Bullying Celebs Who Abuse Their Social Media Power

I’ve blogged a bit here and there regarding celebs and their ability to escape justice. So, it’s fitting to highlight the way some engage in injustice as a “celebrity bully.”

But you ask, who needs another blog about a celebrity bully or a celeb who was bullied as a kid?  Well, if the bullying’s about disinformation, we all need such a blog. The problem of misinformation has been growing exponentially of late. So, nobody’s free from it. Disinformation seems everywhere —  in our homes, even in congress.

A Celebrity bully?

Take the case of  Demi Lovato, who as the story goes,  recently bullied a frozen yogurt business in L.A., causing it much distress.

Demi Lovoto – Celebrity bully?

People  reported that “the ‘I Love Me’ singer, 28, wrote on her Instagram Story that she was ‘finding it extremely hard to order froyo from’ The Bigg Chill due to all the ‘diet foods’ they offer.

“’You have to walk past tons of sugar free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter. Do better please,” wrote Lovato.

She claims it’s difficult for her and others, who’ve battled eating disorders and substance abuse, to pass by many Bigg Chill foods. Like those offered by a brand called “Eat Me and Feel Guilt-Free” or gluten-free and sugar-free foods, which are   often marketed as “Foods to Keep You From Gaining Weight, Which Is Bad.”

According to Jennings, Lovato didn’t like the displays (which cater to diabetics and celiacs, among others) and lashed out, excoriating The Big Chill to her 102 million Instagram followers, many of whom are rabid and follow Lovato’s exhortations.  If Jennings’ numbers are to be believed, the froyo shop had but 6,000 followers..

Another celebrity bully?

Another Hollywood type, Kim Kardashian, allegedly once threatened Jack in the Box because she was mildly inconvenienced. Kardashian’s tweet on Twitter forced the hamburger chain into submission  , prompting their competitors to roast them on social media.

 

Yet another celebrity bully?

Sports star LeBron James (a B-ball celebrity bully I like on the court where it’s expected) got carried away too. Recently the NBA superstar issued to his nearly 50 million twitter followers what could easily have been construed as a kill order against a Columbus, Ohio, police officer.

LeBron James – Celebrity bully?

The cop — Nicholas Reardon — had fatally shot a knife-wielding 16 year old and likely prevented her from stabbing one or more people involved in a street fight. Reardon is white; the teenager was Black. And that’s all  James  needed to hear before issuing his tweet, which he later deleted, with Reardon’s picture and the caption: “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY.”

Never mind the fact that the police officer showed up in the nick of time to prevent what could have been one or more murders, as video evidence clearly showed.  

What James failed to understand was that Ma’Khia Bryant was armed with a knife and Reardon prevented her from stabbing another girl. What’s troublesome is that James shared misinformation with so many enthusiastic social media followers.   

James has recently expressed that he may have “fuelled the wrong conversation” in regards to Ma’Khia Bryant, the teenager killed in the episode. He meant to comment on systemic police killings rather than on Officer Reardon’s killing.

While still loveable, a celebrity bully must be accountable.

Celebrities realize their power is profound and unchecked. They improperly influence prosecutors to ignore laws and indict people for murder, even when the facts don’t support their desires. They bully businesses (large and small) to align with their views.

Your opinion?

What do you make of   James, Lovoto, and Kardashian?  Let me know in the comments section below.

To learn about CLEFT HEART: Chasing Normal, click the Amazon or Barnes & Noble buttons in the margins. Or click the image of the book cover. My coming-of-age memoir has intertwining love stories, mystery, tragedy, and triumph.