Actor Jonathan Majors was on the brink of becoming an A-List actor before seemingly being canceled after domestic violence allegations were made from his girlfriend and several other victims. The actor who most recently stole our hearts in the new Creed movie, was accused of slapping and choking his girlfriend. And while other celebrities have been quiet about it, Majors has felt the effects of his alleged actions, causing him to lose his management and dropped from three upcoming film projects.
When it comes to public figures, cancel culture has taken a life of its own and has undoubtedly affected their careers in major ways. Although some may feel it’s necessary to hold public figures accountable for any lack of moral compass, one may ask if cancel culture is truly effective. In most recent years we have witnessed a slew of celebrities sentenced to cancel culture jail by the public. From Majors to Tory Lanez, Da Baby and Tiffany Hadish, to Dani Leigh and Chris Brown. We have seen the court of public opinion weigh on public figure’s careers.
But only for a moment.
It seems evident that if you speak or do anything the public doesn’t agree with, you run the risk of being canceled. But what happens when your words are misconstrued? What happens if you make a mistake, or you were in the wrong place at the wrong time? Many have argued that there is a thin line between a mistake and a choice. And that argument has become the basis for the court of public opinion to cancel whomever they feel is necessary. This basis becomes even more intense when the person is facing any type of legal consequences.
In instances where sexual assault or domestic violence allegations take place, many feel you should cancel first and ask questions later. When news broke about Tory Lanez allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion, Lanez had no room to sway the public. Business declined and his peers began to denounce him. Lanez was found guilty in the court of public opinion before he was ever convicted. Like Lanez, Majors is facing those same consequences, leaving many to wonder if its morally right to wait until all the facts come out before canceling anyone for allegations made against them.
For some, being canceled has become a right of passage. For artists like Kanye West and Chris Brown, they use cancel culture to fuel their careers. Even in the midst of the industry completely turning their backs on them, they somehow still remain in a position to show the world just how much they are needed for the culture. Adidas severed ties with Kanye West and then quickly learned they cannot sell Yeezy shoes without Yeezy himself. Despite being black balled from many award shows, Chris Brown is still selling out arenas and making hit records. Tory Lanez was convicted on three-gun charges in the state of California and a week later “The Color Violet” (released in 2021) climbed the billboard charts.
Nevertheless, cancel culture rarely if ever is permanent. There’s outrage one minute and applauding the next. The line between canceled and fame can be veil thin. Yet the question still remains. Where do we draw the line between accusations and truth or mistakes vs choices?
