Fans around the world have been celebrating the 2016 Olympic Summer Games, held in Rio, Brazil. The opening ceremonies on August 5th were an epic spectacle that left many people wide-eyed and revved up for some top-tier athletics. Some were also quite impressed by Pita Taufatotua, the flag bearer for the Pacific island nation of Tonga.
https://twitter.com/Rio2016_en/status/762054073663258624
Since the opening ceremonies, though, the focus has turned to the sporting events and the athletes’ accomplishments. Medals are being won, records are being set, and a sense of pride is being felt world-wide.
https://twitter.com/Rio2016_en/status/762353764674199552
Check out the current medal count on the Games’ official site.
There’s another kind of national pride among fans this week, too. It’s the one-year anniversary (excuse me, I meant #Hamilversary) of Hamilton: An American Musical. Entertainment Weekly reported on the anniversary (beware autoplay video at link), showcasing a series of tweets from Hamilton’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Hamilton has certainly made an impact on fandom this past year. With nearly 5,000 Hamilton fanworks on AO3, plus countless others on Tumblr and other sites, it has definitely established itself as a strong fandom, which the show producers have recognized:
Celebrate our 1 yr anniversary with this mosaic of #HamArt! We wouldn't be here without you. https://t.co/IrkwK8nbaU pic.twitter.com/QBq0OTuy7T
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) August 6, 2016
In other news, musician Andy Black gave an interview to Alternative Press about a fannish experience he had when he was young, and how that influenced the way in which he interacts with his fans now. In the interview video (no transcript available), he talks about how an encounter with a member of the group Alkaline Trio taught him the importance of engaging with fans in person, even though online engagement is so prevalent in current-day fandom. Anyone who has ever waited outside a stage door for a chance to meet their favourite performer probably agrees.
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