Anyone else have a paralyzing fear of embarrassment, even on behalf of others?

[aruan]

I have, like, archaic puppy footage that just arrived in the mail (with likewise dated stickers and, get this, a bag of microwaveable popcorn) and I'm staring at it from across the room, almost *afraid* to pop it in the VCR because of what could be on it. Nothing like the threat of humiliation to make me turtle.

Why can't I be in California so Angela can make it sweet? New York so Diana could make it amusing? Pennsylvania so Nia could make it endearing?

A pox on every single mile in between.

Or maybe, I need to relax, and not stare quite so warily at a video tape.

Comments

[crazybutsound]

Ah, yes, I feel for you. I spent half of "Reel *Nsync" with my hands over my eyes, going: "Oh, God, no! Lance! Chris! Both of you stop now! Eeek!"

Which is probably why I've only watched it once so far, even though it's slashtastic it's amazing. But if your footage is, you know, worse somehow... I dunno... I totally get why you'd be worried. On the other hand....

Puppies!

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Puppies!

I know! *thwaps head* IknowIknowIknowIknow. My caveat is that this is the kind of footage that I adore the most, candid stuff, early stuff, and yet here I am, being sillier than a really silly thing about it.

And oh *god* yes about Reel *NSYNC. Especially with Chris. Whenever I go to comedy shows, I sit in mortal fear of the person's jokes being flat, even though everything is a *lot* funnier in real time than on television. Silliness was fine (I loved the boys running through the airport hyped on Pixie Stix) but the other stuff (most of the stuff with Lance) made me curl up in a ball and hide my face in my knees.

[crazybutsound]

Whenever I go to comedy shows, I sit in mortal fear of the person's jokes being flat, even though everything is a *lot* funnier in real time than on television.

Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Which is also why I absolutely abhor clowns. I do not find it funny when people make complete fool of themselves and rely on humiliation to make a crowd laugh, whether intentionally or not.

As for Reel *Nsync, I too loved the running around the airport bits. But oh, my, Lord. Hated the dancing like a dwarf bits. How ridiculous was that? And the going around the house in Africa? With Lance? *cringes* Eeek. I love that I own it, though. I might watch it again, some time... just not right now. lol. Or not while I'm alone, anyway.

Were I on the same continent as you, I'd come over and watch with you. Since I'm not... I wait until you get up the courage to watch and hopefully share your thoughts. ;-)

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

First of all, your icon needs mentioning. As in all hail secretagent!Dom. Rock on fabulous, baby.

*cringes* Clowns are the reason why I always went to circuses with some amount of trepidation.

Aaw, I actually liked the tour of the bungalow with Lance. The whole, "Isn't that something?" bit cracked me up something fierce. And when he gets to the bedroom and just sprawls on the bed and turns to flash a perfect smile for one second for the photographer? The boy is priceless. But the rest of it was pretty much me cringing for baby!Lance. Newest and least experienced and needing the most improvement and yeah, just, the entire drama that was their first year together.

Oh hon, I'd love to have you on the continent to share and share alike with me here. Especially since my best friend, who would've gladly if not necessarily enthusiastically watched with me, is gone (gone!) for the next week. But I will grow a spine (it's a video tape! I have an array of buttons to choose from to make anything pass with bare minimal notice) and of course talk all about it.

[giddyupnow.livejournal.com]

*blinks* How archaic is it, out of curiosity? And what's so terrible about watching it?

The way I figure it, if you don't have something in your past (and present. and future.) worth laughing at, whether it was funny at the time or not, then you're taking yourself far too seriously :-) You could tell they were having fun, in the case of Reel, and that was the best part. I don't remember a single horrendous thing in the tons of footage I've seen, because it all had the same exuberance. So watch away!

I'd maybe stare a bit more warily at that popcorn, though... ;-)

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

As to its age, it's like, pre-Sync stuff, when the guys were still just getting together and shacking up in Orlando.

Dude, I'm all about being able to laugh at things in hindsight. A whole heck of a lot that's happened in my past that was 'god-why-can't-the-earth-open-up-and-swallow-me' awful is pretty damn amusing now. It's nothing rational, this feeling (and it does go a little beyond what I said into my issues with unmitigated honesty that's not received well, i.e. William's poetry in the case of BTVS). But, I mean, footage! Which, by accounts, will have the most adorable of adorable things on it, so yes, tonight, but probably with Starbucks coffee first.

I think I just implied that earnestness makes me uncomfortable. Hm, no issues there, eh?

Seriously though, right just now, my yen is all for JC doing his stuff to Mysterious Ways, also known as the Song I've Had On Loop For The Past Two Weeks. On your knees, boy and he does! Chasing butterflies! The mere idea of it is just beyond endurably endearing.

The popcorn was one of those things that was initially amusing but will arouse its own cause for concern soon enough.

Damn your insidious links to Lancefied mah-jongg. *goes back to the black hole*