The Mainstreaming of Politicial RPF
Nov. 28th, 2009 04:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
heidiThank you for doing so, New York Magazine (Nov. 30, 2009 issue).
That is, in case it wasn't fully mainstreamed before.
Also, I know I am going to sound rather control-ish here, but after this moment, I think the issue of "Is RPF Legal When Those Incorporated Into the Story Are Public Figures" is completely and totally moot. The lawyersn for New York Media LLC are fine with it.
New York is currently hosting the following:
1. Seven stories written by well-recognized writers that are, for all intents and purposes, political RPF. In fact, the cover blurb on the Nov. 30 issue includes "Sarah Lusts for Levi by Paul Rudnick". Paul Rudnkick. Who wrote Jeffrey, In & Out (fictionalized Ton Hanks-inspired RPF), Stepford Wives (that 2004 version) and more. Mary Gaitskill, who wrote the story on which Secretary is based, wrote about a meeting between Ashley Dupre and Silda Spitzer. Walter Kirn (the writer of the book on which Up In the Air is based) wrote about Mitt Romney. And there's stories about Barack Obama having a midnight meeting, George and Babs Bush dealing with a dog, etc.
2. A contest where readers are invited to submit their own "political fictions".
Oh come on! Some of you have things on your hard drives (or livejournals) already that you should enter into this contest! You can win a trip to DC!
New York even has some ideas for you!
New York clearly thinks it's legal to do this - it's not defamation, they find it clever or unique or amusing and perhaps they completely missed the sudden outpouring of Rahm-centric fic almost exactly a year ago?
No, RPF and RPS are not of interest to everyone, and there have always been films and books and songs that are about real people (live or dead) in fictionalized situations (at least three different Beatles ones come to mind) so this isn't really such a fantastically new and unheard of occurrence, but it is notable - and hey, if one of you wins, I'd love to get a postcard from Washington DC.
The deadline for entries is December 7. Huh. Is it ok for someone to submit a![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
yuletide fic?
ETA: For another perspective, check out Medievalists - We Go There.
That is, in case it wasn't fully mainstreamed before.
Also, I know I am going to sound rather control-ish here, but after this moment, I think the issue of "Is RPF Legal When Those Incorporated Into the Story Are Public Figures" is completely and totally moot. The lawyersn for New York Media LLC are fine with it.
New York is currently hosting the following:
1. Seven stories written by well-recognized writers that are, for all intents and purposes, political RPF. In fact, the cover blurb on the Nov. 30 issue includes "Sarah Lusts for Levi by Paul Rudnick". Paul Rudnkick. Who wrote Jeffrey, In & Out (fictionalized Ton Hanks-inspired RPF), Stepford Wives (that 2004 version) and more. Mary Gaitskill, who wrote the story on which Secretary is based, wrote about a meeting between Ashley Dupre and Silda Spitzer. Walter Kirn (the writer of the book on which Up In the Air is based) wrote about Mitt Romney. And there's stories about Barack Obama having a midnight meeting, George and Babs Bush dealing with a dog, etc.
2. A contest where readers are invited to submit their own "political fictions".
We want you to write your own short stories—or movie treatments, or mini one-act plays—starring political figures. Shoot for around 1,000 words, but we’re flexible. E-mail to politicalfictions@nymag.com.
Oh come on! Some of you have things on your hard drives (or livejournals) already that you should enter into this contest! You can win a trip to DC!
New York even has some ideas for you!
To help you get in the right frame of mind, here are some suggestions for scenarios you might consider. You don’t have to use these, but they’re the kind of thing we’re looking for: date night with the Obamas; Bill Clinton dispenses fatherly advice to Levi Johnston; Reggie Love’s day off; John and Meghan McCain discuss her Twitter cleavage shot; Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin go to a sample sale together; Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, and Mitch Romney plot how to take down Sarah Palin; Joe Biden has a frank conversation with himself; Rudy Giuliani visits Bernie Kerik in prison; Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank gossip over cosmopolitans; Matt Drudge and Andrew Sullivan go on a date.
New York clearly thinks it's legal to do this - it's not defamation, they find it clever or unique or amusing and perhaps they completely missed the sudden outpouring of Rahm-centric fic almost exactly a year ago?
No, RPF and RPS are not of interest to everyone, and there have always been films and books and songs that are about real people (live or dead) in fictionalized situations (at least three different Beatles ones come to mind) so this isn't really such a fantastically new and unheard of occurrence, but it is notable - and hey, if one of you wins, I'd love to get a postcard from Washington DC.
The deadline for entries is December 7. Huh. Is it ok for someone to submit a
yuletide fic?ETA: For another perspective, check out Medievalists - We Go There.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-28 10:01 pm (UTC)Not because Political RPF is the one thing I can't do but because, you know, I've been reading Rahm communities for a year and I think their idea of fanfic is different than other peoples;)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-28 10:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-28 10:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-28 10:37 pm (UTC)(Of course, there's a long-standing tradition of political RPF, including the Alternate Kennedys short story collection, and some Nixonian book I'm memefaulting on right now that I grabbed from my old stuff at my parents' place last night. Along with a couple of my old Riverworld books, speaking of RPF.)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-28 11:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-29 04:43 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-11-30 03:58 am (UTC)