Celebrity Furries

[lupestripe]

Imagine, in an idle hour, you are sat reading The Sun or Heat Magazine (unlikely I know but let's run with it) and you discover that a major celebrity has outed themselves as a furry. What would your reaction be?

I wouldn't really want wannabe furries roaming the streets who think it's cool because they read it in a magazine and that's what x does so I must do it too. Nor would I want furry itself to appear chic and cool - I like the niche aspect of it and the fact that it is a subculture that doesn't generate much media interest (although that is admittedly increasing).

Imagine chavs called Charlene wearing fox tails in the street as a fashion statement *shudder*. Or burberry bunny ears? Christ. And then what about the sponsorship? Little foxes wear crinkle pants diapers. The image is too horrible to contemplate.

Would it affect the togetherness of the community and its image for the positive or the negative? I guess that would depend on whether the media is praising or bashing that particular celebrity that week. It would probably still come round to haunt the celeb though due to the vitriolic nature of most media outlets.

I think it's a truly horrible vision but others may disagree. Would a celebrity furry endorsement be a good or a bad thing? My own view is that we are only a celebrity endorsement away from anarchy.

Comments

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I'd have mixed feelings about it. Yeah, as you said, it would very much increase media attention, and it'd likely bring in a wave of people who're only in it because it's cool and trendy, not because they really care; on the other hand, though, it might actually generate some positive feedback and take the wind out of the sails of the trolls etc. that try to give furries a bad name.

In the end, it'd probably depend on the "celebrity" in question, how they'd present it and why.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

You are probably right but I don't see how it would take the wind out of the sails of trolls. After all, homosexuality has largely become accepted in Western Europe yet there are still trolls out there on that issue - I think if you are bigoted, you will be bigoted irrespective of how large a subculture is.

The problem with media is the way they deliberately twist things. Imagine Furry in The Sun or Das Bild and the prospect is frightening.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, those certainly aren't the papers you'd want to report on furry fandom. On the other hand - imagine an article in the Guardian or Die Zeit; it'd likely not be that bad (well, one would hope). At the very least, it wouldn't be deliberate lies.

As for trolls, I think it would take the wind out of their sails insofar as that they're trying to give people the wrong impression of what furries are actually like and what furry fandom is actually about - again, lies. If people already did have an idea - a reasonably accurate idea -, that'd be much more difficult.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Would Die Zeit ever cover furry? The Guardian might but even then, there would be a slant on it. The Guardians would relate it to a race issue somewhere - is the exclusion of Foxy McFoxy related to hidden race issues against foxes in the Fandom?

I guess you are right about trolls but am I right in thinking that is only one type of troll and that other trolls would still thrive, irrespective of how mainstream furry could become?

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Die Zeit well might - they did have an article on atalondeer (a fursuit and mascot builder) as part of their "job of the week" column, for example.

Not sure what angle the Guardian might take; I'm not too familiar with it, to be honest, but it was the first name that came to my mind when I tried to think of a respectable, high-quality British newspaper.

Yeah, other trolls would still thrive, but there's no real need to worry about those.

[albrecht-fur.livejournal.com]

tbh, I rather like it being something small and cliquey.
It's nice to see peoples reactions when you go out suiting, and I think that would spoil if given too much publicity.
It's also nice having a small network of people you can chill with, the meets and cons are already getting much larger as it is.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with all of that - I like the fact we are hidden away and keep ourselves to ourselves. And of course, as you say, too much publicity may cause problems regarding the reaction to suiters, which would be such a shame to lose.

[krakendwaggin.livejournal.com]

It'd be good and bad

Good as it (may) create some positive articles for us but since we're already bunged in Bizarre mag and the 'and finally' sections of news, I seriously doubt it.

Bad as if its a really dodgy celeb, say amy winehouse, it'd cause huge problems...

"Foxy Winehouse caught drunk and yiffy in public"

Amy winehouse today changed her name to Foxy Winehouse and went on a drunken 'yiffing' rampage through london today dressed in nothing but a pair of baby blue fox ears and bright pink fox tail...

Okay probably wont happen...or will it?

[patter-snowfox.livejournal.com]

bad kraken ... putting yiffy, foxy and winehouse together :P

[krakendwaggin.livejournal.com]

whaaat? ^_^

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

She does look a bit like a diseased horse I suppose.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

How about yiffy, foxy and wine house? After all, after many a glass of wine in the wine house, the foxy can become rather yiffy...

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

The Bizarre article was very sympathetic though and you must admit that furry is bizarre. It is definitely a niche and I have no issue with a magazine like that covering it.

I like the image you bring to the table but I am needing to substitute Amy Winehouse with someone far more appealing...

[bluewoozle.livejournal.com]

Not to paraphrase, but your post is saying that you don't want the general populus to idolise furry because of a celebrity?

Food for thought would be the furs who idolise 'furry celebrities'; the fanboys and girls of artists, convention chairpersons, well known fursuitters, etc. Surely they're just as bad?

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I agree but within our own little clique, that is not necessarily an issue. Yes, I don't understand Fanboys and yes there is an element of celebrity within the Fandom but that is not the same as a mainstream celebrity outing themselves as a furry. If that happened, the media interest this would generate would blow the Fandom out into the open and would expose us all as furs. This could present an issue regarding employment prospects and with our families too.

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

The American comedienne Margaret Cho was seen at FC a couple of years ago :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Do you know why she was there?

[silent-o.livejournal.com]

-cleans and assembles Barrett M82A1-



I think I've made my point.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Lols pretty succinctly. But then, once the celebrity has openly admitted it, what could a loaded gun do? Surely all that would happen is the furry community would become demonised for killing one of its own and this would cause even more negative media articles to be written?

[silent-o.livejournal.com]

It's a sniper rifle hun.

Stats:

Cartridge .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO)
Action Recoil operated, rotating bolt
Muzzle velocity 853 m/s (2,799 ft/s)
Effective range 1,850 m


I could pick 'em off from nearly 2 km away and nobody would be the wiser.

[bucktowntiger.livejournal.com]

My plan is to one day be a famous mainstream rap artist who happens to be a furry... so I'm not sure I'm down with this post...

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

It's interesting as I imagine it depends what field you are famous in. I don't imagine a famous rapper courting as much interest for being a fur from the Press as perhaps someone of the ilk of Britney Spears or whatever. I am not too sure why I think that, I just do.

[metamorphosys.livejournal.com]

I have to say that I agree with you. The picture that you have painted is very scary indeed. Take care.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

It's frightening - particularly with how intrusive the media in this country is.

[stuart-otterson.livejournal.com]

I think it is inevitable that something will break the furry anthropomorphic fandom society out into the mainstream, as in proper mainstream. I always personally thought it would be this furry band who happens to get noticed by the NME, whom find them so weird and cool that they launch them out as the new youth scene.

Eventually every subculture goes from the niche community to the outbound. A thousand disgruntle punks watching all these scenesters wearing leather and chains thinking they're punk when they're but copycats. A whole BritPop scene going from the revival of British guitar music to a dozen wannabie bands bandwagoning on an apparent working class lads culture. The million indie kids with their nu-rave neo clothes. Lads who think they're mods just cus they wear an RAF badge and a parka >>;

What can I say? Young people need to fit in as a sheep crowd. Kids want to feel a part of something and will imitate to get there. What can we do but occasionally meet up in the pub and sit there grumpy bemoaning lol. The thing is though, unlike a music scene, furry has been quite a commercial thing from the start, so it would become every increasingly merchandised. Ah well, if and when it happens, I'm just glad I can be middle age and sit in the pub with you and bemoan while nursing a pint. :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

It's an interesting point you make and I don't really know where to begin. Music has always been more universal and encompassing than furry could ever be - most people enjoy music of one sort or another and so the migration of people from one genre to another is far easier than it would be to migrate into furry.

I agree that people do need to fit in and there have been a few furs who have attempted to join the Fandom for nefarious intent. I am not sure what you mean by commercial but Furry is certainly a visible group and therefore is more likely to court media attention. At the moment, it is underground but the roots are starting to break through the surface and as you say, it's only a matter of time. However, for it to break through, the media will have to support it rather than vilify it, which is what they largely do now. The media decide social trends, no one else does, and therefore it is at the behest and whim of a handful of editors.

And as for the pint, would you be pouring the third one on to your arm again? :P

[stuart-otterson.livejournal.com]

Well for commercial, it's about how what starts out as a subculture with it's own fashion and niche interests becomes a brand to which it is sold on a mass scale. Suddenly for your money you can buy and image. Like punks, it starts out DIY with pin clothes, rough leather jacket and jeans and gelled spiky hair, but now it's all mass market as an imagine young people can buy, without perhaps considering the true spirit of what the subculture had.

Furry is in some respects a commercial thing on a small scale, you buy you tails and suits, get your commissions and pay for your silly tea mug just cus somebody put a paw print on it. I would hate to imagine that as a full mainstream commercial venture, guy walks in a buys the stuff cus that's what his mates wear at school, all to keep up with the trend and have no thought about the spirit of the fandom as he truants off home to kick his dog.

And yes I have noticed a few furs joining up the fandom for rather dubious reasons. I've encountered one who doesn't seem that furry, looks more like he's in it for easy intercourse. Others seem to enjoy the meet ups as if they were the end all of being a furry, to attend meets and get drunk or something. :S I certainly enjoy the meets, but I think it's not an obligation that one should attend. Sometimes I wonder if things have just wondered off from what the *fan*dom is about. Perhaps I'm just reminded of the early 90's shoegazer's music scene. It was a scene said to celebrate itself, because those who attend the concerts were in their own shoegazing band.

Sometimes it'd be nice if I felt more people could take it back to basics. I might start a reading club for anthropomorphic books. I reckon it'd be brilliant cus it's about appreciating stories featuring furry characters and socialising with like minded people. What'd you think?

And shhhhh! :p Yes when we're old and grumpy and complaining about the newbie scenesters with their mechanical tails made by Sony, I'll probably wet my wrist again, perhaps it'll cause you to laugh so hard in your old age you will literally piss yourself.

Nice to have an interesting topic.

*hugs*