Breaking the Fourth Wall

Breaking the fourth wall has different definitions - one related to the concept in general media, and one that applies the "fourth wall" in fandom. The boundary between fictional characters and audience or fandom and TPTB is called the fourth wall, a concept which originated in theater for an imaginary fourth wall between the audience and the actors that prevents interaction. To break the fourth wall is the breach the divide between audience and subject.
# making characters aware of the audience or the fact that they are in a work of fiction, a fanfiction genre called metafic
# making TPTB aware of fanworks.
For many fans, directly involving TPTB in fanworks was a fannish taboo. A fan wrote in 2015: "The cardinal rule was “Do not profit from fandom.” The second rule was “Do not put your fic in the way of the talent.”" , January 27, 2015, comment at Was Fanfic Any Different in the Olden Days? (2015 Tumblr discussion thread) 
==Topic Suggestions==
* press and those seeking readers/attention set up situations 
* fans and non-fans create a situation or confrontation to prove a point
* fans with good intentions create a situation that backfires or is ill-thought out
* fans with good intentions create a situation that goes well and ends happily
==History==
===Some Early Boundary Crossings===
===Early 1980s===
A comment by Dovya Blacque which addresses the early 1980s:
From a May 15, 1980 radio interview with Mark Hamill, some of his reactions to fan fiction: 
===1987===
A 1987 comment by Mark Lenard, the actor who portrayed Sarek and the Romulan Commander:
===1999===
Comments by Aja regarding conflict in early 1999: 
In an 1999 email exchange between Thamiris and Bruce Campbell, Campbell answered the question if he found the idea of women writing erotic fanfic about his character. His answer: 
===The Internet Brings Higher Visibility===
From The Long-Delayed Fourth Wall Meta (2018):
==Causes and Motivations==
===Does Higher Visibility Make for an Illusion of Understanding?===
Many fans believe that the continued insistence by some of maintaining the illusion of the Fourth Wall in the face of increased interactions between content creators and fans only harms both groups and fosters ongoing misunderstandings. From the 2015 article titled: "Tyler Hoechlin, Sterek, Conventions and The Fourth Wall":
===Not a Fan Choice===
From The Long-Delayed Fourth Wall Meta (2018):
===A Focus on the Fans, Not Idolatry===
A fan in 2016 comments on a 2009 quote by David Duchovny: 
==Response from TPTB==
===The Fine Line TPTB Walk===
A 2016 comment by Dovya Blacque:
===The Cooling Effect of TPTB in Fan Spaces===
 
====Example: Garak/Bashir====
See the Garak/Bashir relationship on Deep Space Nine.
====Example: Babylon 5 and JMS====
See Babylon 5.
==Variations==
===Confronting the Subject of Fanworks with a Fanwork About Them===
*Sherlock (TV series): At the 2013 Sherlock premiere, the moderator forced actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman to read slash fanfic starring their characters aloud. Fans were outraged, and the author of the fanfic was very upset. Why fans are outraged at Sherlock and Watson reading sexy fanfic, Daily Dot, Aja Romano 
* Weasley twincest
*In 2014, during an Edinburgh Fringe Festival comedy show, Radio 1 DJs had Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) act out a scene that was presented as a compilation of several slash fanfics. You Tube vid 
File:scan140a.jpg| Gene Roddenberry reading Galileo 7 at FunCon (1968)
Image:leonardpeggy.jpg| a number of photos appeared in TV-Radio Mirror in January 1968. This one is of Leonard Nimoy and fan Peggye Vickers when Peggye visited the Star Trek set; Nimoy holds a copy of Leonard Nimoy Association of Fans Yearbook (1968)
 Image:scorpiotacscroucher.jpg| at the Blake's 7 con, Scorpio, Brian Croucher was presented with some fanart by TACS (1985)
Image:Avonincondom.jpg| "Remember the Suzi Lovett picture, "Scorpio" which had Paul Darrow dressed in black leather so tight nothing was left to the imagination? It was also called Avon in a condom. Well, the New Zealand fan who was so rabid about slash was running an art show and I was helping. This came up in the auction and she refused to put it up because Paul would be offended. I told it it had two bids, she had to do it. She said to put it at the very end. Before we had a chance to do anything, Paul walked up behind us, saw it and reached over and took it out of her hand. 'I'll auction that one,' he said with a definite twinkle in his eye." Post to the Virgule-L mailing list dated April 10, 1995, quoted with permission. (the art is dated 1987, the con was 1989, this comment was 1995)
 File:fireandtheroseillo.jpg|"The Fire and the Rose," a Beauty and the Beast (TV) illo was presented to Ron Perlman by Beth Blighton at a Creation Con. "Beth Blighton then stood and told Ron that she had something for him that she was pretty sure the Make a Wish Foundation would not want. She then presented him with a framed print of her latest full-color portrait of Vincent entitled "The Fire and the Rose", the one with the loincloth, sword and crystal. Ron looked at it and commented "Talk about a flight of fancy!" Everyone was shouting, "Show it!" He replied, "I'm gonna show it, I'm gonna show it. Settle down!" He looked at it again, then asked, "Are we sure we're ready?" "Yes!" from the crowd. He looked at it one more time, then turned it around, and the audience went wild! "I'll put that in a safe place! I'm going to put that right over my refrigerator." (Looks at it again.) "MMMMmmmmm! Well, it was a fantasy series." from Once Upon a Time... Is Now #29 (January/February 1990)
File:inout55-1.jpg| Edward Albert (portrayed Elliot Burch) begs for bids at the art auction at Great Expectations (Winter 1994)
 Image:darrowart1988.jpg|from the Blake's 7 con, ConFederation (Blake's 7 con), Paul Darrow and Kerr Avon fanart (1988)
 File:Theban band dombilly manip.jpg| Lord of the Rings actors, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd, reacting to a Theban Band manip]]. The actors' reaction appeared to be amusement. Dom: "What the HELL is that?" / Billy: "When did we do that, again?" Pictures of a fan showing a Theban Band manip to the LotR actors Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd at the Wellington, New Zealand premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", December 2002. (Accessed 24 December 2008) 
a fan showed a manip by The Theban Band to the LOTR actors: See The Theban Band: Visibility (2005)
===Asking Actors and Other Canon-Creators in Public What They Think About Controversial Themes===
* During the break between season 2 and 3 Teen Wolf cast has been asked a lot about Sterek during mainstream interviews as well as in interactions with fans. It was one of the most discussed aspects during the time, to a point when in 2014 Tyler Posey's frustrated response to a Sterek question caused Poseygate
===Public Reveal of Fanworks for Wank/Attention===
* David Gerrold Reads Slash Aloud (1984)
* The Great Australian Radio Show Fiasco (1985)
===Actors/Producers/Writers... Purposely Involving Themselves===
* Orlando Jones
* Stephen Amell hosts weekly Fanart Fridays and Meme Mondays on his Facebook page where he encourages fans to post fanart and Arrow/Oliver Queen memes.
* Fall Out Boy's Interactions with Fandom (2014)
* The Vampire Diaries Rehash
* (2009) 
* the cast and crew of Space: Above and Beyond, see The Long-Delayed Fourth Wall Meta
* George Blagden is frequently called "the Captain of the E/R ship" for stating multiple times he believes it to be canon, and even going as far as recording a cover of I Will Follow You Into The Dark (by the Death Cab for Cutie) with the lyrics changed to fit the pairing.
* Walter Koenig did a impromptu dramatic reading of a threesome story starring his character, Sulu and a OMC from a 1981 zine: Kandy Fong remembers Walter Koenig running across this zine for sale at a convention: 
* the Lemming Comment: in 2007, Joseph Mallozzi (writer and producer for Stargate) mentioned the idea of anonymously posting on a forum regarding Boston Legal: 
===Discussing Fanworks in Non-Fannish Spaces===
* Fanfiction on Good Reads December 2014
===Some Fiction Examples===
* As Lucid as Hell Sandy Keene (Older). As Lucid As Hell. Accessed January, 2009., a popslash story by Sandy the Older, set in "The Popslash Works In Progress Dorm" where the characters talk about the stories they're characters in, and complain about how slow their authors are.
* In Wendi Jeff and Saundra Mitchell's H:LOTS story Permanently Offline, the actual show's characters were the "real characters" working for the Baltimore PD, having to deal with the actors, and the fans, of a popular show based on their activities.
* Gus Goes For The Gold Star Gus Goes For the Gold Star (on Yuletide). Accessed 28 December 2009., a slash Psych story by Liviapenn, is a Yuletide story about Gus writing a Yuletide story -- meta and recursive, both!
* JRM, one of the writers for the Professional Wrestling series WCFL, indulged in a bit of this at the start of the August 7, 1984 episode of WCFL World Class Wrestling.. Commentator Steve Stacks announced that Nick Bockwinkel had defeated Ric Flair for the WCFL World Heavyweight Title at SECW (Southeastern Championship Wrestling)'s WCFL The Great American Bash event. Bill Mercer said, "What an exciting event at the University of Alabama. GOD do I HATE the Alabama Crimson Tide! They suck!" 
==Fan Comments==
===1993===
==Further Reading/Meta==
===1996===
* In 1996, there was controversy in the Highlander fandom when a fan showed the one of the show's actors a fanwork. One response: two fans got a cease and desist: , by Vicki Farmer, Ocotber 29, 1996 One fan gots a follow-up letter telling her the Cease and Desist was a complete mistake. , by Vicki Farmer, October 30, 1996 
===1997===
* Stew has shared a story on the Clancy Brown Fanlore page of when he was asked about fanfiction - and specifically about slash fic - and he was absolutely supportive, to the extent of sending a written message to Stew to encourage her to keep writing. Sometimes, surprisingly enough, it goes well!
===1998===
* Captain Janeway knows about K/S, discussion on alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated (Nov 13, 1998)
===1999===
* See an 1999 email exchange between Thamiris and Bruce Campbell, Campbell about slashing his character, Autolycus . 
===2002===
* (May 2002)
===2003===
* there was much fan discussion regarding James Marsters' comments at the June 2003 con Moonlight Rising about his views on Spike's characterization
===2006===
* (Fanthropology) (2006)
* Fandom and Messageboards (or, How the Internet Has Warped Social Behavior) (2006)
* Thoughts about fandom: The forum at David Hewlett's website (2006)
* Take the time and read before you go off and do it... (2006)
* ; archive link page 2, by amireal (2006)
===2007===
* RPS and privacy (2007)
* , archive page 2, archive page 3, archive page 4, survey and four pages of comments regarding opinion about pro-canon creators' and fanworks opinions about: Robin Hobb, Anne Rice, J. Michael Straczynski , Marion Zimmer Bradley, Anne McCaffrey, J.K. Rowling, and others (2007)
===2008===
* The Long-Delayed Fourth Wall Meta (2008)
===2009===
* (January 10, 2009) 
* (2009)
===2010===
* Good fourth walls make good neighbors (2010)
* , by T. Campbell (2010) 
===2013===
* by Aja Romano (The Fourth Wall is fandom's way of protecting itself from outsider prying eyes, harsh judgments, and possible real-life repercussions. Here's why we need to stop being ashamed and let the public in.) (January 08, 2013) 
* The Sterek Book (2013)
* by Professorfangirl (2013)
* like a car wreck: you want to look away but you have to stare at it because your boss is making you; archive link, post by dudski, (2013)
* Strange Bedfellows: The Evolving Relationship between Authors and Readers by Josh Lanyon (2013)
===2014===
* Fandom And The Fourth Wall (aka women reading about gay sex gives people cooties) (2014)
* Fandom and the fourth wall by Jenna Kathryn Ballinger (2014)
* Mutually Assured Destruction: the shifting dynamics between creators and fans (April 2014)
* The Fourth Wall (essay by The Winter Otter) (July 2014)
* Why it doesn't matter what Benedict Cumberbatch thinks of fan fiction (October 2014)
===2015===
* ("Good fans don’t threaten the control and ownership of the powers that be. They know their place in the hierarchy. But they also understand (because they’re being told this repeatedly in small and large ways) that they are above those bad fans who have the nerve to do things for themselves, to interpret and create for themselves and for other fans, and to blatantly disregard the powers that be." (January 2, 2015)
* Changes in the Fourth Wall (2015)
* , post by Morgan Dawn (2015)
* (2015)
===2017===
* 
===2019===
* Jeff Goldblum knows about your Loki/Grandmaster fan art and he’s totally here for it. The title says it all! This article is also referenced on the Jeff Goldblum page.
===2022===
* RPF History: DNP vs DNF by Ruby (March 2022)
===Other Topics of Possible Interest=== 
* Bandom and the Fourth Wall
* Fandom and the Underground
* TPTB's Involvement with Fandom
==References==
Category:Fan Activities
Category:Industry