Fandom is fickle, and the Michael Fassbender fandom is no different. In all the years that I have enjoyed various entertainers, going back to the early/mid 80s with Duran Duran, I know all too well what it’s like to move on from being interested in an entertainer. Today, there are only two bands that I am devoted to, through thick and thin, in which I have been following since the early 90s: Pearl Jam and Nine Inch Nails. I recently paid over $100 to stand in the mosh pit at the October 7th Detroit show to see my 14th, or was it the 15th NIN concert? And I’ve been a member of the 10 Club for Pearl Jam since 1996 and I just ordered their latest CD and a nice warm thick black & red Pearl Jam winter scarf. These recent acquisitions from two very different, but both very beloved artists, demonstrate my loyalty to them after all these years. When it comes to actors, no other celebrity has commanded so much of my interest, time, and money in supporting and sharing with other fans, than Michael Fassbender!
When you dedicate as much time as I have (and I know other fans have surely dedicated a lot of time) in developing a community like the Fassinating Fassbender Community, you are correct in assuming that I have spent enough proper time in researching and understanding the actor known as Michael Fassbender. My time is precious, just like yours, and I cannot waste my time developing a community that I work hard for if I had one iota of belief that Michael was someone of unsavory character, mean-spirited, rude, narcissistic, tacky, nasty, abusive, sexist, untalented, uncouth, and arrogant. The man that I know Michael Fassbender to be is none of these. I’m not his friend, I’m not a family member, therefore, I will never know him like a friend or family member does. He’s not perfect, none of us are! But based on what I as a fan who has spent time learning about him know, is that he is the type of entertainer, and human being that I find worthy to recognize, celebrate, and support.
Every famous person has distracters and a gang of people with ill intentions (i.e. “haters”). These groups thrive to disparage celebrities and cut them down, gossip about them, exaggerate situations, OCD-over analyze/speculate personal matters that is none of their business, manipulate images, and make up complete lies, all in an effort to soil a celebrity’s image… because they can, and because they want to. Other people who partake in such behavior also tend to, ironically, be infatuated with a particular celebrity. They desperately want to control what said celebrity does, who they sleep with, who they talk to, who they stand next to, who they are photographed with, what they drink, what they wear, where they go, etc. So much so that they create elaborate and awe-inspiring delusional scenarios, and share them with other people under the guise of mysterious authority with first-hand knowledge; all with the sole intent to recruit people into their way of warped thinking to swell their numbers to have more fun in gossiping about a celebrity. This happens with every well known person, and sadly, Michael Fassbender is not exempt.
Fassinating Fassbender may not be the most popular or most visited fan community for Michael, but everyone knows about us, and knows that we are staunch supporters for him. There’s no ridiculous gossip here, there’s no immaturity here, and there’s certainly no half-arsed fans here. We’re here for the long run, at least I am. People who leave the Fassbender fandom leave for their own reasons and that is their decision and their right because again, fandom is fickle. However, just like how after two decades of attending concerts and buying CDs and merchandise from my two favorite bands, I very much look forward to supporting Michael Fassbender for many years to come because he’s worth it, and a nice guy.
S