Chappell Roan and the twisted nature of parasocial relationships

Chappell Roan, everyone’s new favourite artist (and for good reason), made two TikToks recently asking for fans not to treat her like they know her. Instead of agreeing that yelling at her from cars, getting offended at her when she doesn’t give hugs and stalking her family were all weird, some people on the internet got angry and stated that this is what she signed up for when she became a pop star. Why do we expect a person to lose all their boundaries just because they are famous? Why do we then get angry when a celebrity is rightfully upset at the creepiness they are expected to endure?

So you think you know the rich, famous and, powerful. You think you know your favourite celebrity, their likes, opinions and morals. They would never do anything awful or disappoint you. Until they inevitably do. What a wonderful self-fulfilling prophecy. What could possibly explain this cycle of idolisation and demonisation that celebrities suffer through? This is a phenomenon known as a parasocial relationship; a one sided relationship a person feels they have with a celebrity.

However, no one can possibly know a celebrity and it is dangerous to be so deluded for two reasons. Firstly, it puts too much power in the hands of someone who might be a terrible person. Your favourite celebrity could do terrible things and you have no way of knowing. Sometimes this can go as far as fans defending a celebrity against allegations because that celebrity ‘would never do that.’

Secondly, by putting your favourite on a pedestal you inherently dehumanise them. You feel entitled to a photo, a hug, to know where their family lives. Then, when they disappoint you, you are heartbroken that they could do that to you. How dare a celebrity refuse to give you everything you ask for?

In the end, celebrities are human. Treat them as such, and don’t be surprised when they act as humans do; good, bad or, ugly.