The Brief: To "cancel" a celebrity means to denounce them because of their bad behavior.

Bluesquiggle
DEEP DIVE

Problematic favs often get canceled by fans when they cease to be favs and become merely “problematic.”

Celebrities have been canceled after being accused of sexual misconduct, for making offensive Tweets, and for any other behaviors that audiences deem inappropriate for public figures.

Critics of “cancel culture” argue that it focuses too much on the petty actions of individuals in the spotlight rather than actually seeking to make systemic change.

There is no official way to cancel or uncancel a celebrity. Individuals can choose to cancel a celebrity by ceasing to follow them and publicly denouncing them. Public opinion can also be swayed to achieve some kind of consensus that a certain celebrity has been canceled.

Some canceled celebrities have made significant strides to regain public popularity. This can occur as a result of sincere apologies or the passage of time.

In a culture where celebrities are stanned and treated like gods, fans react in different ways to discovering that their role models are imperfect and can do bad things. Canceling celebrities who have done bad things is a way for people to say that such behavior is unacceptable, even if the perpetrator is rich, famous, and beloved.

Had to cancel DJ Khaled, boy, we ain’t speakin’ –Nicki Minaj, “Barbie Dreams”