Happy Monday. I’ve been struck by how ubiquitous the mechanisms of stan culture have become. From Love Island USA fans creating ravenous camps to The Summer I Turned Pretty viewers needing reminders to keep it civil, it almost seems impossible to enjoy things a normal amount these days. Is it possible to watch a TV show and, perhaps, not harass people over whatever petty drama we see on screen?

Today’s newsletter has quite a few instances of online harassment campaigns that have popped up over the past week. Plus, the latest (and worst) goings-ons on X, and, in lighter fare, your weekly playlist.

The Summer I Turned Pretty is returning with a message for fans

It goes without saying, but people cannot consume media normally anymore. Many fandoms have been raised to a level of seriousness that borders on unenjoyable. As you all know, I talked about this at length during this past season of Love Island USA. But seeing this PSA for The Summer I Turned Pretty made me wonder: 1) Will all shows have to issue this sort of reminder to fans soon? and 2) Does it actually work to deter fans from sending hate?

I have a deep love and appreciation for online fandoms. It is a great way to share your love for something while finding a community of people who share your interests. But I also understand, after observing and participating in this culture for most of my life, that there is a tendency for the most dedicated ones — or stans — to go too far, whether that’s through doxxing, digging for (or fabricating) incriminating posts, or relentlessly harassing anyone who goes against their favorite artists/characters/creators/etc.

When it comes to a fictional show like The Summer I Turned Pretty, where fans ardently support Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad, I’m always baffled by the instinct to go after the real-life people who play the characters. I guess I shouldn’t be at this point, as stan culture is everywhere and in everything. Obviously, fandoms aren’t monoliths — but it is always telling when an official show account has to give such an explicit reminder.

We are free from Love Island USA (for now) — and so are these bombshells who never made it onto the show

@.colechristopher

Season 8 perhaps? @Love Island USA @Rayna Alexander #loveisland #loveislandfinale #loveislandseason7 #hurricanehuda

Love Island USA season 7 is finally over. Congratulations to the winners Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales. I hope Amaya gets in touch with a good management team because all of these brands are hopping on the Amaya Papaya train!

With the season wrapped, all of the islanders get to go home — including the bombshells who were on call this whole time but didn’t make it onto the show. Love Island does a lot of crazy production moves — withholding the time, creating a whole trial show with a mock cast, etc — but keeping contestants in holding for the entirety of the season, just in case, is crazy. Can you imagine being stuck in a hotel room for two months for nothing? I wonder if that means they get to come back next year.

Every Monday letter gets a playlist. This week, some new and old disco songs that make summer nights feel like magic.

In this week’s playlist:

• Kiss of Life - Kylie Minogue, Jessie Ware

• Hot N Heavy - Jessie Ware

• Narcissus - Rósín Murphy

• Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! - ABBA

• Taste - Sophie Ellis-Bextor

• Hot Stuff - Donna Summer

• Disco Heaven - Lady Gaga

• Take My Breath - The Weeknd

Other things I want to share with you.

• Ethel Cain received criticism for racist, edgelord posts she made when she was 19. However, in an increasingly common turn of events, people have taken these posts and used them as an opportunity to create a transphobic online harassment campaign against her, with people doxxing, sending death threats, and directing horrific vitriol toward her and her family. This not only creates new harm, but it also obscures the initial point. She released a statement last week apologizing for her actions and addressing the harassment campaign.

• X gets worse every passing day. Someone hacked the official Elmo X account, posting numerous antisemitic and racist tirades.

• Livestreamer Dean Withers, who is known for debating conservatives online, received backlash for directing followers to report a father he was debating to CPS. A few years ago, it became a rising trend for call-out accounts to call CPS on parents they disagreed with. Some people built entire platforms around this kind of “accountability.” This entitlement to meddle in strangers’ lives has only gotten worse lately.

• Britney Spears shared that she adopted a baby girl: Lennon London Spears.

• Love Island Games will be returning with a new host: Ariana Madix. Justice for Maya Jama! That’s my host!

• Two memoirs I want to read this summer: Parvati Shallow’s Nice Girls Don’t Win and an anonymous chef’s dishy journey into the London culinary world, Tart.

• This guy has been remastering Monsters vs. Aliens gifs and they have taken over my X feed.

• Megan Thee Stallion is living the life!

• Surprise! A new FKA Twigs album.