#like I don't think of myself as a massive celebrity nut

[captainclickycat]

Agree with all of this, and want to make a couple of additions:

Regardless of how mindful and realistic you are about your relationship with someone, it's natural to feel some level of shock and distress when something like this comes out. Even if you only enjoyed someone's work and couldn't give less of a shit about them as a person, you still might never be able to engage with their work the way you used to and will have to contend with some difficult ethical questions about exactly how you plan to engage with their work going forward, if at all. When it comes down to it, something you loved will never really be the same again, and you're allowed to take some time to grieve for that.

If you feel upset or blindsided, it doesn't mean you did something wrong or even that you unrealistically idolised anyone. Assuming that someone is capable of the bare minimum of basic decency is a far cry from hero-worship.

If you decide that never engaging with their work in any way again is the way forward, you can still acknowledge that it was something you loved once. You can have fond memories of it. You don't have to retroactively declare it all evil or all your positive experiences with it meaningless.

Ultimately, letting yourself sincerely love something always runs the risk of being thrown a curveball and the thing you love being snatched away from you or tainted in some way. And it's ok to take that risk; we all do at some point or another. You're allowed to love and be attached to things on some level, even if it's "just a book/show/film/whatever".

That being said, if you're relying on any one thing - one book series, one TV show, even a personal relationship - as your sole source of happiness and wellbeing, to the point where losing it would be soul-crushingly devastating for you, it's time to take a step back and start branching out your interests. Not being too parasocial with celebrities is a good thing, but their work shouldn't be your entire raison d'etre either. There's a balance to be found.

End of the day, it's going to suck on some level and there's no guaranteed way to fully prevent it from sucking. But there are ways of processing and dealing with it for yourself. You can survive it.

also. re: neil gaiman. for all the people wondering, "what if the celebrity I like turns out to be like him?" I just want to say a few more things-

now is a good time to evaluate your relationships with celebrities or internet personalities. this is just like, a healthy thing to do in general; I do it on a regular basis when considering the celebrities whose work I like. take a minute to think about how you feel about those people, and ask yourself how personal your attachment is to them. if you feel attached to them as you would a friend, family member, or partner, you may need to confront that.

if a celebrity you like turns out to have done something reprehensible, that doesn't make you a bad person for liking them in the past. you likely didn't know. if you loved neil gaiman's writing, and even if you still do, you don't have to feel guilty about it. however, you may want to reevaluate continuing to support them financially.

I deliberately said "celebrities whose work I like" earlier, because that's an important distinction to make- a celebrity's work is just their job. you can admire their work, and it can be very important to you, but at the end of the day, they are not their work. people will talk about "separating the art from the artist" when someone does something awful like gaiman, but I think this might even apply to celebrities you admire. for instance, I'm a big fan of tom waits' music. he has a very entertaining stage persona and is an extremely talented artist. as far as I'm aware, tom waits hasn't had any major controversies. but even so, it's important for me to remember that I adore tom waits' artistry, not tom waits himself. I do not want to become personally attached to someone I do not know.

just because neil gaiman did something awful, or because any number of celebrities did something awful, doesn't mean that you should be automatically suspicious of the ones that don't have allegations against them. it does mean that you should be wary of how you should attach to them, but it doesn't do to be paranoid about, for example, david tennant, because you were wounded by neil gaiman's actions. it does mean that you shouldn't form a parasocial attachment to david tennant (or anyone else), but it doesn't mean that he's also secretly an abuser, too.

[honey-minded-hivemind]

Beast Anon here ^^ Sounds like you're still having a good time with the show so far, I look forward to your thoughts on the rest of the episodes as time passes =p To answer your question... Hmm...hard to pick is an understatement, but, if I had to come up with something here and now I'd say...maybe: 1. Beast - Because he's a perfect example of what I personally like in a tragic character while also having the potential to best anything thrown at him. 2. Jubilee - Because I really liked how they evolved her character over time from the standard fish-out-of-water trope to the mysterious yet likable ward with a massive secret...that secret being she has the hidden ability to literally reset time and space if she dies!...I'm not joking, it's in the comics, it's mind-boggling how it's handled and I love it! xD 3. Wolverine - Because everyone loves Wolverine. 'Nuff said xP As for a favorite villain...erm...maybe Mister Sinister? I'll have to think about that some more, the entire list is subject to change really, but I did really like how they handled Sinister's backstory and how he was handled from that point onwards, even from the start he's a pretty intimidating villain who is 100% antagonistic. While you have villains like Magneto who are more like flawed-anti-heros capable of redemption and lumbering overpowered despots like Apocolypse who go "muhahaha! I am going to step on this basket of puppies! >:D ", Sinister has a sort of balance between the two types that I'm warming towards. I do like the way you write these relationships, and would be happy to read any ideas you put on the page ^^ As for any specific platonic yandere's I'd like to see, well, I suppose it'd be fun to see the dynamic/rivalry between Wolverine and Sabretooth get explored, I'm honestly fine with anything you decide to put down :D Hope these answered your questions sufficiently, you have a great day as well! And, if you celebrate it, Happy Easter! ^^

Good points, Beast Anon!

#1: Jubilee can do WHAT?! That is... so cool. Like, wow. Talk about a plot twist! And I like how they handle her character, too, at least in the Animated Series (I haven't read about... 99.9% of the comics... So I'm pretty much out of my depth with that stuff, unless I watched a video essay on them or watched a video reading them...). And that would be a pretty interesting plot to explore in a platonic yandere setting, too-

#2 Beast is awesome, he's a scientist, he's a lover of literature, he's friendly, he's fluffy, he's nice- The list goes on, but all in all, yes, he's a good character😊

#3 Yep, one way to sum up how we all feel about Wolverine. I myself don't like most of the comic romances he's been in, and while I'm not much a fan of the love triangle in the Animated Series, he is still the guy who will do his best to protect his kids (and adopted friends or partners). So even if he is a jerk at times, and would scare the cr*p put of most people who met him, he's nice on the inside, so I think that's what draws in a good bit of fans

#4 I see what you mean, now that you point it out. Mr. Sinister had a complicated past, started out good, went kinda nuts due to what he did and was trying to accomplish (and possibly failing, if I remember that part correctly? It's been a while since I watched his backstory episode in the Animated Series). And after all of that, he spends the next several decades, if not what, centuries, traumatizing mutants and experimenting on them. Interesting character, looks like a vampire, and is a threat whenever he gets involved. You have Magneto, who is flawed, but more of an anti-hero with his heart in the right direction, but his actions aren't the right way of going about it, and you have Apocalypse, the guy who would knock ice cream out of your hand (or step on puppies, as you said), who is not negotiable on his evil, and does not care about good or evil, just what he wants and how to make it happen... There are other villains and the like, but these three set the flavors you can expect for the show. (Then you have Sabretooth, and well... the Professor somehow saw something in him, or thought he could reach the guy, and the Professor has been known to actually think some people aren't good at all, I think? So he has that going for him. Not to mention the people at Marvel had at one point thought of having this guy become at least an anti-hero, or at best reformed into a hero... All of this to say, secret flavor unlocked: Unstable psychotic villain who somehow has the chance to become better, but the people writing him in the comics sadly won't stick to it or write him in as much of a person) (I hope this made sense😅)

#5 Aaaaaawwww! I'm so glad you like how I write the platonic yanderes! Trying to keep their personalities and vocal tics isn't always easy, but I try my best! Which doing our best is the best we can all do, no matter what!

#6 Hahaha, yes! I enjoy writing for those two, especially since they do have history, they liked each other at some point, and I can write them as brothers. I know that a lot of the fandom ships them, but... I prefer them platonically. I do ship certain characters, I just don't ship those two that way. Wolverine has had I don't know how many love interests, so the idea he can have a platonic relationship with someone who isn't a teenager or the odd person who died, is rather appealing. And it kinda fits in a way, doesn't it? How to explain these two guys, where one (Sabretooth) knows the past of the other (Wolverine) when even the guy he's obsessed (and protective?) of doesn't know it or him, hates him, and will attack him on sight. Cue at least a hundred years of being obsessive, protective, and a stalker towards this one guy. (I may have brainrotted there for a minute; my apologies, but you hopefully see what I'm trying to say, right?)

#6 It was fun talking with you once more, Beast Anon! I can't wait to hear from you again, but take it easy, okay? No rush, no pressure. Everything will happen when it happens😊

[tammyrenee]

Holy Week  Passion (Palm) Sunday It is the Sunday before Resurrection Sunday which makes it the Sunday before the horrifying nightmare that was the cross. Today is a day that the disciples blissfully ignorant as to what was about to happen in the week to come bask in the glow of the master who is being praised and celebrated. As you all know I wonder about a lot when it comes to this most holy week on the Christian calendar. Today I find myself knowing that Jesus knew what the week ahead would bring, I find myself wondering if he drew comfort or misgiving from the praise of today knowing that before the week is out most of the Hosannahs would turn to hate. I wonder if he glanced over his shoulder at Peter, who was probably basking in the shadow of the Teacher, and wondered if Peter could handle what was about to come. Did he look at Judas and wonder if there was a way to extract the evil seed that was taking root in the heart of the betrayer. I wonder if he glanced heavenward and breathed a prayer asking the Father for the strength, did he ask if there could be a plan B? Most of all I wonder if we, those of us who have chosen to accept the redemptive work of Christ truly appreciate what this week must have been like. Do we really grasp that Jesus, the one with no beginning and no end, the one who had lived in the splendor of heaven was about to go through the most dehumanizing trial and death so that All may know his love. Do we really grasp the ALL part of scripture? Do we really grasp that the Savior of the world left the most secure place in the cosmos to enter the dangers of this planet so that we (All of us) could know him and his love? Almost 2000 years ago men thought they were celebrating a man, Almost 2000 years ago that man was about to be revealed as the Messiah through the events of next Sunday, but there is a very long week between these two Sundays, so much will happen and I guess at the end of this day I'm left wondering how many of us would have followed from Sunday to Sunday if we had been alive and witnessed the last 3 plus years of His life. Would we have seen it, would we gotten it? Would we have made it past the celebration of this day? Monday It is late Monday night here and dawn is about to break in Israel. By now Jesus has wrecked havoc on the establishment in the Temple. Tables have been overturned and hucksters practicing their deceitful trade under the protection of the religious authorities have had their day messed up. I'm guessing this was the last straw for those pious men who saw Jesus as a threat to the status quo. According to Luke's Gospel Jesus was teaching every day in the temple and people hung onto his every word. One thing was clear though by this point, the priests wanted Jesus dead. In a few days they would get their wish, I don't think the story ended quite the way they thought it would. It is early in the week and for Jesus it had to be a very taxing day, he knew he was angering the powerful and that it would lead to his death. Between now and his arrest Jesus will continue to teach. This always leaves me in awe, how a Jesus, who was fully God yet fully man, had the emotional fortitude to continue to teach in his human strength with omnipotent knowledge that he was days from imaginable suffering. Tuesday-Thursday Today was Thursday and it is the middle it is about to be morning in Israel. Jesus did and said many things on Tuesday. He curse a fig tree, was confronted by the religious authorities and he spoke in parables and prophesied in what we call the Olivet Discourse. On Wednesday the plotting and conniving began. Luke's Gospel says that Satan entered Judas and he sought out the pharisees in order to betray Jesus. He had walked with Jesus for over three years but greed (as evidenced in John's Gospel in the story of Jesus being anointed at Bethany on Saturday.) had blinded him not only to who Jesus was but also to any sense of a loyalty to his friend. When he should have been preparing to sacrifice for Passover he was preparing to sell out the the Lamb of God. By now Jesus had eaten his last meal, had argued with Peter over washing his feet and predicted for the last time his own death and he had broken bread with the betrayer. He had also told Peter that he would betray him three times and in classic Peter fashion he argued with Jesus that he would never do such a thing. We like to pick on Peter over this, we like to think we wouldn't have done what he did but I would say most of us, especially those of us born in a place and time where we think that following the Man from Galilee is supposed to be easy, would have not done any better than Peter did. For most of us fear would override faith and the desire to live would overpower our bravado. Several hours ago he had asked his disciples to wait and pray in garden. Jesus had wept and agonized while talking to his Father. He had asked if there was a plan B. I can't imagine the loneliness he felt when he realized that at his most agonizing hour since leaving the splendor of heaven his closest friends just want to take a nap. Judas had shown up with a band of soldiers and with a kiss sold out his friend for about 5-6 weeks wages. Peter was brave for a hot minute, he cut off a soldier's ear before he ran away with rest. I think the part we often miss in this part of the story is Jesus' response. He healed the man's ear and condemned violence. {Side note: As modern day western Christians we tend to try to to explain away His response, our middle eastern counterparts (Coptic Christians) tend to get this right more than we do.} By now Jesus has stood before the High Priest and been condemned. and Right about now almost 2000 years ago Jesus is about to face pilot. The next three hours will be agonizing and brutal but will not compare to what is to come in the longest 6 hours in history. Friday Evening: The agony is over and the grieving begins God the man is dead, the cross is now empty and his body is in a tomb. It has been a long day. Jesus has hung on a cross for 6 hours. His Father had been pretty quiet, his friends were, for the most part, absent. The earth had shook, the sky went dark and Jesus had bowed his head in death. The Bible tells that John, his mother and the women who followed him were present at the cross. He had been mocked by soldiers and probably by onlookers who found Rome's brutal tactics to be entertaining. I'm sure the high priest and pharisees were feeling pretty sure of themselves right about now. The rebel rouser was dead and they could restore law and order amongst those that had followed what they probably considered a dangerous nut case from Galilee. They thought they had won and were blissfully beginning the Passover festivities. It is almost 5 pm in Jerusalem. Jesus has been dead for a couple of hours. His body has been removed from the cross and I'm guessing his mother and the women who followed him, along with John, are finishing the burial process. I wonder if the soldiers were rushing them so that they could seal the tomb. There had to be a lot of despair amongst the disciples because one thing is very clear, they had not fully grasped his words, they didn't know he was only going to hang out in that tomb for a couple of days. We look back on this with the knowledge of what happened, they were looking at a future absent of the teacher they had followed. I do believe they thought Jesus was more than just an ordinary man. I do believe they thought he was going to bring about something and that his death was a massive let down. We don't know where they are from now till Sunday morning, scripture is pretty silent about Friday night and Saturday. We know it was Passover but I doubt that the disciples felt much like participating with that. Mary was grieving and I'm sure she was thinking back on the visit from the angel that proceeded her son's death and wondering what had happened. This probably would have been a good time for another visit from an angelic being. Its going to be a long evening, God has died.