‘Celebrating 10 Years of Idris Elba Becoming James Bond Any Second Now’: Fandom, Ownership and the Alt-Right

Middlemost, Renée

doi:10.1108/978-1-83867-165-520201020

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…Rush Limbaugh claimed Bond "was white…period" (Fulwood 2018), Katie Hopkins stated Bond is "written as an upper-class, arrogant white" (Holt 2018), and Piers Morgan argued making Bond into a woman would be "virtue-signaling" to "feminist snowflakes" (Morgan 2019). A more general "alt-right" opposition to changes in Bond casting espoused the importance of Fleming's authorial intent as well as the integrity of canon (Middlemost 2020).…”

Section: You Know My Namementioning

confidence: 99%

“…To some, responses like these reflect blatant prejudice, evincing racism, sexism, or heterosexism. To others, such reactions look like those of a passionate fanbase protecting a property, fearing that diversity initiatives fundamentally change a film, television show, or franchise; such arguments often include denials that prejudices underlie their opinions (Friedman 2016; Hunt 2019), and are often accompanied by claims that canon, history, and creator intent should dictate the present and future of pop culture properties (Hunt 2019; Middlemost 2020). In fact, creator of Fantastic Four and Marvel Comics figurehead Stan Lee said as much when Jordan was cast, stating fans were “outraged not because of any personal prejudice…they're outraged because they hate to see any change made on a series and characters they had gotten familiar with” (Lee 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Nobody does it better: Identity, ideology, and the future of James Bond

Johnson

Funnell

2022

Social Science Quarterly

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We explore the possibility that ideology structures attitudes toward casting choices swapping the race, gender, or sexual orientation of existing characters within popular entertainment franchises. Methods: We conduct an original survey to gauge reactions to potential swaps within the James Bond film franchise. Results: American conservatives are significantly less interested in future Bond films should the main character be played by a black man, a black woman, a white woman, or someone who is gay or a lesbian. This relationship does not hold should the role go to someone under 25 or American. Conclusion: Ideology structures attitudes toward the world of popular culture in addition to and in similar ways to the world of politics.Decades of research on descriptive representation displays the benefits of having a diverse set of elected officials. These benefits include better substantive representation on issues salient to underrepresented groups (Mansbridge 1999; Haider-Markel 2007) and stronger relationships with systems of government, seen through increased involvement (Rocha et al. 2011;Clark 2019), increased efficacy (Bobo and Gilliam 1990;Banducci, Donovan, and Karp 2004;Atkeson and Carrillo 2007;West 2017), and decreased alienation (Pantoja and Segura 2003). The effects of descriptive representation extend beyond politics and into the world of media. Media present underrepresented groups with opportunities for empowerment (Alia and Bull 2005); when said groups are not represented in media, they are less visible to society (Dixon, Weeks, and Smith 2019). The construction of one's social identity can be influenced by media consumption; this is especially true for marginalized individuals (Brooks and Hébert 2006). More specifically, popular culture can drive "who we are as people and who we think we can become" (Trier-Bieniek 2019:14).Across the past decade or so, the entertainment industry has become more conscious of the need for greater diversity and inclusion. As Sarah Kate Ellis, director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) put it, "communities who have been left out of the seats at the table for decades and decades are finally starting to find their voice, and their footing" (Noveck 2019). Entertainment executives also realized money could be made in diverse programming, especially in reaching younger viewers "for whom diversity-racial, religious, sexual-is their world" (Morris and Poniewozik 2016). One strategy through which Hollywood has evolved is by swapping the race, gender, and sexual orientation of actors playing characters within already established films, television shows, and franchises, doing so through casting, reimagining, or rebooting.

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Section: You Know My Namementioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%