I want to be perfectly up front about what we do here.
This is not a serious publication. I’m not an academic. I never took a course on filmmaking. If that’s your bag, you’ll probably be more comfortable someplace else.
I write about pop culture because I love it. And for me, loving it means gently poking fun at it.
All the Fanfare is an irreverent celebration of pop culture. I think deeply about this stuff. I also believe laughing is underrated. Which is how I can write a 24-minute read about Point Break’s bromance; there’s a lot to love there, and also to laugh about. (That post is exclusive to paid supporters—saved you a click—though you can read the first 1k words for free.)
I mainly write about movies and TV shows. Sometimes I cover video games and stuff like Dungeons & Dragons. My focus is squarely on 1980s - 2010s. I write about newer stuff, but if I have a superpower, it’s my enthusiasm for mining the familiar for fresh thoughts.
I’m also deeply aware of my own mortality, which is why I treat traditional pop culture fare—previews, reviews, gossip—like a vampire encountering the sun. I don’t want to spend my days writing stuff nobody will care about in a month.
My focus: long-form, evergreen articles that are entertaining and informative. Quality at the expense of quantity. 100% organic. Hand-crafted. Would it be too cheeky if I called them artisanal?
If you’re curious, here’s a longer mission statement, which employs Dwight Schrute, Batman (1989), and The Matrix in making my case.
About Me
Everything you need to know can be found here:
I was born 9 months after Star Wars premiered in 1977, which naturally suggests my mom’s womb quickened on its own after she saw the film. I get it—these movies make me feel things too. I learned about all the gender parts in health class but they neglected to teach us how babies are really made.
I’m not saying I’m a Chosen One, only that I wasn’t ready to be born into a world without Star Wars.
If you need, like, credentials or something: I’ve freelanced at many of the largest pop culture outlets. I quit because corporations claim story rights forever, in exchange for a few hundred bucks, which is not the best deal; I'd rather own my stuff in perpetuity.
Platform Bookkeeping
All the Fanfare is hosted on two platforms.
I use Substack for newsletters and Ghost for traditional web stuff. It’s a best-of-both-worlds scenario. Substack has a great network effect and is built for newsletters; Ghost is a superior web platform that also has email capabilities.
Ghost: allthefanfare.com
Substack: newsletter.allthefanfare.com
When you subscribe to either site, I also add you to the other. You’ll get emails from both. The main difference—the stuff posted to Ghost tends to be longer and evergreen, Substack tends to be shorter, more topical, and more personal.
I require a free subscription to read articles on allthefanfare.com because AI is a blight. More about that.
