Poor old Tana Munblowsky. Back in 2003 when she met this guy in a thrift store (we Brits call them charity shops) and she helped him put together some clothes for his new band to wear on stage, little did she know that he would become pretty famous and that one day in the future some of his fans would be posting horrible messages about her all over the internet.
The guy was Brandon Flowers, the singer with the Killers and they married on a beach in Hawaii in 2005. They have two young boys - one just nine weeks old - and she is at home with them in Las Vegas, whilst the Killers do a world tour which sees them away from home for months on end.
Now Tana must have got a wee bit fed up with all the female (and male - Brandon has quite an androgynous image) attention foisted on to her husband. I looked at the website recently that I read she runs for him and there was just a big picture of her on it (it has now got more photos on it including the worst ever picture of Brandon in a gold suit, but even so it is not a very professional site). Likewise a messageboard-style online chat between the two of them from a few years ago, and which reads as totally genuine imo, has now entered the public domain. Can you blame her though for trying to show his fans how much he loves her- with some mad followers setting up sites like this one (just read some of the comments on it!). If you look at any of the Youtube vids of the band there are always female fans raving about how Brandon looks and how much they dislike his wife. I can't imagine what this must feel like for her - knowing he is so far away and in paranoid moments wondering what he is up to. There have been no kiss n' tell stories yet though and by all accounts the security men are instructed to keep all fans from getting too close.
Imagine being married to someone that other women (and men) are lusting after all the time. I wouldn't be able to cope and would feel anxious and worried every moment they were out of my sight. Also what about the 'old days' when popular group members who were married were encouraged to keep it a secret from fans? How horrible that must have been for old wifey.
Poor Tana - I just like your husband's songs and his amazing voice - honestly, although he does look loads better without the moustache.
24 comments:
We humans really do have ownership issues don't we? It's bizarre how fans can get so stuck on a fantasy of a real person and then not only feel they own something of the real person but that person actually owes them a little something too. I agree with you. Poor wifey! It must be a very hard thing for a relationship to survive.
Ah, fame and fortune, ain't it grand.
Makes me wonder why people want fame and fortune and all the pressures that go with it.
I think fame must be dreadful, especially if it is built around an image which an never be the real you.
No wonder so many in the public eye crack up.
Riches yes; fame no thanks.
On a different subject - relating to your comment on my blog - there are few writers who write well about their writing.
Perhaps a little surprisingly one is Stephen King whose book ON WRITING is very good - it is part tool kit, part biography and part a reflection on the craft of writing. It reads more like a novel than a manual.
Mark
Nothing to do with the post, but have you seen that the Chiracs are giving away their bichon...according to the story, it has become aggressive now that it lacks the amenities of the gardens of the Elysee and has bitten Chirac!
OMG!! sorry just felt the need to be yoof full and say OMG!! 4 no reason. Text me!! Text me!! (another cry for help).
I have no sympathy for fatuous celebs. It must be 'like totally surreal' to live such an existance and only the strongest or rarest of relationship borne of such circumstances survive and good luck to them. To have the image of androgeny can't be helpful; again that must depend on the strength of the individual. Bowie is a good example.
Great story FF, never knew he met his wife in a thrift store.
It must be very difficult to be the wife/husband of someone famous, or infamous, though think the worst has to be Mick Jagger, for a start how could anyone touch that thing with a barge pole, never mind live with him.
Human came on the radio yesterday FF, and it made me think of you straight away, loving Sawdust.
I must go and check Brandon's voice, FF. I'm now intrigued! Talking about VOICE, Barbra Streisand's new album has arrived! And it's sublime! Does one really have to be gay to like and love Barbra???
That is a wonderfully ghastly pic of Brandon on the site,isn't it enough to put you off him Frenchie?
Being famous isn't all it is cracked up to be. There is a down side to everything. With a young baby and husband away, she probably doesn't have time to be looking at these websites.
If I ever had any dizzy female (or male) fans in my youth I was to daft to notice them for what they were. Now I sympathize with the fellow who used to have fans, and doesn't anymore. Being the spouse of, though, is always a load of rocks, except that at one level, you won first prize.
Steve - I suppose meeting someone when you are both 'small town people' and then one of you makes the big time is always going to be difficult. According to reports they live very ordinary lives - when he is not being a rock star.
Bill - I'd rather have beauty and brains than fame and fortune.
Ladyfi - I suppose if one has a burning desire to succeed at something - and you are good at it - then fame will just happen - with a lot of luck and endless touring :)
Mark - hurrah for riches, yep, got to agree with that but - like most sensible people - I would detest being famous and being bothered by people everywhere I went.
As for the craft of writing - I've just read my second John Irving book (well, I've almost finished 'Owen Meany' - and I'm still marvelling at the craft thus displayed.
flyintheweb - boo to the Chiracs. Just walk the dog for goodness sakes. I hate people who dump dogs that could - with a bit of time and effort - easily be re-programmed.
Phil - I don't really think the picture does Brandon Flowers any favours but I wanted to find one of them together and this was the first one. He has less of the guy liner and manscara these days - aw, he's just messin'
Ann - follow the link to their messages to each other - it was around the time of Glastonbury 2007 before the first Ammon was born. Very interesting.
ASD - I think you would hate the music of the Killers. Don't listen, my friend -it is so not you.
Re Barbra - I thought of you whilst watching her interview with Jonathan Ross on Friday night. He did a much better job than I thought he would.
Lulu - nope, I'm not one to have 'rock star crushes' and the photo in the post here is not good - but there is something very sweet and boyish about him, gotta say it Lu - but I'll deny it if quoted.
cheshire wife - she has two babies now - and probably is even more worried about her touring hubbie. Poor Tana.
Larry - to see petitions online calling for your divorce must be rotten. I do not know how i would handle it. She has said when the boys are older she wants to go touring with the band - don't blame her in the least.
p.s. to Ann - hark at me with *before the first Ammon *. I was going to put 'first baby' and then changed it. I really must read my comments before posting them.
I was married to a man who was rather androgynous. He got offered drinks in restaurants by other men all of the time. I never even got a whistle. Needless to say, things didn't last.
Don't know The Killers FF, but as Sir P has just cleaned the bathropom with the over cleaner I'm all for doing a bit of killing myself,
GG
Obsession makes people scary. As do gold suits. That's a terrible website!
Dedene - I remember working in a theatre and telling my then boss about someone I admired who was working backstage. His reply was 'don't waste your time my dear; I've had him by the follow-spot
NWBD - bugger, damn and blast - and I bet you said much worse than that
Lane - yep, terrible gold suit and terrible web site - but I love the sort of indie rock music the band do -so Brandon is forgiven
I agree that it would be really really difficult to deal with!! Different if you have chosen to be in the spotlight but if you've had it thrust upon you...well, that would be hard and I guess that you can't help who you fall in love with!!
I wouldn't mind the money but I wouldn't want to be away from my family for so long and I would absolutely hate to have everything I said and did reported on!! Na...fame is not for me!!
C x
Carol - I so agree - imagine being papped when out doing local stuff - and seeing headlines about one's face or bod - I'd become a recluse I think.
I must be getting too far out of it in terms of celebs. I have absolutely no idea of who those people are.
A thrift store, I hadn't heard that expression - are most of your fellow bloggers American? It's not all bad for Tana, she should consider herself lucky having what other women may only dream of. I suppose I would feel a little insecure if I were her though.
Mr WO - I'm not very in touch with most indie music of today but about 18 months ago I caught a snippet of the Killers song 'Human' and I was hooked. I bought the CD and then went and bought the two previous ones. I think they are wonderful - sort of Pet Shop Boys crossed with Springsteen - and in fact Brandon Flowers (in the photo) has appeared on stage with both those illustrious names
Carrie - why I used 'thrift store' is in homage to one of the Killers songs (lyrics by Brandon) in which he talks about meeting someone in a thrift store. I thought any Killers fans (which none of you barring Ann seem to be - perhaps Steve is) - would get the connection to the song.
I'm not obessed with brandon but I do think he could do a lot better. but I suppose if they both love each other thats all that matters =]
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