The Fandom Machine: When Obsession Turns Ugly

Dave Levine’s latest Hearsay Culture episode dives deep into the dark side of fan culture with Professor Mel Stanfill, author of 2024’s Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment and Participatory Culture. Stanfill reveals how online fan communities, often dismissed as harmless, can fuel toxic harassment, exclusion, and disinformation—blurring the line between passion and mob behavior. The conversation connects these dynamics to real-world flashpoints like Gamergate, January 6th, and the critical race theory manufactured panic, showing how “fandom logic” now drives political and cultural conflicts. With sharp insights on power, identity, and the speed of online networks, this interview makes clear why […]