Episode 54: From Tiger Beat to Tiger King: The Stanification of a GenX Fandom (episode 2a)

In the first of a 2-part episode (part b to be released on Sunday), Marc and Kristina continue the dive into the GenX-dominated fandom/standom that surrounds William White, a 21-year-old TikTok creator and model from Canada. During the researching of this project, Marc and Kristina have repeatedly questioned how the fandom went from women sincerely supporting women and together helping to catapult a deserving young man to internet fame, all the way to virtual gang warfare in five months. We believe that social media (with its promise of anonymity, false sense of intimacy, and a misguided sense of security around expectations of privacy) and the perfect storm of events surrounding the discovery of William White by his Generation X fans (who themselves were seeking fun and perhaps connection and camaraderie on a new social media platform), have led to a standom that is marked on all sides by bullying, organized propaganda campaigns, disinformation, doxxing, threats of legal action, growing resentments that devolve into angry outbursts, and, most dramatically, the involvement of state and federal law enforcement actively investigating various allegations. William White is actually secondary to this narrative. He is discussed only as and when he illustrates a point within the story of his fandom. This is not a biography of William or the things he did last summer. Neither Marc, nor Kristina, is interested in bashing William or hurting him. We only wish him the best as his career continues. Please join us on social media. You may find us on Facebook (genxtemporaneous), Instagram (xtemporaneouspod), Twitter @seriousproduce (Kristina) @marceatspeach (Marc), and on TikTok (@kristinagenx and @marcsned). Resources and Citations: Stein, Joel. How Trolls Are Ruining the Internet. Time Magazine, August 16, 2018. Goldbeck, Jennifer. You're Not Really Friends with that Celebrity. Psychology Today. July 28, 2016. Stevens, Shelby. Stan Culture is Unhealthy for Celebrities and Fans. North Texas Daily. August 9, 2020. Taylor Swift Fandom: Toxic or Harmless https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U14VPAkhAKg&t=311s Why Stan Culture is Toxic for Everyone, Including Celebrities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIdR7Er-zkI NXIVM On Trial produce by the Albay Times Union -- the paper that was publishing negative articles and cautionary tales about Keith Rainere and NXIVM for many years before the downfall Streaming and Television HBO's "The Vow" which tells the story of former high level NXIVM members Mark Vicente, Bonnie Piesse, Sarah Edmondson and her husband NIppy Starz's "Seduced" which tells the story of India Oxenburg and her Journey into and out of the NXIVM cult Taylor Swift Worshipped by NeoNazis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEdAtX_ze68&t=35s Imaginary Friends and Real World Consequences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22yoaiLYb7M&t=285s The Meaning Crisis for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaXWUE1SXpI&t=199s Why do People Join Cults (Ted Ed): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-dJaCXAxA Are Fandoms Good or Unhealthy Obsessions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxeBOnjWnU Fraade-Blanar, Zoe. Superfandom: How Our Obsessions are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are Berman, Sarah. Don't Call it a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM

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