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Star Wars Fans Look For Love In Alderaan Places 88

Posted by samzenpus from the I-can-win-your-heart-in-less-than-twelve-parsecs dept.
Hugh Pickens writes "The Christian Science Monitor reports that devoted fans at the recent Star Wars Convention V, many dressed as Jedi knights, stormtroopers, or the indomitable Princess Leia, sat opposite one another for a series of 3-minute speed dates, in hopes of finding a connection with a fellow Star Wars enthusiast. 'Over the course of the three events, due to size and time, we turned away about 600 participants,' says Ryan Glitch. 'Yesterday, this room was packed. We had to keep shoveling people along.' Meanwhile in the main exhibition hall, a chapel was set up to allow fans to profess their love and devotion to each other in the form of commitment ceremonies. 'I've been told that we've had two commitment ceremonies from people that met at my event,' says Glitch adding that he saw eight additional couples at the convention made up of people who had attended his speed dating sessions."
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Star Wars Fans Look For Love In Alderaan Places More

Star Wars Fans Look For Love In Alderaan Places

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  • Wookie poh nuuuuub in all the wrong pwaces..

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by whovian ( 107062 )

      Will someone please get this walking carpet out of my way!?

    • I've had this skit stuck in my head all day since reading your post.

      I hope you're happy, been singing it softly with my co-workers are looking at me like i lobsters crawling out of my ears. I must admit though, good pun/reference synergy >=(

    • They did it all for the wookie. C'mon. The wookie.

  • What is the male-to-female ratio at these things? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by axl917 ( 1542205 ) <axl@mail.plymouth.edu> on Friday August 20, 2010 @12:43PM (#33316328)

    I'd assume it is highly skewed towards the male side, which would make too few chubby Leias to go around for too many acne-scarred Wookies.

    BTW, topic title == WIN.

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by Monkeedude1212 ( 1560403 )

      This is actually why they turned away 600 participants, there were only 2 females and 602 males.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by MarbleMunkey ( 1495379 )
      There were probably a number more 'chubby Leias' there, but they were all dudes... *shudder*

    • I'm sure, although Star Wars fandom seems to have a more equal (if still seriously unequal) male-female ratio than most kinds of sci-fi-ish fandom. At least, I know a handful of women who are into Star Wars enough to go to conventions like these, some of which are attractive enough that you wouldn't pick them as geeks out of a crowd. (Granted, those few are already married.)

    • Wasn't many chubby ones there, http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/wp-content/2007/05/200705291157.jpg [publishersweekly.com]

      really only saw one that didn't look well above average even for the non-geek crowd. And that one was just a little old and beginning to get wrinkly.

    • In the article, they did say hetrosexual and homosexual participants. Obviously, hilarity ensured during in the inevitable hookups in the mens. "Who's yo' daddy?" yelled in the throes of passion, followed by a chorus of Darth Vaders...

  • NooooOOOOoooOOooOOOOOOOOOOoooooO!!!!!

  • I do or I do not, there is no try.

    • Master Yoda was an idiot:
      1) Didn't see the fall of the Jedi. *
      2) None of his 'visions of the future' ever came true.
      3) In order to do, you must try. Frankly at this point he might as well be sitting in a senile home reading fortune cookies.
      4) Taught children the force using real light sabers.

      *not just with his 'vision' but through common sense he shoudl have seen it coming.

      I mean really, when Samuel Jackson is on your side, some serious shit is going to happen...mother fucker.

  • II refuse to believe there was actually a 50/50 ratio of males to females in attendance at these events, which would be necessary for speed dating unless it was a same-sex type affair.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by QCompson ( 675963 )
      The summary states that they turned away 600 participants. I'm betting all 600 were males.

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by BillCable ( 1464383 )
        Yeah, I'm certain that's the way it went. I know a couple guys who applied but didn't make the cut. There are a ton of women who go to Celebrations, though. And Cosplay is a huge part of it. More Slave Leias than you can shake a stick at, and a good number of them respectable. I'd say overall there's about a 20/80 split female to male at Celebrations. For Dragon*Con it's closer to 40/60.

    • You'd be surprised... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by tekrat ( 242117 ) on Friday August 20, 2010 @01:02PM (#33316606) Homepage Journal

      Once upon a time (while I was in fandom), yes, it was 99% male, and 1% female, so there was just about zero opportunity for fandom hookups.

      But that has changed. Mostly due to Cosplay. Ever been to an anime con? It's now more chicks than guys, I am not kidding.

      Also, the fantasy thing (dragons, wizards and so forth) has increased the female ratio at standard Sci-Fi cons. It hasn't hurt that Star Trek, Anime, Harry Potter and so forth has gone mainstream. Just look at San Diego Comic Con. It's now mostly goth chicks and vampires, thanks to Twilight.

      This is *why* I don't go to cons anymore, as it's now for vapid teenagers, but for the younger crowd, this might be a good place to actually meet a girl.

      • I think that - twilight aside - the genre of female-friendly flicks has also improved for us guys. We've gone from sappy tear-jerker romance to "romantic comedy", which at least throws in a few chuckles for the guys.

        Even twilight wouldn't be *too* bad if not for the whole wreck-the-genre-twinkly-vampire crud. At least there was *some* action and play towards the overall vampire meme (at least the first movie, haven't been dragged to the rest yet). Hopefully it will work well as a setup for some of the bette

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by geekoid ( 135745 )

        It was like that well before Twilight.

      • This is *why* I don't go to cons anymore, as it's now for vapid teenagers

        It's always started with vapid teenagers (or younger). The original Star Wars movies (4, 5, 6) were making 3 times as much on toys as they were on the movies [latimes.com]. The good stories operate on an adult level and hold our interests as we grow. Others lack longevity. And many are infused with longevity through more adult oriented remakes (Batman Begins?).

        How old were WE when we first got into sci-fi, fantasy, etc?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )

      I'ts not the 70's anymore. There are a lot of attractive women at these vents now a days.

      Stupid whipper snappers. IN my day we would have 1 women show up and she would eight 250 pounds and wearing a chain mail bikini, and we.. well no, we didn't like it.

  • I realize that typical trekkies (and average Slashdotters) would be unaware of this, but most women like it slooow.

    I do like the idea of trekkies having themselves committed, though.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by daeley ( 126313 )

      A trekkie troll in a Star Wars article? Really?

      Hokey phasers and ancient "captains" are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

      • > A trekkie troll in a Star Wars article?

        There are no significant differences. One kind of Hollywood "syfy" blurs into another.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by badboy_tw2002 ( 524611 )

      Depends on the age. Never underestimate the biological clock's ability to make a lady settle. Think of this like an interactive trawl of facebook/myspace. You are evaluating them on looks but you can take into account hygiene and get answers to questions like "do you have a job/car/boat" etc. This way you can skip a bad first date altogether if there are any "dealbreakers." You know, when you get to a point where you say "no way man" but you still have to finish dinner/coffee with the person - wouldn't

      • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

        by COMON$ ( 806135 )
        Were I single I think I would have to use the lemon law....http://www.tvacres.com/sex_dating_barney.htm

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Monkeedude1212 ( 1560403 )

      I don't know if you know this - but Speed Dating is actually a popular thing amongst many single people (especially in the states). It removes the stigma of having to spend an entire evening with someone, having to pay out a lot of money on a date, etc etc - something that very busy people don't have a lot of time for.

      Especially when girls are looking for "The One" - they feel the need to search through hundreds of guys to find "Him". 100 guys with 1 date a week would take 2 years.

      With Speed dating a girl c

      • Also with speeding you don't have to break the ice or figure out how to ask the girl or guy out. Plus if both people are at a star wars convention they obviously have something to talk about.

    • True, but you have to understand these are Trekkies. They figure, like security guards, if the relationship can survive the first three minutes until the commercial, it's good for the whole show.

      Just don't wear a red shirt.

    • My favorite pickup line, "I may not be good, but at least I'm fast."

      It doesn't work very well but it does test for sense of humor.

  • due to size and time, we turned away about 600 participants

    Also due to 600 of the participants being straight males, and the other just being there because the modelling agency made her do it.

  • you greenlighted this story simply because of the clever pun in the title. it's ok, it was funny, just admit it

  • Great title (Score:3, Insightful)

    by david.emery ( 127135 ) on Friday August 20, 2010 @12:54PM (#33316496)

    Too bad we can't mod up the title.

  • Sooooo Hugh Pickens loves wordplay. Huge - not teeny tiny - Dickens? Nose Pickens? Loves Chickens? What Slim Pickens became after 10 years at the Fast-Food Buffet (boy did he let himself go)?

    Help me out here anybody.

  • Two girls, one c3po (Score:4, Funny)

    by hoggoth ( 414195 ) on Friday August 20, 2010 @01:14PM (#33316720) Journal

    I'm pretty sure the two kissing in the article's photo are both women.

    As if the ratio wasn't bad enough, the only two women hooked up... with each other.

  • The "right" place (Score:3, Funny)

    by elrous0 ( 869638 ) * on Friday August 20, 2010 @01:14PM (#33316724)
    The only "right" place for a male fanboy to seek love is at a "Twilight" or "True Blood" fan event. And that would mean swallowing your pride long enough to pretend to like a bunch of emo vampires. Even then, you're probably going to get stuck with some goth chick who sincerely believes that cutting herself shows she has depth.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by TheSync ( 5291 )

      The only "right" place for a male fanboy to seek love is at a "Twilight" or "True Blood" fan event.

      No, the women there want the undead ON THE SCREEN, or at least the actors that play them, not some random guy dressed up like an undead.

      • Any fangirl that is dense enough to believe that vampires sparkle probably has a chance to think that guy really is an undead. Also, if she finds any of he Twilight story to be interesting, imagine what she might think about your latest nerd stories that actually have a plot. On the other hand, I don't know why you would want such a girl.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )

      Sense, you have none.

    • Even then, you're probably going to get stuck with some goth chick who sincerely believes that cutting herself shows she has depth.

      You've never really hung out with goths, have you? Either that or all the ones I've met were fairly well-adjusted. Many, if not all, have at least some fascination with the macabre but I've never seen any who were prone to self-mutilation. Obivously there's a subset that is likely to harm themselves but that subset exists in any culture.

  • Common pickup lines? (Score:4, Funny)

    by SnarfQuest ( 469614 ) on Friday August 20, 2010 @01:38PM (#33316968)

    Wanna play with my wookie?

    Wanna see who shoots first?

    I'm tired of Hand Solo. how about you?

  • as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

  • Back in the room... (Score:4, Funny)

    by RevWaldo ( 1186281 ) on Friday August 20, 2010 @02:21PM (#33317536)
    - All too easy.
    - I won't fail you. I'm not afraid.
    - You will be. You will be.
    - All right, I'll try...
    - Do, or do not! There is no try!
    - I..can't. It's too big!
    - Size matters not! Judge me by my size, do you?
    - I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain.
    - Laugh it up, fuzzball!
    - You have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them.
    - Control, control, you must learn control!
    - Would it help if I got out and pushed?
    - It might!
    - You are beaten. It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did!
    - Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger! Only your hatred can destroy me!

    (Later...)

    - How was it for you?
    - Han shot first.


    .

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by bwintx ( 813768 )
      My kingdom for mod points! +1

    • Re: (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Awww, c'mon. Where's the
      - At that speed do you think you'll be able to pull out in time?

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      - My kind of scum - fearless and inventive!
      - I have a very bad feeling about this.
      - And I thought they smelled bad on the outside.
      - Get in there, you big furry oaf! I don't care what you smell!
      - They're coming in too fast!
      - It's no good, I can't maneuver!
      - Stay on target!
      - We're too close!
      - Stay on target!
      - Loosen up!
      - Uh, everything's under control. Situation normal.
      - What happened?
      - Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all f

    • Re:Back in the room... (Score:4, Funny)

      by ArsonSmith ( 13997 ) on Friday August 20, 2010 @05:02PM (#33319528) Journal

      You missed the later parts

      -Get in there I don't care what you smell
      -you came in that thing? You're braver than I thought.
      -negative it didn't go in, just impacted on the surface.

  • The host of the event is named Ryan Glitch, for God's sake! Where are the Slashdot jokers when you need them to mine this nugget of pure comedy gold?

    "So how did the whole Star Wars-themed speed-dating thing work out?" "Not too well; there was a Glitch..."

    Something along those lines, but hopefully better. Get with it people!

  • Met her at the Star Wars convention.
    Did I mention she was looking for love?
    Had to call her bluff, "Lady, you don't mean how that sounded.
    The thousand-pound dude in the 'no fat chicks' shirt's astounded."
    Thought she'd take it back, revoke, rescind, rewind, retract.
    "You heard me," she said, "I want any man here
    to descend in the cave where you conquer the fear,
    and I'll steer you to side of the force that you choose.
    Somebody's man enough here -- now who?"
    This girl, now you have to understand,
    would not look out

  • Can anyone tell me how many parsecs each date was?

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