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When Beyonce Fans Attack: Inside The Beyhive

By now, this should be news to no one: You do not mess with Beyonce.

Kid Rock learned this firsthand when he sparked the fury of her fanatical fans after he dissed the “Drunk In Love” songstress during an interview with Rolling Stone, prompting her loyal followers to attack by commenting on every photo he’s ever posted to Instagram with a swarm of bee emojis. The bees represent the Beyhive, devoted Beyonce lovers who were probably big fans of The Beygency.

The phenomenon of zealous fans who find an identity around high-profile entertainers is nothing new. There are the Little Monsters, the Beliebers, the Barbies, the Directioners; decades before any of those, Deadheads made a hobby out of their obsession with drugs and Jerry Garcia. But the Beyhive may be the most vociferous fandom of all.

What makes Beyonce fans — and fans in general — so rabidly defensive of the object of their affection? And do their acts of digital attack cross the line? To find out, HuffPost Live’s Caitlyn Becker took a deep dive into the nature of fandom on Tuesday. Check out the full conversation in the video above.

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