It is not very demure to harass famous people.
The latest artist to suffer from crazy fan interactions: the Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan. Topping charts and dominating social media with music such as “HOT TO GO!”, she draws massive crowds to festivals such as Lollapalooza, where she is believed to have broken the performance attendance record, according to CNN. With this newfound fame came a price — her personal space and safety. However, she is not letting it slide because it should not be expected for celebrities to endure harassment.
In videos posted by Roan on TikTok, she talks about fans doing extreme actions such as stalking and harassment in public, then resorting to online bullying when she declines to take a photo or stop to have a chat.
“I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job,” Roan said in the TikTok. “ … That does not make it okay. That doesn’t make it normal.”
Other celebrities have been dealing with issues similar to Roan’s for years. To some, it is considered a cost of living in the public eye. Some public figures like musicians and actors purposefully put themselves in the spotlight, and their fanbases are responsible for much of their success. It has become normal to hear of intense fan interactions. But because it is considered normal, does it justify the behavior? The answer: a flat-out no.
An artist’s popularity does not give fans the right to invade their privacy. I never understood why fans think they are entitled to an artist’s time or space. I remember a Cambio interview with One Direction (forever a Directioner!), and Niall Horan said a fan had jumped on his back and tried to get a photo with him, knocking him to the ground. I would love to meet Horan, but I would never think of invading his personal space in such a manner. The thought of bothering an artist in public makes me queasy; my love for the artist does not outweigh their right to safety and privacy.
People justify this behavior, claiming artists know what they sign up for when entering the industry. When an artist declines fan interaction, it is considered disrespectful because fan admiration is how they became famous in the first place. Roan addressed this in an Instagram post a week after the backlash she received from her TikTok videos: “I embrace the success of the project, the love I feel and the gratitude I have,” Roan wrote. “What I do not accept are creepy people, being touched and being followed.”
According to Psychology Today, a parasocial relationship is a reason fans may cross a celebrity’s boundaries. Fans can develop a one-sided relationship with a celebrity, developing strong connections or feelings of familiarity with the person, which can quickly become unhealthy, the article explains. In my opinion, all intense fan interactions stem from the fan developing a parasocial relationship with the celebrity. It is normal to feel connected with an artist and their craft, but not to feel entitled to their space or time. Fans do not truly know the artist, no matter how much they know about the artist. A parasocial relationship is not the same as a real, interpersonal relationship.
Artists are grateful for their fans; they would not be as successful without them — this does not give them the right to stalk or harass them. Although I do not think there is anything wrong with politely asking for a photo, the artist has the right to decline; fans must accept that and move on. How would you feel if someone harassed or stalked you because of their love for you and your talent? Artists can have boundaries. Artists are people, too.
