"I wanted to share my love of Star Wars by showing fellow fans that the actors (small or large parts) who worked on the films, TV shows, radio shows and video games had life and work beyond the saga," Mangue explains. "A small part of me really wanted to broaden the fans' horizons. And I wanted the actors all in one place and easy to find. But I also felt the need to share the multitude of Star Wars references out in the world and there were a lot of them."
"I began collecting references in the early '90s, just bits and pieces really, little lists on small scraps of paper," Mangue continues. "I didn't have any idea what I'd do with them but I continued jotting down quotes or just the name of the movie, book, etc. and a very short, 'Yoda mentioned' or 'poster on wall.' And I kept them tucked away here and there. I obviously found a place for them."
On her Nerf-Herders-Anonymous.net site, fans can read Star Wars references in the categories of art, books, films, radio, TV shows, comics, games, magazines, music, sports, theater and more. While gathering the myriad of references, Mangue says she's come across quite a few unusual films that pay homage to a galaxy far, far away.
"In the Woody Allen film Deconstructing Harry (1997), Harry (played by Allen) has several dreams -- one of which is a Star Wars-themed Bar Mitzvah," Mangue reveals. "A banner on the wall reads 'May the Force be with you, Donald.' Each guest is in a Star Wars costume -- Vader, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, etc., and at the center of each table there sits a Darth Vader lamp. The funny thing about this reference is that Allen had basically used the same reference in his film Mighty Aphrodite two years earlier. Except it was a Star Wars-themed wedding and not a Bar Mitzvah."
"Directors, authors and artists place references for several reasons," Mangue explains. "For example they may want to make a point or an analogy, to poke fun at the saga -- trying to illicit laughter, to make an homage to Lucas and the films, or simply because they love the films themselves and want to share. The language of Star Wars permeates our culture, our speech and captures our feelings. No matter where you are or who you are there's little possibility of not catching the meaning of calling someone 'a Darth Vader,' even if you've never seen the films."
Aside from spotting Star Wars references in movies, and the usual media genres, Mangue says she is often surprised when tributes to Star Wars pop up in the most unlikely places.
"Enron's use of Star Wars names for their fake businesses was kind of funny but in the end mostly just slimy," Mangue says.
In her blog Life, the Star Wars Universe and Everything, Mangue likes to take the references a bit further and offer commentary on the items she comes across, as well as to keep fans up to date on various Star Wars actors and their current projects.
"Visitors can find semi-regular actor updates which include some special appearances (not generally convention related), interesting tidbits and occasional links to articles about or with the actors," Mangue says. "But they will also see a personal side of some things happening around what I do or info on whatever I find interesting outside of Star Wars."
"The feedback I've received has been overwhelmingly positive," Mangue says. "My site has had a fair amount of submissions because of the blog which, for whatever reason, has surprised me. I don't normally receive a lot of comments and I do not expect them but it is nice to hear what others have to say. And I do enjoy the interaction."
"The Star Wars blogs are all in one place, and there are a manageable number of them to read," Mangue adds. "The bloggers have a variety of tastes and levels of fandom so you're guaranteed your quota of Star Wars related thoughts because each and every blog is related to Star Wars in one form or another. But the best thing is the continuous interaction between fans and VIPs of all sorts like the people who've actually worked on the films, the authors and the artists."
As she continues to catalog further saga references in popular culture, and posts news regarding the actors who made the films possible, Mangue says her blog also gives her a deep sense of community among the fans.
"The Star Wars blogs are a cool way to share thoughts and information on our favorite subject," Mangue says. "Blogs have that interesting combination of information, open letter and life journal combined with the style of a message board (though at a much more agreeable pace) that gives me a sense of value and community as well as something to look forward to while I'm working. I believe that others would find the same true and would want to add their thoughts to the mix."
