BronyCon Draws 4,000 Virgins to NJ To Celebrate Everything My Little Pony
As we reported earlier, BronyCon got its little pony on this weekend, with an overnight celebration of the My Little Pony fandom attracting more than 4,000 revelers in an event described as similar to “a Grateful Dead concert.”
BronyCon is not an entirely new concept to people who attend fandom conventions, but the phenomenon of Bronies is perhaps a new one to much of society.
If you’ve escaped hearing about bronies since they came to be, we’ll bring you up to speed. As with many retro toy franchises, My Little Pony has been reinvented again and again — and perhaps you’ve seen or heard about the most recent redux, called Friendship is Magic.
The MLP restyling was created by Powerpuff Girls and Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends alum Lauren Faust — and being as those were perhaps the two awesomest cartoons of the past decade, it’s probably no surprise that Friendship is Magic caught on even with adults. But the fact that it caught on in particular with young adult men was kind of a shock, and thus “bronies” were born.
How much can a young, adult male like My Little Pony? Enough to travel to Seacaucus, New Jersey to commune for a weekend with fellow MLP fans at a convention called BronyCon. Their numbers were estimated at around 4,000 attendees, which — lest we forget — consisted largely of adult males who had traveled overnight to be at the first BronyCon.
One attendee, 25-year-old Dale Fjordbotten, gave the AP a basic Brony 101 lecture
“I thought about what people would say. ‘It’s creepy. It’s weird. It’s a … show for little girls,’ …It’s just a great show … the story line, the plot, the beautiful animation.”
19-year-old James Penna of Mastic was unashamed of his Brony status:
“I discovered that there’s nothing to be ashamed of being a Brony… People are into what they’re into.”
Faust herself was at BronyCon, and she lauded her Brony fans for bucking stereotypes and loving Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie without reservation — she explained:
“We live in a society where saying that something is for girls is the equivalent to saying that something is stupid, or saying that something isn’t worthwhile,” Faust said.
“I think that’s awful and I think that kind of attitude needs to be changed,” she said. “And these men are doing it. … They’re proud that they’re forward-thinking and modern enough to look past this misogynistic attitude.”
Faust and others are working on a Brony documentary filmed in part at BronyCon 2012.
Tags : Bill Clinton, bronies, brony, brony hate, bronycon, bronycon 2012, fandom, fandom culture, friendship is magic, MLP, my little pony
Posted: July 2, 2012
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Jul 2, 2012
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Jul 3, 2012
what's this f'd up world coming to?
Jul 3, 2012
I know right. It's just another outlet pedophiles use to get sexual release.
Jul 3, 2012
Pathetic and weird. Grow up and be a real man!
Jul 4, 2012
i know right? when 85 percent of the fan base is just normal, straight guys with normal lives. somehow you think that just because some people enjoy a show you think they are perves? really see you have evolved in terms of respect and tolerance. but whatever, MLP is one fun show and haters, as always, are just going to hate.
Jul 4, 2012
Oh look a ponyfag came to defend his "bronies". Sorry but they are all manchildren to me stuck in a fantasy world that jack off to MLP erotica. Damn close to pedophilia if you ask me.
Jul 4, 2012
Men need to be men,not sissies dressed in My Little Pony costumes.
Jul 4, 2012
well hey, we'll still love and tolerate the shit out of all you haters. its fine to be ignorant, we are not going to judge you
Jul 4, 2012
I couldn't agree more. It makes me sick that we have good men and women defending this country that could be killed at any second. Yet we have these pussy pedophiles meeting up and jacking off to cartoons, pathetic.
Jul 4, 2012
Only childish idiots use the term 'hater', fyi. Ever heard of a little book called a thesaurus? Invest in one.
Jul 5, 2012
Being one who went to the convention, I can say that it was bucking awesome! On a side note, not sure where that pictures from, that's definitely not part of the convention center :/
Jul 5, 2012
It's a show for LITTLE GIRLS! Come on now! Don't be a pussy. Be a man!
Jul 5, 2012
How old are you?
Jul 5, 2012
I feel like i'm going to get a ton of crap for this, but 14 :I
Jul 7, 2012
Say that to the men and women in the armed services that are Bronies. Go figure, eh?
Jul 9, 2012
It's funny you say that, John, as the brony community as a rather huge military backing. There are many who even brought figurines with them on deployment (and have pictures to prove such). From what I've heard talking to them, the wind down of being in hostile territory with every day being increasingly stressful is necessary. And there's no wind down like that of pink ponies.
Jul 9, 2012
And to Corinna, .. who are you to judge others for what they enjoy as a hobby? You have a profile picture of your cat. I could honestly judge you multiple ways for having cat pictures up instead of yourself but .. it's your own prerogative.
Jul 29, 2012
I was there as well; I'm 17. /)
It's sad how people can't understand that there's nothing wrong with liking a good cartoon. Why do they have to resort to calling us girly or pedophiles? Both are so far from the truth.
I can only think of a couple people that compared to this article's image out of the 4,000+ that was there. Everyone else either dressed normally or pulled off their cosplays perfectly fine.
Sep 27, 2012
I agree completely Corinna. To those in the armed services it is impossible to weed out all the weirdos and to Andrew judging someone on them having a cat profile picture and possibly having a hobby of cats is completely different than an adult watching and enjoying a little girls T.V. show especially to the point that you dress up like a pony… so as Corinna said "Grow up and be a real man!"
Oct 2, 2012
Why is it, that if a girl likes something made for boys, it's absolutely normal and even cool and if a boy likes something made for girls, it's weird and creepy?
Oct 2, 2012
Wie, du bist ein Brony?
Oct 2, 2012
Not an excessive one^^
Oct 2, 2012
Because watching a show that teaches good morals is unmanly. Hmmm I'd like to direct you to this wonderful person
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNryNfvcQlY
Dusty, the manliest brony in the world.
Oct 5, 2012
^Faith, please. Grown-ass men watching a stupid ass kiddie program is still lame. Esp. a stupid 'show' such as this, which attempts wit. Sorry, but you're wrong.
Oct 5, 2012
So, expressing my opinion about a genuinely good show is now considered incorrect? As Walt Disney once said, "If you aim for kids your dead. Adults are just kids grown up." Men are allowed to watch an entertaining show, just like everyone else. It's like hating someone for not having the same taste in clothes, music, or literature. It's just what they like, no need to hate someone because of it. There are FAR worse things to like than a cleverly written, fun to watch show.
Oct 5, 2012
Whatever, child. This show is pretty much written in the same mold as that lame 90's cast-off 'Tiny Toon adventures', which is to say, it tries(and FAILS) to reference other pop culture in some lame attempt to come off as 'hip' or 'cool'. Which is LAME. It wasn't funny in the 90's, and it certainly isn't now. And not only that, it tries to be serious, and kiddy. Once again, LAME. A show can't be all things to all people. Unless it's this waste of cable. And those watching are the vapid, ADHD-afflicted, 'instant gratification' chumps for whom this drek was specifically tailored.
Oct 5, 2012
@Kitsune:
And those 'men' and women bronies in uniform are probably chumps who enlisted under the 'promise' of 'free college money', which is to say, idiots that give our REAL fighting men a bad name..
Oct 5, 2012
Don't judge shows you've obviously haven't watched. Not only is it nothing like it's absolutely horrid 90's ancestor, but it doesn't even try to be "hip" or "cool" or use "totally radical" language. It just tries to be a good show, which it succeeds in.
Oct 5, 2012
Nonsense. And 'trying' doesn't equate to 'actually being'. And hell NO, I won't watch a stupid kiddie show. Or is it an 'adult stuck in the body of a kid' show? Whatever, it's not my thing. And not only that, it's not very bloody original, as I'm sure there was a MLP show back in the 80's, if I'm not mistaken..
Oct 5, 2012
That's a terrible assumption you made there.
Oct 5, 2012
You know what? Never mind. As it seems you've missed the entire point of my above post, I've decided you are indeed too idiotic to even bother arguing with. I guess what I've learned is that apparently liking a show is wrong, and should be discouraged. Thank you for opening my eyes to what I've been missing this entire time. That kids shouldn't be taught good morals and kids shows that are for everyone shouldn't exist. Thank you so much for your insights.
Oct 5, 2012
And I've decided you're too childish to have a convo with. You get your poor widdle feelings hurt because I can't agree with you. Fascist. Grow up, child. Not everyone can, or wants, to watch the same crap as you. You're just some spoiled, pea-brained infant that wants to start arguments, then goes on a stupid little tantrum because they(whoever you decide to argue with) won't agree with you. But what do you expect from some sheep who watches a stupid piece of crap-toon?
Oct 5, 2012
And as for 'teaching morals', that's what PARENTS are for, duh! And hell, there are better shows out there for those purposes, such as Sesame Street, for instance? Heck it worked for past generations upon past generations. But whatever, you're just a part of the braindead generation, who's content to let crappy tv raise the kids. Pathetic. It naturally figures you like this crap. Child.
Oct 5, 2012
Gosh, I sure love how much you're calling me child. Very nice insult I must agree. Yes, parents are supposed to teach morals, I know that. I'm absolutely not content with parents not raising their kids poorly. What I meant to say is that this show is a good alternative to most of the shows on a channel like Nickelodeon. Now I'm also not saying Nickelodeon is terrible and shouldn't exist, I'm just saying MLP is a good alternative for some of the shows. I'm also not telling you to watch it. I'm just saying you shouldn't accuse a show of something if you haven't watched it. I do agree however, that some bronies are….. a little too enthusiastic. I also agree that most of the fanbase is also very annoying about getting people to watch the show. Now then, as this argument was pretty much pointless and we didn't get anything out of having it, we should probably stop.
Oct 5, 2012
No, it's just stupid for grown MEN to watch this drek. Esp, when I suspect that they know they had a lot better to watch when THEY were kids. And honestly, this crappy excuse for televised programming looks like it has a million-and-one influences; Which is to say it ripped off material from a bunch of different places. american animation is dead. Sure, it jolts back to life every once in a while(e.g.: Ren & Stimpy, The Adv. of Flapjack…and that's all i can think of at the mo.), but all in all, it's crap now. Not just in terms of visual style, but in actual story material. Yes, A kids' show should teach morals(parents are too lazy, now), but to masquerade it like this, as something that attempts hipness, is dumb.
Oct 6, 2012
I'm a brony, and I'm about to be shipped off to Fort Benning for basic training. Want to say that again, John?
Oct 6, 2012
Hey, anti-bronies, ever hear of a thing called 'Military Bronies'? I am one, and I can tell you me and my fellow servicemen and servicewomen that enjoy My Little Pony aren't a bunch of pussies as you make us out to be.
Do you honestly want to disrespect the men and women fighting on the front lines trying to keep you safe, while you sit on your pathetic fat asses, dissing people who happen to like a show. You make me fucking sick.
Nov 10, 2012
Pathetic headline.
Nov 11, 2012
I really don't mind what these people do or care, just that some of them can uh give some bad names to somo homos that aren't into this "thing" >>; specially when you see hetero dickwads who can be into this but still be retarded teasers making fun of gay people by acting all fucking fruity and think its CUTE to act like your into dudes GAWD my head!
Jan 10, 2013
I feel ashamed to have the same name as you, Corinna… :[
Yay for liking things and not caring what judgmental assholes think!