"Y'All Jus' Jellus!" The Scary World of Fandom

[huntergrayson]

Oh my god, yes. It was like page two on the Lost premiere thread before someone broke out with "Veronica Mars wouldn't pull this shit." How would you know after one season? Do you have a copy of every forthcoming script? There hasn't even been a second season episode yet, so maybe hold off a bit on the comparisons. It's getting old when it's invading every other forum and basically completely hijacked the Tubeys (Best Credits? uh, no).

Ditto with AD. Which I enjoy, but we get it -- it's the bestest most awesome show ever. The fact that both shows were renewed in spite of poor ratings should shut people up more.

I can see this level of emotional involvement at 14-15 or so -- god knows I was obsessed with stuff then and teens are emotionally intense by nature -- but after that, it gets a bit scary and sad.

The Phantoms kinda scare me as well. Oh, and I don't understand rabid Friends fans at all. Guys, it's a sitcom, one that was decent for a while, but there aren't layers of meaning waiting to be pulled back.

[Deleted]

The most annoying person I have run across in cyberspace is a rabid fan of both Arrested Development and Veronica Mars. I have seen this poster at various boards for another fandom, and 90% of her/his posts are about how "cool" and "awesome" AD and VM are.

Even in the off-discussion threads, whenever somebody mentions a new movie they like or a funny scene from some other television show, this poster has to come in and one-up that person with how the writing is not as good as VM's is or how it's "not as funny as this one scene in AD". Like huntergrayson said, we get it. It all prevents me from giving either show a chance because I don't want to like a show that has such an irritating, obnoxious loser for a fan.

[crankie]

So, let's say... you know, just for the sake of argument... that I might want to find one of these fandoms in order to witness the crazy. Where would I look?

I never thought I'd be proud of the fact that I don't even know where to start looking for something!

[Deleted]

You could do a google search or go to that place with all those TV shows minus the compassion.

[Deleted]

crankie, I have never even lurked at the VM forums at TWOP, but chances are that there are many, many overboard VM fans there. Like huntergrayson said, there are quite a few of them who post about it in the Lost forums, so I'm sure the TWOP VM forums is their mothership.

[huntergrayson]

Oh my god, it's spreading. In a letter to EW re: the fall TV preview issue, Barry Dagestino writes:

I'm a huge fan of Lost, but out of 31 new shows, you couldn't find one to put on your cover. And if you insisted on featuring a returning show, would a little love for Arrested Development have killed you?

Argh! Firstly, the magazine has championed the show repeatedly and encourages people to watch. Secondly, it's a cover and those things are driven by sales, so odds are a top ten show is gonna be featured. The day AD appears on the cover is the day Sarah Polley and Catherine Keener are on the cover of the Fall Movie Preview over Reese Witherspoon. Ain't gonna happen.

[Deleted]

The worst thing (aside from the terrifying psychosis) of some of these people in any fandom is the complete and utter humourlessness with which they approach their chosen obsessions, and how anally and dogmatically fixated on them some of them are. It's as if they have to treat their hobbies as central tenets of a religious faith which must be believed and adhered to strictly, exactly, and above all, dourly (of course, I think adhering strictly to most actual religious beliefs is a bit silly, but that's for another argument). Woe behold anyone, then, who dares question their almighty fannish wisdom by suggesting that maybe Star Wars isn't a particularly deep film, or D.C Comics are better than Marvel, or that the Jon Pertwee era of Dr. Who isn't that great. Because that's when they turn venomous and really really nasty.

[Deleted]

doctornemesis said:

The worst thing (aside from the terrifying psychosis) of some of these people in any fandom is the complete and utter humourlessness with which they approach their chosen obsessions, and how anally and dogmatically fixated on them some of them are. It's as if they have to treat their hobbies as central tenets of a religious faith which must be believed and adhered to strictly, exactly, and above all, dourly (of course, I think adhering strictly to most actual religious beliefs is a bit silly, but that's for another argument). Woe behold anyone, then, who dares question their almighty fannish wisdom by suggesting that maybe Star Wars isn't a particularly deep film, or D.C Comics are better than Marvel, or that the Jon Pertwee era of Dr. Who isn't that great. Because that's when they turn venomous and really really nasty.

I completely agree with this. I've especially noticed the lack of humour. I've got a couple of obsessions myself, and I'm having so much fun with it. I am able to see that I'm obsessing over fictional characters and stories, and I'll only do it as long as it brings me lots of fun. The day I start to take it personally when someone's not a fan, or I start to live my life through these characters, I'm done. No more Internet for me.

Michael Jackson fans are the perfect example of this. They behave exactly like a cult, treat him as their God, and take it all more serious than my grandmother does her religion. I guess I should feel sorry for people like that, but I don't. I think it's pathetic and annoying.

[crankie]

Thanks to all who pointed me in the direction of some scary fandom! I can't believe I didn't think to check the VM board on TWOP! (I haven't seen the show, so I shall lurk silently, lest they attack and skin me alive!)

I saw that letter in EW, too, and instantly thought of this thread!! Seriously, the ONLY place you ever hear about Arrested Development (in mainstream media, anyway) is EW, so that seemed like a cheap shot! I'm surprised they printed it.

[mostlyharmless]

From the Insane Movie Debaters Board forum on Buffy actress Michelle Trachtenberg.

I met her at the Sandusky, Ohio Taco bell. She ordered some nachos bell grande. I saw her order that so after she got her food, I ordered one too. I tried to approach her to let her know that I also ordered the nachos bell grande and that we have many things in common. I tried to sit at her table but she gave me this dirty look and got up and left. She left the rest of her nachos bell grande sitting there so I acted like I was going to throw it away, but I went running out the door with it. I'm not sure what happened to Michelle. I was going to save the nachos bell grande and try to sell it, but I got hungry again after a couple of hours and ate it. At least I tasted some of her spit.

And you wonder why she walked away? And this is her version, who knows what extra crazy is left out?