In 2024, Fandom Conquered the World

September 28, Bowen Young dressed as a pygmy hippo performed one of the most resonant pieces of political theater in 2024.

Young was behind the desk Saturday Night Liveof its “Weekend Update” segment, dressed as Mu Deng, who was on air during the show’s broadcast. Current preferences of the Internet. What he was saying, though, sounded better Comment By pop star Chappelle Rone, who recently took to social media to ask fans to be more respectful about approaching her in public or saying inappropriate things to her online. “Don’t shout my name, or expect a photo, just because I’m your parasocial bestie, or because you admire my talent,” said Yang, clad in a rubbery Mu Deng robe.

The bit was played for laughs, but in 2024, the actions of fans—to each other, to those they fan, to the wider world—entered a whole new level. More than half a century later John Lennon observed that the Beatles More popular than JesusFandom, fueled by ever-churning social media platforms, has taken a shape beyond religious outrage.

During the US election, this was evident The manosphere and maga hats. Also Vice President Kamala Harris Embrace the “brat” principle. In pop culture, it was the Taylor Swift Stan account Leaving X for Bluesky On frustration with Elon MuskInvolved in the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump. it was The return of GamergateManifested in a whole new harassment campaign against diversity and inclusion efforts in video game development. It was Kendrick Lamar’s turn His beef with Drake in a Community events in Los Angeles.

Across mediums 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.

Superfan, supersized

According to Simone Driessen, an assistant professor of media and popular culture at Erasmus University Rotterdam, said 2024, more than anything, marks 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 The moment of January 6t. It’s almost like they’re staging a coup—but it’s very real and with very real consequences,” she says. “Brett Summer, Swifties for Harris— they prove to me how being a fan, building these fannish skills (from Easter egg hunting to building a community) can also be politically valuable.”

The evidence is everywhere. As my colleague Makena Kelly wrote This year was the campaign cycle of 2024 dominant selection. Cameras, microphones, and large followings become, he writes, “tastemakers, meme sharers, video makers, and organizers; They also possess significant power in encouraging their followers to vote.” People like Twitch streamer Hassan Picker and conservative YouTuber Ben Shapiro had the power to influence what happened at the polls. Whether a candidate Joe Rogan’s podcast becomes headline-making news. (Trump did; Harris did not.)