Someone recently paid $450,000 to become Snoop Dogg’s neighbour in the metaverse. In India, fans build temples of their favourite celebrities and buy their personal belongings at auction. You may call this ‘crazy fan culture’. But these things are wacky, and harmless. Some fan interactions, however, are toxic; they can even be dangerous. I believe it is time for fans to learn discipline, understand consent, and behave better with their favourite personalities.
Gen instant gratification
As a generation, we seek instant gratification and in the age of Instagram, a fan not capturing digital evidence of their encounter with an idol is unimaginable. Sadly, when an idol turns down a request, they are insulted.
Do not trespass, please
I regularly see groups of fans in my residential complex. I receive notices from the residential authorities for the misbehaviour of my fans every alternate day. Once, a subscriber broke into our house when we were away. What level have we stooped down to?
Let our close ones live!
Once, a mob of fans wanted to click selfies with me. I was with my 11-year-old brother and they pulled him aside, manhandling him. I was devastated, angry, and anxious. Since then, I avoid crowded places and sometimes, even going out with my brother.
This wasn’t what I signed up for when I started my journey as a YouTuber.
{{/usCountry}}This wasn’t what I signed up for when I started my journey as a YouTuber.
{{/usCountry}}There was an incident when a creator and his manager didn’t respond to a fan query, and the fan started pestering people on the manager’s social media profile. And it’s not just the creators, but even friends and families of the close ones who are being dragged into the toxic environment of wild fan culture.
Control yourself
A YouTuber from Ahmedabad told me that he hasn’t revealed his identity just to avoid fan mobs. He decided to be discreet after learning about the experiences of a fellow YouTuber from Siliguri (West Bengal) who faces wild fan interactions regularly. Speaking to other YouTubers from Mumbai and other big cities, I think these wild fan interactions are more common in the smaller towns. Maybe the community gets too excited seeing someone succeeding from their region. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there should be control.
‘We made you,’ they yell
You did. But that doesn’t give you the right to manhandle my family, demand my time, disrespect my privacy, and talk trash. Be mindful, please.
A guard-less world
Every time I see celebrities being rescued by security from their wild fans, I wonder if we really are an evolved and intellectual species. I doubt it. Had it been true, we would respect each other’s individual space. Dear fans, please help us love you more. Mind our personal space, please!
Sourav Joshi, 21, is India’s leading YouTube Vlogger with 12.7m subscribers. He creates content around his daily life in the hills of Uttarakhand.
I Say Chaps is an occasional guest column that allows passionate, creative people a platform to have their say.
From HT Brunch, February 27, 2022
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