| More than a hundred and sixty reality stars descended on Las Vegas, for BravoCon, where they were pulled apart by their harshest critics, who also happen to be their most diehard fans.  Photograph by Sinna Nasseri The animating idea behind most fan conventions is the desire of devotees to gain closer access to their favorite characters, shows, or products, while enjoying the warm embrace of a community of like-minded attendees. The scene at BravoCon, in Las Vegas, where so-called Bravoholics spent thousands of dollars to mingle among the reality-star Bravolebrities who appear on such franchises as “Real Housewives” and “Below Deck,” was a little different. Sure, there were the usual panel discussions, product booths, themed food and drinks, and ever more exclusive V.I.P. packages. But, as Doreen St. Félix writes, in a fascinating, funny, and deeply incisive report from the convention, “the medieval ambience of the word ‘fandom’ fails to capture the attractive aspect of Bravo fans, who are not moonstruck lovers of the network’s properties.” Instead, she writes, “a Bravoholic is a critic and a judge. She prefers to live outside of the fantasy, as so much pleasure is to be had in her analysis of it. . . . The voyeur at home has always wanted to activate her gifts of judgment—to produce the action, in other words—and at the Con she finds herself ‘on set.’ ” St. Félix examines what happens for fans when reality TV mixes with reality. Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » | 
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