Aside from the kooky sociological and psychological implications of this and other pop culture phenomenons and their influence and why this lady was following them around like a groupie, I see some responsibility with the convention center when it “…the convention center staff was about to switch the line, so the beginning became the end.”

In this day and age where people are trampled to death at Walmart Christmas sales, etc., an entity like a convention center that specifically deals with crowds seems grossly negligent in their actions – they could have issued numbers or something to fans in line.

DS_ROCKS! on July 15, 2012 at 2:21 pm

Sorry, I don’t see a twenty plus person going to see celebrities, although I do admit to going to a lecture by David McCollough and standing in line to get him to autograph one of his books (Johnston Flood, Truman, Adams, 1776, etc). His history lectures do make me swoon and giggle like a school girl, even though I am not gay. (Just kidding about giggling like a school girl, although his lectures and books are incredible). Somehow, I doubt Ms. Gagliardi would have felt that way about a historian and author of such weighty subjects.

Jonathan E. Grant on July 15, 2012 at 2:39 pm

Sadly, you see this kind of thing all the time nowadays. “Adults” in their 30s and even 40s who are into video games, comic books, action figures, and this tripe. Where I live, I occasionally see this black compact car driving around. It is COVERED with “Twilight” decals. I usually try to get a good look at the driver. She’s at least 40!

S: I don’t think there’s a problem with adults in their 30s and 40s being into video games and comic books. Many people have hobbies, and those are just hobbies. It’s when they go beyond hobbies, and people camp out for days and risk their lives for the hobbies that it becomes a problem. And when the hobby involves male teens and 20-somethings and material meant for teen girls and young adults, as with the “Twilight” stuff, there’s something sick and weird about it. DS

Statusmonkey on July 15, 2012 at 2:50 pm

Darwinism?

Jonathan E. Grant on July 15, 2012 at 3:58 pm

This country is obsessed by the occult in general. Lucifer reigns in the USA.

Tempus_Fugit on July 15, 2012 at 5:20 pm

Wow. I don’t get people like this. It seems like an amalgamation of many things (where people who are “mainstream” most of their lives, are bored and wanna breakout, wanna be part of something BIG and just have fun) but to me it’s just stupid and sad.

Yuck. Getting all gaga over a Brit who is not very manly and lets his dour and sour girlfriend (that sourpuss Kristen Stewart) treat him like a POS. Let’s hear it for feminism! It makes even non-feminist girls feel they are powerful because they treat their men like sh**. That alone proves women are no better than men and should NOT be given the wheel to stir the ship proper.

You know America is sick, sick, sick when “Fifty Shades of Grey” is the “book everyone is talking about” (I saw that on display at the BU Bookstore Mall yesterday). Some people who were abused as children may not think that a “S&M” relationship is soooooo sexy. It’s not. It’s perverted and unhealthy and disgusting. C’mon dopes. This is America. There are some real bona fide sexy stuff you can do with your husband that does not demean you and make you feel like a loser. And those should be kept private, too.

I have never been shocked by how certain Americans can try to convince themselves that certain things are cool and edgy when they are sick, sad, stupid and perverted. Sometimes I don’t get Americans…but I have always been like that.

And older ladies…there are ways to have fun that does NOT compromise your dignity. Getting gaga over fey and angry Hollywood brats that laugh at you behind your back is not one of them.

I do feel for this woman’s family. It’s the mentality I find ponderous and embarrassing. Things have gone haywire in USA. I hope we find our way back soon.

Skunky on July 15, 2012 at 6:20 pm

While I’m sorry she died, her manic activity reminds me of the manic attitudes and actions of many of those who voted for Obama in 2008, and the messianic expectations they had of him. He was elevated to the status of a demigod, someone otherworldly, just like this poor woman elevated this group “Twilight”, which, fortunately, I have not heard of until now.

Little Al on July 15, 2012 at 6:52 pm

“It’s such a sad loss for our community,” said 23-year-old Melissa Sandate of Tucson, who is a fellow fan of the teen vampire saga.”

What community is that? Persons obsessed with Twilight, etc?

Can a common interest such as wanting to have sex with a star create a real community? Or just a group of people with the same unlikely goal?

I live in a community. It’s a town where people have known each other for decades. I’m tired of the word community being slapped on every group that desires to be taken seriously. The first time I laughed about this sad joke was when I read about Philadelphia’s “leather community.” This wasn’t made up of craftspersons tooling leather belts and sandals, let me tell you.

Disgusted on July 15, 2012 at 7:16 pm

There’s no coming back from gettin’ hit by a car. Should’ve held out for even a fake vampire try.

P. Aaron on July 15, 2012 at 8:23 pm

My wife is absolutely apeshit for the Twilight thing too, but not to this degree. Sorry…I don’t get it.

Rectum J. McSmelly on July 15, 2012 at 9:14 pm

I too see the term ‘community’ bandied about too loosely, and usually to imply that such people are a majority, when in fact, they are an asterisk. Whether it’s people who are into organic food, piracy of movies or music or software…

Can’t these stars arrange to be in online live interviews or town halls or something like it, instead of getting their fans to physically see them live at a venue? If teleconferencing is good enough for office goers, why not for this bunch?

Infidel on July 16, 2012 at 5:15 am

Great article, Debbie! Very sad.

Dave on July 16, 2012 at 1:24 pm

I’m wondering, if they use this one, how they’ll closeout the presentation of this on the show ‘A Thousand Ways To Die’.

Airmet Tango on July 16, 2012 at 7:46 pm

Shalom, brickwood. Neither. I am a Diaspora born Jew who immigrated to Israel 24 years ago. Went back to the “old country” for a spell and came back a few years ago for good. I’m loving it here. Have definitely found my home and home culture, the more Middle Eastern the better.

Italkit on July 16, 2012 at 10:04 pm

You’re sick, disgusting people who have no life of your own and are pretending to have one by making nasty little blogs and comments online. It bothers you that someone died doing what THEY loved–not what YOU love to do, being different from you. Why does it bother you? Why do you think every one should live a boring insipid worthless little life like you have? You’re such a laughable bunch of pathetic, lifeless, bitter old harpies.

Anx on July 20, 2012 at 9:59 pm

I knew Gisela Gagliardi for many, many years and I am heartbroken by her death. Yes, she had a family. She had a large family, co-workers, and friends who loved her very much. She lovingly cared for her Alzheimers-afflicted mother for over ten years. She had no husband or children of her own, but she loved all of her nieces and nephews and her friend’s children almost as if they were her own. She generously remembered all of their birthdays and holidays. She was a fun, generous, caring, wise person. She just happened to love the Twilight series a lot. Maybe it provided an escape from the sadness of her mother’s passing. Who cares why she loved it. What a terrible way to speak about a beautiful person who you did not know at all. Shame on you.

Family Friend on August 18, 2012 at 4:58 pm

And I just want to add — YOU are the disgusting person here, Debbie Schlussel. A little bit of professional recognition and your own silly blog does not render you the judge of other women and the choices that they make. Maybe when you die, you will be judged as harshly as you have judged our Gisela here. Shame.

Family Friend on August 18, 2012 at 5:04 pm

I never knew this lady but you folks who speak negatively of a starstruck woman – and a deceased one, no less – are horrifyingly cruel.
Really?! Someone who deeply enjoyed meeting young celebrities, no matter what her age, is a *pedophile*?? I have a 50yo acquaintance who has a “crush” on David Cook, and she is in an adult relationship with exclusively adult friends. We do not find her crush as sexual; she has a crush on him simply because he is talented and she enjoys his music very much. I am a middle-aged female and was super-excited to meet a female singer I’d admired for years – found myself shaking! This makes me gay?? Not even close. Incredible talent can make anyone attractive, especially if he/she is very popular among the masses. This is called human nature. So get your disgusting, apparently sexually uptight minds out of the gutter and get a life.

Elle on June 9, 2013 at 4:46 pm