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| CS |
�Mick, Mick,� Ashleigh Meyer, a 21-year-old blond shrieks as Mick Jagger takes the stage at the El Rey Theater. The guy in leather next to her grabs his face, hands jutting dramatically toward the ceiling, screaming, �Oh my God . . . Mick.�
As touching as I find this display of fidelity to one of rock�s most tenacious members, someone in the VIP lounge has tipped me off that some of the younger devotees at Jagger�s record-release party, including Meyer and Leather Boy, are not what they seem. What they are, he said, are fans for hire.
It�s a jam! It�s a crawl! It�s . . .
some guy in stuffed Spandex
suggesting an escape route from
the traffic at Hollywood and Highland.
Photo by Bill Smith
�Are you girls getting paid for this?� I ask two of the youngest and prettiest women in the audience. �Umm, I don�t know,� one responds. �Ask him?� the other says with a girly question-mark lilt, then points toward a dark and slender male.
�Him� turns out to be Scottie Lazarus, owner of Scottie�s Bodies, a casting agency. �Yes, they are talent,� admits Lazarus, who also casts music videos and commercials. �We try to keep it kinda quiet.� Lazarus looks around the crowded theater. Jack Nicholson, Meg Ryan and Sean Penn are in the audience, but 50 of the best-looking �fans,� mostly female, are his. He�s paid each of them $100 to attend the four-hour event, and attracted them by putting out a call for �Great Looking Sexy Fun Party People,� ages 18 to 25, on online job boards, including HollywoodOS.com.
�Is this a common thing?� I ask. �Do other rockers hire talent to fill the audience?�
�A lot of these guys do,� Lazarus says. �They want to believe they can still attract girls like Britney Spears.�
Lazarus explains that the event director was worried about the look of the audience since it was full of radio contest winners, who often turn out to be fans in their 40s. The show was being filmed for the ABC special called Being Mick, and, as Lazarus says, �They wanted good-looking people.�
�Is Jagger aware of it?� I ask.
�Mick was afraid people would know they were talent.�
Lazarus says he got into the fan-casting business when a Baywatch producer approached him as his girlfriend was trying on clothes at the Sherman Oaks Galleria. The man told him he would pay his girlfriend $500 to lie around on the beach.
�I said I would talk to her. She came out of the dressing room, and I told her that this guy would pay her $250 to be on Baywatch. It started then.�
�Did you tell her he offered $500?� I ask.
�Eventually,� he laughs.
Over in the VIP section, two very young-looking women in midriff- and butt-cleavage-baring jeans stand on top of their chairs, swaying to the beat. Two men seated among them egg them on. As if on cue, Jagger looks toward the group and winks. The girls respond by screaming and clapping.
�Do your hired fans even know who Mick Jagger is?� I ask.
�Not all of them,� Lazarus says.
As Jagger�s brief performance progresses, Meyer and her friend attempt to rub Jagger�s leg as he sashays by. �We love you, Mick,� she and Leather Boy shout as the diminutive rocker shakes them off.
�Of course, I know who he is,� Meyer says indignantly when I put the �Who�s Mick?� question to her after the show. �I�m from Kansas. Classic rock is what makes the country work.�
�Do you play a groupie often?� I ask.
�All the time,� she says, smiling to reveal her tongue pierce. �I played a groupie on Mick�s latest video.� She�s also been a body double for both Pink and Gwen Stefani, the lead girl �Shelby� on a Staind video, and made a raft of paid party appearances.
�It is a matter of looking fabulous,� the wannabe rock & roll singer says. And the job has its perks, including occasional dates with rock icons.
�Have you ever been asked to do the groupie thing?� I ask.
�No, it�s not like that,� she says. �Everyone is very professional.�
For this gig, Scotties Bodies asked her to dress like she was going to a Rolling Stones concert. Meyer obliged by wearing a black off-the-shoulder shirt and black leather pants.
�I am honored to be here,� she says.
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| Cardinal Ximinez |
Am I the only one who is outraged by this?
I'd have liked to seen some face try to tell me to move back from the stage because I wasn't pretty enough. They wouldn't have been pretty enough either after I got done with them.
But their dentist and plastic surgeon would have loved the hell out of me.
[Edited by Cardinal Ximinez] |
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| Gazza |
>Am I the only one who is outraged by this?
Probably because as we're more handsome than you are,we wouldnt have that problem......! |
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| lisanne |
It pisses me off that they actually thought they had to pay
for attractive fans. Even though I'm 34, I still consider myself to be pretty hot. And I would've of paid them $100 to be able to have seen my favorite rock star perform solo.
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| The Eggman |
Once we agreed Cardinal, Hired Fans?...yah right, especially for Mick |
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| wfts |
sad,sad,sad,
but alas it was a business decision no doubt |
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| Maxlugar |
This is so lame.
But I don't blame Mick. Do you really think we would turn down a chance to see some ass clevage no matte how it was arranged?
No.
I think I should have shown up in my sexy long john's with the poopy flap in back that I was wearing in the picture I sent you last night Ximy.
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| nankerphelge |
I don't find it anything other than not surprising. C'mon -- "rock & roll" at this level is all entertainment/hollywood/glitz and you'd fully expect rent a slut to cash in. Hell if I was yound and good lookin' I'd be right there in an instant.
But at the same time, I agree wholeheartedly with the good Cardinal -- like the guy in DC that asked me to sit down as the concert opened because his slam piece couldn't see -- no fucking way you're getting my ass out the way!
One of my favorite things in the world is to let some "look at me ain't I perfect" bimbette know that I have crack lint that I'd rather eat than her!
Anyhow -- the key in my mind is how many of these types do I know who I can steal tickets from next year! |
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| ~AzQb |
Nanker!!!
Angrily agreeing-- it happens ALL the time, believe me ; )
It's not rightly fair, but what in life reallly is of a truth? I mean, that model Karen Mulder just "quit" modelling because she claims she was repeatedly raped from her youth.
So what's fair? Pretty faces: a dime a dozen. Everyone's got a bit of baggage dragging their arses down. Even the so-called "beautiful people".
Just ask Mick ; ) |
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| Cardinal Ximinez |
Beautiful people and their baggage isn't the point Queenie. Neither is if this is "fair" or not. The point is that Mick Jagger's people PAID young, good looking faces to PRETEND to like him. And Mick obviously KNEW and CONDONED this act. Since WHEN has Mick friggin' Jagger had to pay ANYONE to like him. It's friggin' DISGUSTING!
No, Bob Dylan said it right....Things Have Changed. |
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| ~AzQb |
Ahhh, Cadinal {insert JFK accent here} it happens ALL the fucking time. You'd be surprised, my friend. Mick or no, this is "solo" & he felt he had to do it.
No big.
At least he's taking his ginseng ; ) |
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| Maxlugar |
Ya know, I was watching some of the real old stuff last Friday Night and I couldn't help but winder if Andrew did the same thing getting all those girls to run up on stage and "attack" the boys.
Maxy is getting cynical.
Tell me I'm wrong.
I wouldn't put it past him. He's the type to create a buzz. Why were there no chicks rushing the stage and attacking the Beatles back then?
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| Cardinal Ximinez |
No. Andrew didn't do that. That was the fashion at the time. The Beatles got bum rushed all the time, everywhere they went. When the Beatles were still touring they were virtual prisoners in their suites. But around 1967 the climate changed a bit, and people started going to concerts to actually LISTEN to the music. PA systems started to get to the point where you could play to a large crowd and actually be heard.
Hope that makes you feel a bit better Maxy, my plump, trap door long johns wearing, C10 pal.
My Queen,
I don't really care if it happens all the time or not....with OTHER "artists". I don't like it when a Rolling friggin' Stone is involved in such disgusting tactics. You know what I mean? Paying people to PRETEND to like you? I mean, come on, if I did that, you'd never speak to me again!
There are hundreds of thousands of people who LOVE Mick. Why does he feel that he has to PAY young faces to PRETEND to like him, when there are thousands of decent folks who genuinely LOVE the guy. Don't you think genuine enthusiasm would show up on camera much better than fake enthusiasm for pay, pretty faces or not. It's fucking SICK. You gotta understand here Queen, Mick is the best frontman ever in my book, I fucking worship at his feet. And then he does something like THIS. I'd have rather he punch me in the face or something. Or look at it like this, imagine what you would feel like if Keith did something like this. You'd have a royal fit. I'd be able to hear you screaming from the piney woods where I live! Now you and I both know that Keith would never do such a thing....but I didn't think Mick would stoop this low either. |
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| ~AzQb |
Ximmie!!!!
I simply could NOT agree with you more! And just for yer tremendous insight, i shall never speak to Mick again ; )
(disclaimer: not really true-- prolly in August if the timing's right ; )
I love you, Cadinal. I reallly&truly do. Hope you&yours {esp. the lad!} are all doing well and feeling well and have a superior Christmas&New Years' {but we'll "talk" before then, i do hope.}
~A |
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| Maxlugar |
I meant on stage, sorry.
I've never seen footage of the Beatles getting attacked onstage.
Maxy Von Trap Door Poopy flap |
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| Gazza |
The Beatles got the shit kicked out of them in '66 in the Philippines when they unintentionally "snubbed" the Marcos family - they werent attacked by the fans at their concerts,more so by local security and other heavies as they left their hotel en route to the airport, barely escaping with their lives.
This was just before their final US Tour when they got the death threats over john's "Bigger than Jesus" remark....by then the madness surrounding their concert tours was clearly getting to them. When they got back from the Philippines,George was asked what the bands future plans were and replied :
" we're going to have a couple of weeks to recuperate before we go and get beaten up by the Americans" |
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| Maxlugar |
I'm sure they did.
But my point remains the Stones were attacked onstage by ADORING fans. Is it not possible this was an Andrew cooked up sceme similar to planting hot chicks in the front row? |
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| Gazza |
The Stones got attacked by angry "fans" too....the Blackpool riot in July 64 being one memorable one! |
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| MarthaMyDear |
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............. Not everyone surrounding the stage were hired models... Maybe the "first row" (the people against the stage), but I was standing the third person back in the middle-right facing the stage and Rita Wilde and Kelli Gates of KLOS who got me in (through Ken, who I went with, who won the chance to go on KLOS) were right in front of me... I am 37 and, sorry, but I know I'm not bad-looking... Some of those models did NOT look that great and I have friends who are big Stones fans who would have more than likely PAID BIG MONEY TO GO who are good-looking... I'm just GRATEFUL I got to go, but I really don't think they needed to hire people to go!!! JEZE!!!!!!!!!! That's not fair to the REAL fans who want to stand in the front, IMHO!!!
*** Martha *** |
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| Cardinal Ximinez |
Yeah Marthababe, you understand. There are THOUSANDS of good looking, true fans out there who actually LOVE Mick and don't have to PRETEND to love him. Those front row faces SHOULD have been you, and all the other lookers that love the guy.
A pretty young face is no substitute for genuine enthusiasm!
I happy you got to see the gig. I'll bet you had to change your panties when you got home. LOL! |
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| MarthaMyDear |
Uh, Ximy... Don't hold anything back!!! HE!!! HE!!! lol...................... :P  Oops... Fell off the wagon... I just don't know what to think about that whole "paid to ogle"-thing (?!?!?!)... I think what I meant to say was that there were some of us "non-model fans" in the front, also... There's this punk rock girl standing against the stage, so it wasn't all models up there, etc.... I just had a look of (and felt like) "deer in the headlights" all evening... lol........................ :P Thank you for being happy for me!!! I still can't believe I got into that show!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P That's all anyone says when I tell them I went... lol..................... :P I think it was probably, like, everyone's mission here in L.A. to go... lol.................. :P And, yes, I almost passed-out when I saw HIS MAJESTY, OH GREAT GORGEOUSNESS in front of me... lol................. :P Still in shock... lol.............. :P Must calm down... Take care and rock on with your silly and bad-ass self!!! ;D
*** Martha *** |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
Hay Martha my dear, Do you appear on the El Rey video? I can make magic with digital video processors and find you there, then make a digital stand still and process it, please let me know if the portion of the audience you were is on the video (even if you don't see you there) I have two different sources so just let me know around what time of the video are portions of the public with you.
There are a lot of good loking fans there! |
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| MarthaMyDear |
OK.!!! Thank you, Gerardo, and I'm going to email you about that in the next few days (I have to do alot of things through this weekend but I'll email you before the end of the week)!!! The funny thing is is that I did NOT want to be in that video, or whatever I thought they were shooting at the time (?!?!?!), because I did not dress-up at ALL (I only found-out a couple of hours before we were supposed to be there that I'd be getting in and by that time, I was so "jacked-up" and shocked that I was going, I just looked how I look shopping or whatnot!!! lol.................... :P And, I needed a haircut and was bloated from PMS... Still want to see??? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P lol...................... :P But, I HAVE analyzed the video now, along with Being Mick (lol.................... :P ) and I am not shown at ALL in it and now I'm mad... LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P I'm, like... HEY!!! lol...................... :P As you're watching the video and you see where Mick is looking from center-stage out to the audience and the camera is behind him and to the right... You see the middle-part of the walkway he walks down and I remember being the third person back just to the right of that middle-part of the stage and I am wearing my blue Dickies overalls (Lord, have mercy on that choice, but WHATEVER!!! lol....................... :P ) and, oh, I'll just email you and I'll let you know after I've looked more at the video, but I think they just kept cutting me off!!! lol............................ :P WHATEVER!!! lol....................... :P Anyways, my friend, just don't post it if you find it without the consultation first, kapeesh??? lol.................. :P I know I looked like hell that night, but I have partaken in the experience of hair redesign since, so fuck it... lol................... :P Ok.... I'm going to sleep... lol................. :P I'll talk to you soon!!!
*** Martha *** |
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