How some celebrities come back from being 'canceled'
As a result, some on social media called for Teigen to be "canceled." The term is now so ubiquitous that it has practically lost its meaning, but it roughly translates as showing disapproval of a celebrity by ignoring her and her work.
"Going out sucks and I don't feel good, being home alone with my mind makes my depressed head race," Teigen wrote.
“Canceling the club is something fascinating and I have learned a lot. Only a few understand it and it is impossible to know until you are in it. And it's hard to talk about it in that sense because you obviously sound whiny when you're around. " I've clearly done something wrong, "she continued. “It just sucks. There is no way to win ”
For those who have felt canceled, winning may simply mean surviving.
Lori Levine, founder and CEO of Flying Television, a company that forges partnerships between brands and celebrities and offers talent booking, public relations and brand consulting, says that coming back from cancellation is not easy, but it is possible.
“There is a way for celebrities to recover from being 'canceled', at least there is in the United States. Foreign audiences are much more forgiving. But here in the United States, what is generally needed is an 'apology tour,' ”she explains.
Levine says celebrities can redeem themselves if "they take a certain amount of time to be quiet, stay off social media, skip interviews with the press, and then slowly come back explaining that they have 'done the job.' [and] they feel sorry. "
Often times, a high-profile press interview helps, Levine says, if it's one in which the canceled celebrity answers tough questions and has a chance at redemption.
But that doesn't happen without a big behind-the-scenes movement.
Cancel the evolution of culture
Celebrity cancellations, in most cases, start on social media. Something unpleasant or downright terrible comes up and faster than a 280-character tweet, a star goes from admired to reviled.
Tanya Cook, a sociology professor at Aurora in Co.'s Community Coolege, says canceling culture is essentially a collective “boycott” of one person and a way to hold celebrities accountable for their actions.
“It's a buzzword in the sense that we're all talking about it, but it's not necessarily a new phenomenon, is it? If we think about how individuals are held accountable to societies for their actions, it has continued [forever.] It reminds me in sociology of stigma. This is a process of sanctioning someone in a way that is stigmatized. "
For Nathan Miller, founder and CEO of MillerInk, which helps celebrities and brands overcome a crisis, surviving a cancellation is about overcoming “a great social, personal or professional cost that is imposed on you due to something that has said or done ”.
"You are paying a cost somehow," he says.
Miller's work often begins with a phone call from a customer in crisis.
"My advice is always to take a breath, take a deep breath, give me all the facts about what the nature of something is," he says. “I need the unadorned truth, I need to understand what is really going on. So if something needs to be contextualized and explained by the way it is presented, then that is one thing I do. If something requires an apology, that's something I [work on.] And, you know, when it comes to communicating with the public, the cover-up is usually worse than the crime. "
The art of apology
The chances of a canceled celebrity getting through the crisis depend on the perceived offense, Miller explains.
A risque tweet, resurgent racist or homophobic jokes, accusations of bullying or cultural appropriation are just a few of the reasons a celebrity could be canceled.
Instant action is not always the best.
“Certainly, there are cases where it makes sense to take a break, stop commenting, and then come back at the appropriate time when you have the right words, when you have a message that is based on something that is authentic and true,” Millers says of responding. to the crisis.
Some situations require a celebrity to "put his house in order," according to Miller.
“When there are developments that have to happen behind the scenes, either within that person or understanding what they want their next step to be, sometimes it's better to be quiet a bit, figure out what their next steps are, and then come back and send a message. message when there is a little less attention. Then you can frame the narrative to move forward. "
A "time out" can mean staying away from social media, staying home, and avoiding the paparazzi.
Apologizing is "an art, not a science," Miller adds.
“If the public perceives that you are a hypocrite, it will not work, and obviously depends on what you have done, but it is often much worse to be a hypocrite than many of the things that people get in trouble for. in this days. You just have to think about whether you are responding in a way that the public perceives as truthful and honest. "
‘Let time heal’
Ryan McCormick, co-founder and media relations specialist at Goldman McCormic, a New York-based crisis PR firm, tells CNN that when a publicist has to deliver bad financial news to a client, it usually comes with a gift basket, and some therapy.
"When a celebrity officially retires from a brand, the marketer should immediately focus on providing comfort and comfort, sending a large gift basket, and being there 24/7," he says. actions on what that celebrity can take to improve their situation. Telling a customer to remove himself from the public eye for a few months is not a bad idea. Right now, the world is moving very fast and most people have very little attention. The probability that a global event or national scandal will eclipse what your client has been involved in is reasonably high. Let time recover. "
Shame hurts
Cook says isolating someone like this can lead to mental health problems.
"If he's ever been ostracized or embarrassed, it's painful, he can experience depression and anxiety," he says. “And I think that, as we know, physical and mental health are connected, so it can be quite physically painful as well. And so in the sense that we cancel someone who affects their livelihood or, for many people, they are not allowed to participate, not only in public life, but they are not allowed to have the benefits of that fame or continue in his work ".
Cook says that when this happens, the person can often feel "dehumanized."
"I think he can be quite dehumanizing," he explains. “One of the gravest punishments we have as a group of humans is avoiding or isolating someone. And that is why, even in prisons, the most serious punishment is isolation ”.
Why are we as quick as humans to jump on someone?
"I think it has to do with this phenomenon of 'you are required to have an opinion on things,'" he says. "And as a society we have taken that to an extreme reaction where people listen to this and then you are judged as an individual, if you continue to support that person or if you continue to sponsor them."
Redemption
Cook says that if someone's actions weren't criminal, and the celebrity took the time to genuinely reflect and learn, then public forgiveness is possible.
"As a culture and as Americans, we really like success stories, but we also really like seeing people fail," he says. "That's pretty pathological, but I'm thinking of someone like Lance Armstrong, right? And some very, very famous fall from grace. But then we love [the comeback.] "
Crisis manager Miller says that for people who have had a controversy, "the first thing you have to accept is that you are never going to please everyone with your answer."
"There will always be enemies," he says.
It is very likely that Teigen will "find his place again", as he expressed his wish for him this week.
"If you have an authentic response that people understand is rooted in what you really believe, a large percentage of the public will forgive you and allow you to move on," says Miller.
