Stardom/Fandom: Celebrity and Fan Tribute Performance

Abstract

Since the early 1970s, hundreds of Science Fiction and Fantasy (SF&F) conventions have been held worldwide. They are fuelled by the appearance of actors, writers, directors, artists, producers and designers promoting their latest projects, responding to questions of varying obscurity, having their picture taken, and signing autographs for thousands of fans. This convergence of fan and celebrity at SF&F conventions can be interpreted variously as the free market at work, a twenty-first century spiritual pilgrimage, a unique form of nerd tourism, or an amalgam of the three. However one defines them, I want to suggest that synergy is the basis of the relationship between fans and celebrities at such events. From the Greek VXQHUJLƗ (cooperation) or sunergos (working together), synergy refers to the cooperative interaction among groups that create an enhanced combined effect. SF&F conventions are defined by human synergy—in the sense that both fan and celebrity momentarily merge for mutual advantage—exchanging emotional, psychological and social benefits through their interactions. These conventions similarly represent corporate synergy, as fan and celebrity interact as buyer and seller, negotiating cost and revenue to achieve a mutually satisfactory economic profit. While we cannot ignore the effect of the latter on the relationship, this article will focus primarily on the former—in particular on the human synergy of what I call " Fandom Tribute Performance " (FTP). Simply put, FTP involves assuming the role of a fictional character from a particular SF&F text (i.e. Star Trek) at a gathering of fans within a framed area (a fair booth, a charity event, or an SF&F convention). The basic requirement of this performance is that the performer is recognized as that character. To that end, a costume can be as simple as a pair of pointed ears, or as elaborate as a fully-rendered suit of armour. The physical performance can also establish the validity of the character.