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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

bowserbros No longer active. from Elsewhere Since: May, 2014
No longer active.
#1951: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:21:10 AM

Yeah usually when I hear people bring Dream up it's to discuss his fanbase and joke about how bad the "Mask" song and music video are (Dream's fanbase is big enough to keep its ratings high though), with the cheating incident being rarely (if ever) mentioned.

I guess if having a rabid fan following counts as a controversy, you could list him here on those grounds, but that feels like a bit of a stretch.

Be kind.
HalfFaust Since: Jan, 2019
#1952: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:24:52 AM

Hmm. I wouldn't hesitate to call him a "controversial figure" but he doesn't really have one big controversy. I'd agree that I mostly hear about how annoying his fanbase is. I mostly only heard about the speedrunning controversy from speedrunning people, who are hardly representative.

ATricksterArtist Back from the grave. from CH 57 (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
Back from the grave.
#1953: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:33:27 AM

Most of the complaints I see about Dream himself is that his content feels boring and repetitive. Everything else is directed towards his fandom.

How's your day been?
mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#1954: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:34:17 AM

Sometimes I wonder if "Overshadowed By Fandom" could be a thing, but that could go sour extremely quickly.

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
Delibirda from Splatsville Since: Sep, 2020 Relationship Status: I wanna be your dog
#1955: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:37:37 AM

I am personaly opposed to that idea.

"Listen up, Marina, because this is SUPER important. Whatever you do, don't eat th“ “DON'T EAT WHAT?! Your text box ran out of space!”
themayorofsimpleton Short-Term Projects Herald | he/him from the Island of Koridai (Captain) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
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#1956: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:44:51 AM

[up][up] That sounds like a potential complaining factory. Overshadowed by Controversy attracts enough contention and ROCEJ violations as is.

Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
bowserbros No longer active. from Elsewhere Since: May, 2014
No longer active.
#1957: Jul 29th 2021 at 11:19:59 AM

"Overshadowed by Fandom" is definitely an observable phenomenon, but like what others here have said, a page on it would become a complaining and ROCEJ-violation magnet pretty quickly. I can see a ton of shoehorning happening with a page like that as well, especially in the case of fanbases that make up one end of a particularly fierce Fandom Rivalry.

Edited by bowserbros on Jul 29th 2021 at 11:20:26 AM

Be kind.
PlasmaPower Piece of Cake. Since: Jan, 2015
Piece of Cake.
#1958: Jul 29th 2021 at 11:35:06 AM

"Overshadowed By Fandom" sounds like Flame Bait, much like how Unpleasable Fanbase or Fan Dumb is.

Edited by PlasmaPower on Jul 29th 2021 at 3:35:24 PM

Thomas fans needed! Come join me in the the show's cleanup thread!
bowserbros No longer active. from Elsewhere Since: May, 2014
No longer active.
#1959: Jul 29th 2021 at 1:22:51 PM

[up]Yeah that's a good way of summing it up.

Be kind.
themayorofsimpleton Short-Term Projects Herald | he/him from the Island of Koridai (Captain) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
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#1960: Jul 29th 2021 at 2:17:41 PM

I'm also concerned that "Overshadowed By Fandom" could be an Edit War magnet in addition to it already being a complaining magnet.

Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
HamburgerTime Since: Apr, 2010
#1961: Jul 29th 2021 at 2:33:12 PM

I do think there’s some cases of “Overshadowed By Fandom” that are pretty objective. Mainstream news sources have covered things like children stumbling onto creepy MLP porn and the threats made against creators in the Star Wars prequel and sequel trilogies, for instance. Going back further, Tiny Toon Adventures was actually canceled in part because of furries and pedophiles sexually harassing the cast, most infamously an incident where a guy was caught trying to break into Tress MacNeille’s house.

If we de decide to go for it I think it should be cited examples only like UI, though.

Delibirda from Splatsville Since: Sep, 2020 Relationship Status: I wanna be your dog
#1962: Jul 29th 2021 at 2:39:54 PM

None of that sounds like overshadowing, however. It's not like FIM got cancelled over that or anything, nor is the lewdness always the first thing that comes to mind.

Edited by Delibirda on Jul 29th 2021 at 11:43:41 AM

"Listen up, Marina, because this is SUPER important. Whatever you do, don't eat th“ “DON'T EAT WHAT?! Your text box ran out of space!”
mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#1963: Jul 29th 2021 at 3:24:16 PM

nor is the lewdness always the first thing that comes to mind.

Not for fans maybe, but for outsiders I think it's a fairly common joke.

Anyway, I admitted that Overshadowed By Fandom wouldn't be a good idea, but a lot of OBC examples seem to basically be that.

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
themayorofsimpleton Short-Term Projects Herald | he/him from the Island of Koridai (Captain) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
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#1964: Jul 29th 2021 at 4:23:54 PM

[up] Well we can always go through all the ones that are basically "Overshadowed By Fandom". Any entries in particular that look dicey?

Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
SkylaNoivern Since: Sep, 2016
#1965: Jul 29th 2021 at 4:46:53 PM

"Going back further, Tiny Toon Adventures was actually canceled in part because of furries[...] sexually harassing the cast, most infamously an incident where a guy was caught trying to break into Tress MacNeille’s house."

Not only have I not heard of that, but that just sounds like demonizing.

Edited by SkylaNoivern on Jul 29th 2021 at 12:47:28 PM

themayorofsimpleton Short-Term Projects Herald | he/him from the Island of Koridai (Captain) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
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#1966: Jul 29th 2021 at 4:51:29 PM

[up] Could not find a mention on Wikipedia either.

Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#1967: Jul 29th 2021 at 4:58:36 PM

I've heard about a creepy fan like that — the show even parodied the guy at some point. But I don't know if that controversy overshadows the show, though apparently Tress did limit public appearances due to his behavior.

Edited by mightymewtron on Jul 29th 2021 at 7:58:56 AM

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
Delibirda from Splatsville Since: Sep, 2020 Relationship Status: I wanna be your dog
#1968: Jul 29th 2021 at 10:57:53 PM

Even if it's a joke, it doesn't mean it is overshadowed. Like I said, MLP wasn't cancelled, and Hasbro can still sell toys.

"Listen up, Marina, because this is SUPER important. Whatever you do, don't eat th“ “DON'T EAT WHAT?! Your text box ran out of space!”
DDRMASTERM do you wanna have a bad time? from Someplace, Utah, USA Since: Apr, 2013 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
do you wanna have a bad time?
#1969: Jul 29th 2021 at 11:14:28 PM

I concur with generic “Overshadowed by Fandom” being a bad idea. For one: We kind of already have a trope for that. And two: It’s just begging for EditWars.

Maliciously weaponizing or otherwise manipulating your fans, however, is a more valid controversy.

mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#1970: Jul 30th 2021 at 6:14:01 AM

[up] So Jem and the Holograms would still count?

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
DDRMASTERM do you wanna have a bad time? from Someplace, Utah, USA Since: Apr, 2013 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
do you wanna have a bad time?
#1971: Jul 30th 2021 at 7:44:45 AM

[up] I’m going to need an explanation to verify that. I brought it up because it seemed relevant to the person we were discussing just before.

mightymewtron Word Up from New New York Since: Oct, 2012 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Word Up
#1972: Jul 30th 2021 at 12:20:30 PM

It was the first thing that came to mind when "manipulating fans" was mentioned. The movie's generally seen as bad, but the one thing everybody brings up is that they asked their fans to send in videos talking about why they liked the original show, then they edited the videos into the movie to make it look like they're talking about the movie's Jem. It's not listed as OBC though and maybe it doesn't need to be.

I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.
DDRMASTERM do you wanna have a bad time? from Someplace, Utah, USA Since: Apr, 2013 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
do you wanna have a bad time?
#1973: Jul 30th 2021 at 7:05:21 PM

If it was just to be included in the movie, then it’s sketchy but probably not valid by itself unless it led to a major lawsuit.

Edited by DDRMASTERM on Jul 30th 2021 at 8:05:31 AM

lee4hmz 486-powered rotating frosted cherry Pop-Tart from A shipwreck in the tidal Potomac (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
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#1974: Jul 30th 2021 at 9:32:16 PM

Regarding Tiny Toon Adventures: Animaniacs was in the beginning of preproduction in 1991, and plans for it were hinted at as far back as 1990 if you count "Fields of Honey" as a Poorly Disguised Pilot. I'm pretty sure TTA ended not because it wasn't doing well, or because of fandom crap, but because the staff had simply moved on. (The very real pay disputes with Charlie Adler and Joe Alaskey didn't help, either.)

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jandn2014 SMILE! from somewhere in Connecticut Since: Aug, 2017 Relationship Status: Hiding
SMILE!
#1975: Aug 2nd 2021 at 11:38:13 AM

This is on YMMV.Guardians Of The Galaxy Mission Breakout:

Is this really an example? I know the change was extremely controversial among Disney park fans, but I doubt most of the general public cares in the slightest.


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