A few months ago, I was listening to The Always Sunny Podcast (as I do quite regularly), a show hosted by three co-creators, writers, and stars. Philadelphia is always sunny. Each episode finds Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, and Rob McElhenney going from episode to episode of the sitcom from the beginning (although they sometimes stray off course) and using the discussion as a starting point for everything from little behind-the-scenes information to the road. anger events In the first of two episodes of calls by the hosts, I was pleased to hear an excited young woman tell men she wished Rob and his wife were my friends. Sunny her co-star Kaitlin Olson was her “parent” – a definition of celebrity I’m very familiar with.
The men were also fascinated to hear this, but were somewhat disappointed as they were at an age where they were referred to as “dads” by young fans or even “uncles” as the previous female person called them. But it was also clear that the men did not understand the true meaning of their fans referring to them as “parents” and “dads”.
I chuckled to myself as I listened, wondering if Day, Howerton, and McElhenney had any real insight into the nature of the fandom they’ve created in the 18 years since their show premiered. It’s the same fandom that allowed the somewhat still niche series to claim the title of “the longest-running live-action American sitcom.” While listening to that podcast episode, I fondly remembered my time spent on Tumblr in college—as someone who was constantly around obsessive fandom but never was community-conscious enough to engage on a greater level than myself—as I casually walked past erotic art. “MacDennis” (the characters of McElhenney and Howerton, respectively) and asexually the canon of Charlie Kelly (Day).
In the years since I left Tumblr and graduated from college, and the show is now welcoming its 16th season on June 5, it seems always sunny The fan community on that site (I learned it was called “Sunnyblr”) never progressed. In fact, this fandom has only spread further and become more fanatical than the level I’m familiar with. Sunny Fans now occupy a space of their own on Twitter.SunnyTwt”, in addition to the chorus of fancams made up of clips from the show, meticulously edited and uploaded to TikTok. Many – many? – the series, whether television or film, results in an accompanying fandom to produce fan art, create romantic “ships” between characters, and basically act as safe spaces for people to be wildly fixated on the show. .
But Sunny The community is a uniquely zealous and fascinating one, especially for a sitcom that the average person might associate with college-age boys wearing “Paddy’s Pub” T-shirts while browsing a bar in Philly. Indeed, searching for other sitcom hashtags on Tumblr didn’t immediately reveal the passionate, romantic fan content you found when you searched for “Always Sunny.”
Whether they realize it or not, the ambiance Howerton/Day/McElhenney has sown with the content of their series has borne fruit – the characters they have shaped and their relationships with their fans – exacerbated and made more intimate by their podcasts and live shows. The perfect breeding ground for an obsessive stance on a new generation of fans. Just as Subrogation Unexpectedly, the fancam production created a fan base that glorified baby girls, so that’s why Philadelphia is always sunny Stans suggests whether it’s Charlie, Mac or Dennis who qualifies as the show’s true “girl”. Actually, there are conflicting answers to this; Some fans I spoke to believe this could apply to all three men.
It’s clear why a similarity will be found between the fans of both. Sunny And Subrogation and even the characters of the shows. Sunny fan draws a direct line between Natalie (@paddysroyco) Subrogation And Sunny fandoms, despite the obvious one found on his own Twitter handle. For example, she mentions Kendall Roy. Subrogation Dennis Reynolds, the equivalent of fandom. Shaped Subrogation Stans locks on Kendall for the same features and makes a fuss, Sunny Stans is obsessed with Mac, Dennis and/or Charlie. These characters are stunted, vulnerable, like boys and Kendall, they must be protected at all costs. Even Jeremy Strong, the actor of Kendall, when Kendall was distorted for the “baby girl” phenomenon, inadvertently summed up the similarity in an interview: “There’s something about this character, that kind of man-to-man—there’s a whole lot of male vulnerability.
There are younger, more sensitive viewers who like the term “baby girl” but Sunnybar-crawl fans are still here too. This adds to much of the show’s appeal and appeal, beyond fans, and how it manages to generate such eclectic pockets of followers: its universal appeal. The show uses themes and plots that focus on fraternity culture, sports culture, drinking culture, the LGBTQ community, being from Philly, and more. This makes Sunny it’s easy for people from different backgrounds to empathize and reflect on themselves. (Quotes from each episode are also easily applicable to any number of real-life cultural moments, so all these memes—another key feature).
running Dave McNamee Sunny’s Social media between 2017 and 2021 became intimately familiar with how the series, despite the niche humor, acted as a shared love spot for different groups. At the heart of it all, he said, the show is very openly about “family, friendship, and human nature,” which fuels its demographically radiating appeal. “Them [the gang] Activate our worst impulses but stick with each other,” McNamee said.
Sanlar understands this intimately. Many identify themselves as LGBT and/or neuro-diverse, and a large group was born around the time the show premiered. For these fans, it’s comforting to watch a show where five extremely broken, mentally ill people – Dennis, Mac, Dee (Olson), Charlie and Frank (Danny DeVito) – are stuck together. As much as they seem to hate each other, the team subconsciously understands that no one will accept them the way they do. It’s a simultaneously miserable but moving edit, one suited to a truly impressive Season 13 arc where Mac finally struggles to come to terms with his homosexuality. Still, she must continue to get over her barely concealed, unrequited love for her sociopathic best friend Dennis – hence the simple ship name “MacDennis”.
Stories like Mac’s love for Dennis are the perfect playground for fanart and shipping, but the fact that the duo’s undeniably toxic relationship has such ardent fans is, by contrast, reminiscent of the current media landscape. As one fan Joe Quinnell explained to me, young LGBTQ audiences “are looking for a different portrayal of homoerotic relationships than the sanitized versions found in the mainstream.”
“Mac is already a character who defies archetypal portrayals of gay men,” Quinnell added, “and I think that’s the result of a team of writers who see the character not as a code for influence, but as a character who is fully formed, albeit deeply flawed, person.”
And while Mac’s acknowledgment of his sexual identity is a big part of the show’s gathering of a passionate, young LGBT fan base, it’s not the only reason they love the show. While Gen Z has a reputation these days for being often bigoted, anti-sex, and even more sensitive and offended than my millennials describe, the Zoomers I spoke to applauded the show for being “edgy” and not afraid to push things. far – and even further. A fan named Lyssa (@lipacxtcher) told me, “While most TV shows aimed at teenagers try to be as cute and hassle-free as possible, many teens find it liberating.”
The film critic said, “What really makes the show so unique to me is how willing the creators and actors are to test the limits of good/bad taste when it comes to portraying the inherent awfulness of humanity.” Sunny fan Juan Barquin explained it to me. This pathetic embrace of delight and pushing boundaries is something they feel has been lost on contemporary television in favor of stories that show “how people can grow.” None other than the emergence of the Mac Sunny characters (including Mac) improve themselves or really change who they are. Even as the show occasionally explores the possibility of cast growth (Dennis’ paternity; Charlie’s legacy), these narrative threads eventually unravel due to the characters’ innate reluctance to mature.
That’s what goes deeper into your heart Sunny’s The pervasive appeal of the characters’ credibility and stubbornness resonates more with the self-loathing, human-hating, nihilistic humor (especially appealing to Gen Z) or the endearing poignancy and legally tragic backstories the creators bestow on their terrifying characters. (Charlie, for example, is a child abuse victim who grew up in poverty.) Sunny They’ve remained constant for the past 18 years: constantly funny, constantly comforting, and constantly terrifying.
But at the same time, Sarah (@slothanova), another young fan, explained, “they’re characters that encompass all the weirdness of human behavior.” The gang includes a large number, and each character is extremely layered, despite standing in the same metaphorical spot for almost two decades. It makes the show incredibly accessible, especially for new fans looking for an entry point. And when they fall in love Sunny, TV buddies (that’s what I like to call them) will be there again, being as cutely screwed up and miserable as ever. As Barquin rightly told me, “Isn’t it awful people to watch and fall in love with, what is television about?”
Perhaps it is this sense of coherence that gives Howerton, Day, and McElhenney confidence in the figurative paternity status bestowed by the legion of teen and young adult fans. This is the manifestation of a kind of strange desire arising from physical attraction towards actors/creators and the ease with which they exercise authority in their creative process. That kind of enthusiasm is something that could easily be spelled out as a mindless fan obsession (especially towards younger women), but it’s clear that the emotional response from fans is truly indicative of meaningful influence. Younger Sunny Fans feel they are in safe hands with these characters who are not only seen and empathized with by the media creators they love, but more importantly, are not underestimated.
Staying true to his comedy and artistic sensibilities, Philadelphia is always sunny The fans have built up a very intense passionate fan base because they feel respected by the people they admire. It’s a particularly powerful reality when faced with a pop culture landscape that would otherwise choose to fool audiences. In season sixteen, I hope even more people will open themselves up to the worst of humanity, but the best that television can be. As Charlie Kelly once beautifully put it: “Cream is going over the top – and I’m about to show you an eighth grade kid’s incandescent cream.”