Anybody wanna talk to a Gizmodo writer about how X-Philes influenced internet culture

Kate Knibbs

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Apr 16, 2015, 6:05:07 PM4/16/15

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Hey! I was an ardent M/S shipper and consumer of fanfiction in my younger days, and I'm a staff writer for Gizmodo now prepping an article on X-Files online fandom's influence on internet culture-- how it brought stuff like shipping into the lexicon, etc. Looking for perspective from past/present/future fans!

Any diehard supporters of Diane Fowley, though, know that I see you and I judge you.

Tiffany Robinson

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Apr 17, 2015, 6:29:23 PM4/17/15

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Are there EVEN any diehard supporters of Diana Fowley!?!? I can't imagine that such people exist. ;)

Tiffany Robinson

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Apr 17, 2015, 6:30:46 PM4/17/15

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On Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 4:05:07 PM UTC-6, Kate Knibbs wrote:
> Hey! I was an ardent M/S shipper and consumer of fanfiction in my younger days, and I'm a staff writer for Gizmodo now prepping an article on X-Files online fandom's influence on internet culture-- how it brought stuff like shipping into the lexicon, etc. Looking for perspective from past/present/future fans!
>
> Any diehard supporters of Diane Fowley, though, know that I see you and I judge you.

Oh, and I'm a completely diehard XF fan as well. Total and complete Shipper from the very first time I watched my first episode (which was "Chinga" in February 1998, right after I turned 16 years old). I just wrote a narrative about my journey/history as a self-proclaimed and proud X-Phile. I'd love to talk to you!

dogget...@gmail.com

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Apr 17, 2015, 9:33:13 PM4/17/15

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i wouldn't say i'm a diehard supporter of fowley, but i do like her. outside of ppl just didn't like her because she and mulder had a past, i don't understand the hate she gets from most fans.

you can contact me if you want for your article. my sister and i ran the first ever XF online virtual series (which is still online, though no new episodes being produced), and i also run the one and only john doggett (and doggett/scully) fansite in the fandom :) i know that's rare, and a different non-MSR fan perspective might be useful. contact me directly via my email: dogget...@gmail.com

Cassie

Paul Wartenberg

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Apr 18, 2015, 11:15:07 PM4/18/15

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On Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 6:05:07 PM UTC-4, Kate Knibbs wrote:
> Hey! I was an ardent M/S shipper and consumer of fanfiction in my younger days, and I'm a staff writer for Gizmodo now prepping an article on X-Files online fandom's influence on internet culture-- how it brought stuff like shipping into the lexicon, etc. Looking for perspective from past/present/future fans!
>
> Any diehard supporters of Diane Fowley, though, know that I see you and I judge you.

As an ardent Mulder/Scully 'Shipper I was not a huge fan of Fowley. I liked the actress, but the character was clearly put there to upset the fanbase (and draw out the UST a little more).

As for 'shipping itself, an honest accounting of fan culture throughout the ages shows it's an idea that's been around for ages: one can make a serious argument that 'shipping as an aspect of Courtly Love goes back to Arthurian legends. There's clear signs of 'shipping in literature from the era of Little Women and Ivanhoe. it's just that the X-Files had a unique character structure and dynamic to work from (using the Believer/Skeptic archetypes as a means of character friction), and came at a time where fan culture could access a shared medium - Internet and Usenet - to express such fandom in a more immediate, more visual way (where previous fan culture relied on convention gatherings, role-play events, printed fanzines, etc).

Did you have any questions in particular? Need any links to anything? Wanna read "Scully Is a Highlander"? :)

Paul Wartenberg

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Apr 18, 2015, 11:29:08 PM4/18/15

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On Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 6:05:07 PM UTC-4, Kate Knibbs wrote:

> Hey! I was an ardent M/S shipper and consumer of fanfiction in my younger days, and I'm a staff writer for Gizmodo now prepping an article on X-Files online fandom's influence on internet culture-- how it brought stuff like shipping into the lexicon, etc. Looking for perspective from past/present/future fans!
>
> Any diehard supporters of Diane Fowley, though, know that I see you and I judge you.

http://xfilesshipper.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-quick-refresher-about-x-files.html

Kate Knibbs

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May 3, 2015, 12:38:47 PM5/3/15

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Hell yeah I wanna read "Scully is a Highlander." And thank you for the points on shipping, I'm gonna include some of the historical precedents in the article!

Wittylibrarian

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Jul 21, 2015, 12:18:52 AM7/21/15

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Apologies, I didn't follow up quick enough, I hope you're still keeping track of activity on this usenet.

Link to Scully Is A Highlander is http://fluky.gossamer.org/display.php?ScullyIsAHighlander but the link might not work. You may need to go straight to gossamer.org and do a title search, or author search under Wartenberg, Paul.

You should look up Sheryl Martin's stuff. She was one of several who created original characters like Jackie St. George.

Alexa

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Jul 30, 2015, 2:10:23 AM7/30/15

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That you can be a diehard fan based on Chinga is truly an X-File... :-)