This fandom is destroying itself and this has got to stop.
| Open Letter | |
|---|---|
| Title: | This fandom is destroying itself and this has got to stop. |
| From: | Pat Almedina |
| Addressed To: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) fans |
| Date(s): | April 1990 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
This fandom is destroying itself and this has got to stop. is a 1990 open letter by Pat Almedina.
It was printed Once Upon a Time...Is Now #21 and was one of four open letters in that issue. The other three were:
- Ok Good...Ok Fine: Editors' Soapbox by Jeanne Cloud
- I have wrestled long and hard with my conscience whether to reveal what went on behind the scenes of fandom itself during the last several months. by Stephanie Wiltse
For fan commentary on these for letters, see "Once Upon a Time...Is Now" Open Letters (April 1990).
Some Topics Discussed
- the fracturing of the fandom due to decisions made by TPTB regarding casting changes, plotting, and characterizations in the the show's third season
- in-fighting is costing this fandom members
- poorly behaved fans who complain to TPTB ruin the possibilities for future canon and attention of showrunners
- bad and ungrateful fans ruin it for everyone
- complaining and fighting makes creating fanworks not fun
The Letter
The moment of truth is upon us. What truth? you might ask. We all have truths, but are mine the same as yours? During the last few months far too many hurtful words have been hurled back and forth under the guise of "truth" and "freedom of speech." Irreparable damage has been inflicted upon the heart and soul of this once spectacular company under the guise of "honest criticism." But the fact is there's only one truth that we need to concern ourselves with; and that is this fandom is destroying itself and this has got to stop.
We all had different reasons for taking "Beauty and the Beast" into our hearts. The spirit of this show touched us on so many levels that it would be impossible to list them all in a letter of comment. But I daresay that the majority of us joined B&B fandom because we wanted to meet other people who shared our interest, we wanted to express ourselves creatively and intellectually, and we wanted to have fun doing it. But this is not fun anymore and some of us are being pushed to the limit. We're beginning to feel as abused and unappreciated as some of the people involved with B&B.
No matter where you stand on the subject of third season, the bottom line is we are all losers. We've lost more than a happy ending and Catherine, we've lost our show; and with it, our credibility and our unity.
We're losing our numbers and scaring off new fans with this incessant bickering and complaining. The question now is how much more are we willing to sacrifice? What else do we want to lose? Do we want to kill all hope of B&B ever going back into production? Do we alienate our fanzine editors, artists, and writers next? Do we badmouth cast and crew members until none of them are willing to give up a weekend for us in July? Think long and hard about these questions before making your next move. We're going down for the third time and we can't afford any errors in judgement.
Please wake up and smell the roses, folks. Fandom cannot and will not survive if present attitudes prevail. We don't have a snowball 's chance in hell if we don't turn things around here and now. The fighting and grandstanding has gotten us nowhere; if it continues there will be nothing left to salvage. Like many of you, I've invested a great deal of time, energy and money in support of B&B. I've provided fandom with forums for its talent and its opinions, and I've tried to be open and fair. But I'm getting tired of fandom's rude and vicious mood. The hassles are beginning to outweigh the pleasure I've taken in producing "Promises of Someday" and "Castles in the Air," and this has got to stop. I've cared too much and supported B&B too long to be a part of its destruction.
The time has come to evaluate our priorities, to decide what is important to us and to take swift, decisive action. This fandom needs reconciliation and peace, so please leave animosity and hidden agendas at the door. We must find our way again, before it is too late. It won't be easy, but if we're sincere, just maybe there's a miracle or two left for us. Once upon a time we were B&B's greatest champions, please don't let the last flame be snuffed out by our hands.