View Full Version : Belgian magazine makes fun of US mermaids/Merman
Ariel-Starfish
10-15-2015, 12:46 PM
Found this gossip magazine called 'Blik' and they had an article about mermaids and NC Merfest. It mostly just about Hannah Fraser being a pro mermaid, and other people in the USA and beyond are following her lifestyle.
They just took pictures straight from Merfest and I'm willing to take action as we speak; I'm going to email them and set things straight!
Here are pictures.
http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv65/LaraCroftFanneke22/Mernetwork%20avatar-banner/E0EFE717-B661-462F-8331-89D6BBA9C35D_zpsowrd22mu.jpg (http://s670.photobucket.com/user/LaraCroftFanneke22/media/Mernetwork%20avatar-banner/E0EFE717-B661-462F-8331-89D6BBA9C35D_zpsowrd22mu.jpg.html)
http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv65/LaraCroftFanneke22/Mernetwork%20avatar-banner/FD21EEEA-CEF0-437F-8E52-4A941583E426_zpskgir2bwj.jpg (http://s670.photobucket.com/user/LaraCroftFanneke22/media/Mernetwork%20avatar-banner/FD21EEEA-CEF0-437F-8E52-4A941583E426_zpskgir2bwj.jpg.html)
Talia
10-15-2015, 01:00 PM
I hate that they put precisely the picture of the guy in the yellow tail on the cover of the magazine. If it would have been of Hannah, people would think nothing of it, but they put that to make people go "OMFG, what are those WEIRDOES doing?"
There is nothing wrong with that guy or his tail, of course, but to the average person that is not The Image(TM) of a mermaid.
AniaR
10-15-2015, 01:11 PM
Ohh tikva I think he was the most photographed
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Ariel-Starfish
10-15-2015, 01:16 PM
There is nothing wrong with that guy or his tail, of course, but to the average person that is not The Image(TM) of a mermaid.
Exacly!
Talia
10-15-2015, 01:54 PM
Re-reading my post I realized that it may look as if I am critizing the man. I am not, my critic was towards the editors who wanted to shock the readers at the merman's expense.
Echidna
10-15-2015, 10:31 PM
I'm not sure if it's worth giving them the attention they seek.
The cover looks exactly like the Belgian equivalent to the german "Bild", which is the most awful tripe ever- about the same level as "OMG yahoo news".
PearlieMae
10-16-2015, 12:52 AM
Tikva's (Maksim is his mer name, no?) picture is more provocative than a beauty shot of Hannah, and that's exactly what they want. I think he's awesome, and one if they sweetest people I've ever met.
The crap design tells you what kind of rag the "magazine" really is.
Mermaid Wesley
10-16-2015, 12:57 AM
Merman Makism is like a big tall teddy bear and I love him. His blue ring octopus tail and awesome bead accessories make him. Magazine cover worthy, but not mocking!
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Ariel-Starfish
10-16-2015, 04:30 AM
I'm still working out the translate for anyone who wants to read it. Will post it later today, aswel on my page etc. ;)
Ariel-Starfish
10-16-2015, 10:48 AM
Here is the translation. Sorry If it's not good enough but I did my best! :)
'I Never been human. I'm a Mermaid!'
Mermaids do only exist in fairytales? Think again! In the VS alone, more over 40.000 people registrated as a mermaid! Officialy they are half fish, half human for their proffecion. But many of them claim to be a real mermaid. 'As a child, I was very attracted by the sea' says Hannah Fraser. 'when I dresses up as a mermaid for the first time, It was the first timz in my life I actually felt good. Since then I try to wear my tail as much as possible.' Hanna Fraser (28) is Australian based who lives in in LA for several years now. She started a career as a model, but took a succsesfulchange after she first put on her mermaid tail. 'It was a shoot for theme park' she says. 'That day have must been the most important day of my life. When They layed me down in the water, having my tail on - a shock went trough me. It felt like 'coming home'. I was ment to sit stil and doing poses but I coulden't. I began to swim, wich I had never done with a tail on. I moved very natural trough the water. Shooting trough the water, as fast as an arrow. I also remarkably staid under water for quite some time. I felt so good that- when It was time to take off my tail, I almost refused to.' Once home, Hannah took action. ' I wanted a tail like that myself. From now on I decited to work as a mermaid only. I wanted to be a mermaid as much as possible. Becouse I'm being myself - I'm not working as a mermaid : I am a mermaid!' As for Hannah, she really earns her money well: as a model, being guest star in movies and video clips, live-performances in theme parks. 'I use my mermaid persona to survive, but after work hours I also wear my tail and being in the water as much as possible. Becouse it's my natural habitat. As a mermaid I can rule the world.'
Entire community
Hannah has maybe become the most famous, but she's not the only one who feels like a real mermaid. There's even an entire community with members from all over the world: USA, Canada, England, but also Tailand, Brazil and Portugal. Every year they come together at Merfest, a gathering where mermaids share their experiances. This year Merfest took place at Cary, US. The Brittish Keiran Collins was one of the male mermaids wo participated. 'I call myself a seaprince' he say's. ' Merman sounds so ordinairy.' It was Keith's first time at Merfest. ' But it felt like a real eye-opener.' Most people that where present may have been actors, giving eatcother some hint and tips, I also found soulmates. People who always felt they where some sea creature, not human. Iv'e always been the missfit at school, being bullied at school but never knew why.' 'Now I know the other kids must have felt I was no ordinairy guy.' It was noticed at swimming classes. 'I always spend more time underwater- instead of above. As a child I always had the urge of being under water. I also has the feeling fish where staying close, instead of swimming away. When I had seen the latest 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie, everything was clear. Seeing Astrid Bergès-Frisbey playing her part of a mermaid. I felt related with her. So elegant, so beautyful...that was how I felt. From that day I put on a mermaid tail.' Another mer-person, Emily Keat shows understanding for Keat. 'For me it's bussiness. I'm a model , and a mermaid model aswel. But I also feel more confident and elegant as a mermaid. A mermaid tail really does something to you.' she says. ' I really understand people want to become a mermaid. It are more intresting creatures than ordinairy people.'
Ashton
10-16-2015, 01:29 PM
Thank you for the translations!
Mermaid Wesley
10-16-2015, 04:35 PM
Well its hard to pick up tone in translation but that's not too bad, actually.
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Mermaid Kelda
10-18-2015, 02:19 AM
I wasn't sure about the "some of them claim to be a real mermaid" part but overall it didn't seem too negative!
Ariel-Starfish
10-18-2015, 02:54 AM
Yeah nothing bad actually. I just was quite shocked about the cover etc. Hanna Fraser contacted me about the article and she's willing to know more about it.
Echidna
10-18-2015, 03:04 AM
Doesn't sound like they are making fun of anything.
Their info is outdated though. Hanna is 40 by now.
AniaR
10-18-2015, 10:14 AM
Hannah is over 40! She's like 43 I believe.
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