The ideal “relatable celebrity” is shattering as online stars conflict with reality. The economic divide between multi-millionaires and the working class is becoming impossible to ignore. Wealthy celebrities are becoming out-of-touch as they make their lifestyles feel insulting rather than comforting.
Social media promised to bring fans closer to their favorite stars. Instead, it has only highlighted the massive wealth gap. An example of this celebrity is James Charles with his recent rant of how people need to be more hard working and more productive. A fan of James Charles reached out to him and asked if he could donate to her GoFundMe because she had recently lost her job with Spirit Airlines. Instead of helping her, James Charles went on a large rant claiming that people should work harder and find more jobs. This rant led to him facing major consequences; losing millions of followers and receiving so much hate that even the apology video didn’t even make the issue any better. This fake intimacy makes their extreme privilege impossible to ignore and turns harmless entertainment into a painful reminder of inequality.
This disconnect is most obvious when celebrities try to champion social causes. Audiences are growing tired of wealthy stars who demand environmental action while maintaining massive carbon footprints through private travel. A recent example of this is Katy Perry’s travel to space. BlueSky thinking, an academic business school research site, highlights that “75 tonnes of carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) per passenger– to put this into perspective, that’s about the equivalent of one lifetime’s worth of emissions.” This pattern demonstrates that for the ultra-wealthy, saving the planet is just a marketing trend, while the actual sacrifices are left entirely to the working class.
Relatability cannot be devised behind a camera filter. Until they understand the daily struggles of the people who buy their tickets and stream their shows, their silence is the only thing the public wants to hear. Instead of following the new trend your favorite celebrity is trying to set, shift your attention to the local advocates doing real work. Reclaim your online attention span for the people who actually share your reality.
