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Overshadowed By Controversy Cleanup

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Overshadowed by Controversy has several examples, particularly under the Fan Works, Webcomics, and Web Original folders, that don't fit the trope as described. The controversy is supposed to overshadow the work, so if it doesn't do that it shouldn't count as a valid example.

The media folders, such as Anime or Western Animation, could also use a look, as some entries deal with shows, while others deal with actors, fans, or creators. Additionally, some of the entries are not controversial anymore or are not known enough to overshadow the show completely, and others seem closer to Never Live It Down.

Some examples even point out that the controversy was debunked or died down eventually, which doesn't fit the trope, as well as examples saying things like "time will tell if [x] can recover." I originally tried the Real-Life cleanup section, and then a TRS thread, but I hope this is the right section to help us clean up this trope's examples. ^^

MOD NOTE: For something to be overshadowed by controversy; it has to have a significant, arguably overwhelming impact on that work/creator/thing that’s provable by pointing to actual evidence beyond social media likes or a news report. The controversy has to be bigger than the thing for it to overshadow the thing.

For a work, did it bomb directly due to the controversy? Was it pulled from shelves or streaming services? Nothing like this? Then it most likely doesn’t count.

For a creator, did they lose their job/get banned or lose all of their sponsorships or are unable to get any work directly due to the controversy? Did they at least retire directly because of the controversy? Nothing like this? Then it most likely doesn’t count.

Valid examples would be people like Gina Carano or Louie CK. As they were both fired and black listed for their controversies. Or Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are now more known for those controversies than their actual careers. Clearly being overshadowed by it.

If only chronically online people like us are going to be aware of something, it definitely doesn’t count. The controversy has to be so big that even people who are rarely online or know very little about something, would still have heard of the controversy.

Edited by kory on Oct 4th 2025 at 10:21:54 AM

mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#5126: Dec 4th 2024 at 4:19:42 PM

I think the SU video might qualify as the main controversy to push her into infamy, as not all of her videos are widely controversial even if she is criticized a lot. It's like how Enter is overshadowed by his bad Turning Red video (and not more political real world videos i.e. COVID that people don't know as well that even he thinks are nore serious) because it genuinely did start a controversy and get news attention, though Lily didn't get that big. True or not, Lily's SU video is credited for shifting the tone of criticism against SU and a lot of the hatedom issued towards it which is in itself controversial. And it's not as awful as the abuse allegations but unfortunately it is the most well known controversy with her. I primarily knew about her from hearing about the SU video (as well as the weird pedophilia fanfic).

[down] I don't know the other ones but I only watched SU out of the nedia listed so that could be why. Though I didn't know she made other SU videos besides the "garbage" one.

Edited by mightymewtron on Dec 4th 2024 at 11:46:54 AM

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
Khoshekh6 Since: May, 2022
#5127: Dec 4th 2024 at 4:45:39 PM

I would say that at the very least all the SU vids, the korra vids, and the dunmeshi vid are widely controversial

UchuuFlamenco Since: Jul, 2017
#5128: Dec 4th 2024 at 6:31:53 PM

I first heard of Lily because of the controversy of her SU video. I think at the very least that video counts.

bwburke94 I am mad scientist! It's so cool! from 1.048596% (Y2: Electric Boogaloo) Relationship Status: She does the things you do, but she is an IBM
I am mad scientist! It's so cool!
#5129: Dec 4th 2024 at 11:41:21 PM

Has Lily's SU video eclipsed her reputation to the same extent as Enter's Turning Red video? Lily was already controversial at the time.

2025: the year it all ends?
Mariofan99 Since: Jun, 2021 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#5130: Dec 5th 2024 at 4:04:55 AM

[up] Lily’s SU video is her most viewed video by a WIDE margin I’m pretty sure beforehand she was only really known in the briny community

mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#5131: Dec 5th 2024 at 9:07:20 AM

That makes sense, I don't even know about her other videos besides MLP and SU and the only other media related controversy I know with her is her MLP fic.

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#5132: Dec 5th 2024 at 9:47:49 AM

I know someone will tell me "This isnt the place to say that!" but are Lily Orchard's videos tropable at all? The videos may discuss tropes which could make it kosher, but they dont have stories or narratives to them. They are just reviews.

Edited by AegisP on Dec 5th 2024 at 9:48:03 AM

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#5133: Dec 5th 2024 at 10:33:44 AM

Didn't she also make narrative works like Lily's Poke-Madhouse? Her actual creator page does seem real life skewed though.

[down] Well it's worth noting her page is locked anyway.

Edited by mightymewtron on Dec 5th 2024 at 1:41:17 PM

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#5134: Dec 5th 2024 at 10:38:25 AM

[up] I was going to mention that, but that only shows her narratives works already have their own pages, we dont need a page for her, because tropers cant avoid troping her as a person.

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#5135: Dec 5th 2024 at 11:50:11 AM

What happened to a work being unable to overshadow itself? We should probably be cutting Mr. Enter's entry as well.

Once Upon A Time.
WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (10,238/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (10,238/50,000)
#5136: Dec 5th 2024 at 1:08:18 PM

Except that isn't what's happening here. It's one work overshadowing the entire rest of her career. We're not troping her video itself.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
HMSaph Since: Apr, 2012
#5137: Dec 5th 2024 at 3:46:24 PM

I'm considering adding an entry for Jynx because of their original design looking like a racist stereotype (they may have been based on a Japanese fashion trend or Yōkai), but I'm not sure if OBC entries can be applied to a specific character (in which case entries about Angela and Apu should be cut).

Within the fandom, Jynx has long been Rescued from the Scrappy Heap since Gen III changed their skin colour from black to purple, but outsiders probably still know and hate Jynx for their original design (Gen III was when "Pokémania" died down).

TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#5138: Dec 5th 2024 at 3:49:07 PM

[up] That's more Never Live It Down.

Once Upon A Time.
HMSaph Since: Apr, 2012
#5139: Dec 5th 2024 at 3:56:41 PM

[up]Thank you for the clarification. Do you know if OBC can be applied to a specific character? There are entries for Angela and Apu on the Comic Books and Western Animation sub-pages.

TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#5140: Dec 5th 2024 at 4:00:52 PM

[up] Never Live It Down is specifically for stuff like this happening to characters. If OBC is applied to a character, its misuse.

Edited by TheLivingDrawing on Dec 5th 2024 at 7:01:17 AM

Once Upon A Time.
HMSaph Since: Apr, 2012
#5141: Dec 5th 2024 at 4:08:37 PM

[up]Good to know.

The thing is, from what I've read, Never Live It Down is for In-Universe actions a character makes, while Angela's OBC entry says that she's infamous for legal issues surrounding ownership of her between Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane, and Apu's says that he's infamous for being an alleged racist stereotype of Indian-Americans and Southern Asians. Neither are In-Universe actions.

bwburke94 I am mad scientist! It's so cool! from 1.048596% (Y2: Electric Boogaloo) Relationship Status: She does the things you do, but she is an IBM
I am mad scientist! It's so cool!
#5142: Dec 5th 2024 at 9:33:26 PM

None of Angela/Apu/Jynx qualify for NLID for that reason. All three rely on out-of-universe controversy.

2025: the year it all ends?
HMSaph Since: Apr, 2012
Mariofan99 Since: Jun, 2021 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#5144: Dec 6th 2024 at 4:36:47 AM

Regarding Lily we need to decide if we can list multiple incidents or if it has to be limited to one

generation81 Since: Aug, 2021
#5145: Dec 6th 2024 at 8:52:26 AM

Are we in agreement Harry Potter as of The New '20s is overshadowed by She Who Must Not Be Named's views on LGBTQ+ people?

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (10,238/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (10,238/50,000)
#5146: Dec 6th 2024 at 8:54:13 AM

No. In fact we've always been in agreement that the only thing that got overshadowed was the rest of JK's career. The franchise has steamrolled ahead without her

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
SharkToast Since: Mar, 2013
#5147: Dec 6th 2024 at 8:55:01 AM

This has come up before and the answer has always been no. Harry Potter is still too popular to be overshadowed.

TheLivingDrawing Lucas the Dreamer from The Town of Clayton Since: Apr, 2019 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Lucas the Dreamer
#5148: Dec 6th 2024 at 8:55:28 AM

[up][up][up] Nope. We've brought this up plenty of times before and came to the consensus that Harry Potter is too big to overshadow.

Edited by TheLivingDrawing on Dec 6th 2024 at 11:55:50 AM

Once Upon A Time.
generation81 Since: Aug, 2021
#5149: Dec 6th 2024 at 8:59:08 AM

Wasn't keeping yp with this thread, so okay then.

Just asking.

mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#5150: Dec 6th 2024 at 11:50:31 AM

Regarding Jynx, the Banned Episode or two featuring her might count as OBC, but a character itself can't count.

As for Lily, I concur that, like Enter, her SU video likely overshadows her career as a whole, it isn't just one video being overshadowed.

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.

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