A recent Yahoo article discussed how more stars are getting in hot water than ever before (aka canceled), in just the past few weeks.
Lana DelRey claimed she was “more unfairly treated than various women of color”.
Dojacat is rumored to have been in “an incel-friendly chatroom and recorded a song with allegedly dog-whistling lyrics”, which led to the trending hashtag of #DOJACATISOVERPARTY.
Ellen DeGeneres paralleled self-isolating in a multi-million dollar mansion to being in prison and has also received flack for treatment of her employees.
And, Jeffree Star named his latest eyeshadow palette “Cremated’ during a pandemic, which was received as “insensitive’ and got unwanted harsh criticism.
Because of the current COVID-19 climate, stars are under even more scrutiny than ever. When life and death come into play, these types of missteps get even more magnified.
A PR expert interviewed for the Yahoo article news.yahoo.com/everyone-getting-canceled-quarantine-why-073133054.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=ma had some very interesting thoughts including:
“Online backlash regarding celebrities’ lavish lifestyles is unwarranted because that’s just the reality of the rich and famous. ‘You’re looking at celebrities! Of course, they’re going to be in a beautiful home. If you can’t handle it, then don’t look at celebrities and don’t listen to them.’
We disagree–there is a time and a place for everything. When many people can’t afford to feed their families or pay their bills, it’s not a time to flaunt your wealth.
Eileen Koch, founder of Los Angeles based EKC PR, advised that celebrities should try their best to stay above the drama because not all of them are “emotionally strong” enough to interact with random social media users. “You’re not dealing on a fair basis. You’re not in a court where it’s controlled.”
Yes, they should try to stay out of the drama and think before posting to social media. It has nothing to do with being emotionally strong.
According to Koch, if a public figure makes a mistake, they should keep their apology to a minimum. “Less is more, if there’s something that you really did and you’re owning up to it, there’s nothing wrong with saying ‘I’m sorry.’ But if it’s someone’s negative opinion, then you’re just going to fuel the fire.”
Yes, you should apologize publicly. But, you should also consult your publicist for the best way to attack each situation–there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
We advise our clients about how to use social media when they start with us to avoid these types of blunders. Knowledge and self-control are your allies when using social media. If you would like to know more about our services and how we can help you, check out our site therubpr.com.
