Meet the Ultimate Omaha Star Wars Fans
05/06/05
It's wall-to-wall Star Wars at Mark Tomasello's house. Mark says, "Everybody that knows me knows this is what I'm about."
One look at his room and you know the force is not only with him, but has completely overwhelmed him. Mark says, "I call this the 'den of geek.'"
It's an entire room dedicated to everything Star Wars. A shrine that, like a neon lightsaber, shines one word very brightly. Mark says, "I'm a geek – I love this stuff."
Tomasello is a self-proclaimed geek. As are his fellow members in Omaha Fan Force. It's a group of 40 or so Star Wars-lovers who get together once a month to discuss everything from Darth Vader to video games. Star Wars-fan Craig Bush says, "It's more of a support group."
Group members say the fan force helps them be among their own kind. Star Wars-lover Jeff Gross says, "I can be a Star Wars geek around these guys. In my family I'm the Star Wars guy." Now they share their immense anticipation of the final chapter in George Lucas's almost 30 year-long saga.
It is, as fan Michael O'Connell says, "The quintessential battle between good and evil."
And they have come to embrace the label that's been forced upon them. Fan Heather Westcott says, "There's only so many females who can handle the amount of geek these guys put out."
Some of the groups members go so far as to make public appearances in full Star Wars regalia at parades, premieres and conventions – all to share their love of Star Wars with the world.
Tomasello says, "Everybody has their obsession. For some people it's football, for others it's NASCAR, but for me, it's Star Wars."
And even as the final chapter unfolds, they say the force will be with them always. Westcott says, "As long as you have a good imagination, it's never going to be over."
Fan Jeff Schipman says, "I think Star Wars is forever. It's going to last for as long as fans want it to last."
Most of the group members already have tickets to the midnight showing of Revenge of the Sith. Mark is just one of a few people trying to win your vote as the "Ultimate Star Wars Fan."
Here on our website you can choose who you think should win tickets to the premiere of "Revenge of the Sith".
And for all you Star Wars lovers, we've been airing the whole lot of them on KPTM. This Sunday, it's Return Of The Jedi. On the 15th, watch Episode I: The Phantom Menace. And the weekend Revenge of the Sith hits the theaters, watch Attack Of The Clones on May 22nd at 6:00pm.
