Fans demand authentic personality, but newly-married Bieber’s pregnancy-themed April Fool’s joke earlier this week walked him right into the midst of “cancel culture”, when people boycott problematic celebrities.
While celebrity names from David Beckham to Kris Jenner, and even Bieber’s mother Pattie Mallette, saw the funny side, others branded the star “shameful” and “disgusting”.
Within 24 hours an apology had been posted, clarifying that he “didn’t mean at all to be insensitive to people who can’t have children”.
“I am a prankster and it was APRIL FOOLS'” he added.
The article is asking how can celebrities deal with this tightrope – the outrage when someone says or does something that the thin-skinned offenderati find offensive.
Yet actually, it is really, really simple. Stop apologising. Double down and ride the storm. If these people realise that they won’t get their apology, eventually they will get the message. Twitter and FarceBook are not the real world. The mob that demands an apology is not representative of the majority. So, tell them firmly that it was a joke and if they can’t handle it, then tough. Grow up and get over themselves. What you don’t do is apologise, for that merely fans the flames. Never apologise, never justify and never explain.
An apology can be good if you’ve done something wrong and you’re sorry for it. But if people are looking for a weakness to attack, apologising is a mistake.
“Never apologise, mister, it’s a sign of weakness” Captain Nathan Brittles (played by John Wayne)
All too often, nothing has been done wrong.
Yes caveat: unless one is/was wrong/mistaken; then be strong and admit.