Does Dropout have parasocial fans?

#shorts #smosh #dropout #collegehumor

[jimmy_the_squid]

Courtney hit the nail perfectly at the end, real fans don't harass and abuse people because they won't share every single aspect of their lives with the viewers

[samsee_ca]

"I am not your friend. I will never, ever hang out with you. And I don't care about you, because I don't know you. I _can't!_ There are [thousands] of people here; I can't care about _all_ of you!"

- Ludwig, 2020

[hjewkes]

One unexpected aspect of Dropout’s content is that there is a certain level of expected familiarity in the shows. I’ve tried showing people episodes of Game Changer and a common reaction was “I think I’d enjoy it more if I knew these people”, and yeah after watching for years understanding the inside jokes and personalities does make a lot of the bits funnier. But I can see how that could lead to extreme levels of parasocial behavior

[sagejennings]

I love what Bo Burnham said about parasocial relationships. He said he doesn't want "loyalty" from fans and if he stops providing the service they're there for, to stop supporting him, because that is what his job is. Supply and demand of entertainment

[kaydecena]

I remember when Siobhan revealed her first name and people calling her by that name. She called them out. There's a reason people do not use their name in entertainme t.

[Ava-kmtl]

Stalkers don’t actually “care” about the person they’re stalking. At best, the person they stalk is just the object of their obsession. They care about them in the same way that one cares about their favorite toy—not on an empathetic, human level. At worst, they only want to have power over another person by making them feel scared and have a total disregard for the other person’s boundaries.

[concosre]

Having Courtney as the question reader for this episode is perfect. She's dealt with so much bullshit from "fans" pre- and post-marriage announcement, it's insane. This fanbase can be a cancer sometimes.

I know Courtney isn't gonna read this, but I wish you, Shayne Topp from iCarly, and your two cats good health and safety.

[SpoiltLittlePrincess]

Courtney is so on point here. Like when I a late teen and in my early 20s I was a huge fan of a few bands under the same record label. Whenever they came to my country I was front row to each show, they knew my name AND my best friend in the US. But I was really good mannered and never stalked them, so I'd get free tickets, merch and all sorts. They called me a friend and remembred me years after stopping their musical stuff because of that. I'm sure some fans can get a bit overboard sometimes, I def did when I was younger, but nothing like the scary shit these members are all afraid of.

[rainestar]

"its people who consider themselves fans but I dont think are" huge and important difference, ty Courtney for saying it! A FAN respects their idol or favs boundaries, because theres RESPECT there. A stalker or someone obsessed isnt a fan. Theyre a control freak.

[Yannisa]

When the official Dropout discord server was still active, the community there was always respectful, of course it had their mods, but it had clear rules and no one ever had a problem with them, as far as I know the active fans were always respectful of the cast members
And I agree with Cortney, I wouldn’t consider those with para social behavior as if they were they would respect their idol, but they aren’t fans of them, but of the imaginary version of them that only exist in their heads

[bnashee]

Man. Courtney really did very concisely describe it there like. It very much is people who think they are fans, but actively disrespect and push the boundaries of people they claim to be fans of.

Like idk if you’re a fan of someone you generally have a healthy respect and understanding that you dont know them really at all and know that they deserve to be treated like people instead of products

[mhj]

ally’s comment about it being gendered immediately made me think of emily axford. she’s had to put up with so many weird comments for so long

[Dloin]

Next town over lives a really big metalband. Not quiet as big as Metallica in general, but among Metalheads they are. You will meet them at concerts and everything. They are just around. But nobody really bothers them. They dont need bodyguards. Occasionally a teen asks for a foto but otherwise they are just dudes. They are off the clock. Thats how people should handle and see that.

[Cyntaria]

It's people who were once fans but now think they know you on a personal level and that you're all friends. Had to stop streaming because it made me so uncomfortable and people started threatening to end their own lives when I directed them to my public (now deleted) discord server if they wanted to interact with my community off stream.

[skylarjune]

I had a cyberstalker for a while during and after the pandemic, he had no way to find me in real life but it was still scary seeing the hot and cold attitudes and daily threats of the worst things from someone I purposely spoke to one time. He probably made at least 100 accounts to try and reach me. I can’t imagine having that kind of exposure and how many people either ignorantly or maliciously behave this way

[siralden]

I had never once considered that people who cyber stalk or form parasocial relationships would not be fans. That's such a great way to put it! 😮

[scoutlaceharding]

I totally agree. If you stalk or harass someone, you aren't their fan.

[hipsnowsis]

i feel like sometimes people forget that a functional parasocial relationship (as in, the way that a normal and healthy fan and creator would feel about each other) is not a disrespectful one. Ally, for example, will probably never know who i am or talk to me, and if they do it will likely be fleeting and/or guarded, and that's ok! that's not a mark of disrespect, it's not saying they think i lack value or worth, it's just the nature of the way in which we have connected - i watch their content, they produce content for many people as a job. there is a back and forth, there is a relationship of some character, but it's not the kind where id call them my buddy. but i don't need to feel like that means i can't enjoy their content, neither me nor Ally are pretending a real friendship exists here. parasocial needn't be a bad word, there's a healthy way to do these things guys.

[Dan-juis]

And the fact that people were (and still are) bashing and making a joke about Chappell Roan making her boundaries clear is so sad honestly.

[RelaxingPlatypus]

Powerful. Glad I saw this. Parasocial is too real. The second I heard the definition I snapped out of commenting. I still do, but in a very different way. Just supporting the art of it.

I’m sad to hear your stories. Not surprised. Just still sad as a woman in her 30’s who grew up alongside y’all. Only found your channels in the last few years.

This stinks. But…thank you for sharing and being brave enough to share so other people hopefully don’t have to go through it.

This world has a reconning coming. Might start small. But it starts with saying, “no, this isn’t okay”.