Lily Allen has a number of choice phrases to describe the not-so-mysterious ex at the heart of her new album, West End Girl (“sex addict,” “little boy,” “fucking broken”), but none as confusing as “4chan stan.” “What a sad, sad man,” Allen sings in the song’s chorus. “It’s giving 4chan stan.” A “4chan stan” isn’t a phrase that immediately conjures a distinct image. 4chan is loosely associated with young men, and “stan” is a phrase that’s been reclaimed by the girls and gays. Does she mean that the man in question is some kind of gooner? Someone who’s into anime GIFs? Does she just mean someone who is online a lot? The rest of the song fails to answer these questions and evades reference to anything else internet-y, focusing instead on litigating receipts and affairs.

Allen’s online

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