In 2000, Eminem<\/a> redefined how we talk about fan culture with \u201cStan,\u201d which charts the downward spiral of an increasingly unhinged devotee, whose impassioned letters to the rapper go mostly unanswered.<\/p>\n The song<\/a> is almost chillingly prophetic 25 years later, at a time when superfans flood the comments of their favorite artists on social media, airing their grievances and demanding to be noticed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether you’re doing it over physical mailed letters or through DMs, that basic premise is the same,\u201d says Steven Leckart, director of the new Eminem<\/a> documentary \u201cStans\u201d (streaming Aug. 26 on Paramount+), which the rap star co-produces and appears in. \u201cYou’re probably going to feel a little sense of, \u2018Why am I shouting into the ether and not hearing back?\u2019 There\u2019s a disappointment and bitterness that could set in.\u201d<\/p>\n Join our Watch Party! <\/strong>Sign up to receive USA TODAY’s movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n In the new documentary “Stans,” Eminem opens up about trying to protect his privacy while connecting with fans.<\/p>\n \u201cStans\u201d takes an unconventional approach to the standard music doc, examining the life and career of Eminem through interviews with his most diehard supporters. It\u2019s one of a handful of recent projects that are reassessing the oft-uncomfortable lengths that people will go for their favorite celebrities.<\/p>\n \u201cScream<\/a>\u201d (2022) and \u201cSwarm<\/a>\u201d (2023) both used horror to satirize toxic fandom and disgruntled keyboard warriors, while earlier this year, The Weeknd played a fictionalized version of himself in \u201cHurry Up Tomorrow<\/a>,\u201d a psychedelic melodrama in which he is held hostage by a crazed fan (Jenna Ortega<\/a>). And the recent comedy “Borderline,” starring Jack Nicholson’s son Ray<\/a>, also centered on a man stalking a pop star (Samara Weaving).<\/p>\n Meanwhile, \u201cLurker<\/a>\u201d (in theaters now) follows a clothing store clerk named Matthew (Th\u00e9odore Pellerin) who wheedles his way into the inner circle of an up-and-coming artist, Oliver (Archie Madekwe). The film explores the petty jealousies and power dynamics that fuel the group of interchangeable young men in Oliver\u2019s orbit, as Matthew gradually becomes famous by association and fights to stay relevant.<\/p>\n 10524328002<\/p>\n Throughout the movie, people stop Matthew on the street saying they recognize him from Oliver\u2019s Instagram and asking how they, too, can become friends with the singer. There\u2019s a similar phenomenon online of rabid fans who make their entire personalities about getting \u201clikes\u201d from major pop stars<\/a> such as Taylor Swift<\/a> and Lady Gaga<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s funny, this idea of how many degrees of separation there are between you and a famous person,\u201d says “Lurker” filmmaker Alex Russell, who was loosely inspired by the social climbers and hangers-on that he encountered in Hollywood. \u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, well my friend\u2019s tweet was seen by this celebrity!\u2019 What\u2019s scary about it is that it\u2019s becoming more normalized. There\u2019s no shame about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Even as Matthew\u2019s behavior gradually becomes more obsessive and disturbing, Oliver still keeps him around. The movie posits that parasocial relationships are, in some ways, mutually beneficial, as Oliver surrounds himself with yes men who rubber stamp his vision. <\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people would call it one-sided when it isn\u2019t,\u201d Russell says. \u201cOn both sides, it\u2019s about validation and attention. Some people thrive on having that energy come toward them.\u201d <\/p>\n The Weeknd talks ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’: <\/strong>How his life is a ‘never-ending’ movie<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n In new movie “Lurker,” Oliver (Archie Madekwe, left) finds his chosen family in superfan Matthew (Th\u00e9odore Pellerin).<\/p>\n Artists have long had to contend with overzealous followers, from Elvis Presley and The Beatles to Michael Jackson and Madonna. But social media has only emboldened fans, many of whom feel entitled to get selfies<\/a> even when stars are off the clock<\/a>, or to dissect a celebrity’s appearance<\/a> in the comments of a post. A-listers’ whereabouts are way more accessible, too, with Instagram accounts such as DeuxMoi<\/a> that regularly share star sightings and restaurant roundups of places that big names frequent.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s different is the speed at which somebody can be seen in public, and how that information can spread and people can get there faster,\u201d Leckart says. \u201cThat\u2019s not something you had to think about back then. Your physical location can be shared quite quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Through new interviews with Slim Shady himself, \u201cStans\u201d looks at the toll that fame has taken on the hip-hop icon. He recounts the ways in which fans have crossed boundaries, chasing him and his daughter through the mall or flying to his hometown to search for him. But Eminem expresses appreciation for his supporters as well, many of whom explain how his music helped them confront their personal struggles with addiction<\/a>, loss<\/a> and mental health.<\/p>\n \u201cThe song \u2018Stan\u2019 is very much a cautionary tale about the dark side of that connection, and in a film inspired by that song, we had to show that side of the coin,\u201d Leckart says. \u201cBut we also wanted to show the positive aspects of fandom. The art we make can actually influence lives in profound ways. It\u2019s a double-edged sword.\u201d<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Lurker,’ Eminem documentary ‘Stans’ explore ‘dark side’ of fans<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
‘Lurker’ shows the ‘scary’ realities of parasocial relationships<\/h2>\n
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Fandom is a ‘double-edged sword’ for Eminem<\/h2>\n