Eminem puts call out for 'Stans' for new documentary on fandom

Eminem is looking for a few good "Stans."

The superstar Detroit rapper put out a call on social media on Wednesday seeking superfans for a new documentary.

"Looking for Stans for a documentary produced by Eminem & Shady films," read a message posted on Eminem's social channels. "To share your story, please answer the questions here," with a link to a questionnaire.

The questionnaire includes queries such as "When/ how did you first hear Eminem?" "Would you consider yourself a 'Stan?'" and "Have you ever been to Detroit?"

Questions also ask whether Eminem's music has helped people through difficult times, or whether there are any parts of Em's story they personally relate to. There's also a question asking how they were impacted by Eminem's break from music and touring in 2005.

Applicants are also asked to upload a 1 minute video of themselves explaining their Eminem fandom.

The untitled documentary, which is being co-produced by Eminem and his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg, was originally announced in February and is directed by Steven Leckart (2020's "Challenger: The Final Flight"). It is slated for release later this year.

A synopsis for the film released in February described the project as a "revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of superfandom, told through the lens of one of the world's most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him."

Eminem's "Stan" was released in 2000 and was the third single released from "The Marshall Mathers LP." The song, which is about an obsessive Eminem fan who takes his admiration for the rapper too far, is built around a sample of British singer Dido's 1998 track "Thank You."

While the song details the dark side of fame and the obsessive nature of fandoms, "Stans" and "Stan culture" have become shorthand terms for fans over the last quarter century, embraced and even used as a term of endearment by and for those it describes. "Stan" eventually found its way into the Merriam-Webster dictionary, where it is defined as "an extremely or excessively enthusiastic and devoted fan."

The song, which was produced by Eminem and Mark "The 45 King" James, passed the 1 billion streams marker on Spotify in December 2023. On YouTube, its Devon Sawa-starring music video has been seen more than 711 million times.

agraham@detroitnews.com