Setting the Record Straight: VTQ

I didn’t think that creating a project where I jotted down references found in YouTube videos would create distress or controversy. But I keep forgetting that I spend part of my time on the internet, where some people—unwilling or incapable of creating full lives away from screens—construct personalities and families around online celebrities, and therefore find any little different thing a threat. Then I remember why I don’t invest myself fully in fandoms or communities anymore.

I’m not going into detail, but I will be blunt. The past two weeks have been murder on me, and every setback that could happen culminated in yesterday one of the worst days in recent memory. So excuse the tone of this post—or don’t—but I have very few fucks to give right now.

First, I don’t understand how revisiting a series of Vinesauce videos and following the format of The Annotated MST is somehow a detriment to the community, or upsetting some sort of established balance. I decided to approach a personal project—trying to rediscover the first Vinesauce video I ever watched—by turning it into a research project of sorts. A timewaster, but not “a waste of time”.

Second, the project hasn’t gained a whole lot of traction. I don’t follow the numbers on my blog. They are there, but I choose not to rely on them. I used to watch my stats back when I was active on social media, and it drove me into some very dark places. I’m not repeating that here. Half the visitors are probably bots anyway, so I know this project isn’t making an impact. This isn’t going to change lives or the direction of the fandom, if there was any direction to begin with.

Third—and this is probably what you want to hear the most—Vinny probably doesn’t even know this blog exists. In fact, there’s a very good chance he doesn’t. If he did, he’d likely glance at it, say something noncommittal to the person who showed it to him, and then go back to his busy life. I’m not a streamer or a content creator; our worlds will never blend, and his eyes will likely never cross my words. I could write Grey Leno erotica and never get a cease and desist. And since I can’t write erotica anyway, that won’t happen either. (Sorry to the four Grey Leno fans whose hopes I just dashed.) So you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Yes, you might have seen me in chats, but I don’t go out of my way to “build a presence” or “gain a following”. A chat is not the place for that. I’m not gunning for a thankless mod position. I’m not trying to become an associate or a VP, whatever those words mean in this context. I’m in a chat to either listen to a livestream or banter with the other chat members. Nothing more.

As far as Vinny is concerned, I’m on the fringes of his community, far in VOD land where I don’t make comments on his videos or dare to enter his live chat lest I interrupt the flow of constant “skibidy” and “binty please” quips. Whatever threat you saw in my project or me is all in your head.

How about, instead of trying to make my life a bigger mess than it already is, trying to clean yours up? Because if you feel the need to bother an obscure blogger about her nugatory blog, you need to do some deep inner work.