 'straight-forward-opinion-tellers' because you helped making it possible. It's kind of funny English isn't even my mother tongue. And I study management ;)....

THANK YOU ALL!!!

Please credit kathi by hitting her reputation scales
sorry if i'm being stupid, but what are the reputation scales and how do you do it?? xxx

sorry if i'm being stupid, but what are the reputation scales and how do you do it?? xxx
where the number of the thread is in the right corner , there is a scale , if you click on it you can add to that persons reputation - hope this helps

thanks paula.xxxx

I've been thinking about asking this question ever since I read this statement because it kind of upset me. Now I think we can put it here, since we've all made up our minds a little on the subject.

It is the folowing senténce I extracted from one of the earlier replies. it's the following sentence, concerning people that have seen Rob in some hotel bar:

"...a lot of people told me they leave somehow disenchanted, after they have seen him in his hotel bar."

I bold 'disenchanted' because I this word somehow bothers me. How can you be disenchanted after seeing him? And I don't mean this because I think Rob is all so special that you can't be disappointed, I mean it because to me, if I'd go to a hotel I would do it to get the 'real' picture and i don't see how a real person could ever be disenchanting... Today, the only way I could be majorly disenchanted would be if I found him drunk with a half naked stalker in his arms, to be honest.
I might decide that i do not like the actual person of RW - I mean it's possible, isn't it? - but I cannot at all see how person dislike and 'disenchanting' has a common base. because disenchant, at least to me, has something to do with disappointment, and I just don't know how anybody could ever be disappointed in the character of someone, which to me is something completly different than dislike.

But let's put this to discussion: Could meeting the 'real' Rob be 'disenchanting'? I'd like to know what you think.

Good question Kathi!!

I think it would all depend on what a person expected to get out of meeting the 'real' Rob. (Whoever that may be). As to me Rob is just Rob. He is who he is, there is no persona that he portrays. He doesn't pretend to be anything he is not.

I myself could never imagine being disenchanted on meeting him in person. But some of these girls are intent on getting him into bed and if that doesn't happen for them I suppose they could say that they were disenchanted. Not by the man himself maybe but by the situation they found themselves in.

Those are my thoughts anyway. :)

Kathi i have to agree with what u said, i dont think anyone should feel disechanted after meeting rob he has been quite honnest about himself and his life so i dont see the point why feel strange and dissapointed over that.

I think the problem is that the people who go to the hotel to see him just go there to live the fantasy, even though they claim that they want to see the real rob.
The dreamy/ perfect (or however u want to call it) image of rob that they have created in their minds prevents them from seeing the truth.

At the end of the day he is just a human being like the rest of us with bad habits or not.

I would never feel disechanted after meeting him coz as rena said to me Rob is just Rob and i love him, like him fo what he is and for what he offers.

No way I would feel that! about 3 men: ROB, Joaquin Phoenix and Pat Rafter. I`ve watched them closely over the years....so I trust what Im` feeling..what I see in them.

Maybe Rob especially.

Yes that's how I see it too. It's perceptions, expectations. If you're going somewhere, meeting/seeing him and what you're expecting to see is the dreamy image you put together in your head you might indeed end up disappointed. but the disappointment is a result of what your imagination and not of what the actual person is like...
Still, I wonder if the 'image' might actually be a lot different than him? I think he's done a lot to avoid that.

yeah i guess you expectations matter a lot. there are some people who don't really believe that the singer on stage is not the same person you will see in a hotelbar.

then again, if you've never seen him in a hotelbar, you can't really judge people who say they were disenchanted when they saw him there. a lot of the times it happens that he just goes down to the bar to check out women. yeah well, he's just a man after all, but the way he does it might be a bit shocking when you see it for the first time.

and he doesn't do that very discreetly...obviously though the women love it. but you happen to see 3 or 4 women (one after the other) go up to his room and come down again just 30 minutes later..and of course, he doesn't talk to them directly but through his bandmates or bodyguards who ask them to go up..

it's just that some people don't expect him to be like that, or even if they do, they didn't imagine it to be like that.

i wrote that i've heard of other people saying they were disenchanted and would much rather see him in a concert than the real rob..i myself never really had that problem, but maybe that's because i'm a rather realistic person anyway.

This thread disgusts me! My God! Rob hates the paparazi and there you are as a "fan" taking pictures of him going into his hotel and taking pics of his room!

Poor guy can't get a break from anyone!

i dont have any expectations of what robbie would be like in person so i don't think he could disappoint me. he is just human like all of us. he has good days and bad days.
if a total stranger approached me and started asking personal questions i would be more than a bit scared. i don't think you could ever get used to it.

I don't think i would be disenchanted if I meet Robbie and he wasn't what I expected, he is trying to live his life outside of touring after all, but I might be disappointed if he didn't want to say hi or have a pic taken. That is his perogitive so it is the way it is. But the disappointment is mine not something he did. I don't know what to expect of him but what I have read about him and heard him say in interviews.

He's not usually up for having his picture taken with fans lately, i've not seen any for yonks!

Hi there
Robbie left Erskine today at 3:20pm for Glasgow Airport. 50 fans waited 5 hours to see him, and he jumped into a waiting people carrier and zoomed off without stopping. Poor show. However, the night before he came out of his hotel at 12:45 in his red tartan pyjama bottoms and spoke to 12 - 15 fans for 15 ins. However, he didn't want photographs taken, and said he was not signing autographs.
He also spoke about his injections he was given to get him through the concert as he was feeling unwell. He did go on and give great concerts and said he wouldn't have missed it for the world.

i went up to see if i could see him oafter the sat show. i was dropping off a friend near erskine so i thought i would chance it.
i had mixed feelings though, i though he might not want to see anyone but hey ..i thought i would give it a whurl.

it took ages to leave hampden,

it was quiet a scary drive, got lost, went down a very dark lane, but eventualy i found it. it was prob about 2am. i was told he wasnt in , then was asked nicley to leave by the night watch man, i told him i wasnt gonna cause them any hassle, so the guy told me he was there and that he would be leaving tommorw . he also said he had girls up on the sat afternoon , which i find abit strange as he went to the scotland footbal game. anyway. he must have been in his bed when i got there, i feel kinda bad now, as he wasnt feeling well . which i did forgot. any way i dont think i would pester him again. i had a great night , mibby i should have left it like that.

im just glad i got to see him do what he does best.
thanx for a fab nite robbie, get well soon

xxx

kathy u r great!!!!!!!!!!!
years ago whrn i spent one week in vienna i spent the nights in an hotel in karlsplatz but i remeber the neighbourhood wasn t that bad......maybe i m getting mixed up
anyway i think fans like u r far better than the ones slutty leastdressed
kiss kiss

Congratulations Kathi

Your article, "A Night with the Stalkers" - has been accepted and added to the EzineArticles.com directory:
http://EzineArticles.com/?id=282873

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that s great kathy!!1!! congratulations:ymca: :flo:

Thank you!
Concerning photos, yes of course everyone would like a pic with rob but on the other hand, given what I saw in vienna, rob could have probably spent the hole evening just taking pics because of all teh people in the hotel.... I see the point in not making any. but he could at least say hello for 5 min to all together. people would be very happy.

but he could at least say hello for 5 min to all together. people would be very happy.

he does that sometimes. he actually did that in vienna as well :)

Please don't hate me........ but yes, I could get disenchanted by him! Not because he is not in the mood for a picture or won't sit with me and answer my questions and make a joke!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he encourages fans to go to see him after shows by taking some of them up to his room! So if I saw him insulting or making fun of the girls I would be very disappointed! (well.... i guess I'd feel that towards anyone like this!)

What I'm trying to say is if he's not the "same" fun, cool and charming "let me entertain you" Robbie off stage -- that's OK! But if he's the completly opposite ... I guess i would be disenchanted and disappoined!

went on www.digg.com and dugg!!!!!!

Claudinha why would we hate you? honesty is always appreciated. In fact I do somehow agree with you, fans have actually been encouraged to come to hotels and yes, the fact that he does take them up to his room once in a while is indeed encouraging. I agree. Laska said that earlier too and I agree. definitly.

Anjarw as I said I've never been to a hotel before and i've never been inside one of his at all so i don't know. You seem to have a lot of experience on the other hand. i just thought, since NTLA said she'd like a pic, that it is indeed challanging for Rob to have pics with everybody, but saying at least 'hello' does the job too.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he encourages fans to go to see him after shows by taking some of them up to his room! So if I saw him insulting or making fun of the girls I would be very disappointed! (well.... i guess I'd feel that towards anyone like this!)


In Feel he does talk about taking fans to his room and tells people during the show where he is staying so if he doesn't like them outside his hotel he has to take some of the blame himself,(although some find out his hotel anyway)
So for that a hello would be very nice and easy for him. To sign autographs and take pics would take a lot of time and can't blame him if he didn't want to do that in his spare time.
In other words stop teasing the fans :lol:

In other words stop teasing the fans :lol:[/QUOTE]


I dont know...Fan-teasing could be a lot of fun. :)

In other words stop teasing the fans :lol:


I dont know...Fan-teasing could be a lot of fun. :)[/QUOTE]
:lol:

I would mind if Robbie teased me! ;)

Do you mean wouldn't mind......:)

I wouldn't mind!! but he'd have to tease me in person :p

Yes lisa but I think we have lost the point of the thread ;)

:lol: just a slight :ot: moment

Hard not too when talking about Robbie that is for sure. :)

Rob can tease me any day!

Well. RedLisa and I had our 45 minutes of "stalking" in Gothenburg. But we got bored and left.During the day, before his second gig in gothenburg. we were like you...just having a look. we stayed there 45 minutes. by that we met someone like us...and then there was one girl, who was crazy. she was all over theplace. we saw her at the gig the night before. rob talked to her during back for good, cause she was crying. she told us she wasnt really a fan of his music, but fan of him and how he is (nice to say tho). a crazy fan in high heels, carrying her pet around with her...a lizard LOL. Weirdo in my eyes.

A stalker is many things I guess. I felt like a stalker just staning outside his hotel..glancing at his window. It was a fun experience though. I guess we would have stayed longer if we knew he was there, but the paps left so we knew he wasnt there.

I think Kathi's post is great!!!