Well, well, well. “Glee” certainly outgayed itself this week. Not only did we (finally) have The Big Brittana Kiss. But we also had The Big Faberry Validation. That’s right, Faberry, Glee’s biggest ship that passes in the night, but not on actually on screen, crushed the E! Online TV’s Top Couple Tournament Poll. Yes, a couple that is only a couple thanks to the pride, devotion and fervor of us shippers won a TV couples poll. Give yourself a hand, Shipper Nation. You’ve made the big time.In fact, shippers dominated that poll, period. The second place finisher? Dean and Castiel from “Supernatural.” Yes, another gay slash pairing was second place in, and I cannot repeat this enough, a mainstream favorite TV couple poll. You keep your normal, average America. We here on The Interwebs will take our subtext and run away with any survey you can throw at us. So much so that according to E!, Faberry fans set a new record high for page turns on E! Online for any single post in the entire history of the website. Remember when I said to give yourself a hand? Give yourself two.
So then, what does it all mean when the gay slash loving from the depths of our hearts makes a splash out there in the outside wider world? I don’t know, really. More exposure to a fanbase that previously could only be seen stalking the virtual hallways of Livejournal and Tumblr. Perhaps a little more acceptance of those who love a different kind of love. But probably most of all validation for the fans out there who spend countless hours watching, reading, creating, commiserating and celebrating the couples that everyone might not see at first glance. Ship whoever you want to ship, and ship them proudly. Because, clearly, you are not alone. And if you can dream it, there’s a fanbase to make it reality.
p.s. Not only did Faberry fans dominated the E! poll, they also got Hulu to sit up and pay attention. Oh, fandom. You truly are a wonder.
I couldn't get the video to work for me, what exactly happened in that Hulu clip?
ReplyDeleteNot to be a spoil-sport, but I have to get this off my chest: I've been active in several different fandoms for years, and I'v been an avid shipper of both canon and fan created ships, and I have to say that I find it a bit off that Faberry won a couples poll. There's some awesome really Faberry-fics out there, but on the show they are not, nor have they ever been, a couple. There are subtext between them if you look for it, sure. But the BEST couple on TV? What about Brittana (who had some great scenes and development in the last episode), Calzona or by all means Klaine? They are actually out there and represent something for real. I think the Faberry fandom has mixed up the great thing they have in fan fic and projected it onto the show. I guess I just find it sad that when a gay couple wins a poll like this, it's a couple that doesn't even exist in canon. :/
ReplyDeleteOz, you have completely missed the point of the article I think. As a Faberry shipper I can tell you that yes, my ship is not canon, don't you think I know that? :) Yes, it would ideally be nice if we could see them being flirty or romantic on screen but at the same time, I kinda like it the way it is. Faberry is entirely constructed by the fandom and that is why it is so special. We have our own things, our own inside jokes and we're happy with it. The Glee writers are aware and sometimes give us these small, foreshadowing scenes that are like little gifts to help construct our head canon, like that scene from next episode with Quinn telling Rachel she doesn't want to be there when she ruins her life marrying Finn. Those small moments help to construct our ship, it doesn't matter if they're not intended to be interpreted the way we do, it's an exercise to imagination and creativity and I think the Faberry fandom excels at it.
ReplyDeleteThere were gay and straight couples who are canon on this poll but nobody voted for them enough to reach the final. There were however enough of us voting to make Faberry win. The poll never excluded non canon couples, so I think the victory is fair.
Faberry is the best ship
ReplyDeleteI say great job Faberry shippers. You represented your favorite couple and brought home a victory. If a "canon" couple wanted the win then they should have worked for it. I frankly didn't want to give up my life for days on end to vote non-stop for Brittana. Faberry shippers had a passion for this poll so kudos to them for not only winning, but also for obtaining a a nomination in the first place. As I understand it the nominees were also fan determined. Lea, Dianna, and the writers should be proud that there are so many people passionate about the relationship (even if only friendship) these two characters share.
ReplyDeleteit was not just faberry shippers who voted...MANY were just Finchel haters. I was reading comments and many voted to make a point of how much thay hate Finn and Rachel getting married, also Kurt and rachel frien-shippers who want desperately for rachel to go with Kurt without Finn holding her back. Not to burst bubbles but I know the Glee fandom well. And many who voted do not even ship faberry in the least.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we won, there was some hate from other fandoms against us and I didn't believe we would go this far, but I'm glad we did, Faberry has an amazing dynamic in Glee and we could at least show how much we enjoy it :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to those who voted for Faberry and Faberry's win. To say that Faberry is the biggest Glee ship is a bit argumentative. Of course the point of the article, I think, is to delve on the potential effects of having a non-canon couple win a mainstream poll. I think we have to wait to see if there will be any longterm effects or changes the general audience's opinion. What other mainstream entertainment platform has picked this up? I only know of Perez Hilton. We'll just have to wait and see if Faberry's winning would actually help give us any lasting visibility...or perhaps, it's just a one time occurrence.
ReplyDeleteLOL do you seriously believe Finchel haters spent days voting for Faberry?
ReplyDeleteI guess there is a lot of Klaine haters too cause they were kicked out in the first round of the poll along with Finchel. I guess there is a lot of Brittana haters cause they couldn't make it to the final. They lost by a landslide against Faberry.
Haters may vote one or two times but they are not gonna vote Faberry day after day when they ship other couples.
Go to tumblr and check out the Puckleberry, Fuinn, St Berry, Hummelberry, Samchel, Fabrevans tags they were ignoring the poll cause their ship wasn't even nominated.
Almost all ship has haters cause that is how the glee fandom works they all bitch when a ship is getting too much screentime. Many are getting tired of Samcedes already.
Please tell me this isn't the only thing you're going to write about that kiss. Great for Faberry, (I voted once or twice... or 52 times) but I wanna know what your reaction to the Brittana kiss was for real. I want poetry Ms. Snarker! Our ship just leaped out the fucking ocean and is soaring high above everyone else Peter Pan style on the love and hope of hundreds of thousands of shippers. Squee with us. Squee like only you can- with thoughtful, analytical prose complete with fandom inside jokes and relevant pop culture references. I'm counting on you.
ReplyDeleteBrittana is on. Brittana was always on. And now Brittana is GETTING IT ON all over my fucking tv screen!
I agree with anonymous--I've been waiting to hear what beautiful and elegant things you have to say about that kiss. I don't really care about Faberry; I came to your site today to read about THE KISS
ReplyDeleteLovely fanvid documenting Brittana's progress from the very start to 'Heart'.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/4LSz4L8KWFc
Yes Ms Snarker, what was your take not only on THE KISS but on Brittana in this episode. I'd be curious on your thoughts about it. Feberry is all well and good but Brittana is ENDGAME. And this episode was a huge jump foward? Where's the love?
ReplyDeleteWhat criteria do you use to delete posts? One where the author identifies herself with the url of her blog? Grow the Fuck Up. this is EXACTLY what I meant in my deleted post.
ReplyDeleteDon't dream it - be it.
ReplyDeleteI love that Morning After made their very own Faberry fanvid using only one episode of Glee.
ReplyDeleteThis poll is one example of why Gleeks are my favorite of all the fandoms. I started off too blinded by the Brittana to even consider Faberry, but now, though I am rooted firmly on the good ship Brittana, I see the Faberry ship happily floating alongside it. :)
Canon or not, Love is Love.