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Music fans of a certain age (ahem) remember the days when Eminem swaggered through the streets of New York City with legions of bleached-blonde, baggy-jeaned lookalikes in tow during an iconic performance of the rap star's hit "The Real Slim Shady" at the 2000 Video Music Awards. Now, 25 years later, you can prove your own Marshall Mathers doppelganger bonafides during a "Stan" lookalike contest tomorrow.
For you youngins, the now-commonplace term "stan" (which has warped from its original meaning of "an obsessive, unstable fan" to anyone with a personal passion for a particular star) is pulled directly from Eminem's rap oeuvre, originating from the 2000 song of the same name. (The word was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017.) In the track's memorable, eight-minute music video, actor Devon Sawa portrays the titular Stan, an obsessive Eminem fan who models his looks after the rapper and turns violent when the musician doesn't respond to his letters.
On Tuesday, August 6 at 3pm, as part of a larger "STANS" immersive pop-up held in collaboration by Eminem and Complex, participants can pull up to 620 Broadway in Soho in their best Stan ensembles (think white tees and bleached hair) for a chance to win a special prize. It's the latest in a wave of lookalike contests that have crashed onto NYC streets, centered on Timothée Chalamet, Pedro Pascal, Adam Sandler and more.
Held for one day only, from 11am to 7pm on August 6, the curated pop-up experience is in celebration of the release of Eminem's new documentary film STANS, which is a deep exploration on the nature of fandom and examines the famously private rapper and his complicated relationship with his legendary public persona. The doc will premiere tomorrow evening at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in the Seaport.
Along with the lookalike contest, the "STANS" pop-up will allow fans to shop exclusive Slim Shady merchandise and Eminem vinyls and enjoy surprise guest appearances, including the original Stan, Devon Sawa. Stans can RSVP here.