What Makes a Celebrity Cancellable?

Parasocial Relationships & The Democratization of Fame: Is Rejecting Attention the Key to Survival?

by Gisella Zerlotti

Image by Shangshang Shen

The Cancelled Contradiction

Status Update: celebrities no longer hold the exclusive title they once did. 

What was once a dream career—prestigious, highly regarded, and “untouchable”—has quickly become a breeding ground for mass toxicity for anyone with a platform. 

Nowadays, saying you’re an influencer doesn’t have the same impact when the democratization of fame has created a new culture. We’ve blurred the lines between public and private personas and created a framework of scrutiny in the process: disapproving a creator’s presentation means their livelihood is revoked without warning.

Touchable vs. Untochable

Though few celebrate the idea of cancel culture, we still shout “A-Minor” with Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl. So what informs the collective decision of who’s in or cast out? Surprisingly, how deeply they engage with fans. 

It seems logical that celebrities who actively engage with their fanbase would be held in higher regard, but the opposite is true. The lack of exclusivity in today’s influencer sphere means interactive celebrities are more prone to backlash. To put it concisely: parasocial relationships.

The false sense of intimacy infused in media allows us to react emotionally when feeling “betrayed.”  Their fall from grace is faster because the audience feels entitled to hold them accountable—a form of chastising that feels powerful and risk-free, amplified by a million different voices.

Power Shift: Learning from the Past

The MeToo movement was a paradigm shift. When institutional power allowed A-listers like Harvey Weinstein and R. Kelly to evade consequences for decades, the word celebrity took on a different meaning. Industry structures were redefined; as our attention spans shortened and market competition intensified, we shifted into a system of direct engagement. 

Celebrities are no longer idols but personalities that must be vetted. Fans hold more power than ever—no longer a passive audience, but an active jury. Ironically, avoiding fan interaction might be the best strategy for career longevity. If being “too personal,” like James Charles and Shane Dawson, makes celebrities vulnerable, are we signaling a new wave of strategic detachment?

Cancel culture might not be as black and white as we think—it’s an ongoing negotiation between creators and the people who made them famous.