Chappell Roan’s Fans Are Nervous Her Paparazzi Reaction Is Feeding Right Into This 2000s-Era Tabloid Tactic

Leave it to Chappell Roan to transform what should have been a supportive evening for a friend into a thought-provoking moment about celebrity culture. The “Hot to Go” singer had another intense interaction with a photographer while at the premiere of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Guts” documentary in Los Angeles last night, and while her fans support her take, others are worried she is falling into an all-too-familiar tabloid trap.

During the premiere, Roan identified a photographer who she claimed had disrespected her at the Grammys and approached him directly. In a clip shared on social media, she calmly demanded an apology, highlighting her right to be treated with respect. “You were so disrespectful to me at the Grammys,” she asserted. “You yelled at me at the Grammy party. I remember, you were so rude to me. And I deserve an apology for that.”

Roan, for anyone living under a rock, has shot to meteoritic fame thanks to ear worms like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Pink Pony Club.” Her bold fashion takes — along with her seemingly non-existent tolerance for anyone overstepping her boundaries after experiencing stalking and harassment from one of her long-term fans have left her with a dedicated fanbase that rivals the Swifties.

However, while this confrontation is empowering — asserting boundaries is normal and good, to be clear — it has reminded some people of how stars like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan were often pushed into public scenes in the 2000s. The pattern is familiar: paparazzi invade a star’s privacy, the star reacts, and then headlines label her a monster (it’s almost always a woman), creating a vicious cycle.

Take Britney Spears, for example, who attacked a paparazzo’s car with an umbrella in 2007, shortly after shaving her head while photographers captured the moment. Or Lindsay Lohan, who, in May 2007, was chased by paparazzi in her car, resulting in a DUI arrest and a series of rehab and court appearances. Both women have since talked about the impact of the paparazzi on their mental health.

Fans of Roan are both supportive and apprehensive as they dissect Roan’s latest confrontation on social media. One commented, “It’s crazy how the internet turns on her so quick, because in any other context with any other woman, a woman telling off a disrespectful man would be praised. But they all feel they’re entitled to HER and her kindness.” Another fan mirrored this sentiment, saying, “Everyone’s a ‘go ahead, girl. You tell him!’ Until the girl goes ahead and tells him. Then it’s all ‘girl, who do you think you are?’”

Some fans expressed their concern that this pattern could repeat itself with Roan. “She’s literally doing what they want. This is cash money for them. Confrontational celeb, money in the bank. She’s the product, they instigate, she reacts, they make money,” a fan lamented. Others worry that photographers might provoke her on purpose to capture a lucrative reaction. “I wonder if photographers are gonna try and act up on purpose to get more attention/reactions from her. I hope not,” another fan mused.

Despite the mixed reactions, Roan’s fans remain steadfast in their admiration. One expressed their unwavering support: “They (the media desperate to) will never make me hate her. I love how she stands up for herself, I love she’s breaking the cycle of women feeling they have to apologize for existing. Love her.”

As Roan continues to navigate the complex waters of newfound fame, fans are staying in her corner and hoping that she has the ability to balance asserting her boundaries without fueling the tabloid cycle that profits from casting famous women as intolerable divas simply for seeking respect in their work environments.

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