Fans of Tegan and Sara have just recently discovered that the artists have been victims of a cybercrime, which has been kept a secret for a long time.
The Canadian indie pop duo, which consists of twins Tegan and Sara Quin, discovered more than ten years ago that one of their fans had been the subject of a Tegan impostor who attempted to establish their legitimacy by posting pictures and unreleased demos along with personal details about the band.
After Tegan and Sara’s friends and crew started phoning the impostor, ‘Fegan’ (Fake Tegan) kept up relationships with a number of fans for years, some of whom found it difficult to believe they had never spoken to the real Tegan.
In Erin Lee Carr’s new documentary, “Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara,” the band discusses the experience after keeping it mostly hidden for years. In-depth interviews with the Quin sisters and fans who have been catfished by Fegan over the years are included in the film.
“I have a complicated relationship with this story, because I have a complicated relationship with the victims,” Tegan discussed the documentary’s premise with Rolling Stone.
She added, “The victims are victims and it’s awful it happened. It’s a violation. But most of them were out there trying to get my personal information off the internet. And so many of them acknowledged they were violating my privacy too. And I was just able to access so much compassion that it spilled over even to fake Tegan.”
Over-invested fans are an issue that musicians have faced throughout history, but it has only gotten worse in recent years, particularly due to the internet, which gives an illusion of closeness to someone you may never meet–what some would refer to as parasocial relationships. Take for example Chappel Roan who had to warn her fans not to touch her in public without consent.
Upon seeing the documentary, fans of the pop duo took to social media to share their thoughts about what they shared in the documentary, with some of them expressing their shock to discover the story.
Just finished the Tegan and Sara documentary, Fanatical, and think every person in a fandom space should watch it because EVERY fandom space has potentially harmful people like this in it.
— missa (@_ningyo_) October 18, 2024
Just watched the Tegan and Sara documentary and phew what a ride. The fake Tegan(s) deserve jail time. And whoever “Tara” is she needs therapy because the way she talked in her emails to the filmmaker was so out of line.
— Beth (@BethHoller) October 19, 2024
Watching this doc on Hulu about someone who was catfishing like they were Tegan (of Tegan and Sara) and I swear to god they better reveal who the fake Tegan was or else! pic.twitter.com/ZTbsoKyWTM
— Lisa (@LisaWillNotLose) October 24, 2024
this tegan and sara documentary is sooo wild, what a time capsule of celebrity + fandom culture in the early 2000s. the livejournal + tumblr callbacks?? this hacker was insane, i can’t believe they were doing this to so many people.
— nailah imani (@slimmerella_) October 23, 2024
The documentary on Tegan and Sara is crazy!! Crazy fans cat fishing and harassing Tegan, her girlfriend, her friends, etc just because they were jealous. I have always said I never wanted fame. You couldn’t pay me to switch with a famous person. I want the money – not the fame.
— Lisa Cox (@cocoarose33) October 22, 2024
I just watched the Tegan and Sara documentary and omg that whole situation is so f*cked up. I understand why Chappell wants absolutely no intermingling between her professional and personal life…
— idrinkurmilkshake99 🇵🇸 FREE PALESTINE (@necklor13) October 22, 2024
Watching the Tegan and Sara documentary and I no longer want to associated with the word fan.
— Jen (@jennyg005) October 22, 2024
Honestly the Tegan and Sara documentary made me embarrassed to participate in Stan culture like??? pic.twitter.com/4PtQH7p4uQ
— Gigi (@jordandefenses) October 21, 2024
Wow this Tegan, from Tegan and Sara, documentary about someone impersonating her for YEARS to manipulate and abuse their fans is absolutely insane
— Gigi (@jordandefenses) October 21, 2024
Fandoms should be a safe space not only for the fans but also for the artists they are supporting. Celebrities are people who have the right to have their boundaries especially when this type of behavior is being exemplified. Impersonating someone to manipulate others should never be condoned.
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