One Direction documentary drives twitter rumours of multiple fan suicides

In the aftermath of GQcovergate, the world’s media have tentatively danced around One Direction’s legions of militant fans, or ‘directioners’. However, following a controversial Channel 4 documentary about the band’s more specific breeds of groupie, such as the obscure demimonde of 'Larry Shippers' and stalkers, the directioners have mobilised once more, leaving Twitter awash with rumours and rage.

‘Crazy about One Direction’ prompted an outpouring of outrage as fans felt they had been unfairly depicted as crazed stalkers rather than loyal music fans.

The documentary followed the lives of 1D’s most dedicated, and arguably deranged, sect of its far reaching fandom. ‘Crazy about One Direction’ offered bewildered audiences no-holds-barred access to the antics of die-hard fans who claimed they would kill cats to meet the boys, had sent abuse to Taylor Swift and one fan even got braces to copy a band member.

Many took to Twitter in droves decrying their mistreatment at the hands of the channel, arguing that it did not offer a fair representation of 1D fans - and #ThisIsNotUs began to trend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yet, the thunderous clout of online fury gave way to darker accusations of fan suicides in the wake of the unsympathetic representation of ‘Larry Shippers’, a subsection who have constructed a slightly sordid narrative of illicit romance between Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was claimed that 42 ‘Larry Shippers’ took their lives due to the trauma of seeing the documentary. One fan bemoaned the loss of: ’42 fans. 42 directioners. 42 Larry Shippers. 42 sisters.’

 

 

 

 

 

• Article continues below...
• More stories you may like...
• Research reveals the top 10 things holding back women at work
• SOAS lecturer elected as MEP for far-right party
• Greta Thunberg joins The 1975 on their new album

 

 

 

 

Despite such claims remaining unsubstantiated, many have been quick to judge the documentary as insensitive.

Band member Liam Payne showed his support for dismayed fans: "just so all of you know we love you guys and we know how dedicated you are and tbh we can't believe it that you guys spend all your time on us.

"We couldn't give a f*** what any documentary says. They're dramatised for entertainment and full of bulls*** anyway. We all know how hard you work for us and see it every day at our shows.”

However, not all fans have been purged of their blood lust just yet and demand that Modest Management sue the documentary makers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some monologues from the angry mob of keyboard warriors hell-bent on revenge are particularly enlightening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, gone are the days of covering walls with posters and furtively scribbling about favoured band members in your diary. The reign of the angry, online directioners has begun.