Spicy FANFIC leads to cancellation of actor and BANNING of AO3 in China

Summary

The video script narrates the controversial saga of a Chinese A-list actor, whose career nearly collapsed due to a fanfic depicting him in a scandalous light. The fanfic, titled 'Fallen,' led to a heated debate on creative freedom versus reputational rights, resulting in a nationwide boycott and the temporary shutdown of platforms like AO3 and Lofter. The incident, dubbed '227,' escalated with fan wars, media scrutiny, and the actor's eventual public apology and redemption, illustrating the power dynamics within modern fandoms and the internet's impact on celebrity image.

Takeaways

• 📖 The script discusses the controversy surrounding a fanfic titled 'Fallen' on the platform AO3, which led to significant repercussions in the Chinese entertainment industry.
• 🌐 AO3 (Archive of Our Own) is a popular creative writing platform with a vast collection of independently posted fanfics, reaching around 300 million users a month.
• 💥 The fanfic 'Fallen' depicted two male celebrities in a graphic and controversial love story, which some fans found inappropriate and offensive, leading to organized backlash.
• 🚫 The depiction of LGBTQ+ relationships is heavily censored in mainstream Chinese media, making the content of 'Fallen' particularly sensitive and controversial.
• 🤯 The controversy escalated when fans of the celebrities involved reported the fanfic and the platforms hosting it to the Chinese government, resulting in the platforms being shut down.
• 🛑 The shutdown of AO3 and Lofter impacted a broad community of users who relied on these platforms for creative expression and representation, sparking widespread anger and boycotts.
• 🔥 The incident, known as the '227 incident,' led to a nationwide boycott of the A-list actor's work and endorsements, causing significant financial losses and damage to his career.
• 📉 The actor's management initially issued a lukewarm apology, which failed to quell the situation, leading to further public relations challenges.
• 📈 Despite the controversy, the actor made a comeback with a powerful interview addressing the situation transparently, which helped to restore some of his public image and career.
• 🏵 The actor's influence post-scandal remained strong, with brands he endorsed experiencing significant sales increases, demonstrating his enduring marketability.
• 🤔 The script raises questions about the responsibilities of celebrities towards their fans' actions, the boundaries of creative freedom, and the impact of fandom culture on society.

Q & A

What is the significance of the platform AO3 mentioned in the script?

AO3 stands for Archive of Our Own, which is a prominent creative writing platform with millions of users. It is known for hosting a vast collection of independently posted fanfictions, allowing anyone to publish a web series or fan story.

What event in 2020 is referred to as the '227 incident' in the script?

The '227 incident' refers to a scandal in China where an A-list actor faced backlash due to a fanfic posted on AO3. This led to a nationwide boycott, loss of brand deals, and significant financial impact, despite the actor not being involved in the creation or promotion of the fanfic.

What is the meaning of 'BL' in the context of the script?

BL stands for 'boy love' and usually refers to media that features two male leads falling in love with each other. It is often associated with a specific vibe or trope, similar to K-drama romances between male leads.

What drama series is mentioned as an example of the BL genre?

The drama series 'The Untamed' is mentioned as a popular example of the BL genre. It gained significant attention due to its plot, acting, and the chemistry between the two male leads.

What was the controversy surrounding the fanfic 'Fallen' that was posted on AO3?

The fanfic 'Fallen' depicted two male celebrities in a graphic and controversial love story, including explicit content and illegal relationships. This led to a divide among fans, with some supporting the creative freedom and others condemning it as slanderous and harmful to the celebrities' reputations.

What actions did the fans who disliked the fanfic 'Fallen' take to express their disapproval?

Fans who disliked 'Fallen' organized attacks against the writer and the platforms hosting the fanfic, reporting them to the government's cyberspace Security Administration. They also posted instructions on social media to encourage mass reporting, which eventually led to the platforms being taken down in China.

What was the impact of the AO3 and Lofter platform shutdown on the broader community?

The shutdown of AO3 and Lofter affected a broader community of users who relied on these platforms for creative expression and as a safe space for marginalized groups. The loss of these platforms disrupted their communities and led to further conflict.

What is the term '227 boycott' referring to in the script?

The '227 boycott' refers to a large-scale, organized boycott of the A-list actor's works and endorsements that began on February 27, 2020, as a result of the controversy surrounding the fanfic 'Fallen'.

What was the outcome of the actor's initial response to the '227 incident'?

The actor's initial response was seen as lukewarm and did not effectively address the situation, leading to continued boycotts and public backlash. It was not until a later interview that he provided a more transparent and apologetic response.

How did the actor's career fare after the controversy and his public apologies?

After the controversy and his public apologies, the actor experienced a resurgence in his career, securing brand ambassador roles with Gucci and Zenith, among others, and significantly boosting their sales.

Outlines

00:00

😔 Controversial Fanfiction Impacts Celebrities and Platforms

The paragraph discusses the aftermath of a graphic and controversial fanfiction story posted on AO3 involving two male celebrities in China. The narrative includes explicit content and a complex plot, leading to a scandal known as the '227 incident.' The incident resulted in a nationwide boycott, loss of brand deals, and severe damage to the involved actor's career, despite his lack of involvement in the creation or promotion of the fanfiction.

05:01

📿 Blue Nile Jewelry Endorsement and Personal Anecdotes

This section serves as a promotional segment for Blue Nile jewelry. The speaker shares personal experiences with the brand, discussing the quality and timelessness of their jewelry, including a locket necklace gifted by her husband. The paragraph includes a discussion about a pearl necklace and a locket, emphasizing the high standards of Blue Nile and offering a discount code for viewers.

10:01

🌟 The Rise of BL and the Phenomenon of 'The Untamed'

The paragraph delves into the genre of 'boy love' (BL), highlighting its specific tropes and appeal, especially in Chinese media. It discusses the popularity of the series 'The Untamed,' which features two male leads and went viral due to the on-screen chemistry and off-screen interactions of its主演s. The series' success is attributed to its portrayal of brotherhood and the leads' performances, despite the challenges they faced in their careers prior to the show.

15:02

💃 The Personalities and Careers of Two Rising Stars

This section explores the personal stories and career trajectories of the two actors from 'The Untamed.' It details their struggles in the entertainment industry, their rise to fame through the series, and their contrasting personalities. The paragraph also discusses their fan interactions and the public's perception of their dynamic, both on and off the screen.

20:05

🤩 The Playful Dynamics and Shipping Culture Surrounding Two Celebrities

The paragraph examines the playful and close interactions between the two actors on set, which led to a strong fan following and shipping culture. It describes how their on-set behavior, including joking and mutual support, fueled fan speculation and excitement. The paragraph also touches on instances that fans interpreted as hints of a deeper relationship, contributing to the growth of their fanbase.

25:05

📈 The Impact of Fan Culture on Celebrity Branding and Success

This section discusses the influence of fan culture on the success and branding of celebrities, particularly focusing on one of the actors who became a top Chinese male celebrity. It highlights his high consumer engagement rate, brand ambassador roles, and the significant increase in sales for brands he represented. The paragraph also touches on the actor's maturity and the role it played in his appeal to fans and brands.

30:07

🚨 Controversy Erupts Over a Fanfiction's Explicit Content and Real-Life Consequences

The paragraph describes the controversy surrounding a fanfiction story that depicted two celebrities in explicit and controversial situations. It details the backlash from fans who considered the content slanderous and damaging to the celebrities' reputations. The controversy led to organized reporting of the fanfiction and the platforms hosting it, resulting in government intervention and the platforms' shutdown, impacting marginalized communities who used these platforms for creative expression.

35:09

🛑 The 227 Incident: A Celebrity's Career at Risk Over Fanfiction Backlash

This section narrates the escalation of the controversy known as the '227 Incident,' where a fanfiction led to a massive boycott of a celebrity's work and the shutdown of platforms used by marginalized communities. It discusses the organized efforts to report the fanfiction and the platforms, the government's response, and the widespread impact on various groups, including fans of the celebrity, supporters of creative freedom, and users of the affected platforms.

40:10

🏳️‍🌈 The Aftermath of the 227 Incident and the Celebrity's Response

The paragraph covers the aftermath of the 227 Incident, including the celebrity's initial response, the ongoing boycotts, and the impact on his career. It details the celebrity's management statement, his personal apology, and the public's reaction to his handling of the situation. The paragraph also discusses the broader implications of the incident for fandom culture and the responsibility of celebrities towards their fans.

45:11

🌊 The Red Sea of Support: A Celebrity's Career Revival and Reflection

This section describes the celebrity's public return to the spotlight after the controversy, marked by a significant show of support from fans and the industry, symbolized by a 'Red Sea' of cheering. It discusses the celebrity's subsequent interviews and reflections on the incident, his acknowledgment of his mistakes, and the resurgence of his career with new brand deals and endorsements. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the complexity of the situation and its impact on public perception.

Keywords

💡AO3

AO3 stands for Archive of Our Own, which is an online platform for fanfiction and other creative works. It is significant in the video's narrative as the place where the controversial fanfic 'Fallen' was published, triggering a series of events that led to the 227 incident. The platform is portrayed as a haven for creative writing and self-expression, but also becomes a focal point of controversy due to the nature of the fanfic's content.

💡Fanfiction

Fanfiction refers to stories written by fans that are based on existing works of fiction, often using established characters and settings. In the video, a fanfiction titled 'Fallen' becomes central to the narrative, as it depicts a graphic and controversial love story between two male celebrities, leading to a major scandal and backlash from fans and the public.

💡227 Incident

The 227 Incident refers to a specific event in 2020 where a fanfic posted on AO3 led to a widespread boycott and backlash against the celebrity it was based on. The incident is named after the date it began, February 27th, and represents a clash between freedom of speech, creative expression, and the impact of fandom actions on celebrities.

💡Censorship

Censorship in the context of the video pertains to the Chinese government's actions in shutting down AO3 and Lofter, platforms used by marginalized communities for creative expression. The censorship is a direct result of the controversy stirred by the fanfic 'Fallen' and highlights the restrictions on content in China.

💡Toxic Fandom

Toxic Fandom is a term used to describe fans who engage in harmful behaviors, such as harassment, excessive defense of their idols, and destructive actions towards others. In the video, the toxic behavior of certain fans is highlighted as a driving force behind the 227 Incident, illustrating the negative impact such actions can have on both the celebrities and the broader community.

💡Boycott

A boycott, as depicted in the video, is a form of protest where individuals collectively refuse to engage with or purchase from a particular entity. The video discusses a nationwide boycott against the celebrity involved in the fanfic controversy, showing the economic and reputational impact such actions can have.

💡Creative Freedom

Creative Freedom refers to the right of individuals to express their ideas and creations without censorship or restraint. The video discusses the debate around creative freedom in the context of fanfiction, where some argue for the importance of this freedom, while others criticize the fanfic for its controversial content.

💡Idol

In the context of the video, an 'idol' is a celebrity or public figure who has a significant following of fans. The term is used to discuss the responsibilities of idols towards their fans, particularly in the case of the 227 Incident, where the actions of fans had severe consequences for the idol's career and public image.

💡Scandal

A scandal, as discussed in the video, is a situation that brings about disgrace or offends morality or law. The '227 Incident' is referred to as a scandal because it involved a controversial fanfic that depicted real-life celebrities in a negative light, leading to widespread controversy and backlash.

💡Red Sea

The 'Red Sea' in the video refers to a show of support for the celebrity at an award show, where the audience and fans showed up wearing red, his supporting color. This event marked a turning point in the narrative, symbolizing the public's acceptance and continued support for the celebrity after the controversy.

💡Brand Ambassador

A brand ambassador is a person who represents a brand and promotes its products or services. The video mentions the celebrity's role as a brand ambassador for various luxury brands and how his involvement led to significant sales increases, highlighting the influence and marketability of the celebrity post-scandal.

Highlights

The 227 incident in China, a controversy surrounding a fanfic involving celebrities and its nationwide impact.

AO3 (Archive of Our Own), a major creative writing platform with over 300 million users monthly, is central to the incident.

The fanfic 'Fallen' depicted controversial and explicit content involving real celebrities, sparking heated debates.

The fanfic's plot involved a hair salon doubling as a brothel and graphic adult themes, causing backlash.

The incident escalated with the government's involvement, leading to the cancellation of brand deals and significant financial losses.

A Red Sea performance symbolized a turning point in public opinion, showing support for the affected celebrity.

The impact of the fanfic controversy on the careers of the celebrities involved, including a potential career-ending situation.

The role of fan culture and the power dynamics between celebrities and their fans in the context of the incident.

The organized boycott against the celebrity's works and endorsements, illustrating the collective power of fans.

The debate over creative freedom versus the rights of individuals and the responsibility of platforms hosting content.

The cancellation of the celebrity and the subsequent public apology, highlighting the challenges of managing fan behavior.

The aftermath of the incident, including the long-term effects on the involved parties and the broader implications for online communities.

The resurgence of the celebrity's career post-controversy, demonstrating the complexity of public opinion and forgiveness.

The reflection on the incident by the celebrity, acknowledging the mistakes and the need for better communication with fans.

The incident's impact on the perception of fanfiction and the importance of media literacy among fans.

The incident's role in highlighting the potential dangers of toxic fandoms and the need for a more balanced relationship between celebrities and fans.

Transcripts

the duck is dead okay rest inace I was

going to say something in appropriate

rest in peace is what I meant do you

guys remember 2020 or did you just block

it out of your memory is it just like a

blank space in your timeline in 2020 a

new fanfit comes out on a platform

called AO3 this is taking place in China

we're back in the China verse AO3 stands

for Archive of Our Own this is like one

of the most creative writing platforms I

think they were hitting like 300 million

users a month a year I'm not sure but

either way that's absolutely marbles I

imagine it with some sort of watpad or

web Tunes if not maybe even bigger

anyone can publish a web series and they

have this huge collection of

independently posted fanfics so if

you're a fan of let's say Bali you could

write a fanfic of how you see her

dancing in the dance room and she's all

like your name come here baby girl and

Stephanie

too so in 2020 a fan of two male

celebrities posted a fan fake of their

love story so a fan made a whole love

story about two male actors and then

posted it onto this platform which

nothing's wrong with that but the story

itself the plot itself was a little

unhinged very graphic allegedly about

2,000 words were just x x x xrated Sox

small activities 2,000

words nice aren't you curious at all

very much is that what we're talking

about yes so the general plot is there's

this hair salon that doubles as a

brothel someone is bleeding out in the

hospital they're catching each other

sleeping with other people beating the

Daylights out of them I mean there were

so many shock Factor moments like at one

point someone is dying in the hospital

and they're like having a I love you

moment so many twists so many plot turns

that genuinely I would believe if you

told me that this author was a little up

in the clouds when they wrote it I'd be

like yeah I can see that it's a lot not

saying it's bad but it's a lot and

clearly you know it was written with

good intentions innocent intentions if I

could even say so worst case scenario

the writer or the fan probably thought

that she would get dragged for her

writing skills I don't think she had any

clue that this would be a nationwide

life-altering event with life-altering

consequences this is the story of the

they even have a name for the Scandal

the 227 incident in China how an A-list

actor was cancelled because of a fanfic

that a fan of his made about him he was

not involved in the writing of the

fanfic he never promoted the fanfic

never spoke about the fanfic who even

knows if he knew about the existence of

the fanfic until it was too late but

this fanfic would almost take down his

entire career the government would get

involved fandoms would have a full-on

war a Countrywide campaign of a boycott

for a list of like the top Global Brands

took effect brand deals were dropped

millions of dollars were lost in the

tanker and then there was a Red Sea

performance at the very end a Wy oh

babes what's a Ry is it called Black

Ocean yeah but this one was a Red Sea do

without what you will okay but before we

talk about

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into it do you know what a BL is yes boy

love oh okay I thought you were going to

say like BBL okay it stands for boy love

and you're like oh my God Stephanie you

just discovered that gay men exist hear

me out I feel like this genre has a very

specific like a very specific vibe to it

BL is usually in reference to media that

has two male leads that fall in love

with each other and you're like isn't

that just a gay relationship no listen

it doesn't just depict gay couples and I

feel like I'm digging myself into a

deeper hole to explain it but it feels

more tropy like you know how there's

straight couples depicted in media but

then there's straight couples in kdrama

and that's like a very specific type of

couple BL is in reference to almost this

like K drama love between two male leads

so it's very tropy I don't know if you

see the clips of these shows there's a

certain vibe to it and it's pretty

consistent in this category it's like

krama romance probably one of the most

famous most popular BL series of all

time in China was a drama called the

Untamed have you heard of it you have

have you watched it the Untamed it was

released in 2019 and the series itself

from what I hear is it's felt like the

plot the acting the chemistry everything

is on point but it went absolutely viral

because the behindth scenes clips of the

two male leads shaoan shaan shaan and

Wango Wango were the two male leads okay

so this is a fantasy show they've got

that Dylan Wang they've got the long

hair they've got the half bun the show I

believe is based on a BL novel yes right

but yeah so lgbtq relationships are

banned on mainstream media in China

listen we're not here to debate politics

because we've got some family anyway um

the BL novel it depicts these two men

from way back in the day like I'm

talking they're wearing the cool robes

the cool ancient like you know wear

they've got the long hair they've got

the swords they've got the hair in the

half bun and like for some reason they

have hair gel back then you know what's

so interesting I was just talking to

Stephanie about this he thinks it's so

fascinating that little boys in America

grow up like idolizing Weaponry tanks

and stuff like that and he said you know

when I was growing up I thought it was

really cool when like these char would

go like this and air would flow out the

thing is you can fly around on the sword

you can stand on the sword and fly it's

like a Magic Carpet Ride but with yes

yes yes yes that's the kind of things I

dream about like I can fly on water and

all that so those are your life goals

that's like when you see a guy do that

you're like that's hot that's who I want

to be yeah it's very interesting so I

mean they look good and they're playing

two soulmates who travel around the

country to solve Mysteries and it all

just like links to this tragic event

that happened in the past so the book is

about the romance between the two the

book is heavy on the love it's heavy on

the soulmates it's heavy on the like I

love you you love me but then because it

would be banned in mainstream mainstream

media in China they made it about

Brotherhood A

brotherhood but I think where it really

popped off though was because even

though the on camera like the edited

version of the show was all about

Brotherhood they were leaked behind the

scenes footage not leaked but promoted

behind the scenes footage yes depicted

it portrayed it analyzed it you know

when you ship someone when you ship two

people every little interaction they

have you're like it's true love I mean

look at the way that he's looking at her

look at the way she's looking at her and

you just like have these links in your

head so that's basically what happened

and I also think that their off- camera

personalities and careers played a huge

role in the success of this show and

like everything that that happens and I

need to tell you about it because their

careers well one of their careers is

about to get obliterated okay so sh he's

going to be the one that gets cancelled

for this fan F he had been struggling in

the entertainment industry until this

show he actually entered into an idol

reality show when he was 24 which is

pretty old for the industry and he was

like a designer before all of this so it

was a whole thing he ends up debuting in

this eight member group in 2016 and

people said he had this Angelic voice

which I can

it's very soft but in a peaceful

otherworldly way it's almost like

[Music]

Majestic and everyone was really into

the fact that he was an underdog and he

never really had training for much of

his life and it made him very human it

made him relatable until the netizens

got board and then they immediately

moved on and for the next 3 years this

man is struggling the group dispar

banded he's trying to act every single

series he's in which I think he did like

one long series a year just like flopped

didn't do well there were no bups he was

considered a d-list actor a c-list actor

when the news cycle was slow really it

was bad wow but he I know he was huge

after this I guess yes but somehow he

gets incredibly lucky and signs on to be

one of the leads in the Untamed to give

you context how insane this is his

co-star is wangi B he also had this

pretty rough start in the entertainment

industry he debuted in a South Korean

Chinese boy group called unique he was

in a K-Pop group he was a main dancer

and rapper of the group but it just it

didn't go well the group disbanded his

personal Fame didn't go well so a lot of

Chinese members that debut in K-pop

groups after they disband they become

massive stars in China like think chriso

Luhan but it was not going that way for

Wango I don't know why there's actually

a viral video and picture of him on an

escalator with his manager and she's

literally rolling her eyes at him yeah

what it's like even his manager didn't

even respect him imagine being the

manager and being like I got stuck with

a dless singer I wish I could have been

representing who's an uncancelled China

Wong did you guys know if you Google

walks it to my video is on

the

anyway anyway and at these fan meets

there's videos of this and people were

posting about it online so there's two

people on this show were talking about

the co-star yes and he also had a rough

like beginning of his career he's not

doing well I mean he was in the

entertainment industry ever since he was

pretty young but at these fan meets he

would call for his manager cuz you know

at these fan meets the managers they be

intercepting like if a fan is taking too

long they'll be like coming in like go

go go go go you know or like they'll be

fixing your shirt fixing your hair

he keeps calling for his manager and she

is actively looking the other way and

it's a pretty small room pretending like

she cannot hear him just ignoring him in

front of everyone no respect no respect

I hope he fired her now yeah I bet so

other times Wango would be splashed with

like random like people would throw

things at him when he was on stage and

it was mainly because it's not that he

was a hated celebrity like he wasn't in

any crazy scan

I think people just were trolling him

and he wasn't an A-list actor at that

point so no one cared so they're like if

I'm going to throw anything at anyone

which why would you do that but if they

were like if I'm going to throw anything

at anyone it's going to be a d like

singer dancer

Idol now two reality shows popped off

one was this is Street dance yes listen

I can't with these names okay I think

it's similar to Street woman fighter or

Street man fighter in Korea where a

bunch of world class dancers they get

together and they start battling they

start freestyling they start doing these

challenges and everyone had this

conception Wang bu he's a pretty Idol

he's a pretty boy he was in a K-Pop

group okay he probably can dance a

little bit but he's not a he's not a

dancer he's a singer that can do some

moves on the side he's an idol

apparently he did really really well in

the show I watched some of his

freestyles pretty good okay I mean the

show would share bits of his background

too cuz you know they got to add in like

the emotional moments like they're not

just super cool dancers they're people

and apparently he always wanted to be a

pro dancer so he was dancing ever since

he was a kid even going to Serious dance

competitions at 14 years old and these

were not kid competitions so he's not

competing against other 14-year-olds

he's competing against full-grown adults

that are dancing he said that when he

first started dancing he would practice

8 hours a day

until his body couldn't even hold up and

he would just like collapse on the bed

at night to sleep damn he popped off

yeah and then he went on another show

right produce 101 every time I say

produce 101 I think of like the produce

aisle at the grocery store produce 101

oh yeah produce 101 okay and it's just

all coming full circle this is the same

show that Quinn was on literally the

last episode okay but he was not on

there as an idol or a contestant he was

a mentor and this season was focused on

girl groups so he was mentoring a bunch

of girls to you know they're trying to

get into this like nine member girl

group that's going to debut at the end

of the season and he was really good at

teaching them how to dance people love

that he was not too manly like you know

cuz they're learning how to do super

feminine dances they're some of them are

super cute some of them are very like

feminine sexy but he's not just standing

they're like oh do it like this like

he's doing it and he's like showing them

okay do it like this and he's putting

his whole back and iy into it like the

whole thing he's doing he's so dedicated

he'd even bite his lips lick his lips

and be like you know face expression is

everything when you're dancing he's not

doing it in a cringey way where he's

like swag swag swag no very professional

right so professional you know and then

there would be points where you know

he's telling them it's all about stage

presence and then it would cut to him

like biting his lips so into the

character and then the music would cut

and he would fall to his knees just

cringing at himself cuz it's so cringe

you know but he genuinely cared about

helping them rather than like looking

good looking manly for the show you know

and he's teaching them all of this he's

very very serious so people freaking

loved him he gained a lot of DieHard

fans from this a lot of people also

really loved his personality so he looks

very pretty boy I guess is the category

people would put him in that's how he's

often described but he wasn't dramatic

he wasn't loud his personality is kind

of a contrast to his look I think when

you look at him you might expect him to

act like Quinn or like Chris Woo very

like you know cute kind of enduring

personalities when they were you know in

their hype but he wasn't like that he

was just very quiet M kind of cold

actually but not rude just very reserved

introverted the only time you saw crazy

emotions from him was when he was

dancing so everyone said oh my God opar

you give off bad boy seat a Vibes you're

giving

me you're telling me there's not a

single CEO I can think of right now

you're giving me

Wong you're giving me Wong he seemed

like the types that didn't know how to

talk to girls but not in the innocent

way so you know like when a guy you just

know they don't know how to talk to a

girl but it's not because they're like

I've never like kissed a girl oh man I'm

so awkward I don't know how girls think

but it's more of like a I genuinely

don't really care to have these

conversations so that's why I'm very

awkward and don't talk to women because

I don't know why I'm here yeah yeah

during another reality show he was

supposed to go on a date with the girl

and the whole meal the girl is yap yap

yap yapping away okay and it's not like

he was ignoring her or being offensive

or like looking at his phone or being

super cocky he was just super reserved I

mean there were times where the girls

would giggle Gaggle and then she'd be

like I really like funny guys and the

way he would just respond so non flly oh

I'm not

funny it's just it's just very

uncomfortable and then immediately after

the meal he was just like okay nice to

meet you goodbye another time apparently

he was flying somewhere with another

female celebrity and they were seated

next to each other on the plane she's

thinking it's a 2-hour flight it's

awkward it's our first time meeting

maybe we'll work together she's trying

to make conversation make small talk

asking questions she's talking and

talking Wang barely responds to her

finally at the end of the 2-hour flight

all their managers everyone that was

with them said he got up and he just

said so bluntly not even mean just very

blunt you're the most talkative person

I've ever

met does your family ever find you

annoying

H

what you're the most talked person it

for that he earned the nickname Our

Generation

Monk yeah they said no girl can charm

him not even the hottest celebrity no

one can charm him girlfriends started

showing videos to their boyfriends of

Wong and said if another girl ever looks

at you if ever she breathes in your

general direction you behave like him

she starts talking she says one word you

tell her you talk too much you better

act like him okay other fans were

falling over on their

couches oh my God he's so bad at talking

to girls

until he meets me I will change him he's

waiting for

me that's what they're saying okay and

now he's slowly becoming an IT boy in

China and he gets casted to be on

untamed and both of the two actors they

blew up but the behind the scenes Clips

was like where the magic was they have

very interesting energy when they're

around each other now I know some

shippers are going to say oh my gosh

it's like this energy but like shippers

are always going to say that about

whoever they're shipping I just felt

like they had a cool Dynamic like their

personalities even off camera kind of

meshed well in this very like unique or

at least from what I could see like a

unique funs like they're just really

playful like they're all like not

they're both like really goofy

yes

so for example when talking to anybody

else Wong was really cold but probably

they bonded a lot on set cuz they're

working together non-stop so whenever

Shia was talking he would listen and

neens were like oh my gosh like that's

so cool because you normally see him as

this very reserved guy and it seems like

Shia is bringing out like a more playful

side to him and there would be times

where they would joke around and I think

okay I understand where the shippers are

coming from because sometimes they'll

say things that I guess could be like

interpreted as oh my gosh oh my gosh but

you have to remember they're also on a

set where they're like doing goofy

things they're just being goofy they're

goofing around is how I saw it so for

example Wong would turn to Shia and say

kiss me and then he'd be like I can't my

hat's in the way and then he'd just be

like kiss me he's like we'll talk about

this later so I can see how when you add

the right music when you add the right

context it's like oh my gosh right but I

think they were in a set where their

faces were so close together so when the

camera Cuts it's like a goofy moment of

that's just like does that make sense

yeah yeah I mean I mean I think people

just find their interaction very cute

very point yes it just playful it was

fun there would be Parts where like they

would be calling each other handsome and

one of them would say if you're not

going to marry me then quit flirting

with me and they'd be like marry me then

it's just very goofy and not only that

but they were each other's biggest hype

Bo on set so whenever they were taking

behind the scenes photos the other one

would be in the background like handsome

Mr Handsome like just screaming hyping

them up cheering them on like they were

each other's biggest freaking

fans

[Music]

would ask Wong to watch his scenes to

make sure that they were good and Wong

would say goofing Le you like it when I

watch you that much so fans some of them

start shipping them and I think in the

beginning it was all in like good nature

fun like to promote the show everyone

was in on it it's like haha look at

their chemistry it's fun their couple

name was g g d d c de yes older brother

younger

brother they have a six-year age Gap

they're both legal don't worry it's

nothing weird but Shia is 6 years older

than Wong because remember he got into

the entertainment industry when he was

24 but shippers and even just regular

fans were wondering sometimes like oh hm

so there were some things that happened

after these behind the scenes Clips came

out most people were all goofing around

like it was very like light and cute and

then it slowly got like more and more

serious yes but nothing like bad was

coming from it it was just like huh it

kind of became like an internet meme

there were a few in instances where Shia

was at an award ceremony and he was

asked all the actors and actresses were

asked to write one word to describe what

they want in their future and to kind of

expand on it so Shia wrote

G yeah and he kept using that word in

reference to his future and nens

believed that he was talking about Wong

because on set it was revealed that sha

would call Wong Wong G or Little J W

yeah and another one was you know I I

have to wonder if this was a PR stunt

okay it it was a little wild the two

were live streaming when a manager walks

into the room casually not knowing that

they're on live and just casually asked

you guys have been together for a year

right Shia hesitates and tells the

manager like we're on live and the

manager goes quiet and leaves Shia and

Wong look at each other and then

everyone in the comments was freaking

out so I will say this kind of added

fuel to the shipper fire that was

happening but again it could have been a

PR stunt it could have been something

else that they were talking about like

you guys have been together in the same

agency or same you know it could have

been something completely else but

people were going nuts like a lot of

people I would say over a million people

like the gdd ship had millions of fans

it really pushed both of them to be more

successful though so their careers were

taking off because of this ship Shia was

killing it he had a new movie that came

out all over Asia he gained over 20

million followers on webo or something

like that the movie made $14 million in

a single night in the box office he was

becoming one of the top Chinese male

celebrities brand deals start flowing

and okay this is so interesting and I

don't know if it was because Shia is a

little bit older and he's got more of

that mature aura about him but he had a

high consumer engagement rate so his

fans they actually had a lot of buying

power and they were willing to buy High

ticket items was he like a brand

ambassador for Louis Vuitton or no um

Todd's Dior oh Dior I think is yes Gucci

Gucci yeah so so this made him extra

special and unique from a business

standpoint so Todds is a luxury brand

and maybe I'm tacky for not really

knowing too much about them but I would

say in comparison to houses like Seline

Louis Vuitton all these other brands

like muum muu you don't really see them

a lot you never see like a trendy bag

from Todds that's trending on social

media you don't see that but after he

became the brand ambassador their annual

sales went up by 40% dang the bag that

he was wearing and the campaign sold out

in 10 minutes worldwide from that point

on any piece of jewelry any piece of

clothing sold out within a day if he was

seen wearing it it was insane he signed

with Estee Lauder I mean this guy is at

the top of his career so whether or not

these two are dating or not it doesn't

matter I mean they're at the peak of

their careers and it's not like they're

doing anything to Fan the Flames the

shippers are just kind of doing it for

them I mean doesn't that this type of

thing happen even in K-pop industry all

every day too it's even happening right

now with Taylor Swift and the NFL guy oh

they're not dating I don't know okay I

mean yeah it happens every day yeah so

it happens everywhere you know and it

like this only gets a little weird

because of the controversy later but

this is very normal stuff until February

of 2020 in the midst of lockdown all

hell Breaks Loose a fanfic was released

on AO3 called Fallen the main romantic

leads in the fanfic were shiao and Wong

which again I mean nothing is too crazy

about that like there are fan fics

posted on this website every single day

but Fallen was it was different wangi B

was called wangy B in the fanfic yeah

what yeah while Shia Jan was now D Johan

yeah and Shia was a man that worked at a

hair salon that is a secret brothel in

the fanfic he ends up selling his body

for money which in Chinese culture is

very controversial some people had some

problems with that he's also struggling

to figure out if he feels right in his

own body so I don't know the exact

play-by-play of this fictional plot

because there's so many subplots in this

one series like it is you know when um

someone is making up a story on the go

and it just gets like it started as a

Thriller but by like chapter 5 aliens

have invaded the state of Texas all of

it is INF flames and it's like sunken

into the water and you're like wait how

did this escalate like this that's what

Fallen is okay it's crazy so I believe

at this point Shia is trying to figure

out in this fanfic whether or not he

feels right in his own body that he was

given at Birth he enjoyed dressing in

more feminine clothing anyway wangi bull

comes to live with him in his hair salon

what do you mean comes to live with him

comes to live with Shia he moved in into

a hair salon yeah the hair salon has

dorms I'm telling you it's crazy okay C

so is you both work okay let's call him

Wong yeah okay so Wong his aunt is the

owner of this hair salon brothel so he's

like hey Auntie I've got nowhere to stay

for the summer can I stay with you and

Auntie's like yes come to the hair salon

he shows up and they've got all these

dorm rooms in the back and Auntie is

like oh the only place that I got for

you is in the same room a Shia which is

fine because you guys are both dudes

literally that's like stated so while

they're sharing a room they're

constantly getting changed in front of

each other there's some sexual tension

that's just like bouncing off the walls

sometimes Shia would come home after a

very long day at work um doing sex work

and Wong would know that he worked

because um he would like come with white

liquid dried on his face this is a fan

fake not my story

okay sometimes he would come into the

room Rush immediately to the toilet to

puke other times he was covered in

bruises and sometimes Wong would just

watch him while he stared into the

mirror like admiring himself while he

was wearing makeup Shia would always

dress provocatively in this series and

Wong commented Shia is such a SL but he

loved it he was eating it up he was like

that's my little

slute yeah anyway there's a lot of side

Quest a lot of subplots in this series

like at one point Wong discovers a

secret room that Shia has which is a

Christian Gray level

playroom and Wong was disgusted but he

was like

why why am I into it another subplot was

a girl confessed to liking Wong and he

was like she's so boring she's not

sh yeah yeah so they like each other

yeah slowly but surely the two start

getting it on according to a nzen who

read it before it got banned there was a

scene that was x-rated that went on for

2,000 words she like imagine the most

explicit x-rated stuff that you can

think of yeah and this part I guess

wasn't that clear to me because the plot

is just so intense but at one point Wong

finds Shia's ID card on the table and

his gender is listed as male which

pisses him off but then they start doing

the nasty again but I was like wait I

thought they already did the nasty at

one point the two of them end up at a

Hospital they're there because a guy

that they know is bleeding to

death okay but instead of giving a

about the guy that's dying Wong is like

don't do gender affirming

surgery okay because you will

bleed bro bro bro this came out of

apparently nowhere because at no point

did it even mention throughout the

entire series thus far that Shia is even

considering the surgery like it was just

becoming more and more confusing and

like also there's just a man bleeding

out right now and I don't think that any

of the confusion and the unhinged has

anything to do with like don't get dumb

thoughts okay I think more books and

shows and movies should depict real

people with real life struggles and

gender affirming surgery is something

that I think could get more

representation in media so that it's

less stigmatized right but obviously it

has to be done correctly that's not the

point that I'm making here the point I'm

saying is a lot of netizens were saying

what the is going on right now what is

going on this is the most popular fanfic

right now and sure it's great that it's

depicting someone through this very

intense journey and they're embracing

this process while being strong and

beautiful but the plot is on drugs the

plot is all over the place so people are

just saying the story line is confusing

it's just unhinged and people do they

like it or don't like it I would say

that a lot of people started reading it

for like shock value and he he haha

because it was so unhinged and then a

lot of other people were really upset

because the fanfic was depicting

technically real life people in these

very controversial settings dealing with

some of the most sensitive topics and it

wasn't done correctly like if you're

going to talk about gender affirming

surgery correctly you're not going to do

it over a dying man like what is going

on got it even if it wasn't celebrities

tied to this the plot itself is super

questionable I don't want anyone to

think that having a plot centering

around these issues is questionable it's

just a way poly written po written got

it it's like okay at one point they rush

into the hospital bathroom and Wong says

something along the lines of did you

know that we could be gay and Shia says

if we were gay people would look at us

weird on the daily basis and Wong says

so what if I ever catch them I will yell

at them and then they just start like

doing the nasty in the bathroom at one

point Wong has a teacher parent

conference that he needs to go to

because he's still in high school in the

F that is the hugest problem with this

one it's an illegal

relationship but not only is it illegal

Wong asks sha to dress up as his sister

and come to the PTA meeting and he's

like yeah they do the nasty at the high

school and that's where the fan ends so

there are a bunch of other side quests

that we're not going to go down cuz I

feel like this is already as unhinged as

it gets but other than the plot itself

being very problematic and just

confusing the biggest problem that a lot

of viewers had with this is that Wong is

depicted as a high schooler and Shia is

not mhm so you're talking about an

illegal relationship but everything else

has been just questionably poorly done

but this is like straight up a crime and

these are based off

celebrities so I mean it's just is it's

a question of if there's a fanfic of

celebrities doing really illegal really

heinous things how do people react to

that the fanfic comes out and it's it's

not on mainstream news it's a fanfic so

on AO3 it's becoming like a whole thing

and most people would understand that

this is a fanfic it's not a celebrities

Journal it's not a celebrities diary or

their actions like it's just you know

media literacy half of fans supported

the fanfic whether they supported the

fanfic on the basis of this is creative

freedom this is freedom of speech you

know this is just expressing oneself

that's what the platform is for or

whether they supported it because they

really liked the fanfic it's you know

there's different groups but the other

half of Sha's fan base absolutely

freaking hated it the ones that hated it

stated that this is straight up slander

and it's tainting his reputation he is

pursuing a minor in this fanfic in a

very conservative country like China

that they can't even have a BL

relationship on mainstream media you've

like now written this explicit content

using their likeness it's just not okay

like you think that this fanfic is going

to look good for him and help his career

no so if you're a real fan you wouldn't

have written that that was their

argument they would tweet things like

creative Liberty doesn't mean that you

can abuse people's rights if it's an

original character you can do whatever

you want want but since you keep

referring to real people you can't

humiliate and slander celebrities on top

of that thousands of your fans are

reposting the link this is going to

greatly taint the celebrities's

reputation and violate their own rights

other people were arguing it's not even

about Shia some people weren't even fans

of Shia that hated this fanfic they said

literally this work contains

inappropriate relationships which even

if it wasn't about a celebrity this is

disgusting like even in countries with

freedom of speech this is not something

that you should be spreading on

platforms where there are minors right

but the other half of the fans were like

guys it's literally a fanfic chill out

nobody is impersonating Shia nobody is

spreading a lie about him it's not

slander it's so clear that this is a

million per a fictional story clearly

anyone with a brain would know that so

it falls under creative expression

February 26th of 2020 fans that hated

the fanfic had organized attacks against

the writer of the fanfic but also the

platforms which it was posted on so AO3

it was posted on AO3 and another big

platform was lofter so they started

reporting these platforms to the state

the government cyberspace Security

Administration they reported the whole

website yes and they posted on waybo to

encourage everyone to file a formal

Report with them and they included

step-by-step instructions on how to

contact the government and you're

talking about like millions of people

wow yeah they Justified themselves

saying that Shia's fans did nothing

wrong we're doing nothing wrong and we

would do it again next time like we are

eliminating explicit content why is that

wrong this fanfic was making mainstream

news because it was blowing there were

organized Chats on webo like threads on

webo on how to report things how to do

this how to support the fanfic it got so

bad the author had to take down their

fanfic and delete all of their social

media accounts so now the fans that

supported the fanfic or at least

supported creative freedom they got mad

at the Shell fans because they're like

you bullied a person off social media so

they started clapping back and then it

happened A3 and lofter people are trying

to go on there to report the link or to

go read the

fanfic access denied everyone's woing

hey can you guys get onto the platform

right now like why is it saying it's

down the companies themselves had no

idea what was going on they said hey

we're trying to fix this this I know

guys like hold on a second it's not our

servers we checked so we don't really

know what's

happening the government had taken down

both those

platforms all the customers no longer

could access their accounts could no

longer access and browse the websites

they didn't have time to download any

material from there their whole business

was gone the government saw all the

reports and shut it down now this is

where it turns into a cancellation

problem like I mentioned you can't show

lgbtq relationships in mainstream

Chinese media so AO3 and lofter they

were used heavily by marginalized

communities who just wanted to read

stories that they could relate to like

just wanted to have a form of media that

they could resonate with so they built

communities friends on these platforms

and now it was shut down because some

random A-list celebrities fans so most

of the people that use AO3 on a daily

basis they're not even in this sh drama

that's unfort

yeah it was one of the very few spaces

for any kind of quote subculture but

also alternative publishing that China's

rather heavy restrictions would normally

censor so now it's not even just a

battle between Shia fans that either

love or hate the fanfic now a whole

community of people that did nothing and

had no input on the situation they had

such an important thing taken from them

and now they were getting involved in

this fight it felt like to them someone

invaded and destroyed their safe space

for what so they went into full Attack

Mode they tweeted and organized groups

that read you destroy laughter and A3 we

will ruin

Shia dang their main motto of their

whole group was Idols have to pay the

price for their fans Idols are

responsible for their fandom they

organize Nationwide boycotts of Shan's

TV Works movies commercial endorsements

there was even an anti-s guide that

included a list of every single Brand

Show worked with they would no longer be

supporting any of them they sent emails

to these Global Brands reading things

like hello I refuse to buy any products

that Shia advertises endorses or is a

brand ambassador for and I will be

telling my friends and family to never

buy them it was really bad like Global

Brands were getting flooded with

comments about Shia and people were

saying like if you don't change your

Ambassador we will no longer purchase

any of your products the boycotts

officially started February 27th 2020

now we have boycotts in the US I don't

know what was the last successful

boycott we had in the US but when a lot

of boycotts in Asia

happen it's like a boycott they're

really serious about it it's not just

like guys let's boycott and then like

slowly people are buying again it's

crazy this boycott would go down in

Celebrity history in China it was

shocking how well organized how

widespread this boycott was and I don't

know in terms of numbers how much each

brand was impacted by this but the fact

that it was all over social media it was

the only thing people were talking about

February 27th of 2020 that's why it's

called the 227 incident the 227 boycott

the trending hashtag was I am a commoner

and I hate

Shia and that was retweeted like 5

million times D the sentiment was this

celebrity and his toxic fans ruined a

marginalized community's life for what

finally March 1st 2020 Shia's management

responded to the Scandal by saying we

deeply regret and apologize for the

impact of this matter um Shia said I'm

very grateful to all fans for their

support and love I hope everyone can

stay rational I think it's kind of a

lukewarm statement but what can you I

was trying to think what can you really

say in that instance that's so perfect

that you don't

inight at least one of the groups cuz

now you have like three big big groups

and those you know taper off into

smaller groups like what could you say

that perfectly calms down the situation

is it better to say less like I don't

know I'm not a PR person and I can see

how some people were saying No this is a

good statement because what the hell he

probably never even knew what was going

on and then it happened and then like

he's probably feeling like I didn't even

do anything I literally didn't do

anything like I never asked anyone to

write this fanfic I never promoted this

fanfic someone wrote this fanfic and is

ruining my life so like some people

could kind of sympathize with him for

that but on the other hand it wasn't the

best statement and even Shia admits to

this it just wasn't a good statement it

doesn't really matter who is at fault

but it's just the fact that like come on

marginalized communities literally lost

their community so even if it's not your

fault even if you had just acknowledged

that maybe it would have been better so

his statement only feeled more anger and

boycotting so at this point the fandoms

could be categorized as gdd fans that

were fine with the fanfic they think

that everyone else has no media literacy

is making a big deal out of freedom of

creativity like come on get a life and

then you had Shia fans who hated that

this fanfic was slandering his name and

image and then you had the third group

who didn't care about Shia or Wong but

they're like you literally ruined our

communities why do we care about these

celebrities we don't care so this fanfic

drama became mainstream mainstream at

this point many news outlets felt like

it was very bizarre some made their own

opinionated comments One news Outlet

like major news Outlet said the one who

should be in charge of a celebrity's

reputation is the celebrity not the fans

so why are we putting the fans actions

as if the celebrity did it like that

wouldn't work in court why is it working

on the internet other people said you

know this is a war with with no winners

yeah there's nothing that Shia can

really do at this point that's going to

please all three groups because it's too

late it wasn't until May 6th so months

after that sha finally came out in an

interview and spoke pretty transparently

about the situation which I will say

like we can have a very strong opinion

about his actions or rather inactions

leading up to this point but I

personally think that this interview was

handled well from what I could translate

maybe it's different if understood

Mandarin it felt more transparent cuz I

would imagine most celebrities would

just like post lengthy text but he had

the full sitdown video

interview

foree

for and he was very honest he said the

whole controversy was happening when we

were quarantining at home and he just

felt so bad that so many nens were

impacted and he apologized again and

again to everyone impacted the

interviewers asked did you ever feel

like you were wronged cuz you didn't do

anything technically and he said it's

not about feeling wronged I think it's

more about I wasn't able to wrap my head

around it and then he expressed you know

the thing that everyone had been saying

which he said at the time I thought you

know people are saying an idol should

manage their fans but I guess at the

time I disagreed because I didn't feel

like I was Superior to my fans and like

managing my fans and telling them what

to do how to behave not to behave it

just felt weird I'm a singer I'm an

actor I focus on my work I am aiming to

do better projects for my fans that's

what I was focused on the video got 39

million views in just a couple of days

who and overall the reception to it was

relatively positive a lot of netizens

said that he was Brave for facing the

negativity with such transparency like

even if you disagreed with the

statements he made it at least felt like

he was trying to be honest yeah like he

was trying to like be open about this

have a

conversation but not everyone agreed a

lot of AO3 and lofter fans said he knows

his fans made a mistake but he still

won't say it is he scared of losing his

fans like cares that much like he can't

just tell his fans like what you did was

wrong why cuz he wants the benefit that

the fans bring him so ultimately he

still only cares about himself and if

that's the case we can't accept this

apology a lot of the victims of the 227

incident said that Shia's apology also

came way too late a PR executive from

Shanghai commented on this so This firm

works with a lot of the celebrities in

China and they said that Shia's fans

have harassed others so so terribly

online that they managed to destroy a

source of creativity and expression from

massive numbers of people the situation

is a very very clear example of toxic

modern-day fandoms in China even

continuing into October of 20120 so

almost a year had gone by many Chinese

netizens were still boycotting bands

that Shia was signed with so December

2020 10 months later Shia is making

another public appearance this would be

like his first real public appearance in

terms of his career so not going

somewhere to talk about his scandal not

doing an interview but genuinely like

being back to back to work he was going

to show up and perform at an award show

and a lot of the celebrities backstage

they said like this guy was so nervous

they said that he kept fidgeting he kept

like fixing his collar and he looked

like he was on the verge of tears and he

didn't know if he was going to get booed

off the stage he didn't know if he was

going to get onto stage and it would

just be dead silent he had no freaking

clue but when he got up on that stage

the whole crowd lit up red is that like

his color supporting yeah they gave him

a Red Sea so they all came wearing red

clothes they brought red banners they

had red lights and the celebrities said

that this was the loudest cheer that

they have ever heard in their lives as

celebrities they said it was almost

breathtaking to see just visually it was

kind of like out of body it lasted for 8

full seconds just screaming and Shia was

smiling and like tearing

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[Applause]

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up

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basically after all of this he did talk

about it again the whole situation after

this red ocean he became even more

popular he was like back on it yeah he's

back to his old time yeah wow maybe even

a better career height but he did talk

about it and he said you know I was

wrong like I think that he was

expressing regret he said that he was

upset that he didn't speak up before the

websites were taken down he said at the

time when it was all happening he

thought if I say something publicly it's

only going to draw more people in it's

only going to become even bigger drama

because now a celebrity has addressed

something then people are going to

dissect his address they're going to

dissect the words and overanalyze it and

then pick it apart and some people are

going to say no it it's you know it's

our argument this is right this is wrong

oh he hates these people like it' become

a whole thing he thought so he just

didn't say anything and now he realizes

it was the wrong move and he feels so

shitty for everything that's happened

after his new apology and the Red Sea it

seems like his career is back on track

so he is now the brand ambassador for

Gucci and Zenith several Gucci items

went viral because of him and apparently

a bag that he wore sold out worldwide

and pre-orders were going to take like

over half a year after he an ambassador

Gucci's sales increased by9

billion what I don't know if it's 9

billion yeah regardless his influence is

crazy there's this watch brand called

Zenith and is it a big watch brand yeah

I mean okay so it's phenomenal brand but

it's not definitely not trendy so it's

not like trendy like Rolex and stuff

right well after announcing him as the

brand ambassador within 24 hours their

sales exceeded their Global monthly

sales wow so in one day they so a month

worth of watch yes zenet CEO even

recorded a video to thank Shia and talk

about his influence and he said when we

announced him at the beginning of July

we got over 342 million views on webo

then within a few hours we got 9 million

views of our video on the announcement

and we sold more watches in 24 hours

than we do in a whole month so with this

new found influence he has signed bigger

deals I think he has worked with YSL

Audi Dior Ralph Lauren Nars but he still

has some people that do not accept his

apology and some people who do and are

moving on and then I saw a small group

of people that said I still support him

but because of everything that's

happened it's hard to publicly support

him without people assuming you were

part of that toxic fandom so it's like

all sorts of tricky what are your

thoughts so this is the story of how an

A-list actor almost got completely

cancelled career almost destroyed over a

fan fake what are your thoughts leave it

in the comments and I will see you guys

tomorrow bye