The Mycenaean

Picture this: your favorite author or musician — the one whose books you’ve cried to or songs you’ve danced to — is the subject of every big newspaper and social media platform because of horrific ‘allegations.’

What do you do? How can you continue to listen to their music or buy their books when you are morally against what they have done? How can you, as a fan, draw a line between the art and the artist when the artist has done unspeakable things?

When controversies come out, you have to reevaluate your connection to your favorite artist. Countless artists have sexual assault charges, cultivated negative work environments, or have controversial politics. Among these artists are J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, and Lizzo.

J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is the author of the book series, Harry Potter. In the last few years, Rowling has been vocal about her political views, particularly towards the LGBTQ+ community. 

She has made several transphobic posts on X — formerly Twitter. Additionally, she has written an essay expressing her concerns about transgender people and criticized multiple bills/laws that benefit transgender people.  

Most recently, in August 2024, Rowling, along with Elon Musk, was named in a cyberbullying lawsuit against X. Imane Khelif, an Algerian women’s boxer, won gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics. She faced online harassment about her gender from people, including Rowling.

Many Leesville students are a part of the massive Harry Potter fanbase. 

Camryn Bugaj, junior, said, “[Harry Potter] had such good worldbuilding and good characters that were easy to relate to. I really like that series.” 

Rowling’s statements were off-putting for Bugaj.

“[It changed my opinion of her] as a person, yes. I think that those things are not acceptable, and it really made me sad because she wrote one of my favorite book series… She’s just not a good person, even though she created this amazing world that lots of people love,” said Bugaj.

These statements alienated many of her fans and many called to boycott the 2023 video game, Hogwarts Legacy. Despite this fact, the game was released and received well, demonstrating how fans continued to appreciate the Harry Potter franchise separate from the author.

Tanner Elmore, junior, said, “[The books] are kind of separate from her now. People don’t think of her when they think of the books.”

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is an author. He is famous for several novels and comic book series, including The Sandman and Coraline. Five women accused him of sexual assault during July and August 2024.

The women came forward on the podcast, Master. The allegations span from 1986 to 2022, and Gaiman has denied the accusations. 

Gaiman has been popular for decades. Recently, he has made several of his books into TV shows or movies, making his older works relevant today.

Seren Veit, junior, said, “I like the writing and characters he makes because they’re very relatable.”

Several production companies have canceled or postponed Gaiman’s in-the-works TV and film productions. For example, Amazon Prime Video postponed season three of Good Omens, a TV show based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s novel of the same name.

Though the companies have not explicitly stated their reasoning, fans speculate these cancellations are due to Gaimain’s sexual assault allegations. His actions disappointed many.

“It does [change my opinion of him]. I still do like his work, but I’ve recently unfollowed some of his accounts,” said Veit.

Veit still plans to watch Good Omens season three, but with some apprehension.

“I’ll probably be excited. I might watch it with somebody else just to not put too much support into it,” said Veit.

Lizzo

Lizzo is a musician, famous for songs such as “Juice” and “Truth Hurts.” In August 2023, several of Lizzo’s former dancers filed a lawsuit against Lizzo for a hostile work environment.

The employees’ allegations included sexual and religious harassment. The judge has put the case on hold, and Lizzo is currently not touring or releasing new music.

Lizzo has been vocal about body positivity and female empowerment.

“I like how positive [Lizzo’s music] was… She did that thing at the Grammys where she brought up influential women on stage and [showed] what we can do together. I thought it was so powerful and I just like how positive she was about body positivity,” said Bugaj. 

Because of her positivity, Lizzo’s actions surprised many fans who saw her as a role model.

“[The allegations] shocked me. I was like, how is somebody so for body positivity and everything, doing stuff to the women she’s employed? It really made me think that you never really know who a celebrity or influencer really is. They can put on a front of positivity and not be that at all,” said Bugaj.

Hannah Holder, junior, speaking directly to Lizzo, said, “You’re a figure to a lot of people in the plus size community and for body positivity in general. You set an example… for you to be not good to a lot of people in the environment, it’s like, what are you standing for? Sometimes I’ll be listening to [her music] and think, do you actually believe in this or are you just saying it?” said Holder.

Cancel culture and the role of the Internet

We live in a world where every action is publicized and cancel culture is prominent. It is almost impossible to not know what people have done, because of videos, pictures, and mass media spreading information like wildfire.

Social media and news outlets are accessible online, which allows easier access to information. When celebrities do anything, good or bad, there is almost a guarantee that a news article or Instagram post will document the action.

Instant access to information is beneficial because more people have equal opportunities to learn. However, some statements online are exaggerated or simply false. 

“I think [the internet] is really helpful because a lot more people get access to information and you learn things a lot quicker than you usually would. But, it can also get people to switch up perspectives because they want to get famous, so it might not always be true,” said Veit.

The internet also contributes to cancel culture. Cancel culture is an online movement to boycott a celebrity who has done something the public disagrees with. Most of the time, the internet’s harsh feelings fizzle out, and the public forgets to hate the ‘canceled’ celebrity.

In the first moments of cancellation, the celebrity garners much attention. For example, when Rowling first expressed her transphobia, public outcry was sweeping. Sometimes, the public needs to put celebrities in their place, but other times, cancel culture creates unnecessary drama for the sake of entertainment.

“I feel like cancel culture is a really good thing because it can expose somebody who deserves to be exposed, but it’s used too harshly on people who have had time to learn and grow… and have just made a mistake in their life. But, it is still important to have an opportunity to expose people who are really bad,” said Bugaj.

For better or for worse, we are constantly aware of others’ actions and opinions. As with anything on the internet, people need to find a balance.

“I think the internet definitely holds [celebrities] accountable, but the internet sometimes forgets they are human. We all make mistakes, we’re allowed to make mistakes, and because they’re on a higher platform they’re going to be held accountable,” said Holder.

Can We Still Appreciate Their Art?

When your favorite artist breaks the public’s trust, what can you do? Is supporting the art the same as supporting the person?

Many fans will ‘separate the art from the artist.’ That phrase is all over celebrity controversies. It allows their supporters to like the art without feeling guilty.

“Going with separating art from the artist, it’s very hard because if the artist is bad I’m not going to listen to it, but then I catch myself listening to artists who have done bad things. I guess it depends on what they’ve done, the severity, and how many people are affected,” said Holder.

There are also ways to appreciate the art and provide less monetary funds to the artist.

“Try to buy less merch from them to not actively support them. You can still listen to their music but if someone asks, try to educate yourself on what they do,” said Veit.

All in all, if an artist does something you disagree with, it is up to you whether you continue to support their work. 

“I think sometimes it’s important to separate the art from the artist, but it’s also important to keep in mind what the artist has done, and if they should have that fame,” said Elmore.

Controversies like those with Rowling, Gaiman, and Lizzo provide examples of fans’ negative reactions to celebrities’ immorality. However, these cases also show how fans can continue to enjoy their favorite books or songs, while still being wary of the celebrity’s character.