Gentlemen, Behold! Sunday, March 4
Alright, here's the story as I heard it a few days ago.
A girl, very active in Anderson-related fandom to the point of writing fan fiction and posting to closed-communities, gets an interning job with CNN, 360 specifically. For some reason, girl thinks it's kosher to post about her experiences as an intern. We of the media know CNN frowns upon this, and has fired people for less.
But it wasn't just about her experiences as an intern, a lot of it was fangirl squealing about Anderson. One post went into detail about how she got to see Anderson bending over! And saw his bare back! For half an hour!
And yet, this blog claims her postings were entirely professional. They can say that, because this girl has carefully gone back and deleted all of her posts. Many of them were not professional, but as they are gone now, we don't have any proof. Smart girl.
CNN found her posts, though, and the community is apparently rocked by a spy in their midst! And so, they fired her. From her UNPAID job as an intern. And now she's sad. Aw.
So, I felt the need to call bullshit. Because this is dangerous. I'm sure CNN has enough creeps to wade through, resume-wise, but now they have to wonder how many of those people are crazy fans who are willing to report their comings and goings on the internet. At least they know they can find them, and weed them out, and prevent them from getting further jobs where the same thing will happen.
CNN had every right to fire this girl. As an intern, she should have known her grip on the job was tenuous at best. They don't have to give you any warning, one fuck up and you are gone. And I find it hard to believe that she didn't sign some sort of confidentiality agreement that would have prevented a saner person from posting their experiences. And as a member of some very active communities on the internet, she should have realised that there is no such thing as privacy.
It gives us, as fans of Anderson Cooper, a bad name. And that's why I'm upset. As a fan herself, this girl should have known the security surrounding him, the problems with stalkers. CNN doesn't know if she was rational or not, they just figure it's better for themselves to get rid of any threats.
And don't think I didn't see that dig at "blogs that are negative towards 360." There's a difference between being negative and being honest, and I am doing the latter. I don't enjoy watching 360 right now. I'd be a dirty liar if I said I did, and if I went to this blog everyday bouncing and happy. I do not. I am not that blind sort of fan who can just take her brain out to watch. If you are, maybe you're happier than I am, sure. But in the same way that 360 has that wonderful "Keeping Them Honest" segment, I would like to call the show on their bullshit too, and I think I do, sometimes.
This is all very much opinion today, make no mistake about it. Some things are facts, but as the posts I'm talking about have been deleted, there's no way to prove them. I've seen them, others have seen them, but I seem to be one of the few people speaking out about this, so I don't expect anyone to come forward and back me up.
I hope this girl is happy with the bad name she's giving each and every one of us. I hope you won't see her as some poor-little-girl, like they want you to believe. She is not. Fans getting jobs near the object of their obsession is dangerous. Maybe one day, these people will realise why CNN did what they did.
posted by Janis @ 18:32,
4 Comments:
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At 11:37 p.m.,
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You hit the nail on the head! Thank you!
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At 8:50 a.m.,
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I absolutely agree with CNN. They shouldn't have just fired her, though- they should have tied her up by her toes and hung her on a clothesline for everyone to see.
Poor Anderson. He's got crazy fans following him around at work now. -
At 3:16 p.m.,
said...
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Oh, I'm sure some others have printed out those posts as I have, and you are absolutley right. This "intern" is also a 29 year old woman, not your typical college kid...
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At 11:33 p.m.,
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Oh, there is more to this story, if you care to hear it... hint, the community she posted these in blamed me for posting this fangurl junk all over the web... they need to get a life.
