On September 28. Bowen Yang delivers one of 2024’s most resonant pieces of political theater as Pygmy Hippo.
Yang was behind the desk Saturday Night Live‘s “Weekend Update” segment, dressed as Mu Deng, at the time the show aired. The current favorite of the Internet. What he was saying sounded even better comments by pop star Chappelle Rowan, 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 appreciate my talent,” said Yang, clad in a rubbery Mu Deng outfit.
The bit was played for laughs, but in 2024, the actions of fans — to each other, to the people they’re fans of, to the world at large — entered a whole new phase. More than half a century later John Lennon saw that the Beatles were More famous than JesusThe fandom created by the constant churning of social media platforms has evolved beyond religious outrage.
This became clear during the US elections manosphere And mega hats. Apart from this, Vice President Kamala Harris also Embrace the “brat” ethos. In pop culture, it was the Taylor Swift Stan account Leaving the X for Bluesky Over frustration with Elon MuskInvolvement in the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump. It was also The return of GamerGateA whole new harassment campaign against diversity and inclusion efforts in video game development is unfolding. It was Kendrick Lamar turning His beef with Drake in one Community events in Los Angeles.
Across mediums and interests, being a fan of someone or something didn’t just mean buying a T-shirt or a movie ticket, it meant choosing a side.
Superfans, supersized
According to Simone Driessen, an assistant professor of media and popular culture at Erasmus University Rotterdam, says 2024, more than anything else, marks another year in which people accept, or even come to terms with, this fact. are, that fans have real power.
“The mega moment, for me, has its roots January 6 momentT. It was almost like they were staging a coup — but it was very real and had very real consequences,” she says. “Brett Summer, Swifties for Harris—To me, these are proof that how these fannish skills are created by a fan (from hunting Easter eggs to building a community) can also be politically valuable.
Evidence of this is everywhere. As my colleague Makena Kelly wrote This year, 2024 was the campaign cycle Effective selection. People with cameras, microphones, and large followings became, he wrote, “taste makers, meme sharers, video creators, and organizers; a vital force when it comes to encouraging their followers to vote.” also keep.” People like Twitch streamer Hassan Picker and conservative YouTuber Ben Shapiro had the power to influence what happened at the polls. One candidate was whether or not Joe Rogan’s podcast became headline-making news. (Trump did; Harris did not.)
