Trekkie
Insider Info
The love of Star Trek is fairly widespread. Proof of this
is in a documentary called Trekkies, which appeared in a few cinemas in March
1999. The film tells the stories of the fans. They include a man who legally
changed his name to James T. Kirk. There's also the story of the people
of Vulcan, Alberta, who constructed a 31-foot replica of the Starship Enterprise.
Did you dress as a Romulan for Halloween? Are you brushing up on Klingon?
Do you consider yourself capable of Enterprise command? If any of that makes
sense to you, you could be a devout fan of Star Trek.
For Karen Andrade, the first sign of her Trek status came when she found
herself eating each night alone in front of the television. Bill Binder realized
he was hooked when he didn't touch his popcorn at the movies.
While many dedicated fans are known as Trekkies, others object to this
name. Instead, they prefer the term Trekkers. Regardless of what they call
themselves, their interest is the same: the universe and characters that Gene
Roddenberry created.
Star Trek has survived many incarnations. The first part of being a worthy
follower is understanding them. The Original Series (TOS), the Next Generation
(TNG), Deep Space Nine (DS9), Voyager and Enterprise are the eras of Star
Trek.
Besides watching the television series, Trek fans can buy merchandise,
play computer games, surf the Web and read books about this spectacular universe.
More than 1,000 Star Trek conventions take place around the world every
year. They attract millions of fans, according to one magazine's estimate.
Besides these powwows, people around the globe have formed clubs, such as
the United Federation of Planets Internationale. These clubs meet monthly
or even weekly. Members of UFPI promote the Trek philosophies of peace, unity
and brotherhood.
Some Trek fans are drawn to the storylines. Others like the show because
the science is believable. Still others marvel over costumes and characters.
Most agree, however, that Roddenberry has captured their attention because
his message is a universal one of love, peace and harmony.
"Almost every episode has an underlying moral message," says Charles Richardson.
"Star Trek battled such issues as slavery, racism, sexuality, basic right
and wrong. Star Trek was a pioneer that caused dramatic changes not only in
television, but in people, myself included.
"I found through Star Trek that by helping others, others will help you,
and that our efforts should be for the greater good of the many, and not our
own selfish purposes," Richardson says.
Andrade enjoys Star Trek for similar reasons. "Roddenberry used Trek as
a vehicle for us to examine ourselves -- our frailties, our strengths, our
prejudices, our abilities to adapt," she says. "I especially liked his vision
of the future, where the Earth at last was at peace. People no longer had
to work to survive, but could spend their time pursuing what really interested
them."
It's hard to imagine that Star Trek could ever lose its popularity.
Parents who grew up with episodes of the original series are passing on the
show to their kids.
The show first aired in 1966 to tepid audiences. It wasn't until the
1970s that Star Trek became a household name. Fans have been asking for more
ever since.
Getting Started
It can cost next to nothing to become a Trek fan, if you limit yourself
to the episodes aired on television. However, to be a true fan, you will probably
want to buy or rent all nine movies. That can cost anywhere from $3 to $300.
Trek fans also buy books and computer games to keep their interest satisfied.
In his four years of being a Trekkie, Richardson says he's spent about
$1,000. "I've got a bookshelf full of Star Trek materials that I continue
to fill every time a new book is released or a new PC game is created. Plus,
I have four uniforms in the closet," he explains.
It's hard to make a living out of this hobby. Andrade moderated a
Star Trek forum. She kept the conversation going when it lagged and kicked
out troublemakers, but she didn't make any money. Richardson was once
offered money to perform as a celebrity lookalike in Las Vegas, but alas,
as he was just out of high school and this wasn't his chosen career path,
he turned it down.
Fortunately, what Star Trek has sparked in some, says Binder, is a love
of science. As a result, devoted fans have enrolled in a science curriculum
in college.
Associations
United Federation of Planets Internationale
P.O. Box 741086
Denver
,
CO
80006
USA
Internet
:
http://www.ufpi.org/
International Federation of Trekkers
World Headquarters, Operations Department
P.O. Box 242
Lorain
,
OH
44052
USA
E-mail
:
ops@iftcommand.com
Internet
:
http://www.iftcommand.com/
Links
Star Trek.com
Catch up on related news
Trekkies: Star Trek Fan Documentary
Check out how the Trekkie documentary was made
Starfleet
An international Star Trek fan association
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