The people on the phone are not your friends
Since the dawn of Hollywood, the general public has been enraptured by big-screen stars, with Florence Lawrence (1886-1938) often being dubbed “the first movie star.” In the modern-day the prevalence of social media, particularly platforms like YouTube and TikTok, has only expanded what the general public categorizes as “celebrities” or—at least—“content creators.” Though having a career in social media is a relatively new phenomenon, which is currently being actively defined by those who have been able to reach into more traditional “stardom” through social media, the ways in which these platforms have changed how the public interacts with entertainers are already becoming apparent.
In the zeitgeist, there has been a term getting more and more attention to describe the relationship some viewers have with their chosen entertainers, parasocial. The Cambridge Dictionary defines parasocial as, “involving or relating to a connection between a person and someone they do not know personally, for example a famous person or a character in a book.” Though some level of parasociality is expected and—in some ways—necessary for entertainers alike to maintain their careers, the degree to which the internet has become comfortable with theorizing around, “meme-ifying,” and defending entertainers has become alarming, to say the least.
There even exists certain fan bases on the internet notable for the heightened degree to which they take their favorite entertainers’ actions, content, and reputation personally, often being dubbed by the larger public as “toxic” fan bases. Some of the entertainers most notable for having historically “toxic” or “defensive” fan bases are Korean-pop (K-pop) international sensation BTS, internet personalities Daniel Howell and Phil Lester, Minecraft content creators in the Dream Survival Multiplayer (DSMP) conglomerate, and American-pop icon Taylor Swift.
While some may posit that those who go out of their way to reply to rude comments or honest critiques of certain entertainers might be a little extreme, many might dismiss these people’s behavior as ultimately harmless. This dismissal is something I would like to push, as it has been seen to have effects on fellow fans, the internet at large, and even the entertainer themself.
Some fans and entertainers alike have noted disdain for the more parasocial or “toxic” fan bases, sometimes even vocally acknowledging that they do not associate themself with that sector of viewers. It can also pressure entertainers to continue making or participating in certain forms of content or resist any kind of noticeable public change in hopes that their audience will not feel betrayed or disappointed by their favorite entertainer(s). There have even been instances where entertainers have seemed to need to release sensitive and/or personal information in order to silence online buzz surrounding private topics or changes in behavior.
Such behaviors can be most immediately demonstrated by the public’s recent attitude surrounding Princess Catherine “Kate” Middleton. After “going offline” in January to recover from an abdominal surgery, a photo emerged of Princess Kate with her family that was quite quickly discovered to have been digitally altered. From this arose a prolific degree of internet theorizing about why the photo was altered—from which a variety of memes focused on the Princess of Wales emerged. After a few days of this buzz, Middleton released a video statement through the British media company BBC, revealing that observations made during her abdominal surgery had revealed to medical professionals that she had cancer. Following this, there seemed to be some degree of public chastising that occurred, directed to those who had speculated and joked about Middleton—even though a large number of members on the internet had been complicit in this behavior.
Moving forward, it is important to note that while it is normal to feel some degree of connection with those we choose to entertain ourselves with, there must be a hefty level of emotional separation felt between the viewer and the entertainer. This distance allows for a much healthier dynamic to exist between the public and entertainers, which leaves the public more open to critiquing entertainers without fear of fan or public outlash, and also leaves the entertainer to feel an increased autonomy over their personal lives. The immediacy of perceived proximity that social media can have is, in countless ways, both a blessing and a curse. In a time where the internet is one of the most prominent places in which interaction and socialization are occurring, it is important to keep an eye on how communication styles and relationships are developing as they become further integrated into our culture.
Thumbnail photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons