How to Meet & Make Michael Jackson Fan Friends
For a while now I have been talking about how much my MJ fan friends mean to me. We have a
special bond
because
we are so closely connected to Michael
that the way we connect to each other is
THROUGH his music, his love, and his overall message.
Here are some of my personal tips and recommendations for finding and making lifelong friends within the Michael Jackson community.
(MJFanGirl with some of the THIS IS IT background dancers.)
1. Find Fans!
In my years of making Michael Jackson fan friends, I have found that the most surefire way to find like-minded individuals has been on online Michael Jackson fanclubs and forums. Some of my favorites back in the day were MJJForum (now
), the Michael Jackson chatroom on America Online, and believe it or not- just using yahoo.com to do random searches for Michael's lyrics and upcoming events, which would lead me to lots of those homemade Angelfire and AOL Hometown fan sites. Those were the ways that worked the best for me in finding other Michael Jackson fans in my age group.
Now there are so many more options! With the introduction of social media, one can use Facebook, Twitter, fan forums, and even Instagram as tools to help connect with other Michael Jackson fans. I would recommend singing up for one of my favorite forums -
and creating a Twitter account. MJJCommunity is not as active as it used to be pre-June 2009 but, there are many threads (hundreds of them) and thousands in the archives, that will expose you to some of the pointed and intricate conversations that other MJ fans are having. If you are a
lover, there are several groups for MJ fans that you can find by doing a simple search of MJ Fans, Dangerous Album, Michael Jackson Fans, or even Michael Jackson's smile. By writing on the wall or just reading what others are talking about, you can choose to participate in some really great and fun convos. Lastly, Twitter is helpful because it literally provides minute to minute updates on what is going on in the Michael Jackson community and if you're more into the gossip/scandal/latest happenings type of convo- this is definitely for you. I tend to stay away from the drama on Twitter but, find it to be easy to make friends because other fans are always talking about what songs they are playing, what Michael-related Youtube videos they are watching etc. (Psst-
)
2. Share Your Favorites.
A guaranteed way to make friends in the Michael Jackson fan community is to share your favorites! If you have landed upon this article because you were looking for a way to make friends in the fan world, you already have an idea that there's a huge difference between the general fan and the big Michael Jackson fan. If you are looking for those who have an understanding of Michael's music outside of "Billie Jean" and "Black or White", you need to open up and share what your favorite's are! One of my best friends today is a woman who knows and loves almost every song I love--- she is like my MJ fan twin!
I usually start off by saying
"What's your favorite song?"
. Michael fans usually can never choose just one- so that opens up conversation for a lot! You could also talk about your favorite Michael moments, maybe your favorite fan forum to visit, or even discuss how you became a Michael Jackson fan in the first place.
I started off as a fan of the Jackson Five, so when I first got the chance to interact with other fans, I really craved getting to know those who loved Michael's music from the Motown era and when he was a part of a group as well. I remember the first time I spoke to someone who shared my love for the song
". She was a fan from Australia who I'd met online back when I was in high school, and we went on to have many phone and chat messenger conversations. It was just this really cool friendship that we developed and as many MJ fan relationships, we are on and off friends. Our friendship is always there but it sort of moves in waves- despite this, I always love speaking with her when I get a chance and always remember how good of friends we were after sharing our favorite songs with each other.
3. Start a Conversation - a non-Michael related one!
One of the important things to realize about having Michael Jackson fan friends is knowing that you usually will have much more in common that just being a Michael Jackson fan. Many of the people that become fans of Michael Jackson actually have a LOT in common. Start a conversation!
Don't be afraid to deviate away from the topic of the King of Pop around Michael Jackson fans. I find that many fans (like myself) have sort of obsessive personalities and have at LEAST one or two more things that make us tick. I have many other interests and I am always so amazed at how versatile and interesting other fans are. Whether you are talking about others in the Jackson family or your favorite television show or places you've traveled to... or even your favorite class in school- Try it!
4. Choose wisely.
I will be the first to admit that there are a LOT of different people in the Michael Jackson fan community.
Like any other situation where you are looking to make friends, I urge you to take it slowly and be observant before you jump head-first into a friendship. I've made dozens of friends throughout the years in the Michael Jackson community and I am happy to say that I am still friends with the majority of them.
However, just because someone is an MJ fan, doesn't mean that you have to be friends, that you will get along, or that you'll even have much in common besides loving Michael.
I tend to gravitate towards people who not only love solo Michael but also appreciate the Jackson 5/Jacksons eras, those who are climbing the career ladder (like myself!) and also those who are laid-back, like to shop, and are open-minded people. Not everyone in the
#MJFam
is like this... but I don't sweat it! There are always plenty fan-fish in the sea ... :-).
6. Don't sweat the small stuff.
"But they told me... a man should be faithful and walk when not able and fight til the end but I'm only human..." The last and perhaps, most important point is--- remember, we are all human. We all make mistakes, have quirks and slip-ups. We all have things about us that make us unique and depending on the day and time-- can make us annoying! Don't sweat the small stuff!
(Me on the far right at my very first fan event-- making a banner of support for the trial in 2005!)
Remember, most Michael Jackson fans have not have experiences with best friends. I have found that many of us find the best friends we will ever have in other fans. It's taken me a lot of learning and years of trial and error to figure out how I can be the best and most supportive friend. It takes time!
PS:
Don't argue about Michael!
Michael Jackson is the reason why you became friends in the first place-- why argue about whether he looked better in Wayfarers or Aviators, or gold pants, or whatever. Relax, chill, enjoy :) .
Well everyone, those are my tips for making friends in the Michael Jackson fan community.
Please feel free to share your tips with me and let me know what you think!