Since the start of this year, there’s been a dramatic shift in how journalists and interviewers approach fandom. More and more, they are becoming less apologetic about bringing fan-driven media outside of fandom spaces and into the mainstream. This dynamic first gained traction in February, when the “Heated Rivalry” community criticized the Vulture article “Girls Who Love Boys Who Love Boys,” and has since become especially visible with the rise of HBO’s “The Pitt.”
One of the most popular practices within fandom spaces is “shipping,” where fans pair two characters together. It is intended to be a fun way for fans to explore different characters and relationship dynamics, with “ships” ranging anywhere from romantic to sexual to unserious. There is an entire genre of “crack ships,” featuring matches between characters who may have never interacted, never existed or are even from different universes. Recently, three notable features have pushed “shipping” into the spotlight.Â
Following the launch of HBO Max UK, Gay Times dropped a mini-interview with Noah Wyle, actor and executive producer of “The Pitt,” asking his thoughts on the popular fan ship “Hucklerobby,” which centers on a relationship between Dr. Robby (Wyle) and Dennis Whitaker, played by Gerran Howell. In the interview, the viewer is shown various artworks created by fans as Wyle talks about the characters’ dynamics. Just four days later, a writer for Betches published an article mocking fans of “The Pitt,” putting certain fanworks on blast and characterizing the fandom as lonely and overly salacious. Most recently, a BuzzFeed UK video featuring “The Pitt” memes with both Wyle and Katherine LaNasa, another “The Pitt” actor, quickly devolved into a conversation about fan art.
Fans’ responses to articles and interviews such as these were as one would expect: displeased. The Gay Times video and accompanying article drew backlash for including fanworks without permission or proper credit to the artists, especially for a piece behind a paywall. Similarly, the BuzzFeed article was condemned by both fans and a featured artist for, again, failing to credit the art it showcased. Meanwhile, the Betches article received harsh feedback as well, with many calling it an attack on the fanbase itself. The response was so strong that the outlet revised the wording of the article within just 24 hours of posting.
These criticisms raise a larger question: Do journalists understand the impact of pulling these intimate online spaces to the forefront of the public eye?
While it may seem mostly harmless, the media should stay away from featuring fanworks in this manner, especially without consent. At the heart of the issue remains whether an artist even wants that level of exposure in the first place. As artist @natendo_art pointed out on Twitter, showcasing artists on visible platforms can open them up to a wider audience and often unforeseen consequences, including harassment. Beyond that, failing to credit the featured artists is distasteful in and of itself. Many of these articles and interviews generate revenue from the views, clicks or subscriptions they receive, a stark contrast to the artists who create these fanworks out of passion, not for profit.
Additionally, it’s inappropriate to directly show actors these fanworks in interviews. For one, it could lead to discomfort, which has been seen in past interviews with Jensen Ackles when asked about the “Supernatural” ship “Destiel” (which paired characters Dean Winchester and Castiel). The resulting discomfort may seem easy to dismiss in the case of “The Pitt,” given Noah Wyle’s apparent enthusiasm for the “Hucklerobby” ship, and a major counter to these criticisms is that many of these fanworks are public, meaning actors can come across them online regardless. However, there’s a clear difference between actors voluntarily searching for fan content on their own terms and being pressured to comment on it in an interview setting, which can easily become uncomfortable.
If you ask me, nothing good can come from this trend. At best, it’s a misguided attempt by journalists and marketers to appeal to fans by leveraging their fandom. At worst, it can come across as bullying the people involved in the community. Actor Gerran Howell, the other half of “Hucklerobby,” who (unlike Wyle) doesn’t actively seek out fan art, put it best in an interview where he (shocker) was asked about fanworks: “It’s all really beautiful … but I try to stay away from the stuff that the fans appreciate … it’s for them.”