Down the Idol-hole: From Teeny-bop Magz, Fanzines to 24/7 Updates

Who pays the bigger price?

In this day and age idols have become as easy as fast food. The entertainment industry is one that is always evolving, there is always someone new to adore and idolize; and when that becomes tiresome or it looses its “bedazzle” one can always find something new in the menu. In other words, fans have now more power then ever, seeing as they can make or break an idol depending on what said idols does or doesn’t. This leads to idols being cautious in how they present themselves and how much they decide to show. Idols need fans to be able to become idols, fans are the ones buying the idol’s merchandise, seeing the idol’s movie or going to the idol’s concert.

This arises the question regarding the price you pay. There is no doubt – specially in the western parts of the world – that the excess of paparazzi photos is great. Seeing as fans want and demand more of their idols; a market of snapping their pictures in their most private moments has become crucial. Nowadays, idols are not free to be out of the public eye. Their lives become the lives of their fans and the rest of the public. There is no peace from being an idol, there is always someone watching and that of course leads to
idols not being able to live as they choose. Add to that the occasional crazy fan that stalks their idol, hordes of fangirls screaming their hearts out as they see them come out of the convenience store or threats to the idol’s life from said fans or anti-fans. The price to pay as an idol is great taking this few examples into consideration.

But is that worth it considering the paycheck you might get for being a very popular idol, and the fact that you have thousands of admirers? As a fan, is it worth it spending your hard-earned cash on sometimes trivial things, or spending all of your free time obsessing over your favorite idol? The answer to those questions are as simple as the existence of this article.

Fandom thy name is ape-shit crazy

With our idols being bombarded to us at the expense of the time we give them, to the fanbase we choose to join because of them: Fandom, in this day and age, has evolved into something beyond our control. Fans are now more than ever slaves under their idols, and the idols are slaves under their fans ever-changing demands.

The Internet has become the demon that spits idols into stardom, and drags fans into fandom hell. Yet, there is no stopping the craziness that everyday is present and growing. Today more than never, fans and idols have the opportunity to express themselves as they choose. Sadly, this leads to a huge amount of stupidity being spread just about everywhere. Not that fans are stupid per say, it is that sometimes the bias one has towards an idol can turn a somewhat sane person into an ardent protector of something that most of the times is not real – yes, I am pointing my fingers at you, Twihards.

The carousel that is today’s fandom spins very fast thanks to the presence of the Internet; there is really no end to what fans are pimped in order to become more loyal or more obsessed. Of course, there is no end as to how high a fan can scream when they see their idol in person, and what said idol gains in ear-related complications. The Internet has made it possible for the crazy to become more crazy, and for an idol to shine even more bright.