Original RENTHEAD or 'Newbie'? — Page 4

Are you people on crack? What the hell? I'm one of the people who used to camp out to get the front row tickets, I know every word to every song, every beat to every song, etc. You want to call me a RENThead, go ahead. You want to call me a newbie, go ahead. Who cares?

As long as it affected you, as long as you received the message, it did it's job. There shouldn't be any competition over "Who's the biggest fan".

For those that want to exclude people from some "group" go somewhere.

If you're a "newbie" and want to call yourself a RENThead, go ahead.

Just remember the message and live life like there's "No day but today".

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i've posted something similar to this before (under a different name; i lost my login info), and i just feel the need to say it again.

i was an original RENThead back in 96/97. the title doesn't apply anymore. it stood for something that does not and cannot exist anymore, that was specific to that time period, the cast(s), the feelings about the show. it was different than it is now. i do believe that anyone can appreciate, love, and respect the show and fully grasp its message. all the bickering about who's real and who's not is ridiculous. you all like the same show -- why not talk about that? who cares "who likes it more," etc. who cares who has seen it the most, or where? who cares how someone got into the show at all? aren't you glad to just have people to discuss it with? *although i will say that the whole RENThead thing has definitely always had a competitive side, which totally turned me off* when RENT first debuted, i was 15, and hard pressed to find many people into something like that. the community that gathered at the nederlander in those beginning years probably felt much of the same. it's a different show now...which is not to say that the actors aren't capable, but if you'd seen the show back in the day, you'd realize that a lot of them play anthony rapp playing mark, and play adam playing roger, and play daphne/marcy/insert female playing mimi (for example).

but you can't blame these kids who are 13, 14, 15 who are just getting into RENT or have been into it for a few years for ruining who constitutes a RENThead. how/why would they know that? hierarchy within something that doesn't even exist anymore is really silly. it's a show that touched many, many people deeply, but, seriously, guys, it's JUST a show.

I'm an original Renthead. I was a fan before the movie was even being filmed. I was still new to it, but I wore out (and have finally gotten a replacement) my copy of the OBC recording and even though the soundtrack is nice, the OBC is always superior.

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I so agree w/ you nolatheatre. That's why i posted this topic in the first place, becuz i absolutely dislike being discriminated for something like this. I do have tickets to see the show in Las Vegas on April Fool's Day which is awesome. Again I do appreciate all of your responses. But i do wish that could fit in somewhere where I'm not discriminated against by people who are so mean. I may not be as protective of RENT as some of you might but that doesn't mean those little things don't annoy me as much.

Well who cares if you've been a fan for I don't know how long and I've only been a fan for two months!!! That DOESN"T mean that I am NOT a true fan. A true fan is someone who spreads love not hate. Which is exactly what RENT teaches us all. And I don't think half of you are doing that. How can you guys stand all this negativity? You are a fan if you get the message and all of us do. I rest my case.

Okay, here is my thought on the matter:

I think that the original rentheads are not those who have seen it x amount of times or with so-and-so starring in it or who know all of the words to La Vie Boheme (sorry Jen!). I don't think being an "original" renthead is a title you can achieve. To me you only have to look at the word original to get your answer. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the term "Renthead" was created for those who were there from the very beginning, who started seeing the show off broadway and followed it to where it is today. They were the ones who were there in those first couple of rows every night, keeping the show popular and the seats filled.

Personally I love the show and the OBCR and I think the OBC was amazing. I absolutely get the message of the show, I do know all of the words, I do know lots of useless trivia, but I would not call myself a renthead. Nor would I call my sister, who has seen it many, many more times than I have (I only saw it once), a Renthead.

I totally agree with Kato 1 that "the title doesn't apply anymore. it stood for something that does not and cannot exist anymore, that was specific to that time period, the cast(s), the feelings about the show. it was different than it is now."

That said, I do think you need to see the show, whether on broadway or on tour, to feel the full impact. Personally I enjoyed the movie, but there were parts taken out and others added and I think to really appreciate Rent you need to see it performed.

The truth is, whatever we call ourselves we are all fans. So just go enjoy the show and forget about what you call yourself or what your friend calls his/herself.

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