Celebrities have grown inseparable from contemporary life. One can no longer spend a day without hearing about a recent celebrity scandal or an iconic performance. Because of the public’s obsession with celebrities and celebrity culture, celebrity mistreatment has become a common theme. Whether it’s paparazzi harassment, a fan interaction gone sour, or even something as horrible as a celebrity murder, it seems the life of a celebrity is just getting worse.
Why do we even follow celebrities? Why do we care so much?
A 2015 article by Chris and Amy Rungpaka Hackley suggests that celebrities fill humans’ inherent need for myth and legend. Perhaps the West’s “scientific yet alienating world” has led to a lack of traditional ritual and spiritual practices, leaving a gap that needs to be filled.
We all know that a substantial amount of money is pumped into advertising celebrities and the mundane goings-on of their lives. Because of increasing obsession with celebrities, negative interactions have been increasing and, therefore, celebrity pushback has been increasing.
In Tyler, The Creator’s latest single, “Noid,” the artist describes feelings of paranoia that come with fame. In the first verse, Tyler states he “can’t even buy a home in private/ Home invasions got [his] brothers dyin’.” In this line, he’s referring to the common occurrence of celebrity homes being leaked or advertised on social media. He also references the murder of Pop Smoke in a home invasion. It’s possible this murder makes Tyler feels so unsafe in his home: “Triple checkin’ if I locked the door/ I know every creak that’s in the floor.”
But how common is it really that celebrities are intentionally killed by fans?
On December 8th, 1980, John Lennon was killed by a Beatles fan.
On December 8th, 1980, John Lennon was killed by a Beatles fan. This fan, who had become obsessive over J. D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, felt the need to punish Lennon for his hypocrisy in saying that a) the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus” and b) he didn’t believe in God or Jesus.
Selena Quintanilla was killed by her fan-club president Yolanda Saldívar in 1995. The murderer was described as being so obsessed with Selena that “If Selena would say, ‘Jump!’, [Saldívar] would jump three times.” Regardless of this obsession, Saldívar killed Selena after a rash decision caused by a financial dispute.
1980s actress Rebecca Schaeffer was killed by a stalker. Having stalked Schaeffer for three years prior to the murder, Robert John Bardo had seen Schaeffer in the film Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills, in which she is seen in bed with another actor. Bardo then made it his mission to kill Schaeffer. He paid a private investigator $250 to find Schaeffer’s address, purchased a .357 handgun, and arrived at her home. When Schaeffer asked that he leave and not return, Bardo had breakfast at a local diner. After his meal, he returned to Schaeffer’s home and shot her in the chest at point-blank range.
It is even more common that celebrities receive more benign stalkers or crazed fans. In Billie Eilish’s song, “THE DINER,” which appeared on her most recent album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she recalls her experience with stalking. Taking the point of view of the stalker, Eilish states in the chorus, “I waited on the corner ‘til I saw the sitter leave/ Was easy getting over and I landed on my feet/ I came in through the kitchen lookin’ for something to eat/ I left a calling card so they would know that it was me.”
Here, Eilish refers to the time her stalker broke into her family home. She continues to sing about the time when a different stalker wrote her a series of letters. While this is the most recent song discussing her stalkers, it is not the first. Eilish’s songs NDA and Getting Older also discuss her relationship with stalking.
“I’m very turned off by the celebrity of it all. Some girls have been in this so long that they’re used to that, but I’m not that girl.”
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan has recently been receiving backlash for what one might consider normal boundaries for a person. Because she is a celebrity, people seem to believe that she has somehow “asked” for the harassment. In an Instagram post, Roan clarified, “I’ve been in too many non-consensual physical and social interactions, and I just need to lay it out and remind you: women don’t owe you sh**. I chose this career path because I love music and art and honoring my inner child. I do not accept harassment of any kind because I chose this path, nor do I deserve it.”
In an interview with The Guardian, Roan said, “I’m very turned off by the celebrity of it all. Some girls have been in this so long that they’re used to that, but I’m not that girl.”
Roan continues to try and set healthy boundaries by taking mental health breaks. Because one of these breaks interfered with her shows at All Things Go Music Festival, fans grew upset. The break was viewed as selfish, with some fans saying things like “She wouldn’t have survived in the 2000s” and “She’s not supposed to be in the spotlight.”
Although people do feel a need to put celebrities on a pedestal, they are humans, too. They are deserving of respect and a healthy work life. Additionally, their experiences should never be ridiculed or taken lightly, especially when there is such a history of violence between celebrities and their fans. Should a celebrity experience a mental health emergency and feel that they can’t slow down or ask for help, it could lead to disastrous consequences, even drug misuse or suicide.