Join Dalal, Pooja, Vini, James and Joshua as they explore the world of stan culture in light of their experiences with different fandoms (including F.R.I.E.N.D.S, Taylor Swift, BTS, Marvel, One Direction and more!)
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Speaker1: [00:00:05] Hey, everyone, and welcome to this episode of Tea with GenZ. The podcast where we discuss the latest topics by you and for you. I'm your host, Joshua. And today, we'll be discussing stand culture and its impact on each of our lives. So get ready. Here's some awesome stuff. With me today, we have our co-host, James Puja, and they'll say, hi, guys.
Speaker2: [00:00:27] Hey, guys. What's up?
Speaker3: [00:00:28] Hello. It's great to be back.
Speaker1: [00:00:32] I'm so excited.
Speaker4: [00:00:33] I'm actually really excited.
Speaker2: [00:00:35] Today's episode is going to be great.
Speaker4: [00:00:37] I know. I'm finally going to talk about the things I love that I've been in touch, I hope.
Speaker1: [00:00:41] And we also have a very special guest today, the brains behind this podcast. Vinny, welcome.
Speaker5: [00:00:50] Hi. Hi. Thank you for having me in this episode.
Speaker4: [00:00:55] We're so excited, actually.
Speaker5: [00:00:57] I'm excited, too. How does it feel? Well, it feels great because I love to hear you all. You know, talk about everything, talk about the different ideas on the podcast. And I always think about what it would be like to actually be a part of it as a host. And now I get to do that as a guest. And it's on stand culture, like one of the best of it. I couldn't be more excited.
Speaker1: [00:01:22] This brings us to our topic for today. What is Stan culture, guys? In your own words?
Speaker3: [00:01:29] Ok, so for me, I think, Stan, culture is like very different from just casual, casual fans. It's not like you listen to two, But it's more like radio invested into the person and you're like keeping up there with their lives and, you know, watching every video, terrorizing and criticizing and dissecting every moment. So I think it's different from Nashville fans, and that's what makes gun culture so, so much of a big thing, you know?
Speaker2: [00:02:01] Yeah. Adding on to Pooja , I think, Stan, culture is an extension of a franchise or a group. It's kind of what happens behind the scenes to its own fans talking to each other, discussion, forums, debates. It's kind of mini obsession. I feel like it encompasses a lot of things. Does anybody know where it kind of originated from, though?
Speaker4: [00:02:24] Stone-cold culture actually originate? People say that it originated from Eminem. He has like this release where he tells a story about a fan called stunt, a stalker towards like a specific rapper. But fun fact. People say that the word stunt comes from like a hybrid between stalker and fun. So it's like Stan, you know,
Speaker2: [00:02:48] Obviously that's not like the definition now. Like aren't all stalkers.
Speaker4: [00:02:53] I mean, no, but there is definitely some extreme stands out there. And I can't say that there are some scary people and a
Speaker3: [00:03:01] Lot of people a lot of people do associates transcultural with like immense toxicity as well.
Speaker4: [00:03:07] So but the thing that people don't realize about siin culture is that it can be an outlet and it can create like a sense of a family. So for me, I'm a One Direction fan. I've been a fan since they were on The X Factor, which is crazy because I was 11 years ago
Speaker2: [00:03:21] And it was way back.
Speaker4: [00:03:23] I know. I know. It's crazy to think they
Speaker3: [00:03:26] Were so young then. They were all
Speaker4: [00:03:27] Like 16, 17. And now they're almost about to be in their thirties, which is crazy. The band actually split up about six years ago. And whenever I mention that I'm a One Direction fan now, everyone automatically assumes that it's weird because the band doesn't exist anymore. But if you think about it like there's still Backstreet Boy fans, they're still in-sync. Fans like boy bands live on in a way. But there there have been many things where the fandom is very much still alive. So we had last year in 2020 was their 10 year anniversary as a tribute to the boys. A lot of their fans had like some hashtags trending on Twitter, and we had some songs that were released in like 2015, Trending in the Top Choice, which is crazy to think of, because if you think about it like a song that was released five to six years ago, trending on the charts in 2020, like it's amazing to see the power of the fans and what they have to do and the influence they have. So, yeah, 10 Years of One Direction was trending on Twitter. There have been so many hashtags about it, and I can vote to find them is very much still alive.
Speaker2: [00:04:37] So it looks like the reason why you're still a fan in large part, this thanks to the fandom, still kind of like watching things and like just creating discussions on this. Do you think that a reunion could happen for one direction right now?
Speaker4: [00:04:53] All right. Why was a reunion or do I think there will be an investigation? So personally, I don't believe that there will be a reunion any time soon. I just think that the boys are all doing separate things in their lives at. They're doing so well in their solo careers. We have three of them who are dads, like they're just they've moved on. And if you if you were like a One Direction fan or like a Stan, you would know that the the management treated them very badly when they were a part of the band. So, like, I don't think that the reunion would be possible at the moment, but one can only hope and one overanalyze. Is any Instagram picture or any comment any like like I know people who check their the followings of the boys to check if they're following each other every day and check if they like their pictures, if they're tweeted about them and stuff like that. So a reunion could be possible, but unfortunately, I don't think that it's going to happen.
Speaker1: [00:05:45] I think touching on what the girls said, being part of a standard does make you feel like you're part of a family, you're part of a bigger community. And one of the big things for me, when I felt that was the time that the 25th anniversary of friends came up. So in a day we released a couple of the episodes in the cinemas, and I was there every day waiting in line with other friends, fans just to watch those three or four episodes. And it was such a nice community experience just to go and explore to the interest saga for everyone, belting out the lyrics and everyone bouncing all the dialogues together. Such a nice community experience. And I'm like the biggest fans that I watched six, seven times. Right now I'm on my third rerun. And I just continued to watch it until God knows how long.
Speaker3: [00:06:35] But they dasho, you're 11, 12. Reruns is massive because I'm a fan as well. And I've watched them six or seven times, but I'm not I don't think I can top you. But yeah, I watched the recent reunion and guess who featured in the rearview mirror? And believe me, they be chances like they might save spears. And it's so weird because people go like, you know, the seven guys from Korea were literally miles away from you. You've never met them. They don't know you exist. How can that be a safe space?
Speaker2: [00:07:04] Yeah, that's all I was going to ask you. Peruggia. Like what about them? You kind of interested.
Speaker3: [00:07:09] So basically, you know what? Vtes was like the first band or like show or, you know, in any genre. They were the first people I actually stand. And it was such a new feeling to me. I never found over anyone before, like I would listen to like songs and stuff. But this was like, oh, my God. And for me, it takes a long time. So I think what struck me about them was like, I love the music, I love the dance, everything. But their personality, like the Brotherhood they have. The bond is so iconic. And when they're like laughing and talking with each other, you feel like you're there with them. And it's just like a whole like if I'm angry or like sad, then it calms me down. And if I'm happy, it like doubles my happiness. So it's like the perfect space to be in, you know, and I'm like I've done things that I wouldn't normally do, like where there was a Beatles concert screaming in one of the theaters and I thought totally went out of my comfort zone. I was jumping and screaming up and down with all the other friends. That's something I would never do with strangers normally. Like, I think they just they just give me like a reason to like just be happy and then like the source of my happiness.
Speaker4: [00:08:21] I mentioned that like you went out of your comfort zone to jump up and down and he didn't care. That's something I want to do. But I haven't had my opportunity to like fully showcase it because I haven't met a lot of people who are like One Direction fans.
Speaker5: [00:08:34] I also actually agree with the label. I want to know what that experience is completely letting go is like, because I've experienced all my fandoms in the isolation of my house or inside my books that I read. So I don't really have that experience of being in there all your life. Community, virtual community, maybe, but not your life where you completely let loose and party or, you know, clap all of you together, jump together. But it sounds fun. I want to experience that in my life.
Speaker4: [00:09:07] What is the thing that you stand beneath today?
Speaker5: [00:09:10] So this brings me to my Shtern, which is Taylor Swift. I love her. I'm a hardcore safty.
Speaker4: [00:09:17] I mean, Binny, I, I think I think I can like make an exception and continue our friendship for this. But Harry would not be proud of me if I said that I was friends with a swifty.
Speaker5: [00:09:28] I don't know how you would mind or you might you know, I mean, like, you
Speaker4: [00:09:35] Know, I mean. I don't know. Wait, wait, let me just think about who was the one who wrote a song about the other.
Speaker5: [00:09:44] Oh, I think both. I don't it
Speaker4: [00:09:47] Was called Style. I think it was called style Noshir. Hmm.
Speaker5: [00:09:51] Well, why do why do we have to just, you know, hate to elicit so much for that? No, don't look.
Speaker4: [00:09:58] I don't hate her. I'm just pulling your leg, Vinny. I'm ashamed to say it, but I also used to like Taylor Swift a lot like back when I was like 14.
Speaker5: [00:10:08] I actually started liking her recently. I used to like one direction for a long time. I wouldn't say I'm a hard Pushtun
Speaker4: [00:10:15] Name every single song.
Speaker5: [00:10:16] Now I see I can't do that. I'm not a hard person. But the thing is, do so. If she recently released her rerecordings after, you know, everything that Scooter did with her. And it's just I feel like that's such a powerful move. I feel like she just has so much girl power. She's so inspiring. And I actually became a proper stand only after that. So that that's the thing that inspires me about the most. And then not to mention the fact that the albums that she's released, the songs that changed, and they have so much variety. Her music has so much variety. They're like different genres all put together. Each area is distinct from the other. She's a simple person who wrote Look What You Made Me Do and love story. And then she told Folklore the album. So I mean, I can't not admired it. And if you guys listen to one song from every album, I think you guys are going to become propolis stunned because she just amazing.
Speaker2: [00:11:20] I mean, that's the opening. I've heard a couple of her songs and they actually are pretty good. I've also heard Swifties kind of comb through lyrics and try to make analysis and all of that about what she could be implying. I'm wondering if you've ever gone down that rabbit hole of just, you know, analyzing and like cross referencing also lyrics and words and all of that stuff.
Speaker5: [00:11:43] Yeah, I think that's the best part about the fandom for me, as someone who loves word, it's not just her music that we analyze, but also her posts and her descriptions and even her picture. She leaves Easter eggs and Sony Pictures. And like a minute after she has posted on Instagram, you can see the entire community tagging hood and pictures and releasing stories about what her next album might be. So I think that sense of togetherness that there on the online in the online community, on Twitter and on Instagram, that father I love the most. It's just it's like you're all working together to be called this one person and, you know, just waiting together for the next song and the next album. And it's a great feeling,
Speaker2: [00:12:31] You know, just hearing you guys talk about going through their theories or kind of conspiracy in air quotes. It reminds me of like how I geek out over Marvel content. Like literally the thing is, there is a huge cinematic universe stretching from dozens of movies, TV shows now as well. And I literally remember having just one division or low key watch parties. And like I would be talking with friends or also fans, and we'd be keeping things together like a puzzle, know, go over to Easter eggs, freeze frames. And just like, oh, did you see that part? Did you see that? Or like, I think this is going to happen next. And honestly, I really think that adds to the whole experience of overanalyzing everything. Yeah. I mean, it it makes it find this world, you know.
Speaker4: [00:13:20] You know, but one thing was Marvel movies is the Stanley cameos. I think that that was one. Oh, no pun intended. Sunchoke, yes. Yeah. But no one of the the coolest things about watching was like just watching every single second and every single frame, like afraid to blink in case you miss it. I think that that's one of the coolest part about more.
Speaker2: [00:13:42] Yeah, that's the thing. But the other part of that as well, it's just the community. I know everybody's been mentioning this, but the Marvel community, I think that's like another here as well. Like I remember this crazy story that happened, like in the Fox Cinema here in the UAE. And I'm not sure if you guys have heard about this, but yeah, it was literally premiere night premiere showing of one of the Marvel movies. I think it was Standard End Game or you or something like that. And the moment Spider-Man showed up on screen, one of the audience members literally, Rienzo, went dressed in full Spider-Man costume and does like a back flip. And like the crowd went crazy, like everyone was cheering and like, I just don't understand where you can have an experience like that, where strangers become instantly connected in one moment. That was so I mean,
Speaker4: [00:14:35] Wait, I was actually there. I was there as well. I was I. I was in. You know, we you guys were that way, I was still in high school. Same here. But I remember the crowd went crazy. I was screaming. I was going like hell. Yeah, like screaming. It was so exciting. It was so, so exciting. The rush of adrenaline that you get in that second is insane.
Speaker1: [00:14:57] Yeah. And Marvel movies, just how did they connect with any random strangers sitting next to you? Like you can just spin off conspiracy theories and the guy sitting next to big. Yeah. Yeah. No, it could be this. It could be that. And then you just you just make friends or you make acquaintances instantly. And that's like a big part. You see a lot of people coming up in Marvel Majda movies and Marvel T-shirts and stuff that I have a rule where I have to wear Marvel T-shirt to every modern movie.
Speaker2: [00:15:22] They I mean, a lot of it is Wolesi. You see young kids to make their own costume like the signs, you know, like they kind of print stuff on and like that's a whole nother level of investment. Like I think that's a really
Speaker5: [00:15:34] Cute and dedicated.
Speaker4: [00:15:37] Well, at one and one point, one direction with these like these make up sets and I'm pretty sure there's like mold in mind. I've never used them on my face and I never will, because I think my face will fall off and burn if I use them. But they're just chilling there in my room. I have all five of them and they smell so bad, but I refuse to turn them away because it's like a trinket.
Speaker3: [00:15:56] Yeah, think memories, especially for you, since it's been like so long.
Speaker5: [00:16:01] I mean, it's all right to have much I mean, collect things, have your own collection of your fandom. I think that's normal. But then there's also a point where it does get toxic if it starts harming you or someone else. And like we mentioned, stalker ish, like I don't know if you've heard, too, is like you got these crazy stories that come out every now and then where people collect things of the actual stars, like things that they've lost, or if they go to some place and then they meet the fans and like, you know, they get to shake hands or something. They won't wash their hands for a whole week or something like that. A little extreme, I guess.
Speaker2: [00:16:46] I feel like another dangerous part about toxic stand culture is weaponized standards to go after other people. You know, I feel like there's a lot of different fandom wars between two different groups of people who like two different artists. And I feel like that's where it gets a bit dangerous, where, you know, you're kind of deviating from all the good that don't hold your brains out. And it's something a bit more hateful and spiteful. Have you guys kind of like seen those in action maybe on Twitter or somewhere?
Speaker4: [00:17:18] Yeah, for me it's sad sometimes because we mentioned that like between fandoms. But as a One Direction fan, I think that there's a lot of hate that was brought towards Zane when he left the band halfway through their career. And it's it was really toxic. He got death threats and people were so angry at him. But little did they know that there was like a valid reason for him leaving the band. As I mentioned earlier, they were mistreated very badly from their management and it was abusive at a point. You know, if you watch the One Direction movie. I remember when I watched it, like I thought it was normal, but then I watched it recently and I was just like, what? In one of the episodes? In one of the scenes. Sorry. Zain mentions that he hasn't slept for like three days and he hasn't eaten or anything like that, and it was just like, yeah, OK, whatever he's on tour, like you don't sleep when you're on tour. But now that I think about it, that's insane. Like the amount of toxicity that he suffered through. And then to think that people have the audacity to send him hate for doing something that benefited his own well-being. It's just really sad.
Speaker5: [00:18:22] I completely agree.
Speaker4: [00:18:24] But people involve themselves so much with these people and they think that they're a part of their lives or that they know them personally and they think that they can justify their actions, but they don't. You don't know Zayn Malik. You don't know Harry Styles. You don't know Taylor Swift like I personally don't know these people. And you don't have any idea of what they're struggling with or what their intentions might be. And I think that that's something that a lot of people don't realize or are unable to understand when it comes to celebrity culture, especially celebrities who are very active on social media and like are very active on social media and interact a lot with the fans. One to one. They give a sense of like connection or like one to one interaction. But it's all of a sudden
Speaker5: [00:19:06] Drop the media the value, kind of put it. I couldn't have put it better. It's like I think that's something we all have to realize consciously, that we don't really know a celebrity like everything's on social media. So you can't pretend like you know why they wrote a song or you know, why they quit the band and then hating on them for decisions they make to protect themselves. That's going to get started. And I feel like every fandom has done that at some point.
Speaker3: [00:19:38] Yeah. And at the end of the day, I feel like. But we also need to stop doing that and we need to stop generalizing the fandom like there are some toxic fans in every fandom. And, you know, like in in the case of fandom in general, there's a lot of people who hate on keep idols for dating letch thith. That's their private lives. Do you really think he was going to date you or she was going to date you like that's not happening. Low key, though. Yeah. And also so and it's sad that, you know, because of these few toxic fans, the entire fandom can also get generalized. It does happen a lot in my case when I go like I'm a Beatles fan. Like, oh, my God. And seriously. But I mean, I think at the end of the day, like you should just do what you do and don't be toxic about it. Don't act like you own the celebrity. And there are a lot of cases when the celebrity does something and you keep covering up for them, you're not them only they know what they're doing and you know why they did it. So you can enjoy whatever you want to enjoy as long as you're not hurting someone and not be overly possessive about the, you know, the stuff that you're into,
Speaker4: [00:20:51] Which, you know, you mentioned the dating thing. And I'm not saying I have a chance. But Liam Payne dated someone who was born in 2001. And what year? My born in 2001. So I'm not saying I have a chance. There is a possibility out there. And I'm going to just hold on to that one bit of hope that I have. It's what's keeping me alive.
Speaker1: [00:21:14] Yeah, I remember when the reunion of friends came out and David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston confessed that they had like crushes on each other. I died at home. I was like in the back.
Speaker3: [00:21:26] Yes, he was. Zach was like, we're walking 10 was years old.
Speaker1: [00:21:32] It was their life. It's their decision. And then for like a few toxic fans, the whole trans community gets trashed. I was so sad at that point.
Speaker4: [00:21:39] Their justification for not dating or like not acting on their actions made sense. Like imagine if they did date and then, you know, they split up and hated each other.
Speaker3: [00:21:50] Everything is their private life. We don't have to even speak about the friends reunion. Even the backlash that Matthew Perry got for remaining silent or whatever they called it, I don't even know. Like that doesn't make any sense. You can't expect him to be as excited as he was 20 years ago. He's grown up. And, you know,
Speaker4: [00:22:09] I think that it's very important for people to realize that there is going to be toxic people no matter where you go and what you immerse yourself in. At the end of the day, as long as you're not harming anyone, just do whatever you want, like however you want. If you want to like Harry Styles, great. If you want to like Taylor Swift. Amazing if you're a Beatles fan. Good for you. Just like whoever you want. And don't let people make fun of you for your passion. Thank you, guys so much for tuning in today. It was great to have you all. And it had a really nice discussion. And we'll see you on the next episode of Tea with GenZ. Bye, guys.