Star Struck

So there’s this one celebrity you really like, and they’re basically your idol. You follow them on all social media pages, you listen to their music as soon as it comes out, you “like” all their Instagram pictures, etc. There’s only one problem, they recently were in the spotlight for doing something you don’t necessarily agree with. So what do you do? Do you stop being a fan and just look at them as an artist while ignoring their personal life? Do you continue being their fan?

Yes, celebrities are human too, and they have flaws. However, this is not an excuse for continuing to support someone that has been known to cause harm to others. Continuing this support normalizes their behavior.

Chris Brown is talented and has a vast number of followers. Nobody is rejecting the fact that he is talented. However, his behavior has made him a questionable individual. Last month, TMZ said a judge ordered Brown to stay away from his ex-girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, and her family. In the restraining order, Tran says Brown threatened to “take her out,” and he told some people he would kill her. This is not the first time Brown has been accused of domestic violence. In 2009, he brutally beat his then girlfriend Rihanna and got off felony probation in 2015.

Despite the first domestic abuse incident, Brown has continued to be successful in his music endeavors. People on social media continue to praise him and ignore his actions. Some Twitter users have even made memes of Brown’s abusive behavior which makes it seem like they think his behavior is fine.

Johnny Depp is another celebrity who has recently been accused of domestic abuse. His now ex-wife Amber Heard filed a restraining order on Depp and filed for divorce. According to court documents, the divorce was settled, and Heard donated the settlement money to American Civil Liberties Union, a national organization that protects the civil liberties of individuals and groups. She also has become a prominent anti-domestic abuse advocate starring in a commercial about domestic abuse.

Their heavily publicized divorce reached a lot of people, and many spoke out in support of Depp. Some accused Heard of being interested in money and fame even though she has her own career and donated the settlement money. Some fans even went as far as blaming the victims of the abuse.

As fans, we often place celebrities on a pedestal, and we feel like they are not capable of any wrongdoing. However, we must recognize that they have flaws, and they should still be held accountable for their behavior despite their celebrity status.

If we continue to support them, it normalizes abuse and makes it seem like anyone can do it. You cannot separate a person’s career from who they are as a person.