001 - The Fandom Menace

It's our premiere episode! Bryce Rankins and Bryan Romero discuss the billions of rules that one must follow to become a "true" fan, and how most of those rules are totally bunk. Gatekeepers get in the way of everyone's good time, and it's time we found a way to get around them and enjoy what we love. Learn about your favorite franchises, how they came to be, their lore, and what their fans are like in each episode of our new podcast. Welcome to Sneaky Geek.   EDIT: In the years since releasing our very first episode, The Fandom Menace has come to describe the more toxic side of the Star Wars fandom in particular. At the time, this episode was about gatekeeping in geek culture, rather than specific issues with specific fandoms. Though we don't entirely address the issue of Star Wars fans very directly in this episode, I assure you it will come up in later episodes!