Slashdot Mirror
The Bronies Get Their Own Charity
blackbearnh writes "There's a long history of media fandoms organizing fundraising campaigns, donating blood, and doing other charitable activities. However, even large and well-established groups such as Trekkies/ers and Star Wars fans usually work with established non-fannish charities like the Red Cross or Toys for Tots. Some may see them as a plague on the Internet, the Brony community has taken their charitable endeavors to the next level by going to the trouble of creating a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. The Brony Thank You Fund received word from the IRS last week that, after nearly a year of work, they had been granted tax-exempt status. The Fund is currently raising donations to endow a permanent animation scholarship at CalArts, and is the same group that made news last year when they became the first fan group to purchase commercial time on national TV, for a 30 second spot praising My Little Pony and encouraging donations to Toys for Tots."
I guess it's good they're doing charity, but it's just so creepy.
People trying to make the world a better place- it's awful!
How about people who are genuinely appreciative of an animated cartoon with all-ages appeal, quality animation, and great voice work.
Not everything needs to be some kind of snarky ironic entity. There's room in the world for sincerity, as much as the Internet tries to beat that sentiment into oblivion.
And for the record, less than 20% of bronies self-identify as furries, the vast majority are heterosexual, and the fandom has nothing to do with pedophilia.
Real sincerity is the new ironic fake sincerity.
Actually, the show writing isn't the horrible syrup you might expect --- it's actually made to be tolerable for a parent to watch alongside their kids. There are frequent joke references that would go *completely over* the head of the "target" demographic age, but are thrown in for 20 to 30-year-olds. The voice/character acting is high quality. There is surprisingly little blatant "buy all our playsets and toys!" pushy in-show merchandizing (especially for a kids' TV show produced by a *toy company*). And the main character is a "nerd" portrayed in very positive light --- the show has a refreshing air of anti-anti-intellectualism, and is the opposite of "math is hard! let's go shopping!" Barbie.
To be fair, I think the show is well written to work on "dual levels": both the little girls watching it, and the parents who might be dragged in to endure spending some time with their children. From actually *watching* episodes, I can attest that the writing has enough to offer to keep an adult entertained, too (so long as you're still capable of appreciating storytelling without constant gory violence, profanity, and explicit sex). It is indeed a matter of taste --- but for folks who enjoy absurdist humor, genre spoofs (which would often be over the head of "target audience" girls), character acting, sight gags / slapstick comedy, running jokes, etc., it's an enjoyable show. Yes, there are plenty of other great hobbies besides watching a TV series --- but that is true of *every* TV series.
In fact, a bunch of adults forming a fan club for a cartoon and calling themselves "bronies" is creepy too.
How is it any more creepy than a bunch of adults forming a fan club over a TV show and calling themselves trekkies.
The "brohoof" stuff is kinda creepy though.
Live long and prosper, dude.
SJW n. One who posts facts.