QUESTIONS FOR AMANDA, "DT" FAN AMBASSADOR
Updated 10/13/10
FROM MANY - What got you into "Destination Truth"?
AMANDA - I was already a fan of Josh's from a reality show he did on ESPN in 2002 called "Beg Borrow & Deal". I've also always been fascinated in the paranormal, so when I found out Josh was going to be in a show about searching for mysteries, I was all aboard!
FROM MANY - Do Josh, Syfy and the "DT" crew know about your fan pages and what do they think of them?
AMANDA - They have known about my pages ever since it began with this page and they support me. The exclusives, aside from sharing articles/interviews/videos of others, all come straight from the cast to me. Recently, a Facebook group I ran for "DT" with over 20,000 fans was shut down without a valid reason or a proper appeals process. Syfy, as well as the cast, were willing to go to bat for me to get the group back up, but without any proper way to protest, all I can do is appreciate the support/effort :)
FROM CONNIE G. - What's the juiciest and most interesting info you know that the fans don't know about "DT" or the cast/crew?
AMANDA - Sorry, but you'll continue to never know ;) I'm not into gossip LOL
FROM CHRIS S. - How do you find the time to do it all?
AMANDA - I have a full time job and take on a lot of extra projects on the side, but unfortunately, my friends aren't always there to hang around post-college and I'm too much of a control freak to date. The fan work is a great and productive way to fill up my free time :)
FROM HEATHER - If Syfy gave you the opportunity to have your own show, what would it be about?
AMANDA - I actually have a great idea for a show, but I really don't want to share it in a public venue where it could be swiped.
FROM REBECCA - What's your favorite color?
AMANDA - What, are we in a Monty Python movie? Haha, just kidding. Anyway, my favorite color is neon lime green.
AMANDA- By choice, no. If I had to, yes. Except the Balut egg or any kind of dishes involving brains or genitals.
FROM JENNIFER - If I ran a fan site for a different genre/topic, what would it be about?
AMANDA - That's a tough one. I love Lady Gaga but she has PLENTY of fan sites, but I am also really into thrift stores, so perhaps I would start up a site featuring news about the thrift/salvation industry and review thrift, vintage and consignments shops whenever I could get to one. I know that sounds cheesy, but thats about it, really. That, or I'd run a fan site for YouTube mogul/Apple fangirl iJustine, if she didn't have one already.
AMANDA - It can often be thankless and downright aggravating thanks to a small number of fellow "fans" out there who are marred by jealousy and want to trash my reputation, but because of the gratitude of many and the respect I get from the cast/crew/network, it is definitely worth it. I have gained a great deal of independence and a thicker skin doing this, and I've also gotten to travel a lot, be part of some great events and have been in contact with people, one in particular, who I admire a lot. I would totally do this again, but I would guard myself a little better in order to protect myself from certain people, as well as to maybe focus a little bit more on other things rather than solely on the fan work, but we can't go back in time so I will have to learn from my mistakes.
FROM CHELSEA AND CARRIE - What is the biggest impact on your life since I came across Josh and "DT"? What's been good and bad about the fan work?
AMANDA - I sort of touched on this in the Q I answered from Lucile, Merritt & Diana earlier, but I would say the best thing about the fan work, other than what was mentioned, is that I have a hobby as well as a goal in doing this work. I can productively fill up my free time and it allows me to do things that will help me to grow better professionally, as well as technologically and socially.
FROM KAYLA - What's your good luck charm or travel superstition, like Josh's necklace?
AMANDA - I have three, actually. My joker wallet, a little stitched cross I keep inside the wallet and my "Survivor's Guide to Travel" book signed by Josh.
AMANDA - I've lost count of how many times it's happened, but it unfortunately comes with the territory. We're in a world of instant gratification and people sometimes need things pointed out to them more than once.
FROM MANY - Are you and Josh close? Would you date him? When and how did you first meet him?
AMANDA - Josh and I aren't best friends or anything, but we stay in contact pretty frequently for either business or casual purposes. I will plead the fifth on the dating comment because I don't believe in prying into the personal lives of the "DT" cast/crew and I feel like that's kind of gossipy. You can read about how I first met Josh HERE and watch the video HERE.
FROM JENN - Make a "DT" cameo or appear in Lady Gaga video - pick one!
AMANDA- …oh my gosh, I equally love and hate this question LOL! Wow. I think I'd rather take place in the "DT" cameo because it would hopefully involve traveling outside the country on a grand adventure whereas if I were on a music video set, I probably wouldn't even get to meet Gaga and sitting around sets like that can be pretty boring after a while.
FROM NICK - What else are you passionate about?
AMANDA - I am interested in reading about/participating in activism against racists and anti-gay groups (The Westboro Baptist Church are my biggest enemies), but also love thrift shopping, bowling, writing, editing videos/audio, traveling and cooking. Also, one of my guilty pleasures is Guitar Hero and I want to go buy DJ Hero and learn to play that in honor of the passing of DJ AM in 2009.
FROM RACHELIA - What member of the "DT" team would you be, even if you didn't have the required skills?
AMANDA - I would be the case manager. I am good at multitasking and keeping track of details, and the position also requires being out on the field to help investigate. I would also be tech specialist too, but I would be more afraid of damaging rather than protecting the equipment LOL
AMANDA - I don't exactly keep track of that, but I will get back to you once I have a conservative estimate.
AMANDA - There are three - the haters, how much time can be consumed online when you're not paying attention and when I make an update on a page, but my Wifi conks out and the update I just spent close to ten minutes on is erased. Those things make me want to run screaming into the woods.
FROM CHERYL - What was the theme of your prom, who was your date and what color was your dress?
AMANDA - We didn't have a theme, but I remember the prom song was "Collide" by Howie Day, I think? I don't want to talk about my date because they don't deserve any more of my time than they have already wasted and my color dress was wine red.
FROM CHRISTINA - What color nail polish in your first vlog (referenced HERE)?
AMANDA - "Only Gold for Me", Sephora by OPI (you can buy it online HERE - sorry if the link is expired)
AMANDA - I think I would keep the location of where I saw it and how to get there a secret, but I would show it to the world. It's important that new discoveries are made and considering how hard it is to even prove the existence, if there is any, of said creature, I think it would be very difficult for hunters to track them down unless there were a Bigfoot hive somewhere.
FROM POONEH - How do you feel connected to Lady Gaga and her music?
AMANDA - I am very interested by people who march to the beat of a different drummer and Gaga definitely fits that category (hello, Meat Dress?). Her music is very upbeat and it really lifts me up whenever I need either an adrenaline rush or my mood elevated. I also adore her as a person for her political/social beliefs, as well as the way she treats her fans. In the fan work I do, I know it's so important to give back to the people who gave you a career and just to take a photo with someone or sign an autograph, especially with the crazy schedule and the amount of fans she has, is amazing and I hope to someday be lucky enough to meet her. I just hope I don't say something dumb, if I ever did.
MORE ANSWERS COMING SOON!
