Fans are really getting out of hand

canbelto said:
I saw the ugly side of agency when I had the misfortune to be acquainted with a classical music agent who had some mid-level clients in the business. He talked openly about slandering perceived rivals of that client as part of his job.
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Interesting you would say that, as that is exactly what I do. Our agency has been going for ten years now, and I can honestly say that I have never slandered a "perceived rival" of one of our artists... not once. Nor have I known of any of my agent colleagues doing that. Sounds like your acquaintance was a bad apple.
 
skateboy said:
Interesting you would say that, as that is exactly what I do. Our agency has been going for ten years now, and I can honestly say that I have never slandered a "perceived rival" of one of our artists... not once. Nor have I known of any of my agent colleagues doing that. Sounds like your acquaintance was a bad apple.
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Not really ... his name is pretty well-known in the music circles. And I know enough people in the classical music business to know that this behavior is very common. For instance two A-list vocal teachers are always badmouthing each other to singers, each calling the other a "voice wrecker," trashing each others' students, and making up lies about the others' students. It's a tough business.
 
canbelto said:
Not really ... his name is pretty well-known in the music circles. And I know enough people in the classical music business to know that this behavior is very common. For instance two A-list vocal teachers are always badmouthing each other to singers, each calling the other a "voice wrecker," trashing each others' students, and making up lies about the others' students. It's a tough business.
Click to expand...
Well yes, teachers have been known to slander one another, especially voice teachers. Sad, isn't it?

Agents can be aggressive (they pretty much have to be), but usually do not sink to the level of slander, as they risk being reported to NAPAMA and possible legal action.
 
Yuna not commenting in support of Mariah Bell was a disgrace. The bullying and slander that took place was atrocious. I have zero respect for her. No one from the agency issued an apology to Mariah. The whole situation was seriously disgusting.
 
allezfred said:
So I did a search in Japanese for the terms "Medvedeva" and "earthquake" and the only thing that came up was this link to the Japanese version of the Russian government back website Sputnik:
jp.sputniknews.com

メドベージェワが日本で出演中に地震

千葉県千葉市の幕張イベントホールで開催中のアイスショー「ファンタジーオンアイス」でロシアのエフゲニヤ・メドベージェワ、アリーナ・ザギトワ両選手が出演中に、震度５弱の地震が起きた。ロシアスポーツメディア「ソヴェーツキー・スポルト」が報じた。
jp.sputniknews.com jp.sputniknews.com

The article said there were a number of people (presumably Japanese, but who knows?) who were offended by her making a joke about the earthquake. So I took a look at her Instagram post.
Report card for Tinami: Must try harder. ;)
Click to expand...
Besides Japanese press and Med's instagram, there are many fans sites, IG, tweeters, and live journal chats where fans from all over the world discuss their opinions.
Report card for allezfred: Must look in the right places ;)

Gris said:
Tinami's not alone, though. On Chinese forum Fanyus are now condemning Medvedeva and Weir for being drama queens and stealing the show from Hanyu :rolleyes:
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Just for the record, "Tinami"- me - is not expressing opinions, exactly, but re-caping what's been out there for the last year. and yes, i have an opinion... :p

Fanyus were never involved in "Med-Zag-Eteri" issues, and yet they too at some point started to see Medvedeva as an attention seeking drama-queen and not for the first time. Anyhooo..... we may have a new "Volochkova" or "Kardashian" in the making... ;)

(and nobody should be sending nasty notes to any skaters. one thing is to express opinion with other fans, another thing is to take an offensive action.)
 
Tinami Amori said:
Fanyus were never involved in "Med-Zag-Eteri" issues, and yet they too at some point started to see Medvedeva as an attention seeking drama-queen and not for the first time. Anyhooo..... we may have a new "Volochkova" or "Kardashian" in the making... ;)
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Tinami, do you have anything positive to say about Medvedeva?
 
Raging, irrational fandom is a scary thing. Blind devotion and blind hate. All that time and effort spent on trying to discredit, humiliate, and insult the perceived "rivals" in order to built up the perceived "heroes" is such a waste. A yoga class would be so much more productive. :)
 
Tinami Amori said:
There are fan forums in the "Trash can" section, where anything and everything about a particular skater can be discussed. This topic as about a particular situation, actions and behavior.
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This is about a particular situation, and highly inappropriate and scary actions and behavior of so called fans. Not about actions and behavior of Medvedeva. While in your mind, she deserves nothing but the worst, this sort of behavior has been exhibited towards many skaters. Sotnikova, Bell, and Chen come to mind immediately. Victim blaming does not work.
 
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Perky Shae Lynn said:
This is about a particular situation, and highly inappropriate and scary actions and behavior of so called fans. Not about actions and behavior of Medvedeva. While in your mind, she deserves nothing but the worst, this sort of behavior has been exhibited towards many skaters. Sotnikova, Bell, and Chen come to mind immediately. Victim blaming does not work.
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If you can't see the difference between "he/she deserved to be harassed" and "here are stories about skaters/fans dynamics", then i can't help you.
 
Perky Shae Lynn said:
Oh, but shouldn't stories about skaters/fans dynamics be kept in the Trash Can as you so wisely suggested earlier? ;)
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you missed the part that "specific stories about skaters/fans dynamics" have direct relevance to this particular topic.. ;)

Actually, there is plenty for "Trash Can" on Med, because there are other "commotions" which she starts almost on weekly basis, against or with "somebody" but it is all on social media in Russian... so if i am bored... maybe..

... but then maybe not, all of them are so stupid and pointless, like claiming that "Bad Guy" was her song first, because it was in top-5 on Russian FM radio for weeks, and she down loaded it into her iPhone a week before Daniil announced it for Zag. That was a nice back and forth with poor Daniil, who was in Miami, and have not seen or spoke with Med for half a year.... and has NO idea what she down loads into her i-phone.... :D and yet her clever agent went to the press..... and we got this.... with headlines "Zagitova is accused of theft".
www.gazeta.ru

Загитову обвинили в воровстве - Газета.Ru | Новости

Олимпийскую чемпионку по фигурному катанию Алину Загитову обвинили в воровстве, сообщает «Советский спорт» .
www.gazeta.ru www.gazeta.ru
... and that's not all....

Medvedeva is a sneaky b-tch... she stirs up "sh.t" and the cries "victim".. Yzufans are right, about her (still, no need to sent her notes. but certainly ok to critique her actions).
 
Tinami Amori said:
you missed the part that "specific stories about skaters/fans dynamics" have direct relevance to this particular topic.. ;)

Actually, there is plenty for "Trash Can" on Med, because there are other "commotions" which she starts almost on weekly basis, against or with "somebody" but it is all on social media in Russian... so if i am bored... maybe..

... but then maybe not, all of them are so stupid and pointless, like claiming that "Bad Guy" was her song first, because it was in top-5 on Russian FM radio for weeks, and she down loaded it into her iPhone a week before Daniil announced it for Zag. That was a nice back and forth with poor Daniil, who was in Miami, and have not seen or spoke with Med for half a year.... and has NO idea what she down loads into her i-phone.... :D and yet her clever agent went to the press..... and we got this.... with headlines "Zagitova is accused of theft".
www.gazeta.ru

Загитову обвинили в воровстве - Газета.Ru | Новости

Олимпийскую чемпионку по фигурному катанию Алину Загитову обвинили в воровстве, сообщает «Советский спорт» .
www.gazeta.ru www.gazeta.ru
... and that's not all....

Medvedeva is a sneaky b-tch... she stirs up "sh.t" and the cries "victim".. Yzufans are right, about her (still, no need to sent her notes. but certainly ok to critique her actions).
Click to expand...

Um ... wow, okay. I think that if a skater whom you don't know inspires that amount of anger and hatred in you, maybe you ought to step away from Russian social media gossip mills and maybe the sport altogether and smell the roses.
 
Well, this thread certainly proved itself. But I don't think the word "fan" really applies any more when you are talking about obsessive, disturbed behavior and online (or offline!) bullying. It's especially sick when someone is old enough to be the mother (if not grandmother) of these skaters and still engaging in name-calling and gossip mongering. Makes you wonder what is going on in their real life if this is what they fill their time with...
 
My last post for today in this topic. I try to support with proof the comments i make, if i can find it.

Medvedeva is "friends" on social media with a blogger Elena Rodina, they meet for coffee when Med is in Moscow, and she invited her to ride on the train with her to the last Russian Nationals.

Rodina has been issuing physical threats to Zagitova and sends her abusive grotesque messages, sometimes under her own name and sometimes under a pseud, since Olympics. It's been in fan-social media since March 2018. Medvedeva did nothing about it, and is still in friendly contact with her.

Here is what Rodina said to Zagitova, and Zagitova did not make a scandal out of it, while she could have called the police, since they are both in Moscow, and the threats are not harmless.

Here is one under her own name, with english translation:

Here is another under pseuds:

"I will smash her face"
"Some day you'll get your faces splashed with acid"
"I wish you to rot alive"

... and that is just a tip of the ice berg of what Medvedeva-fans say to Zagitova, Tutberidze and now it is spilling on to other Sambo-70 girls.... Trusova was also attacked recently in social media.. with wishes to break both of her legs, or someone will do it for her, if she does not do it herself.
etc...
 
Tinami--no matter how bad Medevedeva is, it is irrelevant to the subject at hand, so what is your point?

Unless you are trying to argue that Medvedeva deserves notes like the one in the OP (and frankly, it does seem that you ARE making that argument while piously saying otherwise), what is your point?

I am glad that you are bored with her and having nothing more to say (except, oh, wait, you apparently do) because one might begin to think you have some kind of personal vendetta.
 
Prancer said:
Tinami--no matter how bad Medevedeva is, it is irrelevant to the subject at hand, so what is your point?

Unless you are trying to argue that Medvedeva deserves notes like the one in the OP (and frankly, it does seem that you ARE making that argument while piously saying otherwise), what is your point?

I am glad that you are bored with her and having nothing more to say (except, oh, wait, you apparently do) because one might begin to think you have some kind of personal vendetta.
Click to expand...
Another issue came up in the discussion, brought up by another poster - Medvedeva being a drama-queen.
My point that Medvedeva "called the press" and rallied people up over a note "to get out", while her friend Rodina is advocating physical harm to Zagitova. And to prove that Medvedeva is friends with Rodina, here is video of them both riding in a train car together to Russian Nationals. @ 0:55 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB3QkQvrsI0

This is not right. To be openly friends with a person who threatens another skater.
 
A different sport — but the same topic. — I saw at the cricket World Cup that the Captain of India intervened during a match and told India fans to stop heckling an Australian player and suggested they direct their attention to positively supporting their country instead. Impressive display of sportsmanship and leadership from Virat Kholi. Article here Footage here

Extract:

Kohli had pointed to the logo on his chest, indicating he wanted the thousands on hand at the Oval to cheer for their country - and not boo Smith. As a show of support, Kohli then shook Smith's hand in between overs.
Click to expand...

Quote from Virat Kholi: “So I just felt for him, and I told him, I'm sorry on behalf of the crowd because I've seen that happen in a few earlier games, as well, and in my opinion that's not acceptable."
Click to expand...

A good example of a situation where a player can intervene to stop fans. Even if the heckling probably would have benefited his team by distracting the other side.

And actually quite a good way to go about it without upsetting people - to tell them to instead focus on positively supporting their team rather than directing negativity at others.
 
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Tinami Amori said:
Besides Japanese press and Med's instagram, there are many fans sites, IG, tweeters, and live journal chats where fans from all over the world discuss their opinions.
Report card for allezfred: Must look in the right places ;)
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And you who loves Medvedeva so much just happens to know "the right places"? :rofl:

Report card for Tinami: Still needs to try harder and stop quoting biased and unreliable sources ;)
 
People in general just need to get a life.

If you tie up too much of your identity and feelings of self worth in your fandom and the successes of the object of your fandom you'll come off the rails in one way or another. Usually manifests itself in vehement defense of anything that skater does and/or slanderous judgment against rivals.

It's generally the same phenomenon that drives such hatred for people who don't share your religious or political views.

Humans are largely tribal. The tribe you most closely identify with is the one that will showcase your inner crazy the best.
 
Tinami Amori said:
given all the sneaky and manipulative little things she does, which would be a mess of a discussion if posted, she deserves my comment. but don't worry, i am bored with her for now. :barrel
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At some point, when Zhenia missed an important competition (I think, Europeans? Or maybe it was lost Nationals?), there was an interview with her agent. There he explained that they need to produce causes for her to be in the limelight, especially in times, when she is not at competitions. Hence, she does indeed have the agent who encourages for attention-seeking. The agent is responsible for her social media; she claimed that she stopped doing it herself. In this interview her agent claims that he is responsible for all her messages and correspondence:

sport.business-gazeta.ru

«Женя не может работать на маленьких гонорарах». Менеджер Медведевой – о работе со спонсорами

Пост в инстаграме Евгении Медведевой стоит больше, чем у звёзд шоу-бизнеса.
sport.business-gazeta.ru sport.business-gazeta.ru

So it's not impossible what you are saying, that it was not Zhenya who actually received that message, but her agent. Yet, normally, as he says in the interview above, he shows Zhenya only "adequate" things. So, go figure...

There were articles how expensive Zhenya's posts on Instagram are and how she is competing for the Japanese market with Alina.

It's the money-making time for Zhenya now. During the season, as agent says, she is not available for many business opportunities.
 
Medvedeva is a tough cookie, she doesn't really need Weir to play the victim card exposing some lunatic without a life because really, it's mostly about Weir himself looking like a great human being, saying something completely obvious. If he wants to support her, do it directly to her without trumpeting it out to the world. There is some sort of social media emotional opportunism in a post like that: I think the better response to this is ignorance, who really gives a sh*t about what that deranged person writes (whoever it is needs mental help, seriously), go out on ice and do your thing girl.

Social media is a disease. Time for people to talk to each other instead of instagramming everything. Old school rule: if you don't say it to my face, I'm not listening.
 
Rock2 said:
People in general just need to get a life.

If you tie up too much of your identity and feelings of self worth in your fandom and the successes of the object of your fandom you'll come off the rails in one way or another. Usually manifests itself in vehement defense of anything that skater does and/or slanderous judgment against rivals.

It's generally the same phenomenon that drives such hatred for people who don't share your religious or political views.

Humans are largely tribal. The tribe you most closely identify with is the one that will showcase your inner crazy the best.
Click to expand...
You have a point. But such is the nature of fandom in general. My kids live for their hockey fandom for example. They get positive and negative emotions out of it. It makes them feel like part of a tribe to use your definition. There is nothing wrong with it, IMO. The problem is not with sports (or any other) fandom.

The problem is irrational obsessive uber-fandom. With the anonymity of the internet, the unhinged ubers are given a largely consequence-free platform. They are louder than everyone else, they do their "research", they post a lot... They are righteous and aggressive; and they can always justify the hate by how much the subject of the hate deserves it. That's a mental health problem. Not a sports fandom problem. There is a very thick and obvious line between the two.
 
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allezfred said:
And you who loves Medvedeva so much just happens to know "the right places"? :rofl:
Report card for Tinami: Still needs to try harder and stop quoting biased and unreliable sources ;)
Click to expand...
Fan wars, and fan-attacks take place in one place only - social media. That's where they post, and that's where athletes reply, or get quoted. Only then it makes it to the press.

suggestion: you decide if to you social media used by fans and athletes is a reliable source... because most people have decided.. ;)
 
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