(Con)fusing Identities
Joanna Colangelo
A Merging of Worlds: The YouTube Factor
Having explored the ways in which Hargitay fans have taken her "Internet image," blended it with Olivia Benson's and created community in doing so, we can now fully understand how Benson/Hargitay's audience has come to deconstruct her two identities and reconstruct a third based on various personality traits—both real and fictional. Before addressing the role which Youtube plays in this identity reconstruction, it is necessary to assume the logical connection between the fan videos being uploaded on Youtube and "fan music videos," as Henry Jenkins has labeled them, which both preceded the technology, and yet still coexist within it today.
Jenkins devotes an extensive discussion to fan music videos (or vidfic) in 1992's Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture, his study on the influences of fan participation in a culture of media. By "using home videotape recorders and inexpensive copy-cards," Jenkins writes, "fan artists appropriate 'found footage' from broadcast television and re-edit it to express their particular slant on the program, linking series images to music similarly appropriated from commercial culture"(225). The videos, Jenkins concludes, serve the purpose of tapping into the audience's "pre-existing fascination with characters, relying on their familiarity with core narratives to construct a context where this sequence of [edited] shots makes sense"(238). The fan music videos, therefore, serve to represent an imagined plotline or character subtext, while constructing the fictional stories out of the authenticity of television clips. Jenkins bases his analyses on four main texts required to extrapolate meaning from these videos: the actual television program, the perceived subtext, the music used to convey unspoken, "new" narratives underneath the spliced footage and the final edited fan video. When incorporating a fifth text of the Internet, and thus the interpretation of how the Internet plays into the manipulation of the subtext that fans are trying to expose—or rewrite—through these videos, the influence of the celebrity plays an important role in defining character mutations through vidfic. Given the visibility and accessibility of celebrity interaction with their fan bases through the Internet, it seems only reasonable to suggest that as the technology of the Internet has evolved, so has the concept and purpose of identity construction through vidfic.
Prior to Internet fan-celebrity relations, fans may have been splicing images of characters together to create (or unearth) an alternate meaning of program text, yet they were operating in the realm of Dyer's "really." Assuming that Dyer is correct and that fans are "obsessively and incessantly searching...for the real and authentic" (quoted in Marshall, 17), one could logically assume that the role of actor (or celebrity) in relation to character manipulation would be pointedly missing from pre-Internet fan videos. As long as the videos operated solely within the realm of fantasy, authenticity could be as real or as imagined as the audience desired. As long as the identity of the celebrity who plays a character is plagued with the question of "really," that celebrity has no real place in the creation of fan videos—for such "inauthenticity" could compromise the fantasy of fan constructed character identity and relations. However, if we see the Internet as a way to circumvent the question of a celebrity's true authentic identity, then it is natural that this identity would make its way into vidfic—especially if such an identity shares in traits with the actor's television identity. In this sense, we can see the vidfic being posted on Youtube as revolutionary in its facilitation of reconstructing identity not solely out of a television character or a celebrity, but out of both, and in the process building a third character who is neither a fictional nor human being. Moreover, Youtube ultimately negates the roles of celebrity and audience—by creating an audience out of celebrities and by creating producers (and even quasi-celebrities) out of fans. The result, then, is this post-modern realm of online fandom where there exists no defined role of character, celebrity or fan.
By looking at Youtube's vidfic representations of identity convergence of Olivia Benson and Mariska Hargitay, we can begin to explore the third and final step of online celebrity identity construction. First, it is important to note that, like the mash-ups that came before it, Benson's Youtube videos do include an extensive database of slash videos (with Elliot Stabler, Alex Cabot and Casey Novak). However I will be dealing predominately with the videos categorized specifically as "Olivia Benson," as it is solely that character's identity which is being merged with Hargitay's. In order to understand the degree to which the videos pull from both Benson and Hargitay, we should begin by addressing how the fan videos are "tagged;" that is, what key words the users have attached to their videos in order to facilitate accessibility when users are searching the website for videos. Within this category, one must also discuss the titles that fans give to their work. Second, I will employ a fairly standard textual analysis to the videos in order to explore the new identity of Benson/Hargitay. It may also be worthwhile—if not a bit too speculative—to speculate the extent to which this third identity is influencing the future plot lines of SVU.
To a certain extent, this vidfic analysis will be superficial—the number of videos tagged as "Olivia Benson" exceeds 300 and the videos tagged "Olivia Benson" and "Mariska Hargitay" approaches 100. It is nearly impossible to make a definitive analysis of the videos as the very nature of Youtube vidfic lends itself to the fluidity and evolution of the fans. On any given day, the number of videos and the content of the videos can change according to character and plot developments. In other words, any concrete statement that I may make about these videos today, may be disproved tomorrow. That said, we can first reference the "tags" as indicative of the identity convergence between these two characters. The tags that fans associate with their videos serve a practical purpose of organization; they are used as searchable "key words" which help to direct users to specific and related clips. Naturally, then, a clip tagged "Olivia Benson," might also be tagged with "Law and Order: SVU." Uniquely, however, Benson videos are likewise tagged with "Mariska Hargitay," though such videos do not necessarily include clips of the actual Mariska Hargitay (conversely, other "Mariska Hargitay" tags are attached to clips of the "real" actress on talk shows or at awards shows). Such a labeling process could signify an initial movement toward identifying Benson as Hargitay or Hargitay as Benson; yet when looking at the titles of the videos tagged with both women's names, we can formulate a crisper image of the identity convergence.
Having already outlined the character traits of Benson and the image which Hargitay is portraying to her fans via her websites, it is not surprising to discover the tone of vidfic surrounding these two identities. With the videos being tagged in both Benson and Hargitay categories, it is natural to conclude that the titles implicate both identities—should a fan truly wish to construct a fan video based solely on the character of Olivia Benson, the video need not be associated, then, with Hargitay. However, this is the virtual point at which the two identities merge and a third is born. In naming only a few titles of these videos: Beautifully Broken, Tears of the Memory, Return to Innocence, I'm Okay—Olivia Benson, Hero, Olivia Benson Fanvid,—Alone I Break, Traits of a Hero and I Bruise Easily, we can see the emergence of two recurrent thematic tones: strength and vulnerability. Both themes are clearly indicative of the identities set forth by the producers of SVU (in the case of Benson) and by Hargitay (in relation to her own websites). Effectively, Benson and Hargitay have achieved a credible level of authenticity with their fans. Had they not, there would have been no reliable foundation on which to elaborate on these traits. The role of the Internet here, is markedly significant; through her online interaction with fans, Hargitay's celebrity becomes less distant—she becomes less of a "star persona," to quote Dyer, and she becomes more identifiable (and therefore, more "real"), than that of her celebrity. Consequently, fans can tag these videos under the names of both identities, since the images in the clips are representative of the multiple impressions of her identity.
Equally significant as these titles are the other titles that blatantly merge Benson and Hargitay. (It is also important to note here, the subtitles or descriptions of the videos, as well.) Put simply, the titles of direct identity fusion include: A [sic] Olivia Benson Story, Mariska, Clips of Olivia Benson/Mariska Hargitay and Mariska Hargitay/Olivia Benson. The first video, A Olivia Benson Story, [12] does, indeed create a fictional Benson plot; however, the video is only tagged (in other words, only identified) with "Mariska Hargitay" and "SVU." Thus, should a user attempt to search for an Olivia Benson fan video, A Olivia Benson Story, would not actually appear in the search; it would however, appear should a user only enter "Mariska Hargitay" in the search field. In the example of the video simply titled, Mariska, [13] the subtitle reads, "Mariska Hargitay video," except that nowhere in the video is the actual person of Mariska Hargitay present—the video is comprised solely of Olivia Benson clips. Interestingly, audience responses to this video range from acknowledging Benson's identity ("love this one the most out of all the svu/benson videos ^^ sooo well done") to connecting Hargitay as Benson ("Thanks for that video it was really powerful. I think the song was a great choice the song almost made me cry. I love Mariska"). Again, what should be noted here, is that the actual images being broadcast are not of Mariska Hargitay outside of the realm of television, but those of Olivia Benson—however, the Internet perpetuated ambiguities surrounding these characters has made it nearly impossible—at least in certain fans' eyes—to distinguish between the two, as shown in the responses to these videos. Further, the Mariska video received 38 user responses, all of which were complimentary to the video creator (fan), as well as, Benson and Hargitay. In this instance, there emerges a shift in roles between fan and celebrity. As much as Hargitay is being complimented on her performances in this clip, so is the video editor in his efforts. At least virtually, the fan is slowly becoming the celebrity and the celebrity is becoming the audience to her own performance—a performance which has now been successfully appropriated by her fans for the purposes of vidfic.
A similar, but perhaps even more drastic example of this phenomenon is exemplified by a clip titled, Mariska Hargitay SVU. [14] I purposefully use the word "clip" to introduce this "video," as this example is not at all vidfic; it is, instead, a short clip from the episode "911" which aired during season seven. While I will discuss this particular clip in more detail in the following textual analysis, it is important to describe the clip in this context. The video, Mariska Hargitay SVU, is only forty-three seconds long and the brief scene that it presents is a re-broadcast (it is not obscured by music or editing) of Olivia Benson "loosing" a child over the phone to a pedophile, after having spent over two hours on the phone with the victim. In a rare character moment, we see Benson—perhaps for the first time in the show's run—fully lose control of her emotions. However, nowhere—not in the title or tagging—of this clip are the words, "Olivia Benson." The title clearly refers to Mariska Hargitay and the tags only specify, "Mariska Hargitay" and "SVU." This clip, therefore, can be seen as the unobscured counterpart to the Mariska video. Where fan fiction and fan-imposed editing and manipulation fueled the identity convergence of Benson and Hargitay in Mariska, Mariska Hargitay SVU is a broadcast in its "purest" form, yet it still successfully connects the identity of character and celebrity.
It is significant, however, that the particular clip from "911," was posted as its own video, since that same clip has found its way into nearly every Benson/Hargitay fan video. Before discussing the final video, Mariska Hargitay/Olivia Benson, a representative example of fiction and reality merging so extensively that they are one in the same, we must first discuss the images of Benson/Hargitay that are perpetuated by these fan videos. Surely, the titles of the videos suggest a sense of vulnerability associated with Benson/Hargitay, and, in the context of SVU, this reading is certainly accurate. The motivations behind Benson wanting to be an SVU detective, alone, are exemplary of her vulnerability. However, the degree to which vidfic is constructing Benson as vulnerable, is unproportionate to Benson's vulnerability on the actual show. Fans have achieved this sort of heightened emotionality by reusing approximately the same ten clips in which Olivia Benson is either glassy eyed or has momentarily cried (note the significance of the "911" clip here, as the one moment where Benson fully cried). Jenkins has already acknowledged the repetitive use of the same images to evoke different meanings; his results deal primarily with how the audience reads the final fan videos differently, based on their own relationship with the subject or character (238). Given the background that the Internet has provided us with Hargitay's, (should we say "authentic") identity and her fans' reactions to this identity via message boards, it seems plausible to conclude first, what attracts fans to Benson and Hargitay (here taking the fans' lead in seeing the two as embodying similar, if not the same, traits) and second, what encourages fans to overemphasize Benson/Hargitay's vulnerability.
The fans' need to "soften," the character of Benson through vidfic appears to rely on a need to identify with the character and perhaps also to bring her closer to Hargitay's identity. While the traits that Benson and Hargitay share have already been established, Hargitay's identity is significantly less aggressive than Benson's simply because she is not a New York City police officer. Where Benson's vulnerability may be shown once or twice in a season (and continuously in vidfic), Hargitay is not bound by the restraints of her character's gun-totting exterior. In essence, the image that fans have come to construct of Mariska Hargitay through her website and through her work with the Joyful Heart Foundation, includes all of the empathetic traits of Benson, but without any of the roughness of a New York City detective. Therefore, vidfic that focuses solely on the vulnerability of Benson could simply be an attempt to modify the identity of Benson by adopting her sympathetic traits and combining them with coexisting Hargitay traits. One could speculate that if the "engaged" fans on Hargitay's websites and message boards were overwhelmingly survivors of rape and sexual assault, then, at least to some extent, the fans behind these fan videos are likely operating within a similar situation. By creating a Benson/Hargitay that is both strong and vulnerable, a fan could conceivably construct an accessible cyber-personality who could "[talk] to me, when [she] counsels the victims on the show," as "mariskafan23" wrote in her post to Hargitay on the ezboard forum.
Perhaps the strongest example of this identity convergence is shown through the aptly named fan video, Mariska Hargitay/Olivia Benson. [15] The title alone suggests its tone and content; yet the video's description and subtitle speak perhaps the loudest of its intensions. Advertised with the line, "Mariska and Olivia, are eagles when they fly," the video begins with the following credits: "Detective Olivia Benson—aka, Mariska Hargitay." This initial titling is significant as it directly emulates a post from a message on SVU's Internet Movie Database forum, on which a user referred to either Benson or Hargitay as, "Oliska." [16] As the Mariska Hargitay/Olivia Benson video begins, it is fairly standard in exemplifying typical Benson vidfic; as much as Benson's vulnerability is shown through the standard emotional clips, we also see her fiercely protecting her victims (pointing her gun at perps, driving in high speed chases and getting shot at for the sake of capturing a rapist). However, about midway through the video, the Benson scenes are spliced with Hargitay clips. When the singer says, "she's a mother," we see a clip of Hargitay holding her son. When the singer says, "she's a wife," we see another clip of Hargitay dancing with her husband. These images are presented in stark contrast to the unmarried and childless Benson, yet the video works as credible—it has received the highest rating possible on Youtube's rating system (five stars) and has garnered reviews from fans stating, "AMAZING VIDEO! I loved it so much," "WOW! Thats really good maybe even the best one yet!," and "I loved this video and the pics you put in, where did you find them?" While the images of Hargitay as a mother may serve to humanize and soften Benson's hard-hitting persona, they likewise reinforce her identity as a protector and provider. Thus, the questions remain, is this a video of Benson or of Hargitay—or did the manipulation of images out of context create a third person in the eyes of the audience? Perhaps, the better question to ask is: does the visibility of Youtube serve to broadcast not only "yourself," as its tagline suggests, but the desires of entire online fan communities, and are these desires heard more clearly by television producers and writers as a result of being vocalized far beyond the walls of traditional fan conventions? To this end, is it possible to speculate whether SVU executives are actively watching Youtube in order to read their audience for teaser SVU tips, thus ultimately becoming part of their own audience in the process?