What is Friends of Bill W., Dr. Bob, & Dorothy??????

[1bigballer]

Maybe I'm last on the smart bus but what are these meetings? AA or NA and such is my guess but I'm not sure. Just curious since I saw them listed everyday on the Princess Patter recently. Thanks.

[Colo Cruiser]

You are correct. :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Not sure what NA is but FOD is a group for gays/lesbians. I've been seeing them listed in the Patters for our best couple of cruises.

[Chris54]

Maybe I'm last on the smart bus but what are these meetings?

 

You may be last on the smart bus, but you're sharing a seat with me! I just figured all that out last night.

[Dreamer333]

Not sure what NA is ...

 

I believe it is Narcotics Anonymous

[bdjam]

And just to clarify – unlike Friends of Bill or Bob, Friends of Dorothy is not a support group – it is a social group.

[madelinerose]

Narcotics Anonymous

 

Not sure what NA is

[Peesea]

And just to clarify – unlike Friends of Bill or Bob, Friends of Dorothy is not a support group – it is a social group.

 

Good point. Support and social are not the same. No "Friends of Phillip Morris" or "Friends of Jesus Christ"...:D :D

[Karen & Dennis]

Bill W & Dr. Bob started Alcoholics Anonymous (people just use their first names at support meetings). They helped one another with alcohol problems and started the concept. I work in a counseling center specializing in Employee Assistance Programs. EAPs got their start in the 40's as alcohol programs and have since evolved to helping employees with a variety of issues. Anyway ... hence part of my "speech" when explaining the EAP. "Du Pont got together with Bill Wilson of AA to start the first EAP helping troubled employees" ... etc. etc.

 

I know I know ... lots more than you wanted to know.

 

:o

[Nitemare]

Answers to all these questions can be found here

 

The Internet is truly an amazing tool.

[Scuttle-Butt]

As Alcoholics Anonymous members neither advertise nor promote their programe and most perfer to remain anonymous, therefore, an ideal way to alert other members on a cruise ship to a meeting is by inserting a note in the daily "patter". Believe me, when one is aboard a ship for days/weeks at a time surrounded by lounges and a drinking atmosphere, it is a welcome site to see "Friends of Bill W. will meet in......."

I have meet more and more friends this way through-out the world.

Bill Wilson was one of the founders of AA.

Alfe D.:)

[Robrph]

This question has come up many times on these boards. I recall the first time I noticed it- right after I watched the terrific movie about the origins of AA starring James Woods as Bill Wilson. Someone posted that they just couldn't understand who this Bill W guy was, and why did he have a group of his friends on EVERY cruise this guy took! :D

[SeaTeacher]

Good point. Support and social are not the same. No "Friends of Phillip Morris" or "Friends of Jesus Christ"...:D :D

 

Actually, there is a "Friends of Jesus" meeting. It's called a non-denominational Christian service and it takes place on Sunday mornings. There was one on my recent Sapphire Princess cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

[Cruisin' Chick]

"I've been seeing them listed in the Patters for our best couple of cruises."

 

I'm glad I came back here so I can correct this as "last couple of cruises." I may have been a proofreader at one time but I can't catch my own mistakes.:o

 

And I'm glad only one person got sarcastic here. We can ask questions without people getting snippy, right?

[14A04]

Answers to all these questions can be found here

 

The Internet is truly an amazing tool.

 

If everyone Googled their questions we wouldn't have a need for this message board!

[twinkletoes4445]

You may be last on the smart bus, but you're sharing a seat with me! I just figured all that out last night.

 

At least you're on the bus...Hear that thump? That was me under it!!!! I had no clue about FOD or the other. I had to ask about Friends of Bill W after our cruise. I had no clue...

[Barry ATL]

Friends of Dorthy is just a social gathing. If I remember correctly, the name comes for Dorthy in the Wizard of Oz. And of course, Judy Garland played Dorothy. Judy has been an icon of the gay community from way back. Judy always had PERFECT hair!

 

Anyway, the term FOD was created years ago when gay folks wanted to self identify to other gays, but did not want to deal with any harrassment. It is a dated term, but still used. During the time it was first created, it was still dangerous to be openly gay in most places.

[dhcoaster]

Answers to all these questions can be found here

 

The Internet is truly an amazing tool.

 

You are sooooooooo correct... Love it!

[Nitemare]

If everyone Googled their questions we wouldn't have a need for this message board!

Not quite, but it would cut down on the repetitive questions and the "what's a Tender?" type questions that can be found out immediately.

[zydecocruiser]

Answers to all these questions can be found here

 

The Internet is truly an amazing tool.

 

 

And it makes it easier for the government to out you. :cool:

[Paulras]

I still love the last FOD I went to on the QM2. It was listed in the daily newsletter on (coincidentally) the same day that the front page was advertising the big show for the night was a Tribute to Judy Garland. Apparently several older couples assumed it was all related and that Friends of Dorothy was just a meeting for people to discuss how they love Judy Garland and old music.

 

After about 10 minutes, the "clang clang clang" went off in their heads and they realized what the group really was. They quietly walked out without saying a word - not one word!

 

Priceless!

[bdjam]

I still love the last FOD I went to on the QM2. It was listed in the daily newsletter on (coincidentally) the same day that the front page was advertising the big show for the night was a Tribute to Judy Garland. Apparently several older couples assumed it was all related and that Friends of Dorothy was just a meeting for people to discuss how they love Judy Garland and old music.

 

After about 10 minutes, the "clang clang clang" went off in their heads and they realized what the group really was. They quietly walked out without saying a word - not one word!

 

Priceless!

Same sort of thing happened to me on Island Princess when the FOD party was a few days after the screening of Wizard of Oz. Only in this case, the people who were in the wrong place complained to the Purser. Princess now has begun publishing their FOD gatherings as LGBT/FOD.

[m steve]

On the last cruise on Diamond they had a Rainbow group meet on the second day in the big aft bar just before lunch. CC group met there as well in a separate area. As far as religious groups the ship offers several services in appropriate areas.

I once was on a cruise an evangalist started singing hymms in one of the bars after dinner and I had Security remove him.

[twodudes]

I still love the last FOD I went to on the QM2. It was listed in the daily newsletter on (coincidentally) the same day that the front page was advertising the big show for the night was a Tribute to Judy Garland. Apparently several older couples assumed it was all related and that Friends of Dorothy was just a meeting for people to discuss how they love Judy Garland and old music.

 

After about 10 minutes, the "clang clang clang" went off in their heads and they realized what the group really was. They quietly walked out without saying a word - not one word!

 

Priceless!

 

OMG that is fantastic!

[sandbag7]

Better change the name to FOBM-friends of Bette Midler-to avoid confusion.