Chappell Roan responds to backlash regarding her fan interactions and privacy vids

[Head Empty 23,704]

It's refreshing for someone in her position to challenge the status quo on this subject.

I've always found it hard to watch celebrities (including Gaga) pandering to the adoring masses. Feeding into the obsessive thousands, beyond just being grateful for the support.

But I understand why they did it. It's an easy exchange: give positive reinforcement to the public for obsessing over you. For 95% of those people it will result in them being more commited fans and create a sense of mutual benefit. Which is fine, even it's a very shallow interaction. But for 5% it will push their behaviour into more extreme forms, thinking they have a genuine personal bond. And that 5% will think that they deserve more than just the art.

Chappell treating this as a job where she is the supplier and her fans are the customer, is a healthy way to think about it. Because that's exactly what the music industry is, at the end of the day.

Artists create art for us. We support them because we enjoy their art. It's a full-circle, balanced exchange. But when you start adding exploitative behaviour and/or obsession, that exchange becomes unbalanced and damaging for either side.

That said, being a celebrity won't just be a "job" where you can clock out whenever you want. At least not for the foreseeable future. Obsession will always arise, because it's in our nature - especially when we're young, insecure and don't know any better yet (speaking from experience).

It's great that Chappell is challenging that notion though, but I hope she's okay with fighting that uphill battle.

Edited 4 hours ago by Head Empty

[River 99,427]

Just to add that there's no right or wrong here, it's all depends on the artist, some likes the whole attention and can deal with it at times and some can't and fans should respect both and respect their boundaries and their consent, so I think the discussion if she's right or wrong is irrelevant because she's right to herself and her experience and we all should respect that despite our opinions.

[Arcanum 4,426]

Jk

Well, these kind of stans destroy the experience for the rest as well. It's substantial to draw some lines.

[Bronco 3,340]

Honestly if your response to someone, especially a woman, setting out boundaries and communicating limits on consent etc is to bitch, moan or whine and call her annoying.... get help.

I feel like people having such strong negative reactions to someone famous setting boundaries and talking about how super fans negatively impact them are reacting that way for one reason. Being reminded celebrities are human beings makes them uncomfortable and they identify with the toxic behaviour being called out.

[BUtterfield 8 39,899]

3 hours ago, MessyTop said:

She’s nothing without men buying her crappy music 

Her fanbase is mostly female tf are you talking about 

2 hours ago, MessyTop said:

I keep saying that, that amount to Katy Perry hate here on here is insane. Like daily non stop. 

Oh and you’re also delusional as well.

[Didymus 33,640]

1 hour ago, RadioIsOurs said:

Umm...elaborate?

Women deal with wayyyy more general unsafety than men. This is a scientifically proven fact. Women learn to identify as vulnerable at all times, and to fear people, places, times of the day,... to protect themselves.

Does it mean men never deal with unsafety? No. But it is ignorant and unhelpful imo to pretend that women wouldn't experience a different quality of unsafety when being touched without their consent, being chased, told to relinquish their boundaries for the sake of success, etc.

[Oriane 19,382]

21 minutes ago, Bronco said:

Honestly if your response to someone, especially a woman, setting out boundaries and communicating limits on consent etc is to bitch, moan or whine and call her annoying.... get help.

I feel like people having such strong negative reactions to someone famous setting boundaries and talking about how super fans negatively impact them are reacting that way for one reason. Being reminded celebrities are human beings makes them uncomfortable and they identify with the toxic behaviour being called out.

You're giving them a lot of credit. From their posts, I just got the impression that they were immature people taking every occasion to take a dig at an artist they don't like, instead of being capable of having a conversation about a serious subject. Just like some people were making fun of Gaga breaking her hip or having fibromyalgia.

I don't know which version is worse though, both make them look dumb and lacking of any empathy. 

[Schwerk 6,657]

Human interactions have changed even more drastically since camera phones became big.

I understand her need to set some boundaries.

To paint a silly picture. I experienced Andy Warhols 15 minutes of fame back at the Born This Way ball. Literal 15 minutes. I was on stage during Princess Die at a show. After the concert I got harrased by people demanding a picture with me. Literally grabbing my arm as I walked past, yelling demands at me. I couldn't keep up with my friends exiting the venue. And when I refused some people along the way they called me a bitch. Even outside people just went right up in my face with a camera. It's ridicilous, why tf do you need my picture.

Anyway, Chappell just telling her fans this won't do much I fear, cause the ones that display the worrying behavior won't process this message correctly in their mind and continue their behavior cause surely she's not talking about them specifically because I am her biggest fan/friend etc. All that she can do is hope this calms down some of the fans and create a team around her that is solid and closes off her world to that of the public like for example Beyoncé has. If artists never interact with fans, those fans are less likely to wait for them in public places. This will be easier done when Chappell gets bigger, right now she still plays smaller venues booked when she wasn't as big yet.

 

[The Fame Monster 3,495]

Chappell Roan's message is so important and powerful. She’s standing up against the kind of disrespect and harassment that way too many women deal with, especially in the public eye. If you think things won't change, remember that change starts with us. By respecting each other’s boundaries in our daily lives, we can actually make a difference.

And for anyone who finds her message annoying, maybe take a minute to think about why it bothers you that a woman is standing up for her right to feel safe and respected. Instead of dismissing what she’s saying, we should be backing her up. She’s not just speaking for herself, she’s standing up for all women who face this kind of stuff.

[Killa 14,821]

3 hours ago, MessyTop said:

She’s nothing without men buying her crappy music 

Honestly that Was disgusting to read

Edited 3 hours ago by Killa

[King of the Fall 2,892]

While I agree with what she is saying here, some people are just not cut out for the kind of popularity she is currently experiencing. Chappell wanted to be "gay famous" not "everyone is stalking me and I have top ten hits on billboard" famous

This sort of stuff is not going to stop and if it's bothering her so much now, she might want to stop now or try to adobt a lower profile 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by King of the Fall

[Gohan 15,561]

1 hour ago, RadioIsOurs said:

Never said she's not allowed to? I just feel that there's an implication from her language that this is a women's issue in particular. Many things certainly are. This really isn't. Coming at this from a feminist lens isn't going to solve the issue of parasocial fan experiences. If she was a man she would still have the crazy stalkers. She would still be carrying the expectation to be live under this pressure. 

Exactly. Nobody is saying she should be touched and hug her fans all the time while she's cooking dinner at her mother's house 😭 pleaaase lmao

I would understand it if her managers/label TOLD her to be more approachable and caring than "what men are supposed to be" so her making it a woman-only issue is pointless  still think fame-related therapy is needed here.

(The real point I see her trying to make is that she doesn't want to owe anybody **** when she's NOT performing/in drag/character, because she feels different then, sort of differentiation/dissociation).

[Killa 14,821]

So a think her message Is interesting and She brings great arguments. Very valid.

The thing, for me personally besides whst She brings tò the tablet Is that She May Paint It like Shes different from some ava max or Sabrina Carpenter and whatnot, but every step you took tò the top, you're well aware of It. You don't get tò the hot 100 by chance, you Simply don't, you want that spot, and its your ego doing the work. 

This Is the obvious result of that. Lets see whst mentality change her and Billie eillish can being. But don't folk me, you wanted to be on top and knew the price. 

[SlaeUrAnus 15,375]

I never got this “superfan” behaviour. 

I love Gaga - alot, but would I go out of my way to make her feel uncomfortable? Absolutely not. My way of support and interaction is attending her concerts, buying her music/merch and visiting this cult site. 

Why can’t these people understand that celebrities are normal people who are entitled to privacy and space just like the rest of us?

It’s not healthy.

Props to her for setting boundaries. 

Edited 3 hours ago by SlaeUrAnus

[Didymus 33,640]

12 minutes ago, Killa said:

So a think her message Is interesting and She brings great arguments. Very valid.

The thing, for me personally besides whst She brings tò the tablet Is that She May Paint It like Shes different from some ava max or Sabrina Carpenter and whatnot, but every step you took tò the top, you're well aware of It. You don't get tò the hot 100 by chance, you Simply don't, you want that spot, and its your ego doing the work. 

This Is the obvious result of that. Lets see whst mentality change her and Billie eillish can being. But don't folk me, you wanted to be on top and knew the price. 

This is bull. People who say things like this clearly don't know her and her career