GSRBRITFAN Posted on 08:25, Apr 8th 2010

'The Internet keeps you from dealing with people, actually. There’s people with 7,000 Facebook friends. What does that mean? It means you don’t have any friends, to me. I want to be in the room. Same thing with the theatre. I’d rather be in the room than be on tape'

I find this opinion on the subject a little narrow minded, and slightly offensive personally. Not everyone has the freedom, nor the privilege to be able to deal with interaction with 'friends' & people face to face on a daily basis because of their circumstances in life, myself being a 24/7 carer of my autistic son.

'It means you don’t have any friends, to me' Well i guess he's old school still then, because social networking is new school, but it is also a very good medium for keeping in contact and touching base with friends & family who travel, live overseas or are just generally hard to keep up to date with, personally i have over 40 close family members on my friends list, who i have spoken to all over the world Via sites such as Facebook, not that i have 7,000 'friends'or anywhere near it but still.

I have also met some wonderful friends via FB, learned about their countries, culture & history etc, and to me i call this cyber travel, which again, not everyone has the opportunity, finances or freedom to do so.

On the whole i did enjoy the rest of this article, thanks for sharing it with us.

JODI ZIOLKOWSKI Posted on 09:26, Apr 8th 2010

I also don't agree that just because you might have 7000 friends on Facebook you don't have a life or you don't have friends. I've finally managed to get in touch with people I graduated with 30 years ago because of said internet/Facebook. Love the play and I love the fact that Billy is comfortable coming back to Chicago. The Star thing...people identify with a character for years...and that's what makes a show famous..a star famous is because we Love the Character they bring into our lives. Nope, we're not all leading a priviledged life and he has worked his butt off for what he has....I wish him years and years of continued success and much happiness with his lovely wife Gina.

NEELLOC12 Posted on 12:21, Apr 8th 2010

I didn't find Billy's opinion on the internet offensive at all. I would rather see all my friends in person but thats just not the case, like a close friend I have in England I can't go hang out with her whenever I want so we have to settle for the internet to interact. I think what Billy is saying that you got people who are living on the internet, talking to all these people(and I believe he was purposely exagerating the 7,000 people to use as an example) instead of getting out and about and interacting with people when they're perfectly capable of doing so and have no good excuse to stay indoors. Billy's also just giving his opinion and saying he'd rather be out and about, interacting with people. What's wrong with that?

GSRBRITFAN Posted on 13:07, Apr 8th 2010

'Billy's also just giving his opinion and saying he'd rather be out and about, interacting with people. What's wrong with that?'

Nothing, which is why i commented and shared my own opinion, which i'm also entitled too.

A. Posted on 13:35, Apr 8th 2010

i think that if you have 7,000 friends on FB, it means you either stay on FB all day, have many acquaintances but no *real* friends, or you try to prove to yourself and everybody around that you *do* have friends and having a large number is what you focus on. imo it's impossible to have 7,000 and remember them all (i have 500 and i struggle).

DANIELLE Posted on 18:04, Apr 8th 2010

Offensive to one, insightful to another. I think he was making a good point, because really, if someone has time to accumulate 7,000 friends on FB, chances are they don't spend much time interacting with people face-to-face.

YVETTE Posted on 08:50, Apr 9th 2010

Mr. Petersen needs to realize where and how he got his wealth! He is in living rooms every day as Grissom! It's where his money comes from. There is a huge thriving community on the internet about him (most with very positive comments, btw) and he should be gracious about fans coming to his plays! If he doesn't want fans to support him, then retire, go to some tiny, quiet stage and do his plays. It really is a slap to these fans who save their vacation time and money to fly to Chicago to see him sit on a stage for 70 minutes. He should be ashamed and embarrassed about this article. He certainly has had a sweet priviledged life--most of it coming from CSI which made him rich and famous. He would still be arranging the stage props if not for Hollywood, so show some consideration. This is coming from a 22 year old female fan who has heard all of his 'off-the-cuff' rants on fans I can tolerate. He can't make up his mind if he likes fans or hates fans! While in Paris he was praising CSI and its fans, then says he had to run from them. He can't go out to eat because of fans. Get real, Mr Petersen--wear a hat, wear sunglasses, walk the streets and you might be surprised at how normal people are! And greet the fans with respect. He needs a 'handler' in the worst way...

CASSANDRA GADDO Posted on 10:30, Apr 9th 2010

Hi everyone,

Thanks for reading and commenting! As the author on this article, I wanted to offer my perspective. Regarding his comments on fans, I don't think that Mr. Petersen was, as some have interpreted here and elsewhere, slighting or insulting his fans. Rather, I think he was offering a commentary on the idea of "celebrities" versus "actors." And in fact, his lack of a "handler" during his interview reflects his willingness to engage and communicate with fans without a PR filter which, yes, would most likely result in a more polished quote. During the course of the interview I found Mr. Petersen to be insightful and respectful, and I certainly didn't intend the resulting article to reflect a lack of appreciation on his part toward his fans.

Thanks for sparking this discussion--I encourage you to continue the conversation with each other.
Cassandra Gaddo

GSRBRITFAN Posted on 11:07, Apr 9th 2010

Thanks Miss/Mrs Gaddo for your perspective on this, it is helpful.
slighting or insulting (your words not mine) his fans may not be how the comment was originally intended, but that how it has kind of been interpreted by some & not just by myself, on my FB Profile & also on my CSI fan site quite a few of his fans have commented in the negative about this, and his other past comments about his fans,and his seemingly fickle attitude towards us, and his actor/celebrity status with all that it entails.

As Yvette commented 'He can't make up his mind if he likes fans or hates fans' and i agree. He should be appreciative of his fans still wanting to follow his career, more so now that he is not an actor in the TV show CSI, because lets be honest here, before that how many of us had actually heard of him?

NICOLA Posted on 11:37, Apr 9th 2010

I feel let down by his latest comments about his fans. There seems to be two sides of him, one where he likes his fans and the other where he hates us. Ok I know he gets some very unwelcome, obsessive attention from some fans but he shouldn't class us all in the same way. His comments are alienating his loyal fans who have helped him get to where he is now and he should be more respectful, grateful and considerate of that fact. It seems as though he's lost his head a bit since leaving CSI and needs a good kick up the butt.

I've met some great friends via the internet from being a CSI fan and some have become more than just online friends, we've become very good 'real' friends. Some I've met already met and some I will be meeting up with when we go to Chicago. During our time there we will go to see Endgame but thats not the main reason we're going. We are going on holiday with 'real' friends and intend to enjoy it to the max. Even if we weren't seeing Endgame I'd still go because my friends will be there. Not all of us have the luxury to be able to visit and spend time with our friends, especially the ones who live in another country. Mr Petersen really should think before he speaks, unless its his intention to upset fans.

REGINA Posted on 12:54, Apr 9th 2010

Well, I'm a fan who travelled to Providence to see his play--3 times in 2 days. I met him, on the street, outside of the theater and asked if he could come and meet a couple of girls who had come from Europe (I had met them the day before).
He was nothing but gracious. He talked to us, took pictures, gave autographs--all while his family waited for him to join them for lunch between the afternoon and evening performances.
When I read the quote, I was slightly put off but I think he just sees himself as a regular guy who can't quite fathom why people are doing this for HIM. I don't think it was a slam against his fans, just a "I'm just a guy, why would anyone want to see me" type of thing.
It just makes more sense in light of the person I met in Providence that day.

GSRBRITFAN Posted on 13:29, Apr 9th 2010

'he just sees himself as a regular guy who can't quite fathom why people are doing this for HIM. I don't think it was a slam against his fans, just a "I'm just a guy'

He is also supposed to be a positive role model to many impressionable young people, including aspiring actors/actresses who also follow him & his career, so are we to believe that just because he is 'A regular guy, its okay for him to make such off handed comments about his fans the way he does?

I don't doubt that for one minute that he is a nice guy, gracious, respectful, gentleman etc, but i think a little more thought before engaging his mouth to the media in future might be in order.

AMELIA Posted on 14:30, Apr 9th 2010

You know, Mr. Petersen is an old guy--I doubt he's ever been on facebook! Doesn't have a clue what goes on--what he said is a slap in the fans' face and he should not have said it--he's old enough to know better. But its not the first time everyone gives him the "good ole boy" routine because he's William Petersen! I'd make a guess he's been doing it all his life and gets away with it! He needs someone's shoe up his butt and he might remember the next time he shoots off his mouth without thinking about the consequences. I'm with Yvette--tired of his two-faced remarks, depending on where he is and who he is talking to.
BTW-saw the play. Here's the plot: Beckett wrote this when he was trying to divorce his wife back in the mid-1950s. All 4 actors play the role of someone trying to make a decision about leaving a certain level of comfort--Hamm is a mean, selfish, whining old man. That's it in a nutshell!

CASSANDRA GADDO Posted on 14:38, Apr 9th 2010

Hi again everyone,

Feel free to discuss away, but please keep things respectful--no need to discuss who needs to be kicked where. Thanks!

Cassandra Gaddo

DONNA Posted on 15:11, Apr 9th 2010

Wow...what a way to spark a debate. I, for one, did
not take his statements as condescending or a "slap" to anyone. As a contemporary of his, I also don't quite get the appeal of "facebook," "twitter" et al. even though my young adult children love it--we just come from different generations and see things like that quite differently.
As for not appreciating his fans? I truly don't think that's the case. I just think he doesn't "get" his particular appeal. I know people who have met him
many times, and they all report that he's nothing
short of gracious, kind, and patient with fans who line up for pictures and autographs.
And, kudos to you Cassandra--I would have loved to have had the opportunity to sit down and talk to him.
You're a lucky girl ;-)

GSRBRITFAN Posted on 15:18, Apr 9th 2010

But its not the first time everyone gives him the "good ole boy" routine because he's William Petersen - BRAVO! I couldn't have said it better myself, thank you for having the guts to speak honestly!

A. Posted on 15:26, Apr 9th 2010

honestly, if you think he's being disrespectful to his fans here, you are probably not one, or haven't read much of him before. i read/watched enough interviews to know he didn't mean to disrespect anyone but to say he doesn't understand all the fuss around himself, and that after all these years he still feels uncomfortable to be idolized.

so it seems to me some people here who are judging the guy b/c of a seemingly ambiguous comment might be trolling. get a life.

GSRBRITFAN Posted on 15:34, Apr 9th 2010

Just out of pure curiosity, how many of you that have defended WP's comments as acceptable, past & present are not from Europe?

And how many of you, that have been upset by it are from Europe?

Its just that i get the impression/vibe that WP was referring more to his European fans!

A. Posted on 15:37, Apr 9th 2010

i'm from Europe :)

YVETTE Posted on 16:56, Apr 9th 2010

I am not from Europe. I've read every interview Petersen has given in the past 10 years, including Playboy and a few in Europe. I've met him once and he was very gracious; a second time, I watched as he was very 'short' with some older fans, actually refused to give an autograph (and they were nice about asking). I've heard him make a tacky remark about the appearance of 12 year old girls, I've heard him snicker about watching the cheerleaders, I heard his comments on the Chicago morning show last summer that were not very positive about women, I've heard or read several statements like the ones in this interview about his feelings about fans. So these are not isolated remarks--he can't decide if he wants fans or doesn't want fans. From what I've read and heard, it is very seldom that anyone questions what or how he says something--and if it is on the internet, it does not stay up long--someone 'removes' the offending statement. I am surprised, after these comments, TCW has left this paragraph in the interview! And it is interesting to see the different opinions--honestly, I don't think he meant disrespect by it, but it just sounds bad!
And if he doesn't understand Facebook, then why on earth talk about it? I also realize that the majority of his fans think he can do no wrong--this is one fan who has concluded he does and will continue to do so.

NICOLA Posted on 18:22, Apr 9th 2010

Sorry Cassandra, I meant no disrect. My apologies if that's how it came across.
I feel as though his 'European' fans have been singled out and are being discriminated against. I don't know his full reasons for disliking 'Europeans', although I have an idea why, but he shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush.

NICOLA Posted on 18:25, Apr 9th 2010

Sorry that meant to say 'disrespect' lol

ELAINE Posted on 18:40, Apr 9th 2010

Fascinating how one line in an article can spark such a discussion! (But I'll also admit it stuck with me, too.)

For the record: in general, I agree with A's point of view about what it means to have ga-zillions of friends on FB or other social media sites.

That said, I *do* love Facebook and, particularly when I recently moved from the East Coast to the West, it made keeping in contact with near and dear friends manageable and it got me through an otherwise kinda lonely time. :)

I'll bet Petersen wishes he had a bit more "lonely" time. Fans, after all, could make a person wish they weren't famous (or so I imagine).

All depends on your point of reference...

All in all, nice article. Wish him the best.

PATRICIA Posted on 11:26, Apr 10th 2010

I am also from Europe and due to see Endgame in Chicago in a few weeks.Now I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable sitting in the audience with WP on stage after his affending comments about European fans.I am not on facebook, but I do interact with many of my friends on CSI web sites having been a fan of him,the rest of the cast and CSI for the last ten years.. perhaps he should remember it's these fans who have made him the multi millionaire he is today.

LISA Posted on 12:00, Apr 10th 2010

Mr. Petersen didn't say don't use facebook, it's a waste of time or everyone, who is on Facebook, has no friends … just the people with over 7.000 friends. :-) It’s his opinion. Everyone can have an opinion.

I doubt that every one of you has 7000 friends on facebook. Don’t be upset, he didn’t mean you.


And if you have 7000 friends on facebook...get a life :-).
It’s just my opinion.

And about the fan experiences:

I go to theater plays only once, maybe a second time if the plays are brilliant. I maybe would get bored if I have to see plays six or seven times. It has to be a really stunning play.

I think, it would be an honor for me as an actor/actress if people from all over the world attend my play, but six or seven times appear to me a little bit exaggerated. It’s just my opinion again :-).

PATRICIA Posted on 12:14, Apr 10th 2010

No one on this planet would get me to sit in a threatre seven days a week unless they paid me, even then I would probably fall asleep.. Niether am I on a computer 24/7, I have better things to do.. So think again Mr. Petersen, you are not that important, just arrogant..

ELAINE Posted on 12:23, Apr 10th 2010

I'm wondering about my sanity if I'm taking time out to add another comment, but...


I REALLY THINK a bunch of you misread/misunderstood his comments about European fans. I think you took offense unnecessarily. He *did* basically say he was mobbed in Paris (he thought he was a "Beatle" and had to run) -- I wouldn't like that, either. And in a way, it's very self-depricating -- he's saying he FELT LIKE a Beatle, meaning that he knows that *he* perhaps shouldn't be *that* famous.

Chill out a little. It's kinda the height of self-importance to take any comments in any celebrity interview as if they were directed at YOU.

Peace.

LISA Posted on 12:29, Apr 10th 2010

Thanks Elaine, that's what I meant. :-)

GSRBRITFAN Posted on 13:48, Apr 10th 2010

'It's kinda the height of self-importance to take any comments in any celebrity interview as if they were directed at YOU'.

At no time have i thought/presumed the comments were directed at 'Me' that would be far to arrogant an assumption, of which i am not that naive! I was simply voicing my interpretation of some of the comments and adding my own opinion, which has proved to me that in future i don't intend to do again, because i find that 'Freedom of speech' is still a major problem for some people to be able to comprehend or take on board and respect.

Smile, life's too short :)

AMANDA Posted on 14:08, Apr 10th 2010

I agree with NEELLOC12, Danielle, and some of the other folks with similar comments. Unfortunately, I think his comments were taken out of context by some who may be a bit too sensitive. I don't think he was slighting anyone. And, I can see where he is coming from with the "7,000" Facebook friends comment. Same thing with Twitter. I'm a big social media fan, and I use it every day. BUT....I know people who all they do is Tweet and post to FB all day. To me, that says they don't have a job, don't have familial responsibilities, and perhaps aren't as comfortable with interpersonal communications skills as others. Yes, there are folks who for health reasons or what not are not able to get out and about. My grandmother is one. But she calls people, invites friends over, and, yes, even has a FB account. LOL! My point is, I think Mr. Petersen was (a) exaggerating a bit to make a point, and (b) referring to someone who is in a basement somewhere and spends his/her entire day on the Internet.

Lighten up, people. Smile. Call a friend. It's all good. :)

PATRICIA Posted on 07:24, Apr 11th 2010

Finally, I would like to say.. Mr. Petersen didn't do any of his fellow Americans any favours, by making those comments about Europeans.. My sister in law is an American and she was quite affended..

AMANDA Posted on 10:38, Apr 11th 2010

I wish TCW would provide an option (as most other legitimate websites/magazines do) to OPT OUT of being notified whenever someone posts a new comment. Or, is there such an option and I just missed it?

Usually there's either a check box or a link at the bottom of the email notifications to opt out of receiving updates whenever someone posts a new comment. Please let us know how we can do this. I didn't provide my email just to have my inbox cluttered. I thought providing the email was for verification purposes only -- not to get on some mailing list.

Thanks.

CASSANDRA GADDO Posted on 10:21, Apr 12th 2010

Amanda, when you post a comment, make sure to unclick the "notify me when a new comment is posted" box, and you won't receive email notifications. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Cassandra Gaddo

AMANDA Posted on 11:08, Apr 12th 2010

Thanks, Cassandra. I was looking for that, but must have missed it.

JIM Posted on 15:20, Apr 12th 2010

I'm from Europe and I'm disappointed reading Mr Petersen's comments. If he dislikes European fans so much why did he pretty much announce to his fans he was in Paris and London knowing full well some would try to see/meet him? My girlfriend and I have tickets to see Endgame and I must admit its kind of put me off. Does Mr Petersen not realise that comments like these will and have put fans off going to Endgame and will affect the number of people paying good money and filling seats for the plays he is apart of in the future? It sounds to me, as it does to many others, Mr Petersen is being very selfish and arrogant, not only towards fans but towards his fellow actors/actresses and the Steppenwolf Theatre? He should be encouraging people to come to see plays he is performing in rather than putting them off.

And just what does Mr Petersen think of all this? Does he even care he has upset many fans? And not just those from Europe either..

KENDRA Posted on 06:12, Apr 13th 2010

I have read this a few times now. My view is that i think Mr Petersen was discriminating against Europeans. He mentions only European fans, why not say fans come from all around the world to see his plays? Then he recalls his experience in Paris/France (Europe), is this the only place he has been chased or mobbed by fans? He also makes a reference to the Beatles, an English legendary group. Why not a huge American icon, band or star having the same kind of following?
However the circumstances in which he made the comments, this really does come across as if he is being rather choosy about where he wants his fans to originate from, and quite clearly not from Europe.

KIARA Posted on 07:09, Apr 13th 2010

Hello to all,

I think that you all are taking his comments out of context. What he was saying was that people come from far places like Europe to come and see him, and for him he doesn't understand it. You all understand it because he is someone you admire, but he feels that he is a regular guy. If you all really read his interviews in the past he has on several occasions made comments that he really isn't the type of person who bask in their own fame, and if you really knew about Chicago actors, none of them really are. Like Amy Morton said she hated red carpet stuff and interviews. When Billy came back home in the interview with Rick Kogan everyone pretty much said don't come back with the Hollywood attitude that a lot of stars acquire. Billy loves his fans, but that doesn't mean he isn't annoyed by them sometimes. None of you all I'm sure have been in the situation where you have people constantly have people running up to you all asking to flash a camera light in your eyes, or asking to sign your name on a picture, more than once. Or have someone chase you on your way to the bathroom. Or have someone shove a camera in your face and film you unwillingly.

Or have you innocent comments skewed by the very people who claim they love you on some internet website.

From all the meetings I've read about from different fans, and people who talk about him say that he is nothing but nice. But he is human, he shouldn't be expected to be any better because he was on tv.

About the Europe thing, there have been comments that have said that people who come from Europe to see him get the best treatment. They are usually the people who get to meet him and get the most out of it.

I'm from the US, also spent my parents hard earn money to fly from washington DC twice, and still didn't meet him. You guys need to start thinking like adults, or maybe just like a sixteen year old....

Kiara
Age 16

KRISTYH Posted on 09:23, Apr 15th 2010

His fans run the gamut. There are many who have loved him for years because of his early films and then there are some fans who know him only from CSI.

You also have to understand that some of the TV show fans follow him only in connection to another character, which is called shipping. The obvious being Jorja Fox's Sara Sidle and sometimes as I look at the show comment sites, you can tell a few have crossed the lines and believe that he and Fox are or should be a couple in real life. That has to be scary for the actor to encounter and hard to understand because to him, he's just Bill Petersen, Chicago kid who loves stage work.

In fairness it is a very small number of fans who are like this, but all it takes is a run-in with one to make a guy wary.

ANONYMOUS Posted on 14:46, Apr 15th 2010

The following link has been posted on facebook....WP fans must see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlIyuqP2iyo

RHODAG Posted on 14:55, Apr 19th 2010

I do agree about his comments about the Internet and I tend to be guilty about that. I don't have 7000 friends, but I can see what he means. Are you truly friends with 7000 people? I can say that I'm not really truly friends with everyone on my list but add them on because networking purposes. I prefer to be in the same room with my friends as well, but use Facebook and email to stay connected to those live faraway from me.

For his comments about fans, I don't blame him. I don't think it's a lot of fun being chased around, but he acknowledges that's part of the territory of being a successful actor. When I see celebrities out and about, I tend to leave them alone mainly because I'm too shy unless they are signing autographs for people.

Personally, I don't find anything about this interview offensive.

GLENDA Posted on 15:07, Apr 19th 2010

I'll fall on the side of his comments about European fans being tacky and negative, irresponsible without thinking about his words! Why pick on the Europeans? I do remember he announced where he would be when he was in Paris and London--even the name of his hotel--which I thought was odd since he was saying it was a vacation with a little business thrown in. So part of this fan attention, he brought on himself. I've also seen him on the street and NO ONE noticed him! He does not stand out as a "super star", so if fans really bothered him, a hat and sunglasses would make him fade into any group unless he really does want, and seeks, attention from certain fans!
As for 7000 Facebook friends--I do believe Facebook has a limit! A person has to 'move' to another form of Facebook well before you reach 7000 friends! He has admitted he rarely uses the Internet, so he is not speaking of Facebook from personal use, just as a person who doesn't really understand Facebook!
Interesting that he seems to have decided Hollywood isn't so bad now that he's not on television! He says he has a clean sheet to do something--maybe that's part of the message here--he is confused, somewhat lost, becuase he doesn't have a predictable routine for the first time in a decade.

KIARA Posted on 21:26, Apr 21st 2010

I don't think that he was being disrespectful to his European fans. I know it feels like Eurpoeans were singled out, but that's mainly because he actually seems to get more attention there. Billy has made tons of comments about loving Europe and about how the people there are fantastic. I think what he is saying is that while he does love Eurpope, because he does get more recognized there it can be quite overwhelming. He's more so shocked by people's response to him. He shocked that people like him and his work enough to come from places far like Europe, that they care enough about him to spend that kind of money to fly thousands of miles. Because he sees himself as a normal person, he doesn't understand why they would do that for him.

I feel as though you guys are taking his comments as animosity, when actually they should be taken as modesty. Billy has always been taken as the down to Earth guy. And if you did take his comments so sensitively, I don't think that you really know Billy at all.

Kiara