Scratching the celebrity itch

The umbrella term for these new subsets of super fans,who devotedly discuss their idols merits across the Internet,is stans, a nickname cribbed from the Eminem song Stan that appeared on the rappers Marshall Mathers LP from 2002. In the song,the M.C. tells a fictional tale of a fan named Stan who becomes so maniacally obsessed with Mathers that he murders his girlfriend and kills himself by the tracks end. Now the term has been playfully appropriated to describe a new breed of celebrity zealot for the digital era: an impassioned believer who may spend days crowing about how flawless a favourite artist looked at a party for an energy drink. Stans are a built-in support system, said Tamar Anitai,the managing editor of MTVs Web site. They are very much aware of how the public sees this person,and they are here to protect him or her.

Colloquially,the term can be used as both a noun (OMG,I am the biggest Rihanna stan) or as a verb (Mexico is stanning so hard for Britney Spears right now). There are also a slew of popular Twitter hash tags (Is it sad Ive been thinking about Beyoncé almost all day at work? #stanproblems) and even a Web site,Stan Wars,devoted to the subject matter. The site includes a dictionary,F.A.Q.s and even a stanipedia to clear up (and perpetuate) misinformation and various feuds swarming around stan-prone artists,who are often,but not exclusively,Top-40 female recording artists,like Jennifer Lopez and Madonna.

To affiliate yourself with a mainstream artist today is just like the unwavering loyalty that sports teams have, said David Russell,an artist manager at IE: Music who works with acts like Robbie Williams and Ladyhawke. The same way that you follow a team despite the players that come and go,fans come on board early for pop stars and remind people of the success he or she hadwhether it was 20 minutes ago or 20 years ago.

This can make competition among stans particularly ugly,but it can also serve as a lifeboat,keeping a troubled performers career afloat. But many stans claim their mission is infused with self-deprecating dark humour. How serious you take it depends on how mentally stable you are, said Tré,25,the creator of Stan Wars and a graphic designer who uses one name,like many of the stars he covers. Tré calls his site a comprehensive guide to worshiping people you dont know,who live a lifestyle you cant afford,supported by an industry you dont understand.

Bradley Stern,22,a self-described total and complete stan boy, is the creator of the Web site MuuMuse,a mix of music reviews,insider industry information and fan contests. He calls Christina Aguilera,whom Stern says he has loved since high school,throughout a career marked by soaring highs (she recently scored a No. 1 single for her brief cameo in the Maroon 5 song Moves Like Jagger) and plummeting lows (Burlesque),the Great Legendtina of Former Floppiness,who sits on a throne made out of unsold Bionic albums.

Its sort of pathetic to be a fan of anything these days because nothing is really sacred, Stern said. We will always see behind the curtain. You can still be in on the joke and be a psychotically obsessed fan. This sense of irreverence suits an Internet generation searching for a happy medium between teeny-bop fanaticism and TMZ transparency.

In an interview,author Bret Easton Ellis said,A stan continues to obsess over celebrity,despite being aware that the whole notion of celebrity has never seemed more fleeting or purposeless. The crazy thing is that these stans have not only accepted this,but that theyve embraced it as part of the game. This is so unlike fandom before. The stan is going to become part of the fabric of celebrity andI hate using this wordtheir brand.