Shipping lol

My nine year old likes to watch iCarly on the telly, and the overt anti-Britishness aside, it's one of the better, funnier, less irritating kids programmes that he watches. Today he was watching an episode where the protagonists (Carly, Sam and Freddy) go to 'Webcon' to do a panel for their fans. Freddy 'likes' Carly but Carly only likes Freddy so they are friends only, but inevitably the fans think/hope that they are 'together'.

It made me laugh so much because when asked they say of course not, they're just friends, but then the fans all start producing quotes and screenshots and videos that prove without doubt that really they do love each other. Even when told very firmly 'no' by the actual individuals, the fans won't accept it. It reminded me hugely of all the Harry/Hermione vs Harry/Ginny shippers in the early years of HP and also, of course, H/D shippers like me, who scour canon for evidence of slashy goodness, and the Zebraswan shippers in figure skating, who obsess over videos of hand holding and throw jumps (that's me too).

When your real life starts being reflected in tween tv programmes, what does that say? Maybe I should get out more.