The American Spectator : A Peek Into the World of Fangirling

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The Nation's Pulse

A Peek Into the World of Fangirling

By Mark Hyman on 2.21.12 @ 6:08AM

Parents are cautioned to enter at their own risk.

As a journalist there are times I am surprised by what I learn on my travels and other times by what I learn near home. Navigating a crowded Congressional hearing, avoiding insurgents in Fallujah, and driving through a drug gang neighborhood in east Baltimore is one thing. Braving the waiting line for a sold-out concert by a 15-year old Australian heartthrob is another.

I agreed when my 13-year old daughter asked me to accompany her and a couple of friends to a Cody Simpson concert at the six-month old Fillmore concert hall in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland.

Simpson is not a mega pop star and the folks at Entertainment Weekly may not even know his name, but he is definitely an A-lister for 10-to-16 year old girls. He ranks alongside Greyson Chance, Victoria Justice and British boy band One Direction ("1D" to those in the know) -- all well known by today's teens.

It is refreshing in an era when so many rappers preach misogyny or violence toward cops or when international stars have their lives cut short due to drugs or alcohol abuse (here, here) that there are wholesome and well-behaved performers for the young to idolize.

The Simpson concert was general admission, which translates into just how early are parents willing to arrive and stand in line prior to the doors opening one-hour before the 4:00 p.m. show? We reached the Fillmore at 11:30 a.m. with drinks, snacks, folding chairs, a blanket and a generous supply of Hot Hands chemical hand and foot warmers.

About 75 concertgoers were ahead of us. About two-thirds of them were standing on the sidewalk along Colesville Road in front of the theater entrance and -- most importantly -- in the sun. We were in the line that snaked around the corner onto Fremont Street, which was in the shade with the afternoon sun heading in the wrong direction. The 5-10 mph breeze and 46 degree temperature made the air feel much chillier.

My daughter and her two friends were not appropriately dressed for the weather. But neither were any of the other of the hundreds of girls in attendance. There is a very distinct uniform worn by the teenybopper segment of the population. Leggings or blue jeans and a T-shirt from any of Aeropostale, Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister with a smattering of American Eagle and Tommy Hilfiger were present. Anything adorned with the Old Navy logo is so yesterday.

A plurality of girls were wearing homemade fan t-shirts with the standard "I (heart) Cody Simpson" inscription in florescent craft paint sprinkled with glitter. This proves that GOP presidential candidates attacked by homosexual activists aren't the only ones wearing glitter this time of year.

A pair of high-top Converse All Star sneakers or Uggs boots and a North Face jacket completed the ensemble. A few girls wore the brightly colored Pastry-brand high-top sneakers. Simpson aficionados know that Simpson's younger sister models the footwear.

The other distinctive physical feature of these girls would make an orthodontist proud. There was a virtual sea of braces and retainers each time they smiled. Apparently, families content with crooked teeth don't attend Cody Simpson concerts.

Countless girls carried signs professing love and loyalty and offering matrimony.

Most of the attendees were from the Baltimore-Washington metroplex such as Annapolis, Bel Air, Mt. Airy, Severn, and Upper Marlboro in Maryland, and Alexandria, Arlington, and Burke in Virginia. Some drove longer distances. Two sisters and their parents from Frackville, PA (about a three-hour drive) were first in line, having arrived at 11:30 p.m. the night before. They pitched a tent for the evening.
They were closely followed by five high school-aged girls from Hanover, PA who arrived at midnight and by four girls from Front Royal, VA who got in line at 1:00 am.

The tired looking Frackville dad sheepishly confessed he couldn't come up with a good enough excuse to turn down his daughters' request to attend the concert with them. He should have felt proud of himself since the typical teenage girl would have preferred her dad stay home.

(It is unknown if the Obama Administration will shut-down the entire town of Frackville, accusing it of contaminating central Pennsylvania's water supply.)

There were a few other dads in line, but not many. Most adults were moms. Teenage boys were also rare although the one standing near us was there because his girlfriend asked him to join her. He also told anyone willing to listen that he looked just like Cody Simpson. He actually did bear a strong resemblance.

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About the Author

Mark Hyman hosts "Behind the Headlines," a commentary program for Sinclair Broadcast Group. You can follow him on Twitter at @markhyman.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (54) | Leave a comment

Stammon| 2.21.12 @ 6:23AM

Thank God we left Silicon Vally to raise our girls on a Southern Indiana farm. My wife and I had none of this, unless you count the myriad Manga books underfoot.

Brian Mc| 2.21.12 @ 7:32AM

Compared to what transpired before, during and after concerts by Led Zeppelin during their '69 tour(s), this seems to lean heavily towards vanilla on the impact flavor chart.

Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 8:45AM

I understand my generation suffered through the Leif Garretts, Andy Gibbs, the beaded choker necklace, but why must modern day teen heart throbs all look like twenty something females with Dorothy Hamill haircuts?

...in other news, Rome continues to burn!!

Dave| 2.21.12 @ 8:53AM

Other than the unofficial teen uniforms, and the updated technology, sounds like not a whole lot has changed over the decades. The fanatic fan followings, along with the assorted screams and giggles are what millions of us witnessed and went through back in the stone age with teen throbs named Elvis, Ricky, Fabian, and ...

Well, I guess our great grandmom's tingled through their own "day" with the Frank's and Bing's.

When you glance back over the big, moving American landscape, nothin' really changes but ... the changes. Although in this current incarnation, and as the writer implies, at least no one's getting threatened with the business end of a Glock.

Meanwhile, I'm waaay outside the teen demo (not even close), but what happened to that kid named Bieber? Has he already been listed ... 15 minutes ago?

Man, maybe I ought to put down my Best of The Beach Boys c.d., and start watchin' me some Access Hollywood.

Naw! I think I'll just take a nap.

P. Aaron| 2.21.12 @ 8:58AM

I'll take this vanilla-flavored pop over the screamo-grunge urban angst goth-types that are angry at everything sharing it on their parentally purchased stereos and I-pods. Vanilla romance trumps rap music's constant diatribes about f*#@ing.

Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 9:11AM

Be lucky his first name isn't Buster.

Now, what do I win for getting this in first?

Timothy L. Pennell| 2.21.12 @ 5:07PM

You have just Won yourself, an all inclusive Trip for 2, with Alan Brooks, to the Basement of Barney Frank's D.C. Apartment.

Seriously. That was Hilarious.

Buster Hyman.

I'm still cracking up.

Wait a minute!

I just got the 2nd part.

Even better.

Julia| 2.21.12 @ 10:29AM

I suggest you learn how to spell...and get your mind out of the gutter "Timmy".

fmm| 2.21.12 @ 2:37PM

haha the outraged feminazi

Timothy L. Pennell| 2.21.12 @ 5:11PM

C'mon DSoll face, get a life.

Or, as Peter Griffin would say: "Shhhh. Men are talking".

Timothy L. Pennell| 2.21.12 @ 5:13PM

C'mon Doll face, get a life.

Or, as Peter Griffin would say: "Shhhh, Men are talking".

Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 5:19PM

Talking to yourself again Pennell?

Franco| 2.22.12 @ 9:06AM

Just you. "hymen" is the biological term you ere thinking of. "Hyman" is a name of German-Jewish ancestry.

Woodrow| 2.22.12 @ 3:11PM

Hymen is the Greek god of marriage, giving us the name hymen for what y'all are talking about. I'm sure Mr. Hyman grew up hearing lots of "funny" jokes about his name. He likely was called "Buster" a few times also.

sinanju| 2.21.12 @ 9:26AM

Darned bobbysoxers!

Allen Hanson| 2.21.12 @ 9:49AM

In a situation like the author describes, one can only hope that there is booze in the grown-up room!

Skip| 2.21.12 @ 11:05AM

"Countless girls carried signs professing love and loyalty and offering matrimony."

Sounds like a Ron Paul rally

Vern Crisler| 2.21.12 @ 12:06PM

My experience with fangirls was standing outside my hotel in San Diego (a few years ago). I did not know at the time that something called the "Jonas Brothers" was next door. The closest analogy would be one of those cattle stampedes in old western movies, combined with the sort of screeches one hears from aliens in science fiction movies.

When I was in high school, I tended to be rather snobbish and would only listen to Yes and only attend jazz concerts. I think about the only emotion I would allow myself at the time was a raised eyebrow, in Spock fashion, if one of the amps was overloud, or if a semiquaver got a little to aggressive.

Purp| 2.21.12 @ 1:46PM

this guy is a little too obsessed with oogling what teen-age girls are doing ...

Pot = Kettle = Purple| 2.21.12 @ 2:26PM

Purple must be the new black in the deranged delusional despicable demonic land of liberalism . . .

FeFe| 2.21.12 @ 2:23PM

Charming. And A River Runs Through It.

Stan Redmond| 2.21.12 @ 2:45PM

"Teenage boys were also rare although the one standing near us was there because his girlfriend asked him to join her."

I suspect his girlfriend was wearing his testicles as earings!!!! poor guy.

Solo| 2.21.12 @ 3:13PM

Nothing new here. Teenage girls used to faint dead away at the mere sight of The Beatles showing up on stage.

Then...there are the somewhat vague memories of my own concert going experience during the late 60's while conducting self-exploratory experiments of a...er.. .....pharmaceutical nature.

It could be worse.

Moe Blotz| 2.21.12 @ 3:33PM

When I was in my teens and the Beatles were making the girls scream, my dear old Dad told me that it was nothing new. When he was younger he did not understand why the girls his age wet their pants over a 97 pound weakling : Frank Sinatra. It had something to do with the sound.

Tiddly| 2.22.12 @ 1:41AM

My mother (age 86) told me that she and her sister were in love with Sinatra from listening to him singing on the radio, and imagined how handsome the owner of that heavenly voice must be (there was no TV in those days, of course, and if there were fan magazines back then, their depression-level allowances weren't enough to buy any).

So when they went to their first (and only) Sinatra concert, they were devastated. "There was this skinny, ugly, pock-marked little guy, with that fabulous voice somehow coming out of him. It ruined all our fantasies."

Jim| 2.21.12 @ 3:42PM

I actually took my two granddaughters to a Hannah Montana/MCyrus concert and sat in attendance. Unless you went in, you have no real idea what you are talking about, only a suspicion. I still have hearing loss issues and moments of deep disquiet.

mdfine| 2.21.12 @ 4:55PM

This fangirling thing is a cross generational, world-wide phenomena that impacts a very large percentage of pre and pubescent females and should be studied seriously. How do they, en masse, decide which androgynous "celebrity" to worship? What have they got against facial hair and muscles? Inquiring minds want to know!

Vern Crisler| 2.21.12 @ 5:24PM

Studied seriously? Are you kidding?

mdfine| 2.21.12 @ 5:42PM

Studied, yes. Why are so many young females drawn to feminine looking young celebrities? What effect does this have on them as mothers( many of them future single mothers) of boys? What effect does all this emotional mass conformity have on their future relationships with men, etc.? Perhaps the answers are all obvious to you, Vern, without the need for a serious study. If so, please share your wisdom.

Angelonius| 5.2.12 @ 11:15AM

Maybe they want girly men since they view masculine men as evil. All thanks to radical mainstream feminism and it's lesbian sister/incestuous rapist girlfriend. Bloody hell, the war against masculinity disgusts me.

Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 6:02PM

If they must be studied, my suggestion would be to study them as Galileo studied the galaxies. From far, far away.

...at least beyond shrieking distance.

mdfine| 2.21.12 @ 6:39PM

Galileo was not aware of the existence of galaxies. His telescope could only just make out the moons of Jupiter (he thought there were a total of 4). I do get your point though. Not to worry. I doubt anyone with the scientific chops required would have the inclination to attempt such a study. Let alone the courage to face the wrath of so many Uggs booted frenzied females (hm...let me think about that one).

Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 7:03PM

Not to split hairs, but I seem to remember from high school that Galileo studied the Milky Way - a galaxy.

...speaking of split hairs, how 'bout them Fangirls and their split ends?

mdfine| 2.21.12 @ 7:44PM

Not to beat it to death, but Galileo determined, among other things, that the Milky Way was not composed of clouds but of individual stars. He did not know that it is the edge on view of our galaxy, nor did he know of the existence of galaxies in general. That was discovered by Edwin Hubble many moons (sorry!) later. Since in your first response you used the phrase "studied the galaxies", I ventured the correction basically because I am an a-hole. Kind Regards

Bob Grant| 2.21.12 @ 8:24PM

It's already dead so we might as well keep whacking away.

Your comment that Galileo was not "aware of the existence of galaxies" is debate worthy and why I responded.

To say he was 'not aware' of the existence of galaxies is to say he was not aware of all that was known or conceptualized about it, and the Milky Way, before him. Was he not aware of the work on the subject that was performed before him?

mdfine| 2.21.12 @ 11:47PM

Honest to God, Hubble was the first person to realize the Milky Way was not a lone "island universe" and that other such 'island universes" existed outside of The Milky Way. Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, Tycho Brahe were all concerned with overturning the Earth centered Ptolemaic model with a Heliocentric model of the Solar System and had no clue that that Solar system was imbedded in an immense swirling pinwheel of stars, gas and dust, let alone that it was only one of countless other such pinwheels. There was no "work on the subject before him." Indeed, even Einstein was unaware of the existence of other galaxies until Hubble published his findings in 1924/25. I'm afraid I've strayed a bit from "fangirling" but what the heck.

Bob Grant| 2.22.12 @ 1:17AM

You're stating fact which can't be disputed. I simply questioned the wording of your sentence which stated he was "not aware" of the concept of other galaxies. Various thinkers before him (Western and Middle Eastern) theorized about the possibility of galaxies (s), therefore, it was not beyond his comprehension, theoretically speaking.

Chef Schnauzer| 2.21.12 @ 5:06PM

Nominated for Father of the Year. You're a good dad.

TR| 2.21.12 @ 6:19PM

Why? Nominated more for dufus of the month. The author is contributing to the decadence of his children. C'mon. If we examine what this Aussie pop teenie star? is, we'd learn that he's well on the road to perdition, too. For right now: A 15 year old can sing of love? A boy? No real 15 year old male -- anywhere on the planet -- is interested in hanging out with a bunch of girls. Oh, he might just be at mile marker 3 on this road to perdition oblivion, but his handlers, record producers, publicists and lawyers will ride him to ever greater depravity in the next three years. Is that what you want your daughters engaged in? There are about 250 other more useful things that a real Dad should have been doing with his wife, daughters and children.

THKrupp| 2.22.12 @ 3:11AM

But perhaps none of those 250 things would have been as appreciated as much by his wife and daughters as this.

Ron| 2.21.12 @ 5:29PM

Sounds like the typical wait for any concert I went to back in the day...I guess I was "fanboying" for Nancy Wilson of Heart when she had her "enhancements."

Of course, to be fair, I have waited numerous hours in lines for concerts (Van Halen and The Ramones) back in the day...But at least we tried to look bad-a$$, and not metrosexual or girly-man like..

RD| 2.21.12 @ 6:30PM

Ma'am, most of us don't get it. We don't. I certainly don't -- and do not wish to comprehend whatever is being inferred. Please relax a little. We either 1) don't get what Mr. Tim Pennel was trying to convey, or 2) -- more importantly -- we don't care, so we don't read it.

We might get the 'implication' of what he is writing as something odd/crude, so we just quickly brush past it. Whatever it is, it seems/seemed very immature, so we pay it no heed.

If anyone is reading these comments here below, they know to avoid the reader comments that he writes. He seems to be a person (a man?) with way too much free time on his hands. And he does not seem to know how to use this free time in a productive, worthwhile manner.

Good readers here know to look for positive, informative, thinker-critical comments and commenters. The good readers here know to effortlessly sidestep the cranks.

RD| 2.21.12 @ 6:47PM

Ma'am, let me also add what I completely believe as a Christian. I belive the Bible. I believe in the accountability that everyone of us has, whether a person is a person of true faith or whether a person is an utter heathen.

We -- all of us -- are completely responsible to God for every word we speak, write, and, yes, think too.

Every word. Every phrase. Every sentiment.

At times Mr. Pennell (in other comments after numerous other articles) makes his own references to how God should judge and bring pain down on this person or that politician or help defeat this or that piece of legislation before the U.S. Congress. He argues morally (so it seems) at times why a judge's decision or a Supreme Court decision is wrong.

Yet, in light of these kinds of remarks (Not the first time that he has made them on this web site), he reveals that he is not a man of solid, respectable, worthwhile character.

Mr. Pennell should then know that God has a special ire for those who falsely lead others astray. A man cannot make inferences to himself as a man to be listened to, a man of wisdom and a man of faith (as at times in the many, many, many, many posts that Mr. Pennell makes) and then make abominably crude remarks.

Not today. Not ever.

I apologize to you for this pervert. The same for the other poster. We can pray for him. He, too, needs to immediately be on his knees asking God's forgiveness. And he needs to find the right way to swiftly ask the forgiveness of you and your family.

Odd that these two men commenters both come onto a conservative thinkers and conservative persuasion web site. Because conservatism in its essence is firmly faith-based, solidly moral/ethical at all times, firmly mature, never base or crude.

While you may not get that many posters here today offering visible words of support, rest assured ma'am, that most people would never want to cross paths or know in their lives such a perverse thinking man/person. They would avoid him and never consider him to be an acquaintance or friend.

Not someone who thinks or writes like that.

marshcope| 2.21.12 @ 6:46PM

Find a utube site related to singing and type a comment of any kind at all related to Maria Callas. The replies you will get back will astound you for their intensity. No teenystar could ever equal the emotions one opera diva can produce among grown adults. (personally I'm devoted to the voice of Mario Del Monaco.)

Dipesto| 2.21.12 @ 6:57PM

Try venting an opinion of Zinka Milanov, or more up to date--Renee Fleming. Obama does not arouse such strong varied opinions.

Dipesto| 2.21.12 @ 6:57PM

Try venting an opinion of Zinka Milanov, or more up to date--Renee Fleming. Obama does not arouse such strong varied opinions.

David Thompson| 2.21.12 @ 7:29PM

Why do Bieber and this Simpson both have Trump comb-overs?

thesteelgeneral| 2.21.12 @ 7:30PM

Wow, yet another post praising white singers over black singers. Racist. you're pretending and suggesting that all black people only sing about misogyny and hating cops. While black people in particular have good reason to hate the police, that is simply NOT all black people sing about. I thought that with Withney Houstons passing , that would be clear this week. Oh well, the writer can claim she's never heard of her. He's so removed any ways.

POST American| 2.21.12 @ 11:10PM

"Understand folks, everything, and
we mean EVERYTHING in your culture
has been engineered, and authorized
from the capstone to advance the cultural
takedown ---and to promote the EUGENICS
agenda."

---------------------EVERYTHING----------------------

RD| 2.22.12 @ 7:34AM

Once again we have reader comments removed with no traces, no explanations. There are at least three, maybe four now removed today, the 22nd. The comments were made on the 21st.

What is going on, TAS?

Perhaps you need to post a listing of the Do's and Don'ts for posting here. Perhaps you need to tell readers that those who post improperly will have their I.P.'s registered for future monitoring and/or automatic deleting of commentary.

It would be helpful to tell us why you removed the "Hyman" comments. Were these comments not coming from members of the Hyman family?

anon| 2.22.12 @ 7:52AM

I have never known, nor even heard of, teenage girls wearing anything from Old Navy. The purpose of Old Navy is to show commercials during Christmas, so an aunt or grandma will see it, think, oh, that would be nice for Lisa. Lisa will unwrap it, thank the giver, and put the Old Navy thing in the back of the closet where it will remain until the house is sold.

Dipesto| 2.22.12 @ 7:29PM

Don't feel sorry for Grannie giving unwanted Old Navy stuff. Lots of thrift stores are full of Christmas sweaters and sweatshirts the grandkids must have given to Old Gran, which she took to salarm or goodiewillie's, as soon the season was over.