Sometimes in fandom, we may knowingly partake in a bit of offered Kool-Aid, whether it be longtime folklore, endearing qualities that never seem to be outgrown, or behavior that can be chalked up to "Oh, that's just the way they are". We may even acknowledge that we know we're drinking fandom Kool-Aid, but it's only an occasional swig and fairly harmless to our digestive systems. We just shake our head and wish that we could either turn back the clock to when times were more pure, or back to when we were more innocent, which was kind of a nice place to be.
However, with all nostalgia aside, what happens when the Kool-Aid begins to be fermented to the point where it could be more accurately referred to as Trigger-Ade instead? Last weekend at the ever-hot mess that is Jus in Bello (aka JibCon), the Supernatural convention held in Rome, Italy, "the drink" was flowing alright. Both literally and metaphorically. And it was not pretty.
Just for kicks, I thought it would be interesting to open up the photo album and look at a few memories from years past. It looks like the first JibCon was held in 2010. Jensen and Jared were but mere pups:
And the long-time, designated meard, Misha Collins? Oh, he was there, perhaps not quite as front and center (after all, this was the first Jus In Bello event), but looks like he was already imagining the endless possibilities ahead.
2011 was the scene of the infamous video screen play with Jensen and Jared. Who could forget this wonderfully classic J2 moment?
And 2012. Who recognizes Jared here? Amazing, isn't it?
By 2011 and 2012 respectively, one can see that intended meard Collins was slowly, but surely getting his foot inside the door.
Nothing says intimacy and sexual innuendo "Cockles-style" like a sinus cleaning, can you dig it?
2012 - it was only the beginning
And THEN? Wellllll...then the wheels really began to fall off in subsequent years.
Jared missed 2013 due to a reported family emergency. In 2014, he was
Making sure pics made it to social media:
• The inconsistencies of the nature/diagnosis of the "injury"
• An on & off sling (it's on, it's off, it's on, it's off)
• The logistical fallacies between the timing of the "injury's" occurrence conflicting with the JibCon schedule and everyone who was supposed to be in the room during said 'injury', on that Saturday
• the lack of reports of a visit by a doctor and/or a trip to a clinic or hospital for an X-ray and then once back on American soil, the long delay before an alleged surgery
All of the above bullet points pointed towards a PR stunt for the ages. [But don't mind this "newbie" Spn fan - back in 2014, I was told right off the bat I didn't know what in the heck I was talking about. #eyeroll]
The one big thing I do know is that Jared was eliminated, retired, put out of commission, however one wants to phrase it, on Saturday and "Cockles" took over.
In 2015, Management tried a different route, one much more personal; this time, Jared was given another doctor's note of sorts to excuse him from JibCon. He was given a mental breakdown and skedaddled "home", disappearing to "heal and regroup" while Jensen, Collins & Co. carried on hot-tubbing, touring the sights and dedicating stage music to their runaway comrade.
and
The last picture contains two look-backs. Apparently unfazed by what was supposed to be a rather sensitive and forgetful period of time for their friend, these gentlemen chose to forget that part and said, "hey, remember that time when?!" This glaring callousness alone should have raised more than a few eyebrows.
And yes.... "Cockles" thrived onward.
2016? lol. Well - Management knew it was too risky to try another high profile stunt, so what did they do instead? They brought on board one of the beards - Genevieve Cortese Padalecki so she could babysit, I mean occupy her merkin, i.e., "husband". Even more telling is notice that the beard they brought over was Jared's so that Jensen could be free to run amuck with Misha Collins on Saturday. More proof that the shenanigans of previous years (e.g, Jared's dislocated shoulder and mental breakdown) were strategically planned.
just.....doesn't....quite work, lol.
Nonetheless, her Jared-diversion presence then freed up.....guess who?
Oh, the fumbling hands!
And the whole scheme was working until Jensen had a bit too much of that "apple juice" at the closing ceremony and the green-eyed monster got a hold of his tongue and air quoting fingers. 2:20 in this vid clip is pure gold.
But that kind of acting out is the kind of by-product that Management risked happening by bringing one of the beards onto a live stage situation with these two particular men. There were also gratuitous mentions of Jared having missed the last two JibCons and another "protective brother hug". Yes, this author is putting quote marks around those "hugs" because they've gotten to be a bit scripted and Milkbone-ish.
And so it was at JibCon7. Jus In Bello 2017 was without near the drama, but once again, there was the now-essential J2 bro-hug.
and the "Cockles":
and show-me-yours-and-I'll-show-you-mine [what on earth?]:
Uhh....
For unknown reasons, 2018 was even more rolled back, with mild, lame and reaching "Cockles":
Whereas J2 believers were gifted with this pleasant, romantic moment, when Jared presented Jensen with a balloon bouquet. Who will ever forget this one?
Nah, that was too original, let's re-create in 2019 with Jensen and the meard, minus the balloons, but otherwise close enough to taint the organic:
But as far as breakdowns and broken bones are concerned, perhaps the J's were able to take a year off before 2019's JIB, because Jus In Bello (2018) came and went without incident. With relative calm and ease, in fact,
and then the bottom came unhinged last weekend.
Forced...
— Manon (@mstieldean) May 19, 2019
Miserable? No, not really.
— ٰ (@casclaire) May 19, 2019[now deleted tweet and account]
#jusinbellocon #jib10 #jib10pic #supernatural #spnfamily #JIBWEEK2019 #jibfamily @jusinbellocon @JensenAckles @mishacollins Their laughs warm my heart through and through. pic.twitter.com/Qu1PGONMJ3— JibJess. (@IAmBossypants) May 18, 2019
Proactive.
Because you've always got to compare and let the shippers know that you have seen the meard's junk in order to "know this" #elementarymydearwatson:
So I’m watching all the jib panels and WHY IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THIS!? pic.twitter.com/GtyIhFEILd— 『T』😈😇 (@TONiANN_ROSE) May 22, 2019
Fans, are you catching this one? Make sure now!
— 𝐦𝐨 ☾ (@jensbowlegs) May 20, 2019
Action! This one is just pretty unbelievable.
And let's throw an inflatable unicorn on stage as a mascot for ridiculing and hiding-in-plain-sight taunting:
Is there a metaphor here? What is being said?
There are differing views on whether or not Jensen was really displeased by the Destiel fan shirt and the Destiel ship in its entirety. But who can even tell these days? If Jensen can fake tolerance of a Jared hug,
and here,
and from JibCon7,
it looks like he's well past that 2014 stage of reluctance and displeasure. Let's face it, the "Jared bro-hug and lift" is some of the fandom Kool-Aid, it's part of the whole stage shtick, sometimes kind of cute, pretty proverbial stuff...But in all seriousness, by now it's difficult at best, to argue on behalf of Jensen being "fed up" with Destiel/Cockles when he clearly and proactively encourages the management-manufactured ship. This is proactive behavior, folks:
There is not any wincing, any restraint. Now, is this author answering with a resounding yes to the question, "Is Cockles in any realm, real?" Not hardly. Ackles and Collins are not a One True Pairing; they're not even close to a blind date. Jensen and Jared have been and remain the true OTP. They're so together, they should be the Merriam Webster's definition of OTP.
And make no mistake about it: Cockles and Destiel exist because of the real OTP, J2 and their real-life chemistry bleed into Sam and Dean Winchester. And perhaps with the show winding down, just like the ramping up of the fake marriage to Danneel Harris for lingering effect, Management feels it doesn't hurt to pimp the fake sidepiece. Can't toss away those gay dollars completely, can we?
Here was Jensen at the Upfront's in New York City recently, playing the "I am so ashamed for I hardly see my own children, they live far, far away from me most of the year and my 'wife' is the 'primary caregiver', I'm such a rotten guy and for the fandom, Psst! This translates to I really only wanna be with Jared, neither one of us cares enough about our offspring, this is why we film in Vancouver for nine months out of the year because we are merely sperm donors" card.
It's really a more out-in-the-open version of Jakers "Jake" Gyllenhaal repeating the mantra, "I am not a father, but I would like to be a father someday; it's a dream of mine *sigh*, alas hopefully it's in my life future, if I'm fortunate". Perhaps Jake and Jensen could pull a couple of canes out of the ol' steamer trunk and form a vaudeville act with their rinse and repeat denials?
Jensen's version:
“I often joke with my wife
that she’s a single mom of three with a sugar daddy that lives in different
country. It’d be nice to actually be her partner and give her a little help and
be a dad and see my family.”
And then he mentions something about taking a few
The irony of all this, the extensive effort of 'Cockles' and 'wife' shoehorning, is when Management messes up with this sloppy kind of undermining gaffe, one which originates from this Mother's Day "Ackles family" photo a couple of weekends ago:
Pretty nice, eh? The Ackles children are adorable and then there's beard Danneel's lengthy and self-defensive essay which was pretty eye roll worthy. And it all comes undone by a pair of hands with a two-mile long right middle finger and mis-matched skin tones.
In other words, that is where the conjoining of two different women is taking place, right there in the fingers.
And so then, one needs to ask why is it Danneel who is the one who needs to be photo shopped into this composite picture?
;D
The nonsense isn't liable to ease up or stop anytime soon. Jared and Jensen are nearing the finish line and their public relations team(s) have a set of narratives which need carrying out. And after watching the antics from these past several months, Narnia's weariness of the fandom Kool-Aid (from all factions) has been exhausted. Will we continue to follow Jared and Jensen? Of course - this story is far from over. But when the manipulation of the entire fandom reaches the blatant levels that exist now, there comes a time when someone like myself needs a good, stiff cup of black coffee to snap out of it.
pic sources: Manilea Photography, gfycat, YouTube, giphy,
magnificentwingedbeast, ohmysupernatural,
weheartit, pinterest, donnagaff wordpress, fanpop,
dudewheresmypie, storgram, The Spruce
our playlist: Pop a Top - Alan Jackson
Raise Your Glass - Pink
Closing Time - Semisonic
Homemade Wine - Ozark Mountain Daredevils
