Shows
FansplainingThe Endless Appetite for Fanfiction by Elizabeth Minkel Around this time in December, we usually wrap up Fansplaining with “The Year in Fandom”: a look back at five trends from the prior year followed by five trends from the year coming to a close. With Flourish’s departure this summer, the podcast is now on hiatus—but I had a lot of thoughts about 2024, particularly when it came to fanfiction. Many thanks to Flourish for looking this over; in a way, it’s a “Year in Fandom” segment in spirit. In 2024, everyone wanted a piece of fic, from AI grifters to traditional publishers to ravenous audiences. Wher...2024-12-3120 min
FansplainingEpisode 218: The Money Question 3: Books???Following previous installments on the thorny intersections of money and fanfiction, Episode 218, “The Money Question 3: Books???” tackles the recent debacle around people illegally selling bound copies of others’ fic, which has mostly centered on mega-popular Dramione works. Jumping off from Elizabeth’s WIRED article on the subject—which ties the practice to the current pull-to-publish wave as well as the Twilight fan-run presses of the early 2010s—Elizabeth and Flourish discuss the context collapse when a fic “breaches containment,” double standards in attitudes towards money and various fan practices, and, for likely the 1,000th time on this podcast, what exactly “fair us2024-03-131h 25
FansplainingEpisode 203: Solidarity and SDCCIn Episode 203, “Solidarity and SDCC,” Elizabeth debriefs Flourish on a very unusual San Diego Comic-Con: one held during the parallel WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Building off of Elizabeth’s coverage of the topic for WIRED, they talk about how the strikes affected the convention, how fans responded, and how conversations about labor and the entertainment industry there reflected broader concerns about the future for both creators and fans.2023-08-021h 02
FansplainingEpisode 193: Ask Me About My FanartIn Episode 193, “As Me About My Fanart,” Flourish and Elizabeth talk to longtime fanartist Fox Estacado about the business and the pleasure of fanart. Topics discussed include changes she’s observed in the practice over time, the way platforms like Etsy handle legal issues, meeting fellow fans in artists’ alleys at cons, and her mixed feelings about monetization versus the fandom gift economy.2023-03-081h 13
FansplainingEpisode 192: Death, Mourning, and FandomIn Episode 192, “Death, Mourning, and Fandom,” Elizabeth and Flourish talk about the complicated dynamics around death within fandom, where our connections to each other can be deep but transient. Jumping off an article Elizabeth recently wrote for WIRED on the AO3’s Fannish Next-of-Kin feature—which lets you leave your fanworks to a fellow fan if you die—they talk about the failings of other digital death policies, disconnects between peoples’ fandom personas and regular lives, the differences between losing a fandom friend and a favorite fanwork creator, and how rarely the subject of death is talked about—in fandom or more...2023-02-221h 03
FansplainingEpisode 191: Femstats FebruaryIn Episode 191, “Femstats February,” Flourish and Elizabeth welcome back Destination Toast—the Steve Martin of Fansplaining—to talk through their massive stats analysis comparing the F/F, M/F, and M/M categories on the AO3. Length, rating, frequency of certain tags and warnings: What results matched their expectations, and what results were surprising? And what do the differences between them suggest about fandom? (Prepare yourself: armchair theorizing and hot takes abound!!)2023-02-081h 22
FansplainingEpisode 190: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 15In the latest (fifteenth!) installment of “Ask Fansplaining Anything,” Flourish and Elizabeth tackle a new collection of listener letters. Topics discussed include defining “canon” in RPF fandoms, the sad fate of fandoms on Twitter, and what to do about non-fandom friends who judge your fannish activities. Plus: a query about the hypothetical legality of physically printed fanfiction in libraries, with an answer from *actual lawyer* and copyright expert Earlgreytea68.2023-01-251h 10
FansplainingEpisode 189: “No Cultural Impact”In Episode 189, “No Cultural Impact,” Flourish and Elizabeth look at the entertainment industry’s “fan-first” strategy for franchise-building, and the already-massive box-office success of Avatar 2: The Way of Water, part of a property that, as people continue to say on social media, no one remembers or cares about. Are fan activities, memes, or online chatter necessarily good indicators of franchise success? And when Hollywood privileges a certain idea of “fandom” in their strategic plans, does that actually serve fans—or viewers in general?2023-01-111h 12
FansplainingEpisode 188: The Year in Fandom 2022Continuing an end-of-year tradition, Flourish and Elizabeth review five big fandom-related trends they followed in 2022. Topics discussed include clashing norms between fans on different platforms, the increasing precariousness of the streaming space, brands doubling down on fandom—and anti-fandom—in high-profile celebrity stories, and yes, of course, the collapse of Twitter. Plus: they read a letter from an artist in response to the previous episode on AI and fanworks.2022-12-281h 12
FansplainingEpisode 187: Artificial Fandom IntelligenceIn Episode 187, “Artificial Fandom Intelligence,” Elizabeth and Flourish respond to a listener's letter about AI tools like ChatGPT and Lensa, which are currently sparking anxiety in fandom and across the broader web. What are the realities of this technology, now and in the coming months and years? Are we looking at a future where any fan can plug in a few terms and receive a halfway-decent computer-generated piece of fanfic or fanart?2022-12-141h 01
FansplainingEpisode 186B: Disability and Fandom: Part 2In the second and final installment of the “Disability and Fandom” double episode, Flourish and Elizabeth get the perspectives of even more disabled fans. Featuring conversations with Lindsay Mixer and Valerie Gristch, and voicemails/letters from Soph, TallysGreatestFan, Lizard Socks, May Barros, Cora Maria, miscellanium, Bodge, Julia, and Jessica. Topics covered include depictions of disabled characters in erotic fanfiction, conflicting accessibility needs on the web, and how both music venues and artists make concert-going difficult—if not outright impossible—for disabled fans.2022-12-021h 58
FansplainingEpisode 186A: Disability and Fandom: Part 1In the first installment of the “Disability and Fandom” double episode, Flourish and Elizabeth get the perspectives of a wide range of disabled fans, including conversations with Rebecca Milton and Joan Miller and voicemails/letters from Dr. Paul D. C. Bones, buffer-overrun, Taylor, Wheelchairidan, Hannah, and Sandy. Topics discussed include Mad studies and depictions of disability in video games and the horror genre, how ADHD can shape fannish obsessions, and the difficulties disabled cosplayers and con-goers face with both staff and fellow fans.2022-11-301h 43
FansplainingEpisode 185: RPF RevisitedIn Episode 185, “RPF Revisited,” Elizabeth and Flourish use a trio of listener letters to return to the perennially thorny topic of real person fiction. How does RPF fit into the broader fandom space in 2022? What does “canon” even mean when it comes to real people? How do fans reconcile with troubling new information about celebrities they’ve written and read about? And is RPF source material the same as fictional source material, or are there fundamental differences between the two?2022-11-091h 10
FansplainingEpisode 184: Justin BolgerIn Episode 184, Flourish and Elizabeth talk to Justin Bolger, who previously ran Star Wars’ social media and is currently the senior brand manager for “Star Trek Fleet Command.” Topics discussed include using pop culture as social capital while moving around a lot as a child, parlaying fannish interests into a career in the entertainment industry, how the gap between knowledge and wisdom shapes fandom discussions, and what exactly it was like to helm Star Wars social during the release of The Last Jedi.2022-10-261h 07
FansplainingEpisode 183: Fandom and ReligionIn Episode 183, “Fandom and Religion,” (one year into seminary) Flourish and (goes to church to sing songs) Elizabeth take a look at the way religion and fandom are discussed together: the surfacey comparisons, the more nuanced parallels, and the modes of thinking that shape fandom discourse. Topics discussed include the glut of simplistic articles comparing fannish and religious activities, the Jewish tradition of midrash, the implicit (and sometimes explicit) Christian themes in much of American pop culture, and Anne Washburn’s Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play.2022-10-121h 11
FansplainingEpisode 182: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 14In the fourteenth installment of “Ask Fansplaining Anything,” Flourish and Elizabeth read and respond to a fresh batch of listener questions. Topics covered include fictional fandom conspiracy theories, the use—or misuse—of the AO3 collections feature, the spaces created within fandom for toxic behavior, and advice for anyone looking to move from lurking to participating.2022-09-211h 15
FansplainingEpisode 181: The Illusions of CrowdsIn Episode 181, “The Illusions of Crowds,” Elizabeth and Flourish discuss a listener letter about the ways fans convince each other of interpretations or outcomes—and what happens when creators are on a very different page. Who’s responsible for mismatched fan expectations? Should fandom hold some responsibility for wishful but ultimately misleading theories? They also respond to a follow-up letter from a fanbinder about the fanworks “gift economy,” and how its meaning has shifted in the era of ~hustle culture~.2022-09-071h 04
FansplainingEpisode 180: Happy Anniversary #7Flourish and Elizabeth mark yet another year of the podcast with their traditional anniversary episode format: inviting the past year’s guests to share their thoughts about what’s changed in fandom, both broadly and personally. Topics discussed include making your own spaces versus giving up on fandoms entirely, bringing fresh perspectives to older source material, and the continued fracturing of both the media landscape and subsequent fannish interests.2022-08-241h 26
FansplainingEpisode 179: Fan Labor, Fan ConsumptionIn Episode 179, “Fan Labor, Fan Consumption,” Flourish and Elizabeth use a listener question to discuss some of the intersections between fans and corporations. Is there an inherent tension when fanfiction communities’ “punk gift economies” are centered around properties owned by mega-conglomerates? What happens when fans performing unpaid labor for networks and studios start pushing back? And fresh off their return to San Diego Comic-Con, is it true that when it comes to fandom and capitalism, most fans just don’t care?2022-08-101h 04
FansplainingEpisode 178: Kaitlyn TiffanyIn Episode 178, Flourish and Elizabeth sit down with Kaitlyn Tiffany, an internet culture reporter at The Atlantic and the author of the book Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It. They talk about One Direction—the source of the book’s title and one of its central subjects—and Kaitlyn’s journey from 1D fan to covering fandom in the mainstream press, touching on ideas about writing for different audiences, personal versus collective perceptions of fannish conversations, and the dangers of credulity when writing about online subcultures.2022-07-271h 01
FansplainingEpisode 177: The Good, the Bad, and the PopularIn Episode 177, “The Good, the Bad, and the Popular,” Flourish and Elizabeth use a trio of listener letters to talk about the various factors that make fandoms spark and grow. Is there actually any relationship between the quality of the source material and the size of a fandom? Are there any reliable reasons why fandoms form in the first place? And does a show/film/book/etc being labeled “good” mean something inherently different within fandom?2022-07-131h 09
FansplainingEpisode 176: Liang GeIn Episode 176, Elizabeth and Flourish welcome Liang Ge, a PhD candidate studying Chinese boys’ love fiction (aka danmei) and its fans. Topics discussed include a history of danmei, ambivalence around gender and sexuality amongst its readers, and how fan culture has shifted with the huge success of several BL-adapted web series—and the subsequent crackdown from the Chinese government. They also respond to a listener letter about the recent meta episode, and (spoiler!) Flourish grows even more rigid in their definition of meta.2022-06-221h 08
FansplainingEpisode 175: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 13In the latest (13th!) installment of the “Ask Fansplaining Anything” series, Flourish and Elizabeth tackle a fresh batch of letters from listeners. Questions posed include: Are author’s notes “unprofessional”? What are the distinctions between fusions and crossovers? Are some fans writing x reader fic to avoid engaging with canonical characters of color? Would it really be so hard to make a new fic archive? And what can fans do when their object of fandom likes fic…a little too much?2022-06-081h 15
FansplainingEpisode 174: The Classification of FandomIn Episode 174, “The Classification of Fandom,” Flourish and Elizabeth break down some of the broad categories people use to define types of fans, starting with a foundational meta that proposed distinctions between “affirmational” and “transformational” fandom. Why do we create these categories, and are they—or have they ever been—meaningful? They also welcome the first Fansplaining Fellow, Pepper Campbell, onto the podcast to introduce her upcoming research project: an ethnography of fans who use Discord for fandom activity.2022-05-251h 02
FansplainingEpisode 173: The Meta Episode“The Meta Episode” isn’t an episode about episodes: Flourish and Elizabeth use a listener letter about fan meta—nonfiction writing about an object of fandom or fandom at large—as a springboard to talk about the past, present, and future of the practice. Topics discussed include the shift from mailing lists to LiveJournal to Tumblr, narrow and expansive definitions of meta, and how the lack of shared foundations across many different kinds of fans can place limits on meta writing and reading.2022-05-111h 06
FansplainingEpisode 172: Safe SpacesEpisode 172, “Safe Spaces,” is split into two parts: first, Flourish and Elizabeth read and respond to a series of listener letters about their recent “Fandom-Tinted Glasses” conversation; then, they discuss another listener letter on younger fans’ struggles to avoid or escape “anti” or “purity culture” dynamics. In increasingly fractured—and increasingly hostile—digital spaces, is it possible to create fandom environments that allow us to truly protect ourselves?2022-04-271h 20
FansplainingEpisode 171: OFIC MagazineIn Episode 170, “OFIC Magazine,” Flourish and Elizabeth welcome back fic writer, editor, and writing teacher Betts to talk about her latest project, a literary magazine of original writing by people from fandom. Topics discussed include OFIC’s origin story, Betts’s observations from the first round of submissions, whether fic has a unifying genre or aesthetic, and ways readers in and out of fandom think about character. They also talk about the upcoming sessions of Betts’s Fanauthor Workshop, and how her beliefs about writing workshops inform the way she runs her own.2022-04-131h 06
FansplainingEpisode 170: Fandom-Tinted GlassesIn Episode 170, “Fandom-Tinted Glasses,” Flourish and Elizabeth use a letter from a listener weary with certain patterns in fandom as a springboard to discuss pan-fandom dynamics in 2022. Topics discussed include flattening characters and source material, the interchangeability of some fandom memes, supercut videos, and how this is all structured by current fandom platforms and scale. They also read a response to a portion of the previous episode, on fandom AUs, bystander fic, and “in-universe RPF.”2022-03-301h 12
FansplainingEpisode 169: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 12In Episode 169, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 12,” Elizabeth and Flourish dig into a new collection of listener messages. Topics covered include the “Dead Dove Do Not Eat” tag, the intersections of self-inserts and outsider POV fic, and whether “queerbaiting” is a meaningful term in 2022. They also listen to a pair of voicemails about the recent conversation on pseuds and “the right to be forgotten” in fandom.2022-03-091h 06
FansplainingEpisode 168: The Entertainment Media MachineIn Episode 168, “The Entertainment Media Machine,” Flourish and Elizabeth use a recent Business Insider article about Netflix’s editorial strategy—and some subsequent worries in fan spaces—to talk about the shifting dynamics between the entertainment industry, the media, audiences, and fans. Netflix’s Tudum may not affect fans at all in the short term, but what will the entertainment media landscape look like in a few years? They also read a listener letter in response to the “Writing Trans Characters” episode, on exploring gender via femslash A/B/O.2022-02-231h 09
FansplainingEpisode 167: Our Secret IdentitiesIn episode 167, “Our Secret Identities,” Elizabeth and Flourish use a listener voicemail on pseudonyms as a springboard to talk about the many facets of fannish personas online. Topics discussed include the way pseudonymous norms vary in different fandom spaces, the effects of platform features like Tumblr’s sideblogs or AO3’s orphaned works, catfishing and other forms of digital abuse, and what “the right to be forgotten” means in a fandom context.2022-02-091h 09
FansplainingEpisode 166: Writing Trans CharactersIn episode 166, Flourish and Elizabeth are joined by friend of the podcast and recurring guest Destination Toast to talk through Toast’s recent stats on trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse characters on the AO3. They supplement this quantitative analysis with qualitative observations and experiences reading and writing trans characters, including letters and voicemails from Gavin Daphne, Flash, AlessNox, Thomas, and Elizabeth. (Yes, a different Elizabeth!)2022-01-261h 16
FansplainingEpisode 165: FestsIn Episode 165, “Fests,” Flourish and Elizabeth use a listener letter about Yuletide—a long-running fanfic exchange for tiny fandoms—to talk about fanwork fests more broadly. While they approach fests from an observational perspective (for the record, only Flourish would like to see the return of the “Fuh-Q-Fest”), they also talk about their personal experiences writing in these events: why Elizabeth likes the structured pressure of an exchange, and how Flourish has been known to sign up for Yuletide fandoms for which they’ve never even seen the source material.2022-01-121h 09
FansplainingEpisode 164: The Year In Fandom 2021As the pandemic marches on and Flourish and Elizabeth (and presumably many other people) struggle to remember whether individual events happened in 2020 or 2021, they break their longstanding “year in fandom” format and simply revisit last year’s fandom trends, from the influence of the Black Lives Matter movement to the rise of C-dramas in Anglophone fandom to fan campaign movements like #ReleasetheSnyderCut. They also spend time assessing the continuing influence of the pandemic on both the entertainment industry and on fans: In this fractured media landscape, will Hollywood ever see the kind of fandom scale they want again?2021-12-2954 min
FansplainingEpisode 163: Freya MarskeIn episode 163, Flourish and Elizabeth talk to novelist and Be the Serpent co-host Freya Marske upon the publication of A Marvellous Light, the first novel in her historical fantasy romance trilogy “The Last Binding.” As they discuss tropes, characterization, genre expectations, and other elements of fiction writing, Freya draws from her prolific fanfic-writing history to talk about the ways that fic did—and didn’t—prepare her to write original fiction, and the way her original fiction connects back to the fanfic world.2021-12-011h 08
FansplainingEpisode 162: Ways of SeeingIn episode 162, “Ways of Seeing,” Flourish and Elizabeth dig into their recent respective fannish experiences—and how those experiences differ from the way they’ve “done fandom” in the past. Flourish considers whether their masked conga-line participation at four consecutive Harry Styles concerts counts as “community”; Elizabeth manfully resists saying Lee Pace’s name out loud while describing her descent into obsession with AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire; and they both talk about breaking patterns of feeling and behavior, and what it means to be a different kind of fan. They also respond to a letter from past guest Anisa Khalifa...2021-11-171h 03
FansplainingEpisode 161: Brent LambertIn Episode 161, Elizabeth and Flourish talk to writer and editor Brent Lambert about his work with FIYAH, a literary magazine of Black speculative fiction. Topics discussed include Brent’s formative experiences with collaborative fanfic writing, his journey from fan to pro, how the events of the 2020 Hugo Awards led to the creation of FIYAHCON, and the ways SFF publishing has (and hasn’t) changed with regard to race.2021-11-031h 03
FansplainingEpisode 160: The Original CharacterIn Episode 160, “The Original Character,” Flourish and Elizabeth discuss the ways that fans create their own characters in their favorite story-worlds—especially when those characters are some version of themselves. Topics discussed include the history of the term “Mary Sue,” imagines and x Reader fics, generational shifts in the way original characters are perceived, and that time Flourish wrote a second-person One Direction fic that could arguably be described as sheer self-insert wish-fulfillment.2021-10-201h 04
FansplainingEpisode 159: Gwenda BondIn Episode 159, “Gwenda Bond,” Flourish and Elizabeth interview Gwenda Bond, author of many novels, including Lois Lane: Fallout, Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, and (just released!) Not Your Average Hot Guy. Topics covered include the differences between writing licensed novels, fanfiction, and original fiction, the way social media impacts the relationships between authors and audiences, and why, despite a recent boom in rom-com novels, Hollywood seems so uninterested in the form these days.2021-10-0658 min
FansplainingEpisode 158: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 11In Episode 158, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 11,” Elizabeth and Flourish read and respond to a new batch of listener questions. Topics covered include the primacy of shipping in fanfic culture, the ethics of pirating Chinese novels, how to organize your fic collection, and how worried we should be that the entertainment industry is spying on fandom.2021-09-221h 15
FansplainingEpisode 157: Nichole PerkinsIn Episode 157, Flourish and Elizabeth interview Nichole Perkins, host of the podcasts This Is Good For You and Thirst Aid Kit and author of her recently released memoir, Sometimes I Trip On How Happy We Could Be. Topics discussed include her history with romance novels, the importance of pleasure in her work and life, the philosophy behind Thirst Aid Kit, and Elizabeth and Nichole’s shared fandom, Frasier.2021-09-081h 02
FansplainingEpisode 155: Happy Anniversary #6Flourish and Elizabeth celebrate their sixth anniversary in the traditional fashion: inviting back guests from the past year to talk about changes they’ve observed in fandom, from the global to the personal. Topics covered include the uncertain future of some fanfiction platforms, growing more protective of your fannish spaces, the ever-growing influence of purity culture, and the year’s racial reckonings (and whether anything has really changed).2021-08-111h 14
FansplainingEpisode 154: Fans are Discussing…In Episode 154, “Fans are Discussing…” Elizabeth and Flourish...discuss (heh) the way Twitter’s trending topics reflect—and fail to reflect—what fans are actually talking about. The conversation touches on the platform’s editorial decisions, how Twitter trends are interpreted by both Hollywood and the press, and the way fan speculation fuels the geek media ecosystem. They also respond to a teen listener’s letter on a recent discussion about age and fandom.2021-07-281h 07
FansplainingEpisode 153: The Productive FanIn Episode 153, “The Productive Fan,” Elizabeth and Flourish respond to a listener letter about some fic authors’ tendencies to see themselves as ‘bad’ if they aren’t producing written work. Topics covered include the perils of prescriptive writing advice, the Protestant work ethic, Flourish and Elizabeth’s personal writing habits, and the impact of professional authors’ conversations on fanfic authors’ discourse.2021-07-071h 09
FansplainingEpisode 152: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 10In Episode 152, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 10,” Flourish and Elizabeth tackle a new batch of listener questions that all center on the theme: “free your mind by cleansing your timeline.” Topics discussed include mismatched expectations on Tumblr, monetizing Twitter stan accounts, ageism in fandom, and the growing trend of pro publishers using AO3-style tags in book marketing. 2021-06-231h 07
FansplainingEpisode 151: Teaching FanfictionIn Episode 151, “Teaching Fanfiction,” Flourish and Elizabeth talk to Dr. Anne Jamison and PhD candidate Maria Alberto about teaching college courses on fanfiction. Topics discussed include how they approach fic in the classroom, the ethics of including fic in syllabi, and the difference between just enjoying fic and studying it from a critical perspective—and they also give advice for people who want to study fandom-related topics in academia.2021-06-091h 18
FansplainingEpisode 150: Post-Pandemic FandomIn Episode 150, “Post-Pandemic Fandom,” Flourish and Elizabeth reflect on the way the pandemic has changed fandom in the past 18 months—and speculate about what that might mean for fans in the coming months and years. Topics discussed include delayed film and television production and release dates, potentially returning to tours and cons, changes in fandom participation and fanfic habits, and the way the global nature of both the pandemic and of fandom means fans will continue to have very different experiences depending on their life circumstances.2021-05-261h 04
FansplainingEpisode 149: The Real CharacterIn Episode 149, “The Real Character,” Flourish and Elizabeth examine the rhetorical phenomenon of framing fictional characters as real, living people, independent of the texts in which they were created. Topics covered include Plato’s allegory of the cave, “comfort characters,” bad writing advice, and how people choose to externalize their emotions.2021-05-051h 04
FansplainingEpisode 148: Do Not InteractIn Episode 148, Flourish and Elizabeth discuss “Do Not Interact” warnings, a kind of social signalling that’s proliferated across social media sites recently—including in fandom spaces. Topics covered include the framing and efficacy of these warnings, and intergenerational fandom clashes around how much information about yourself you should put on the internet. They also read two listener letters in response to the “Writing Women” episode, about the writers’ experiences in f/f spaces.2021-04-211h 04
FansplainingEpisode 147: Anisa KhalifaIn Episode 147, Elizabeth and Flourish talk with Anisa Khalifa, cultural critic and co-host of the K-drama podcast “Dramas Over Flowers.” Topics covered include K-dramas’ structural and emotional characteristics, the way these shows’ export and consumption has changed over the past decade, transnational fandom exchanges between Korean/Korean diaspora fans and international fans, and the enduring legacy of Orientalism when non-Asian fans get invested in Asian media.2021-04-071h 04
FansplainingEpisode 146: If You Give a Fan a CookieIn Episode 146, “If You Give a Fan a Cookie,” Flourish and Elizabeth consider the Snyder Cut: What happens when fans demand something…and they get it? Topics discussed include the inherent conservatism of (some parts of) fandom, whether the Snyder Cut was worth the financial gamble, and how it might impact fans’ expectations in the future. They also respond to a pair of listener letters about the “Fanfiction & Source Material Mini-Survey.”2021-03-241h 02
FansplainingThe Fic and the Source MaterialIn Episode 145, “The Fic and the Source Material,” Flourish and Elizabeth review the results of the “Fanfiction & Source Material Mini-Survey,” in which 6,744 respondents shared their preferences on whether they need to know the canon to read the fic. They discuss each of the dozen questions and give their own answers along the way, from Elizabeth’s serial fandom monogamy to that time Flourish read Merlin fic before watching the show.2021-03-1057 min
FansplainingWriting WomenIn Episode 144, “Writing Women,” Elizabeth and Flourish celebrate Femslash February by talking to breathedout, a longtime f/f fic and meta writer. They discuss her route into fandom through queer female erotica, fandom’s longstanding biases towards male bodies, what types of characters get to be “default” vs “political,” and the role desire can play in reading and writing.2021-02-171h 08
FansplainingAsk Fansplaining Anything: Part 9In Episode 143, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 9,” Elizabeth and Flourish read a fresh batch of listener letters. Topics covered include age and fandom, fanfics of fanfics, pop culture’s role in protest movements, and a trio of letters about trans, nonbinary, and asexual exclusion in fan spaces.2021-01-271h 03
FansplainingCopyright BrainwormsIn Episode 142, “Copyright Brainworms,” Elizabeth and Flourish try to get at the diseased intersection of creativity and the law in the U.S.: our broken copyright system. Spurred by conversation around The Great Gatsby coming out of copyright, topics covered include transformative collaboration on TikTok, the Ratatouille musical, fannish feelings amongst pro creators, and what strange impulse leads people to describe God as the “copyright owner” of the universe.2021-01-131h 05
FansplainingThe Year In Fandom 2020In Episode 141, Elizabeth and Flourish end a very unusual year in a very ordinary way: revisiting big fandom trends from the past 12 months. What happened in 2020? (What didn’t happen in 2020?) Topics covered include J. K. Rowling’s continued radicalization, the explosion of Anglophone interest in both K-pop and Chinese dramas, and the moments when the waves of fan expectation crashed against the rocky shores of reality. And they wrap up with an analysis of the ways that the pandemic is reshaping fandom: the entertainment industry, celebrity culture, and how fans engage with both the things they love and with...2020-12-301h 06
FansplainingMiranda Ruth LarsenIn Episode 140, Flourish and Elizabeth interview Miranda Ruth Larsen, a media studies scholar who focuses on K-pop, anime, and horror. They dig into the 2020 spotlight on K-pop in Anglophone spaces, the concept of “affective hoarding,” and her essay in the anthology Fandom, Now in Color, on her experiences as a multiracial American researcher in Japan. They also revisit the last episode’s conversation on queerbaiting and viewer expectations, and read two listener letters on the Supernatural finale.2020-12-161h 20
FansplainingThe "Q" is for "Queerbaiting"In Episode 139, “The ‘Q’ is for ‘Queerbaiting,’” Elizabeth and Flourish dig into the thorny concept of “queerbaiting”—when creators tease at queer relationships in their shows and films but fail to follow through. Topics covered include disconnects between creator and audience expectations, fans’ conflation of shipping and representation, and shifting attitudes and norms in television writing and marketing. Plus: they read several listener responses to the previous episode, giving context to Destination Toast’s stats on AO3 fanfic production in 2020.2020-12-021h 13
Fansplaining2020 By The NumbersNearing the end of a very strange year, Flourish and Elizabeth sit down with fandom stats whiz Destination Toast to dig into recent fanfiction trends on the Archive of Our Own. Topics covered include the massive uptick in fic production (that predated the pandemic!), the impact of China’s AO3 ban and the rise of Chinese media in English-language fandom, which fandoms and tags are growing in popularity, and—inescapably—what’s happened with Supernatural fandom since the events of November 5th.2020-11-181h 23
Fansplaining. . . And There Was Only One TropeIn Episode 137, Flourish and Elizabeth talk tropes: in fanfiction, outside of fanfiction, the places those ideas intersect—and where they don’t. Topics covered include untangling tropes from themes, formats, and set-ups in fic, how romance and YA authors have adopted the language of fic tropes and fic tags, and how tropes alter the way we search for new reading material.2020-10-281h 07
FansplainingPolitical FictionsIn Episode 136, Flourish and Elizabeth talk about the messy intersections of politics and fandom, and the narratives we create around political figures and actions. Topics discussed include why journalists keep using fandom terms they don’t understand, political RPF vs. fantasy ideas about candidates, and invoking pop culture during political protest. They also, as a podcast, unequivocally endorse Joe Biden.2020-10-141h 09
FansplainingRace and Fandom Revisited: Part 2In the second half of “Race and Fandom Revisited,” fans of color continue to speak about their experiences—and Elizabeth and Flourish talk with another white fan (and fan scholar) about how whiteness operates in fandom spaces. Featuring interviews with Amanda-Rae Prescott and Dr. JSA Lowe, and clips from Stitch, Anisa Khalifa, Effy, Sam, and Phoebe Sinclair. Topics covered include deprogramming internalized racism, how the dynamics of Facebook shape fandom conversations there, and why characters of color always seem to end up as the secondary ship.2020-10-021h 23
FansplainingRace and Fandom Revisited: Part 1Four years after the original “Race and Fandom” double episode, Flourish and Elizabeth return to the topic with a mix of old contributors and new voices. In the first installment, they interview Sunny Liu and Paracelsus Caspari, and they hear clips from Dr. Rukmini Pande, The Navy Language, Holly Quinn, PJ Punla, Roz, and Clio. Topics covered include the way Western fans engage with Asian media, fans’ prioritization of white characters over characters of color, and the experiences of Black fans who speak out about racism.2020-09-301h 13
FansplainingAsk Fansplaining Anything: Part 8In Episode 134, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 8,” Elizabeth and Flourish once again open up the mailbag and answer listener questions. Topics covered include sports RPF, the ethics of sporking, adaptations of fan-favorite properties, how to make new friends in fandom, and even more of everyone’s favorite topic: slash discourse.2020-09-161h 09
FansplainingSlash: The DiscourseIn Episode 133, Elizabeth and Flourish talk directly about a topic that creeps into a lot of Fansplaining discussions: slash fic and the people who write it. They walk through the history of “slash fandom” and the ways that early narratives about it endure to this day, and they dig into the fraught gender politics around slash, wrapping up with a discussion of whether the term means anything at all in 2020. They also read a slew of listener letters about the topic of the last episode, purity culture.2020-09-021h 22
FansplainingPurity Culture 2020In Episode 132, Elizabeth and Flourish receive a letter asking them to revisit the topic of purity culture, which they last discussed in 2018. They talk about the way the term “anti” has changed in the past 15 years, connections between fiction and real life, and the specific way the fannish migration to Twitter has amplified these dynamics. They also hear from EarlGreyTea68 in a belated anniversary episode segment, and they answer a listener letter about migratory fandom.2020-08-191h 04
FansplainingHappy Anniversary #5Flourish and Elizabeth celebrate their fifth anniversary with an annual tradition: inviting back guests from the past year to talk about changes in fandom, from the global to the personal. Topics discussed include race and racism in fandom, harassment and accountability, increases in “migratory fandom” behavior, and the act of rereading providing comfort over the past few months.2020-08-051h 16
FansplainingPam NolesIn Episode 130, Elizabeth and Flourish interview Pam Noles, the self-described “executive geek” in charge of one of the restricted entrances to Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. They discuss Pam’s history with cons, how being on-staff changes the con-going experience, and the past, present, and future of SDCC. Plus: Pam tells some behind-the-scenes stories about saying “no” to A-listers, studio executives, and the kind of people who say things like, “Don’t you know who I am?!?”2020-07-221h 10
FansplainingLetting Harry Potter GoIn episode 129, Elizabeth and Flourish talk about J. K. Rowling’s unremitting transphobia—and how beyond no longer engaging with her work, they don’t want to have anything to do with the Harry Potter fandom anymore, either. Topics covered include the rise of TERFism in British feminist media, Tonks’s beloved status amongst trans and nonbinary folks, and viewing the books’ regressive gender politics through the lens of JKR’s recent commentary. And they puzzle over one big question: How do you put the Harry Potter fandom behind you without disowning your past fannish self?2020-07-081h 08
FansplainingA Fan of FandomIn Episode 127, “A Fan of Fandom,” Elizabeth and Flourish get (too?) meta answering a listener letter about the term “fan of fandom,” which Flourish had previously dismissed as “cute.” They discuss the ways different communities use the terms “fan” and “fandom,” the role of affect in their fannish lives, and whether approaching all media with a fannish lens might lead to more inclusive fan spaces—and more diverse media.2020-05-271h 11
FansplainingSocial Media FicIn Episode 126, “Social Media Fic,” Elizabeth and Flourish welcome Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, culture journalist and Elizabeth’s collaborator on “The Rec Center,” back to the podcast to talk about how fanfic has expanded across Twitter. Topics covered include the fuzzy lines between fiction and roleplay, changing norms around pseudonymity, and generational shifts around fanworks and ephemerality.2020-05-131h 15
FansplainingCon-solationIn Episode 125, Flourish and Elizabeth discuss the state of fan conventions in 2020, whether they’ve been canceled, moved online, or, in a few cases, are supposedly going forward (DragonCon, what are you doing???). What’s lost in the transition from IRL to remote—and what can fans potentially gain? They also answer a listener question about, uh, other listeners’ questions!2020-04-291h 16
FansplainingAsk Fansplaining Anything: Part 7In Episode 124, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 7,” Elizabeth and Flourish dig into a new pile of listener questions and comments. Topics covered include fan reactions when male versus female actors talk about shipping, whether spec scripts count as fanfiction, what to say to friends who disrespect fic, and how the podcast gets made.2020-04-151h 11
FansplainingReread, Rewatch, ReplayIn Episode 123, “Reread, Rewatch, Replay,” Elizabeth and Flourish think about that most ubiquitous of comfort activities—returning to old favorite books, shows, films, games, and fics. Topics covered include the specific pleasures of re-experiencing narratives, how repeat consumption is an inherent part of fan culture, the different things people seek out when rereading fic, and how moments of collective trauma influence art and culture.2020-04-011h 09
FansplainingWash Your Hands and Read Some FicIn very self-isolated Episode 122, “Wash Your Hands and Read Some Fic,” Elizabeth and Flourish share the results of a mini-survey about people’s fiction habits in times of crisis—the personal, the global, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Are people more interested in fluff or angst? Do they seek escapism or catharsis? Is this a good time—or the worst time—to watch Contagion? They also read a message from the co-chair of the AO3 Technical Support and Feedback Committee on some of the reasons the Archive doesn’t have a mobile app.2020-03-181h 06
FansplainingThe Money Question 2: The AppeningIn Episode 121, Flourish and Elizabeth revisit the themes of an earlier episode about fanfiction and money in the wake of the recent brouhaha about apps like Fanfic Pocket Archive Library. They talk to fanfic author and copyright law professor Earlgreytea68 about “the AO3 App Wars,” digging into topics like the basics of U.S. copyright law, the AO3’s non-monetization policies, and the legal, moral, and ethical dimensions of who is (and who should be) permitted to make money from fanfic.2020-03-041h 25
FansplainingEbony Elizabeth ThomasIn Episode 120, Flourish and Elizabeth welcome back one of their earliest guests, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, to talk about her book about race, fantasy, fandom (and more!), The Dark Fantastic. Topics covered include what Ebony’s work as a reading professor entails, the themes of the book, Barnes & Noble’s “diverse book cover” controversy, and what to do with the problematic canon of children’s literature. They also discuss a listener’s response to the last episode, about whether Oscar Isaac really can be said to “ship” Finnpoe.2020-02-191h 15
FansplainingEpisode 119: Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 6In Episode 119, “Ask Fansplaining Anything: Part 6,” Flourish and Elizabeth tackle a new stack of listener questions and comments. Topics covered include actors’ shipping preferences, #OwnVoices in profic and in fanfic, what counts as “canon,” why we get stuck in fandoms we no longer like, and Flourish’s true feelings about fictional demons.2020-02-051h 04
FansplainingThe Craft of Writing (Fanfiction)In Episode 118, “The Craft of Writing (Fanfiction),” Flourish and Elizabeth interview Betts, a fic writer and professional writing instructor, about how different writing practices can inform each other on a craft level. They discuss how fanfic utterly altered Betts’s career path, what role it plays in her classroom, the effects of changing norms around fic critique and feedback, and why many people in fandom spaces are reticent to engage with literary fiction (and why they should give it a try).2020-01-221h 07
FansplainingFans and the ManIn Episode 117, “Fans and the Man,” Elizabeth and Flourish talk about whether fandom really has “gone corporate” in the last decade—and if so, what parts of fandom, and in what ways? Topics covered include whether fans have “sold out,” been exploited, or both; whether it’s a good thing for fandom to be intertwined with corporations; and whether “curatorial” and “transformative” are even still useful terms to define fan cultures as we enter the ’20s.2020-01-081h 14
FansplainingHappy Anniversary #3As they do every August, Flourish and Elizabeth welcome the past year’s guests to talk about what’s changed in fandom, on a global level, a personal level, or both. Topics include the increase in fandom’s visibility, fans attacking creators, purity culture, and the dangers of treating politics like a television show. Flourish and Elizabeth then share their own perspectives on the past year, exploring how corporate structures underpin our fannishness, and developing new perspectives on what fanfiction is and what it can do.2018-08-221h 07
FansplainingAlternate UniversesIn Episode 72, Flourish always knew that someday she’d hear the words written on her wrist— In Episode 72, Elizabeth is a florist. Every day Flourish walks past her flower shop and— In Episode 72, “Alternate Universes,” Elizabeth and Flourish are joined by Morgan Leigh Davies, co-host of the “Overinvested” podcast, to discuss alternate universe fanfiction. Topics covered include the relationship between canon and fanon, the “any two guys” trope, how AUs can raise or lower stakes, and the true nature of teens.2018-04-181h 16
FansplainingFan TourismIn Episode 69, “Fan Tourism,” Elizabeth and Flourish consider the different ways that people travel to experience their fandom, settling on a spectrum of fan tourism, spanning immersion into a fictional place to craft-focused television set visits. They also discuss being a fan of a source material set in a culture or time period other than your own, the differences between Disney and Universal Studios, breaking the (traditional theater sense of) the fourth wall, and whether Elizabeth is a teaboo.2018-03-071h 03
FansplainingEpisodicIn Episode 61, “Episodic,” Elizabeth and Flourish read a wide range of recent listener responses: on the purpose of fandom history, why adults read YA fiction, the difference between privacy and secrecy, and how happy endings and reader expectations vary across time and place. Then they discuss Elizabeth’s recent presentation at “Episodic,” a conference that brought episodic storytellers from different media together. Topics covered include why fandom is drawn to episodic content, different modes of episodic storytelling, and the one comedy Flourish has ever watched, M*A*S*H.2017-11-151h 19
FansplainingFlourish Attends A Concert, Or, Elizabeth Agrees To Talk About Harry Styles For Half An HourEpisode 58, “Flourish Attends A Concert, Or, Elizabeth Agrees To Talk About Harry Styles For Half An Hour,” does exactly what it says on the tin. The morning after Flourish attends a Harry Styles concert in Boston, they discuss the concert itself, differences and similarities between music, sports, and media fandoms, how the fans you interact with affect your behavior in fandom, and the experience of being in a crowd totally focused on one thing. They also discuss a listener voicemail about, amongst other things, clashes around age in fandom.2017-10-041h 11
FansplainingNerf HerderIn Episode 57, “Nerf Herder,” Elizabeth and Flourish start things off with the Fansplaining Patreon Pledge Drive before they talk to Parry Gripp, the lead singer of the band that wrote and performed the Buffy The Vampire Slayer theme song. They discuss the evolution of nerd culture, how music gets into television shows, and different types of band fandoms. Elizabeth and Flourish later discuss Joss Whedon and fans’ reactions and moral obligations when the creator of their favorite thing turns out to not be a very good person.2017-09-201h 10
FansplainingShips and ShowrunnersIn Episode 56, “Ships and Showrunners,” Elizabeth and Flourish talk to Lilah Vandenburgh, a long-time fan who is now a writer, director, and showrunner for film and television. They discuss how shipping culture has evolved in recent years, the pressures on showrunners and other entertainment pros to interact, and the ways that structural inequality shapes fan behavior. Also Elizabeth reports back with her review of Sean Stewart’s narrative game, “Sherlock Holmes: The Last Breath.”2017-09-061h 04
FansplainingHappy Anniversary #2!In Episode 55, "Happy Anniversary #2," Flourish and Elizabeth once again welcome back the guests from the past year to talk about what’s changed in fandom, on a global level, a personal level, or both. Global topics included the recent crop of Hugo winners, Marvel’s Secret Empire storyline, and the intersections between fandom and U.S. politics. The more personal included the intersections of fannish and professional identities and the experience of aging in fandom. To round things out, Flourish and Elizabeth share their own perspectives, discussing whether fandom ever really changes—or whether it simply repeats the same patterns over a...2017-08-231h 09
FansplainingBookCon(s)In Episode 50, "Bookcon(s)," Flourish grills Elizabeth about the book publishing industry and book fandom following Elizabeth's visit to BookCon, the consumer-facing wing of industry trade show Book Expo America. Topics covered include how books get from publishers to readers, the evolving relationships publishers, booksellers, and authors have with their customers, the way authors talk to fans, peers, and some combination of the two, and how certain spaces give authors—and other creators—license to share their fannishness.2017-06-1459 min
FansplainingMary SueIn Episode 44, “Mary Sue,” Elizabeth and Flourish discuss Elizabeth’s new article of the same name, about self-inserts and perspective characters in fanfiction and beyond. Topics covered include the history of the term “Mary Sue,” its use in broader popular culture, imagines and second person fic, roleplaying, American Girl Dolls, and more. They also welcome fandom stats wizard DestinationToast back onto the podcast to break down her analysis of asexual and aromantic tags on the Archive of Our Own.2017-03-221h 14
FansplainingNo EscapeIn this episode, Elizabeth and Flourish discuss how different people use fandom to deal with trauma, grief and overwhelming feelings. ...Oh, who are we kidding? In this episode, Elizabeth and Flourish talk about the US Presidential election, how mad they are, how sad they are, how much they're not participating in fandom right now, and what they can do to change things. We'll get back to fandom soon. Maybe.2016-11-1551 min
FansplainingA Hundred Thousand WorldsIn Episode 33, Elizabeth and Flourish talk to Bob Proehl, the author of A Hundred Thousand Worlds, a novel about comics and cons that includes characters inspired by Gail Simone and Gillian Anderson. (!!!) They discuss “literary” vs genre fiction, gender dynamics in convention culture, and the fuzzy boundaries of RPF. In the second half, Elizabeth and Flourish discuss some initial results from the Fansplaining Fic Preferences Survey, in which more than 7,500 respondents weighed in on their favorite and least favorite fanfiction tropes.2016-10-191h 08
FansplainingGet ReccedIn episode 31, “Get Recced,” Flourish and Elizabeth are joined by Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, a fan culture journalist who co-curates “The Rec Center,” a weekly fandom newsletter, with Elizabeth. They discuss recommendation versus criticism, what makes a good fic (to read and to rec), the antipathy to critique in many corners of the fanfic world, and some of their favorite—and least favorite—tropes. They also respond to listener mail: comments about fanfic’s emotional payoff, “slashtivism” in the context of wider online discourse, and whether fandom fetishizes homosexuality. Cover art by Maia Kobabe.2016-09-191h 30
FansplainingGames and FandomIn episode 30, "Games and Fandom," Elizabeth and Flourish interview Evan Narcisse, a journalist who covers both comics and video games. They compare gamers and media fans, think about the way that gatekeeping functions in different nerdy subcultures, and consider strategies for critiquing media texts. They also read more listener mail about fanart, and go deep on the Sims. Elizabeth does not promise to play any new video games, much to Flourish's chagrin.2016-09-031h 12
FansplainingConsplainingIn Episode 26, “Consplaining,” Flourish and Elizabeth break down fan conventions. Elizabeth, who has only recently (grudgingly) started going to cons, is fresh out of Leviosa, a small, fan-run Harry Potter con, and both she and Flourish are getting ready to attend the big mama, San Diego Comic-Con. They discuss the differences between cons large and small, how things change when you physically meet the internet, issues of race, class, gender, and accessibility in a variety of con spaces, and the joys of encountering exactly your kind of nerd.2016-07-1351 min
FansplainingInside BaseballIn Episode 20, "Inside Baseball," Elizabeth and Flourish talk to Cecilia Tan, who took her partner to a Yankees game in 1999 and ended up with the first baseball fan blog online—and eventually, a professional baseball writing career. Cecilia talks about her many fannish hats, from her erotic romance press to Harry Potter fanfic to the Menudo newsletter she mailed to hundreds of fangirls to nearly fainting in the presence of Derek Jeter. Plus Elizabeth and Flourish grapple over whether it’s possible to culturally appropriate fandom.2016-04-191h 07
FansplainingSlash: The MovieThis episode of Fansplaining is a little different: due to a technical problem, we weren’t able to use our guest’s audio, so we posted a transcript of the whole conversation, and the episode is a conversation ABOUT the conversation. For episode 18, Flourish and Elizabeth talked to Clay Liford, the director of SLASH: The Movie, a film about teen sexuality and fanfiction. Slash recently premiered at SXSW to positive critical reviews—and a good deal of controversy within fandom. Topics covered include the controversy and its criticisms, reverence versus accuracy, and the trouble with media that has to repres...2016-03-2554 min
FansplainingDestination: Stats!In Episode 13 of Fansplaining, Elizabeth and Flourish interview Destinationtoast about her world-famous fandom statistical analyses. Topics covered include “2015: A (statistical) year in fandom,” bad math, the differences between major fanfic archives, and trends on the rise in the coming year—plus, Elizabeth gets trolled.2016-01-101h 02
FansplainingGeekyCon & Meredith LevineIn this episode, Elizabeth visits GeekyCon and sees the Harry Potter theme park for the first time; Elizabeth & Flourish field a listener question from Tahariels; and we have a conversation with Meredith Levine, intrepid fanthropologist. Topics covered include LeakyCat, finding community in fandom, stars reading fanfic, and the intersections between fandom, consumerism, and commerce.2015-08-0656 min
FansplainingWhy Wasn't I Consulted?In the first episode of Fansplaining, Elizabeth Minkel and Flourish Klink introduce themselves and discuss their panel at SDCC, "Fandom Is My Fandom: Or, We All Live in a Coffeeshop AU." Topics covered include "going pro," selling out, making money in fandom, fandom as a safe space, and whether we should use the term "fandom" or "fandomS."2015-07-2051 min