On Jan. 3, Lifetime aired the documentary series, “Surviving R. Kelly.” The series detailed claims of sexual assault, harassment and pedophilia against the R&B singer.

Since the documentary was released, R. Kelly’s fans have had to decide whether they should still support the musical works of R. Kelly, despite what we have learned about his unacceptable actions.

We should stop supporting celebrities who have done horrific things in their personal lives.

Celebrities who have done wrong should be “canceled.”

This jump to “cancel” controversial celebrities started when the #MeToo movement exposed sexual predators in Hollywood. Since the movement, whenever a scandal has been revealed, fans are quick to stop supporting celebrities.

Most recently, comedian Kevin Hart came under fire due to resurfaced tweets that suggested homophobia and domestic violence. He withdrew from the opportunity to host the Oscars as a result of the backlash.

As fans, we find ourselves having to decide whether or not we should continue to support these celebrities after learning about their controversial pasts. This is sometimes a difficult question for fans to answer, after learning that their favorite celebrity has done something they do not support. It can be hard for a longtime fan to completely “cancel” their favorite celebrity.

“In American culture, celebrities are often idolized and worshiped. They are often put in God-like status and as a result society turns a moral blind eye to their negative actions. There’s also something to the old belief that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. It becomes a vicious cycle or negative loop,” said Erika Evans-Weaver, an assistant clinical professor at Widener University, in an email. “The more publicity they gain, the more to turn a moral blind eye to, but they are still producing their craft so they are in the news more often for producing their craft and for their negative behaviors. Society doesn’t take the time to absorb that our interest in this celebrity fuels their success, not their demise.”

Despite the inevitable operations of our society, though, we need to remember that celebrities are people just like you and me.

“At the end of the day, they are human beings and need to be held to the same standards of everyone else. Their wealth and fame should not give them different standards. When we allow or support that kind of inequity to occur, we contribute to other systemic inequalities like racism and classicism,” Evans-Weaver said.

Some believe, though, that we should separate the personal lives and actions of celebrities from their produced works. But, sometimes celebrities lives are intertwined in the work that they produce.

“If we do not agree with what they (celebrities) do in their personal life, we have the right — and should be educated enough consumers — to call the question of whether or not we want to support them and how,” said Shana L. Redmond, an associate professor of musicology and African American studies at UCLA, in an email. “The R. Kelly allegations are distinct, however. This is not a question of extravagant spending or too many drunken nights (though it may be that too); his profile now includes a record of pervasive assault against Black women and girls.

“That, to my mind, is not a question of his “personal life”; it is fundamentally one of right and wrong.”

For me the answer is simple, celebrities who do wrong should be “canceled.”

Jewél Jackson is a sophomore newspaper and online journalism major at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at jjacks17@syr.edu.

Published on January 23, 2019 at 10:34 pm