In 2024, the fandom has conquered the world

On September 28, Bowen Yang performed one of the most resonant political theater pieces of 2024 dressed as a pygmy hippopotamus.

Yang was behind the desk Saturday Night Live‘Weekend Update’ clip of, dressed as Moo Deng, which he was at the time the show aired The current favorite of the Internet. But what he was saying sounded more like… comments By pop star Chappelle Rowan, who recently took to social media to ask fans to be more respectful when approaching her in public or saying inappropriate things to her online. “Don’t shout my name, or expect to take a photo of me, just because I’m your best friend, or because you appreciate my talent,” Yang said as he dressed in Mo Ding’s rubber costume.

The clip was played for laughs, but in 2024, fans’ actions — toward each other, toward people they admire, toward the world at large — have entered a whole new phase. More than half a century after John Lennon noted that the Beatles were More popular than JesusFandom, fueled by ever-changing social media platforms, has taken a form beyond religious outrage.

This became clear during the American elections Atmosphere And MAGA hats. And also in Vice President Kamala Harris Embrace the “naughty” spirit.. In popular culture, Taylor Swift’s accounts were stan Leave X for Bluesky On frustration with Elon MuskParticipation in the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump. And he was too Gamergate is backwhich manifests itself in a brand new harassment campaign against diversity and inclusion efforts in video game development. It was Kendrick Lamar who converted Beef with Drake in Community event in Los Angeles.

Across media and interests, being a fan of someone or something doesn’t just mean buying a t-shirt or a movie ticket, it means choosing a side.

Super fans, super fans

According to Simon Driessen, assistant professor of media and popular culture at Erasmus University Rotterdam, says 2024, more than anything else, represents another year in which people acknowledge, or even come to terms with, the fact that fans have real power.

“The MAGA moment, for me, has its roots Moment January 6R. It was as if they were disguising the coup, but it was very real and had very real consequences. “Summer brat, Swifties for Harris– It attests to me that these fan skills that one builds through being a fan (from hunting Easter eggs to creating a community) can also be of political value.

The evidence of this is everywhere. As does my colleague McKenna Kelly books This year, the 2024 campaign cycle was the most important Influential elections. People with cameras, microphones, and large followings have become “tastemakers, meme sharers, video creators, and organizers,” she wrote; “and they also have great power when it comes to encouraging their followers to vote.” People like Hassan Baker, a Twitch streamer, and conservative YouTuber Ben Shapiro have had , being able to influence what happens at the polls, whether or not a candidate did Joe Rogan’s podcast became headline news (Trump did, Harris didn’t).