Chappell Roan's Comments About Fame and "Entitled" Fans Spark Mixed Reactions
"I don't want whatever the f--k you think you're supposed to be entitled to whenever you see a celebrity."
Published Aug. 20 2024, 6:05 p.m. ET
One of the biggest names in music to come out within the last few months has got to be Chappell Roan. The singer-songwriter has been winning over fans with her '80s-synth-pop flair and her drag-queen-inspired personal style, and she's shown no signs of slowing down.
But Chappell took to TikTok on Aug. 19 to address some concerns she's been having with her newfound fame. She disabled the comments on her videos, likely knowing that her posts would get a strong reaction. And indeed they have.
Here's what Chappell said, and how social media has responded.
Chappell Roan made comments about fame in two TikTok videos.
"I need you to answer questions; just answer my questions for a second," Chappell starts her first video. "If you saw a random woman on the street, would you yell at her from your car window? Would you harass her in public?"
"Would you go up to a random lady and say 'can I get a photo with you' and she's like 'no, what the f--k' and then you get mad at this random lady?" she added. "Would you be offended if she says no to your time because she has her own time?"
She continued: "Would you stalk her family? Would you follow her around? Would you try to dissect her life and bully her online? This is a lady you don't know. She doesn't know you at all. Would you assume that she's a good person, assume she's a bad person? Would you assume everything you read about her online is true?"
"I'm a random b---h; you're a random b---h. Just think about that for a second, OK?" she concluded her first video.
"I don't care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous, or a little famous, whatever," she said in her second video. "I don't care that it's normal, I don't care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I've chosen. That does not make it OK. That does not make it normal."
"That doesn't mean I want it, that doesn't mean I like it," she added. "I don't want whatever the f--k you think you're supposed to be entitled to whenever you see a celebrity. I don't give a f--k if you think it's selfish of me to say no for a photo or for your time or for a hug. That's not normal, that's weird. It's weird how people think that you know a person just 'cause you see them online or you listen to the art they make. That's f--king weird. I'm allowed to say no to creepy behavior, OK?"
Some folks have criticized Chappell for her fame comments.
"Chappell's been famous for 10 minutes and she's moaning about her fans wanting a picture with her," wrote one X user.
"I get where she’s coming from and I absolutely think stalking and obsessing/being invasive over a stranger’s personal life is not acceptable under any circumstance, however saying hi to fans and getting recognized is kinda something that comes with the job," tweeted another.
But many fans have come to Chappell's defense.
"'Chappell Roan isn’t ready for fame' except she’s just setting her boundaries so perhaps Y’ALL aren’t ready to be fans," wrote another.
"A reminder since many seem to forget the amount of psychological damage fame had on Gaga. Chappell may not be at the level of fame Gaga was during her peak, but she has every right to draw the hard line for fans so that she can preserve her own sanity," someone else tweeted.
