When it comes to celebs and artists that transcend their respected art forms, they tend to gain a highly devoted following. From the subreddits of the internet to standing outside their luxury New York apartments, there are varying degrees of showing love to your favorite artist. In a way to find a sense of community with other liked minded fans, born out of that love is fandoms. Fandoms can pop out of anywhere and continue to grow into some of the world’s most iconic fandoms like Swifties, Barbz, BeeHive, and BTS Army.
While fandoms are usually welcoming, there are times when things spiral out of hand.
We live in a world where various degrees of a community can have opposing views and how to deal with them. But what happens in that fandom can have prolonged mental issues on another. In the Supernatural fandom, one of the most passionate there is, fans are deadly protective of the lore and have sent death threats to the producers who change course throughout the series. Recently, the fandom made waves when Supernatural star Jensen Ackles announced a prequel to the long-standing sci-fi show. On Twitter, he was picked apart at the bones with the logic and reason behind the move. Ackles has since held the fandom at bay, but it would be wise to do the homework before pursuing forward with the show.
Its situations like this make level-headed fans embarrassed to associate themselves with such communities. Fans become so invested in the lives of the characters being portrayed to the public, they began to think the fantasy world is all there is. They become invested in the relationships of their artist which is called “shipping.” In the realm of ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise, former co-stars Kristina Schulman and Blake Horstmann both received death threats after their choices in the dating show. Living your life in the spotlight or in television opens up your life to the public in way you can’t imagine.
On social media, singers use it to build a connection with their fanbase. For places like Twitter and Instagram, it can be a gateway for fans to invade your personal life. If browsing around fandoms long enough, you will come across information about the whereabouts of your favorite celeb’s life. From what kind of car they drive to how many times they go out for toilet paper. Just days within moving to a new house in a gated community, popular YouTuber David Dobrik’s address was leaked online.
In fandoms, there is rarely any law being held to stop acts like mentioned above. In a way, we all have our views of what’s right and wrong. People feel greatly connected to the art form they engulf themselves in. Coupled with art that has a great impact on others, some see the lines between artist and art blur. Despite a small few, fandoms do have mental benefits for many looking for a sense of belonging. More times than not, fandoms allow you to escape with other fans into a place all your own. Like us, what actors and singers portray to the public isn’t what lurks on the surface.