DOOL Exposes the Dark Side of Fandom — Reel vs. Real and Obsession Gone Too Far

Days of Our Lives spoilers and updates reveal the soap addressed a very important problem recently and worked it into the dialogue; we’re talking about reel versus real and obsessed fans. This week on the show, Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) received several obsessive fan letters that really disturbed Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) who’d had obsessed fans of his own.

What Is Meant By “Reel Versus Real”?

You may have heard the term “reel versus real” and wondered what is meant by it-in the episode that aired December 4, Alex described it perfectly to Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols).

Alex said that when he was acting and playing a character in the soap in a soap “Body and Soul” he had fans who wrote to him as his character.

They couldn’t tell the difference between the real person and the part that he played, and unfortunately for many actors, it’s a real thing.

Right now the best example is the most maligned actor because of the part he plays-he  isn’t one from Days of Our Lives, but from the ABC soap General Hospital.

Cameron Mathison is constantly the recipient of hateful social media posts, and he mentioned people have recognized him in the grocery store and pelted him with fruit, thinking he’s evil Drew Cain!

Obsessed Fans-They Can Be Dangerous

It’s a well-known fact that obsessed fans can be dangerous-whether they’re obsessed with the character or the actor. It looks like Days of Our Lives is beginning an obsessed fan storyline with Stephanie, and it may be her former stalker Owen Kent (Wes Ramsey).

An interesting coincidence related to the aforementioned Cameron Mathison is Wes also played a hated villain on General Hospital, but Wes didn’t get the heat over Peter August that Cameron does over Drew!

Sometimes fans become obsessed with the character and can’t tell the difference from the actor behind the character, other times they become obsessed with the actor.

Actress Eva LaRue recently made a tv movie about her experience of a crazed fan who became her stalker, and the stalking went on for years.

A Recent Preview Shows Steve Grabbing A Man Who Appears To Be Owen Kent

Since the show has not officially confirmed that Wes Ramsey will be reprising his old character Owen Kent, who stalked Stephanie before, it’s possible he’ll play a new character.

But it appears he will be the one who’s been writing the obsessive letters, since Steve involved a contact who analyzes handwriting-even though they couldn’t identify the writer.

And going by the way Steve grabs him, he looks to be the type of obsessed fan who becomes dangerous.

There may also be a real versus reel twist that has the obsessed fan in love with a character in the book who he believes is the author, namely Stephanie. Keep watching, this seems to be a story worth telling.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with DOOL right now. Come back here often for Days Of Our Lives spoilers, news, and updates.