Katherine Larsen

Okay, let’s get this out of the way: I couldn’t read this book as an academic, only as a fan. My own shame/squick issues were so profoundly present during my reading, because the book focuses both on fannish shame and on actual interviews with people involved in producing SPN to see what they think about fandom, that some identificatory switch was flipped; I even felt that the occasional typos were my typos. (Also, I am quoted.)

That said, I felt that the book was a dead-on description of show more various kinds of fannishness—the fannishness explicitly rejecting shame and the fannishness that is both ashamed and excited—and the kinds of inter-fan and fan/producer interactions that the variations produce, including lots of policing of what other fans do. During one of the discussions of “inappropriate” fan behavior (as defined by other fans), I started thinking: what’s been theorized about groupies? Does Cynthia Plaster Caster become appropriate because she and the band share enough overlapping interests? I’m guessing other fans thought she was inappropriate. Also, when are producers of content with fan followings behaving inappropriately, or is inappropriateness just for fans? That’s an argument into which I see counteragent’s comic about SPN fandom and officialdom fitting. The authors are very positive both about fandom in general and about the people who produce SPN, so they understandably don’t go in that direction (though they briefly mention that thing Eli Roth did where he broke the fan/star boundary in a very public way). I feel the same protectiveness myself for fandom.

Also, though please know that I am totally aware of the contradictions here, I came out of the book respecting Jared Padalecki, whose stance on fan/celebrity interactions is both thoughtful and also recursive all-Cretans-are-liars genius. He states outright that he performs a “Jared” for the fans and that he has a separate self for his actual intimates, and that he equally wants the fans to remain a bit mysterious to him. Now, suppose he actually (whatever that might mean) has great contempt for fans instead of the appreciation he professes—he’s still telling the truth! He just told you that he was going to lie! Or suppose he actually is exactly as he seems to be onstage--he's still telling the truth! He told you he was going to protect his true self, and he did so by hiding it in plain sight! I love it. (But I still don't want to meet him, because that's my squick!) Secondarily, I found Eric Kripke’s reaction to reading RPF featuring him quite Golden Rule-ish: after his initial reaction of “that’s not right!” he pointed out that he’d been writing real people into his shows—Samuel Colt, for one—with blithe unconcern for facts too. As he put it, the writer was using a “façade” of him “because underneath, it’s all them.” Also, Sera Gamble apparently wrote Twin Peaks fanfic—but we don’t get the quote, just the statement that she “confess[ed]” to it. show less

It took me a while to read this, because of my own intense and unresolved issues surrounding fan-actor contact; it’s a very personal account of the journey to admit one’s fandom; stop or at least limit the shame that women often feel for liking something for ourselves; and also set appropriate boundaries on conduct related to a show produced by other human beings who might seem knowable and even known to thousands of strangers, but have lives of their own. Fangasm is fundamentally about show more the difficulties of managing relationships that are only metaphorically “negotiated,” and in fact are created out of constant bumping up against one another with not enough repeat players on the fan side (at least). It’s all culture and norms, except no one really agrees on what the culture or norms are. The authors are very positive about fangirl desires, while also acknowledging the dark side of any human community; this all made it impossible for them to write the “official” book they thought they were writing for a while. They offer a pretty biting criticism of “TPTB’s” attempts to control fannish engagement: “Never mind that they are in the business of selling passion and sex and desire. Never mind that they cast impossibly pretty people in their television shows and films. Never mind that they often mount (yeah, pun intended there) over-the-top ad campaigns that emphasize sexual subtext over plot. They don’t seem to have a problem with any of this, but they do seem to have a problem with fans acknowledging it, indulging in it, and celebrating it.”

Especially just after rewatching The Real Ghostbusters and the humiliating treatment of female fans, I was left less forgiving of the “creative” side of the show’s production than the authors are—they’re extremely positive about the good nature of everyone they meet and interview, which I have no doubt is true, but they don’t discuss the thoughts of writers/showrunners other than Kripke and they touch on issues of race and homosexuality but not gender as such. Instead, they endorse the narrative that TPTB forced Bela and Ruby on the creative team, which helped account for the negative reaction to those characters from fandom. Yeah, but misogyny also played a role (and I apply that judgment to the creative team and to fandom), and I wished the authors had addressed that more, though they do focus a lot on the internalized misogyny/devaluing of women’s interests that is related to fannish shame. show less

I enjoyed how the authors combined anecdotes with academic research to explore the worlds of fan girls and fandom, and how social media has really brought a perceived fringe group together. Being a super Ricky Martin and Hugh Jackman fan girl, I was able to relate to many situations, such as feeling guilty that you may be neglecting your family or that you fandom revolves from an unhappy life. I've even experienced run ins with internet fandom police. I do think the authors make an excellent show more case that a woman's committment to her fandom is often belittled because of her gender. The male face painter who attends every home game of his fav team is held in much better esteem. show less

I’m no stranger to fandoms--my first fandom was ‘N Sync, and I just HAD to own all the albums (including import CDs), put dozens of posters on my wall, set the VCR to record all their TV appearances, and go to their concerts every time they were in the Midwest. I remember visiting fan websites and waiting impatiently for pictures to load (back in the dial up internet days). I read fanfiction and even tried writing it once. I bought all kinds of ‘N Sync merchandise, but my most prized show more item was a towel that I caught when they threw it into the audience. Only my family and closest friends knew the true extent of my fangirling--I tried not to let too many other people see that side of me because I was worried they’d judge me or make fun of me.

Nowadays I am more willing to let my fangirl flag fly. I go to midnight premieres of movies based on my favorite books, I get to book signings so early sometimes that I’m first or second in line, and I even go to my favorite artists’ concerts by myself if none of my friends are free because I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity. Life is too short to be embarrassed about the things you enjoy, you know? (And while I don’t have posters covering my walls anymore, a quick glance at my Pinterest boards will tell you that I still have music, books, TV shows, and movies that I’m very passionate about!)

I was really excited when I first heard about this book. Even though I’ve only seen a few episodes of Supernatural, I knew I could relate to the topic of fandom! Fangasm touches on many aspects of fandom, including reading and writing fan fiction, making fan pilgrimages, attending fan conventions, becoming part of a fan community, and so much more. It examines the negative ways we react to fan behavior, even from within the fandom itself sometimes.

For those unfamiliar with the language of fandom, Fangasm includes a Glossary of Terms so you can learn all the relevant lingo (for example, “shipping” and “OTP”). The authors share some research from the field of fan studies as well as anecdotes from their own experiences as Supernatural fans. While many of their stories made me smile or laugh, they also made me think critically about what it means to be a fan and the relationship between fans and creators. This book challenges fan shame and shares insights from the perspectives of both the fans and the creators. It's also a fun read that a lot of people can relate to. show less