Tag: essay

Posted in Blog Posts

Informative Speech: Fandom

Posted on by Molly Kasperek

Okay, show of hands – who here has ever heard of 50 Shades of Grey? Everyone, right? If you have, you’ve inadvertently stumbled across fandom. Today I’m going to explain what exactly fandom is, how it started, and how it has managed to make its very own subculture, complete with its own language.

First, it must be said that there is a difference between being a fan of something and being part of a fandom. Fans are casual in their interest – they will tune in from week to week to watch the show or pre-order the next book in the series, but they don’t devote any more time to it than to set their DVR or actually enjoy the material.

A member of a fandom is an entirely different story. For a member of a fandom, they invest their time and emotions to their interest. And it’s a phenomenon that’s been going on for over a century.

One of the facts I find most surprising about fandom culture is that it’s not new or recent by any stretch of the imagination. Though I only stumbled upon fandom in the last few years, fandom culture has actually been around for decades.

The first modern fandom is considered to be Sherlock Holmes. That’s right, there were fans sitting around as early as 1887, writing about these beloved characters in the first recorded cases of fan fiction. In 1893, fans of Sherlock Holmes even held public demonstrations of mourning when the titular character was “killed”.  Let me do the math for you – 125 years this has been going on. And for the record – Sherlock Holmes is still being written about today. I saw a story about him that was updated this morning.

The thing about fandom is that it can be for fans of literally anything. The most common and mainstream fandoms tend to be related to television shows, movie franchises and book series. They even have nicknames – you’ve probably heard of some of them:

  • Twilight fans are Twihards,
  • Firefly fans are Browncoats;
  • for Star Trek there are Trekkies
  • and Dr. Who has its Whovians.
  • Janeites are those who adore Jane Austen
  • Whedonites worship at the alter of Joss Whedon – figuratively, of course.
  • And yes, there are even Bronies – fans of My Little Pony.

I couldn’t make this up if I tried.

But there are less mainstream fandoms as well – for musicians and bands, anime, plays and video games. Even celebrities.

And when I say that fandom is a culture, that’s not a lie. It’s so expansive it has grown to have its own language. My friend Diana and I, though we have zero fandoms in common, can hold an entire conversation about the phenomenon without anyone understanding. It’s not their fault, they’re just not part of the culture.

So if you hear a strange conversation about a new ‘fic’ someone read, know that they’re probably talking about fanfiction – or fictional stories – anywhere from a few words long to a few hundred thousand – about a show or movie or book. In case you didn’t know – that’s how 50 Shades of Grey was born. It was originally published – probably on a site like fanfiction.net or Archive Of Our Own as Twilight fanfiction.

Or maybe you’ll hear the word ‘ship’ but no context clues to think the conversation could be about boating. They’re probably talking about two characters being in a relationship, or wanting characters to be in a relationship.

And beyond that, there are OTPs, or One True Pairings – the couples a fan thinks should belong together.

These ‘ships’ or OTPs may or may not be canon, which means they take place in the continuity of the fandom’s universe or ‘verse. If something is ‘canon’ it means it happened on the show, or in the book series, et cetera.

But something may also be ‘fanon’ or “fan canon”. That means that a fact which doesn’t necessarily exist in the universe or continuity of the show has been accepted by the fans as fact – such as minor character backstory or the first name of a character.

I know this is a lot to hear, especially if you’ve never been exposed to fandom before. Believe me, I understand. The first time I stumbled across a fandom I was googling every other word to understand this new language.

The thing about people that take part in fandoms is that you may never know that it’s a hobby of theirs. While I’ve always been a television addict, I’ve never had anyone that truly shares my passion about the same shows.

But then I joined Twitter and could follow the writer’s room of my favorite show. I thought – no big, I love to write, I wonder what their process is. And then I started recapping television shows for a small blog. And then I befriended THOSE writers on Twitter. And then I joined tumblr and all bets were off.

It grew slowly, and steadily, my delve into fandom. And now, after watching an episode of my favorite show, I no longer turn off the TV and get ready for bed. Now I log onto Twitter and see what is being said about it, and complain about how many FEELINGS the show has given me.

Fandom can be a bit of a life ruiner, but at the same time it’s rewarding to connect with people about my interests. It’s nice to live in a world that makes it easy to connect, and make friends. Now you don’t have to trek to San Diego to take part in Comic Con or Austin to go to the Austin Television Festival. Now if I want to talk about my crazy theories about ANYTHING I can take to tumblr or twitter, and immediately find some camaraderie.

Fandom is a strange concept to some. It’s even a strange concept to me, and I take part in them. But they can also be rewarding. And if you’re still lost, think of it this way – do you have a sports team that you’re devoted to? Do you take part in fantasy football or baseball? Then you, my friend, are also part of a fandom. Welcome.

Posted in Blog Posts

Blanket Fort Manifesto

Posted on by Molly Kasperek

On those hot, blustery days where the heat index tops out at 108 and you’re stuck in a dorm room, chilled to the bone thanks to the cranky thermostat you’re afraid to turn up in case you’ll never feel cool again, you need something to do. And it doesn’t matter that it’s Harry Potter Weekend, because that happens at least once a month and, besides, you can stream those movies online any damn time you want. What you can’t do any time is build a blanket fort. That requires a significant surplus of free time, an amenable roommate, and a damn good reason to not set foot outdoors for at least a few hours.

I firmly believe that you’re never too old for a blanket fort. What is a better well of childhood nostalgia? The only thing better about building blanket forts at 21 instead of 8 is that now your juice boxes can be alcoholic. But of course a blanket fort, like every good compound, needs a set of rules to operate by. With no further ado, the Blanket Fort Manifesto:

1)    On Construction:

  1. Exterior

i.     Though called a blanket fort, the actual materials used to construct the fortress can include: blankets, comforters, sheets, quilts, and throws. Pillows are acceptable, but should be limited to increasing comfort of in-fort activities (see section 3). And remember, a successful fort is one that blocks most, but not necessarily all, ambient light from outside of your citadel.

ii.     Be smart when deciding on where to place your fort. If possible, it should be in the living room. However, if you are living in a dorm room, that might be impossible. If able, you should place your fort in the same room as a television. Then again, we live in the age of streaming video, so this isn’t really as necessary as it was a decade ago. You can just fire up your laptop and pull up your Netflix Instant. But don’t be that guy. You’re in it for the nostalgia, right? Hunker down with some of your favorite Disney movies. Your neck cramps won’t last forever.

iii.     A blanket fort need not be a free-standing structure. Acceptable supports include, but are not limited to: couches, beds, chairs, desks, and dressers.

iv.     Under no circumstances are you to use tape, glue, yarn, thread, clips, etc. to fasten blankets together. You’re better than that.

2.  Interior

i.     Comfort is the name of the game. Sleeping bags, couch cushions, and pillows can all be considered fair game.

ii.     Proper lighting is important. As you don’t want a lot of ambient light filtering through your blankets and into the interior of your fort (that would show shoddy craftsmanship), you may find yourself wanting to see once you’re inside. As good at setting an atmosphere as candles can be, they’re fire hazards. Act accordingly. Battery powered lanterns, strategically placed flashlights, or that Yule log youtube video are excellent alternatives.

3.  Location

i.     Blanket forts are most successful when built as an excuse to stay indoors. Periods of excessive heat or cold are perfect reasons. Doesn’t the thought of cozying up inside a blanket fort in the wake of a thunderstorm/blizzard/heat wave sound fantastic?

2)    On the admission policy

  1. Be exclusive. You want your fort to be the coolest place you’ve ever imagined. Those daydreams you had of tree houses way back in the sixth grade? Well unless you’re the coolest parent ever, you probably don’t have one waiting in your future. This is your chance, buddy! Go crazy. It should be a privilege, nay an honor, to be invited into your fort. Invite visitors accordingly.
  2. Listen, this is your fort, your sanctuary. It’s a given that it will have limited square-footage that will rival the studio apartment you’re barely able to afford. Ergo, you can be as picky as you want. No boys allowed? Fine. No girls allowed? Okay then. No redheads? I don’t know who in their right mind would make that call, but sure, if that’s how you feel.

3)    Acceptable In-Fort Activities

  1. Marathon movies and television shows. It’s absolutely a great idea.
  2. Cuddle. Admit it, a blanket fort is a small, cozy, dare I say intimate space. Chances are you can’t fit more than two people inside without resorting to close human contact regardless. It’s nice to cuddle with a good friend or significant other. But listen, you’re not a little kid anymore so if you want to make out in your blanket fort, go for it. Who’s going to stop you?
  3. Tell stories. Share your favorite misadventures, wait until 2am and make up scary ghost stories, reminisce about the recent past, and enrapture your friends with those wacky urban legends only people from your lost-on-the-map hometown have ever heard of.
  4. Play videogames. Scavenge your old Gameboy and pop in that Pokémon Blue you’ve been meaning to beat for a decade now. Set up the N64, crack a beer, and play Mario Kart. Let your boyfriend teach you how to play that first-person shooter you’ve never heard of before.
  5. Read. What a novel idea. Crack open a well-loved book or break the spine of a new one. Utilize your local library, or borrow a dog-eared, marked-up beater from a friend. Trudge your way through a classic or breeze through an easy-read. It doesn’t matter if you’re picking up a piece of literature you never actually got around to reading in high school English or that new Fug Girls book (which is great, btw), the point is you’re reading. I can’t endorse this activity enough.

4)    Deconstruction

  1. Set a time limit for your fort. Preferably no longer than 48. The fact that you only have so long to enjoy it makes your haven all the more magical. Nothing good lasts forever, right? Besides, if properly constructed, your fort is taking up a significant portion of your living space. You’ll probably be too tired come Monday morning to want to take precious time navigating your way around it while trying not to be late for work.
Posted in Blog Posts

I Want to be a Funny Girl

Posted on by Molly Kasperek

No. Strike that. I just want to be funny.

Sometimes I feel like I’m not very good at being a woman. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but it seems like today is a difficult time to figure out what being a woman actually means. The 20th century woman was a revolutionary. Sure, sure, that’s generalizing, and I hate that when it comes to gender norms, but take a look at the achievements women made during the 20th century: they managed to get the vote and look fierce doing it. I kid. But, really, while I am a fan of the 19th Amendment, I think it’s stupid. Women shouldn’t need an individual Amendment granting us the vote based on sex, much the same as those of other races shouldn’t have needed the 15th Amendment. But in this I-am-woman-hear-me-roar age of individualism and empowerment, where do you draw the line?

I was a bit of a late bloomer when it came to being feminine. I spent my childhood tagging along behind my older brother, playing pick-up games of tackle football just as often as I played with my dolls. I’ve only recently gotten the hang of make-up, I rarely wear dresses, and I still loathe the color pink. But all of those are just things that society tells me I, as a woman, should like and appreciate. I like dressing up, but I get stressed out in formal situations. I think the key to being a woman is doing so on your own terms. But does that mean I focus on a career and wait to have kids? Have kids, keep my career, and let a nanny do most of the work? Quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom? Not have kids at all? I’m 20 years old; I shouldn’t have these concerns, but there just seems to be this societal and biological imperative to be all and do all and have it all.

It also comes down to the fact that I’m not a very good feminist. Give me equal pay and stop sexual, domestic, what-have-you assault (across the board, not just against women) and I’ll be a happy camper. I’m not going to get my knickers in a twist, paint myself pink, and march in every feminist protest. Let’s all be equal and call it a day.

Which is why I’ve been struggling a lot lately with my love for television and film.  Oh, Molly, you might think. Way to take this common cause and make it all about pop culture. What can I say, it’s a special skill. But, seriously. The number of female comedy writers, let alone female writers, is abysmally small. And, sure, a lot of the film industry is a “boys club”, but I’m sick of hearing that women aren’t funny. It’s a common lament: women aren’t funny. That’s bullshit. Women can be and have proven themselves to be just as witty, irreverent, thought-provoking, and hilarious as their male counterparts. But proving yourself to be funny is difficult no matter what gender you identify as. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.

Still, it makes me sad to think that a Writer’s Guild Award for diversity can be awarded based solely on the fact that the writer in question had some ovaries. Regardless, it’s nice to find that the issue of women in comedy is being written about. There’s a discourse going on, however limited. It’s interesting, and heart-warming, and captivating, and inspiring for me to be able to read posts defending females in comedy; articles like this or blog posts like these.

Two major productions recently have really brought this issue to light. Those were Tina Fey’s book Bossypants and the just released film “Bridesmaids.” I absolutely adored Bossypants. I thought that Fey’s writing was both crisp and witty. I laughed out loud at multiple turns and actually found myself relating to Fey more frequently than I ever thought possible. On the other hand we have “Bridesmaids,” a movie with a cast of extraordinarily talented women. When I first saw the trailers for it, I was disappointed. It struck me as “The Hangover” for women. Did we really need our own? Could we not enjoy the raunchy comedy of “The Hangover” just the same as men? But then I thought about it: I know men who didn’t care for “The Hangover.” Just as surely as there will be women who don’t care for “Bridesmaids.” I recognize that I can’t really judge “Bridesmaids” yet, as I haven’t seen it. But, with a cast that talented, and an appreciation for comedy, I think I’ll give it a go. Support women in comedy. Hope that soon they become part of the norm, not the exception in the industry. Maybe one day I can count myself as one of them, doing some of the writing that goes into projects like “Bridesmaids” or Fey’s “30 Rock.”

And I want to love “Bridesmaids”, I really do, but from what I’ve seen so far, I’m not sold. As much as I love the entire cast, I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to get behind the premise. Because, from what I’ve seen so far, it has few to no dissimilarities with “The Hangover.” While I love that type of comedy, and am completely convinced that women could make a similarly and equally hilarious film, did the subject matter have to be the same? It also disheartens me that this film probably wouldn’t have been made without the support and involvement of Judd Apatow. I’m fully cognizant of the fact that women probably won’t get another comedic opportunity like this if “Bridesmaids” fails or flops. So, even though I’m not sure how much I’ll love it, I feel the need to support the work that went into it, and the hope that there will be many, many more efforts in a similar vein.