Author Spotlight
Ellen Bowser
As I complete my daily doom scroll through Instagram, I see posts criticizing a celebrity for a “bad” interview with paparazzi. Although consumers give these celebrities their fame, they’re complete strangers to most of us, and people feel an illusion of a connection for gifting these artists their fame.
So I find myself annoyed when I scroll through posts of fans analyzing these celebrities’ actions, determining whether or not they’re worthy of their support. A large majority of the time, reprimanding celebrity behavior just isn’t worth it.
Recently, social media users discussed Chappell Roan’s “Downfall” following interviews and TikToks where Roan expressed her dislike for people who follow her when she wasn’t performing.
Many users were upset that Roan didn’t want fans to approach her, even though she was right: she doesn’t know who you are. Roan isn’t saying that she doesn’t appreciate the support, only that fans shouldn’t be dependent on interactions with her.
If a celebrity is open about their needs for boundaries with fans, that’s okay. What’s not okay is dissecting every word of a celebrity to craft a narrative that they aren’t fit for the public eye, or are ungrateful of their rise to fame. Just because a person has a following doesn’t mean that they answer to it.
Even influencers, who aren’t held up to quite the same standard as red carpet stars, always seem to find themselves in hot water after followers discover their mistakes.
Influencer Alix Earle, known for her ‘Get Ready With Me’ TikToks, faced backlashed after a post resurfaced where she appeared to say a racist slur. Some users were disappointed in Earle, while others were unsurprised with the allegations.
While her actions are unacceptable, I can’t understand why some fans claim to be disappointed. The parasocial relationship ends when you turn the phone off — you don’t know her — so you can’t be surprised when she does something wrong. Her influence doesn’t make her your friend or even a good person.
People forget that these celebrities and influencers are just people. They aren’t all-knowing beings with superpowers we aren’t aware of. Just because Taylor Swift has a song called “Mastermind” doesn’t mean she actually is one.
No celebrity in recent history has been put on a larger pedestal than Taylor Swift — selling out stadiums and releasing hit after hit, Swift is no stranger to being immortalized.
She’s built up an extremely dedicated following that analyzes her songs for hidden messages. It’s easy to forget that she’s still human because of how people treat her.
Swift, unlike Roan, still new to the public eye, knows how to market herself as a largely uncontroversial figure. Nonetheless, even she can’t avoid the standards that the public puts on her, facing criticism for dating too many men and damaging the environment with her private jet use.
And, whether these criticisms are viable or not, it simply isn’t worth it to bother picking up the phone and typing out a hate comment that Taylor Swift will never see. Being dependent on celebrities and their lives is simply a waste of time.
Leave a Reply