Almost all teenagers are fans of something, whether it be a sports team, a band, or a particular celebrity. However, some overzealous teens go too far, stepping over the fine line between “fan” and “fanatical, crazy stalker.” Commonly referred to as “fangirls” and “fanboys,” these people take their obsessions to new heights that are potentially harmful to themselves and their beloved celebrity. To be plain and simple, this excessive behavior needs to stop.

A popular pastime of many obsessive fans is stalking. Some stalk celebrities in public. Others are more daring, and attempt to get a glimpse of celebrities in their own homes. “I think it’s crazy when fans are that obsessed with celebrities,” said Senior Nikkie Nadera. “In a way, it’s kind of sad, too. They should be doing something better with their time.”

Websites such as Twitter and Tumblr have increased normal fans’ accessibility to celebrities, but they have also turned into a breeding ground for rabid fangirls and fanboys.  For example, according to Soda Head’s website, some Justin Bieber fans (also known as “Beliebers”) sent death threats over Twitter to his girlfriend Selena Gomez after the two of them spent a vacation in Hawaii (sodahead.com).

Such behavior is absurd. First of all, legally, no one has the right to send death threats to anyone, let alone a girl who hasn’t done anything wrong. Secondly, fans need to realize that whatever Bieber, or any celebrity, for that matter, does with his love life is his business, and his alone.

A lot of these crazed fans’ actions probably derive from modern society’s constant focus on the superstar lifestyle.  According to the Huffington Post, as of 2009, the tabloid People reportedly had 43.6 million adult readers, the largest amount in the United States (huffingtonpost.com). In fact, tabloid magazines are nearly all that can been seen as you wait in line to pay for your groceries, covered with headlines that announce who’s getting married/divorced or who is pregnant. These magazine publishers want you to be involved in these celebrities’ lives like they are part of some sort of bad soap opera.

However, asking for all celebrity gossip magazines to disappear is asking for a bit much. It would be nice, though, if some of the more obsessed fans could keep the stalking and death threats to a minimum. Celebrities would surely appreciate it.