When rumors surfaced of Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner being Hollywood’s hottest and newest hookup, the internet was in a frenzy. This is when people made it clear just how parasocial they are. Timothee quickly rose to fame as one of the newest “pretty boy” actors. Kylie has probably been in the public eye for her whole life but has made a living through her various business ventures and showcasing her flashy lifestyle on the gram. I would be lying if I said it was never entertaining to speculate and observe the lives of celebrities from a distance. But when people went as far as to make videos analyzing and theorizing about the relationship dynamic between Timothee and Kylie, I was concerned for those who felt like they were at liberty to share their opinions on a personal and private relationship. I wondered why people felt the need to state that “their vibes don’t match” and that the two have “nothing in common”. Timothee’s appearance in indie films doesn’t make him the most thought-provoking figure, and it certainly doesn’t mean that he’s so deep and profound to communicate with Kylie. Who’s to say that the two don’t have the most engaging conversations? But at the end of the day, who truly cares? It is simply pointless to overanalyze the relationship dynamic between them as it is completely one-sided. Neither Kylie nor Timothee will see the video from @user9109556231 and think, “You know what, they’re so right!”
Credit: Mia Jong
The dissection of Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner’s pairing is just a more recent example of people being attached to the personal lives of celebrities, but the list truly goes on. Remember a few months ago when everyone was either Team Selena or Hailey during the perceived feud over Justin Beiber? I can only imagine just how annoying it must be for all parties involved in that triangle. Imagine how Selena and Justin feel knowing that there will be die-hard “Jelena” fans even though they dated when they were teens. Imagine how Hailey feels knowing that the over-obsessed “Jelena” fans will always find clips of Justin appearing to be disinterested in her simply because they have an agenda against her. At the end of the day, the internet is often a farce – we do not really know any of these people, so we shouldn’t feel such strong emotions towards the lives they live.
I do not care that Ariana Grande cheated on her husband with some guy on Broadway, nor that Doja Cat has gone off the rails (again). I certainly do not care about the new status of Jada and Will Smith’s relationship, nor that Taylor Swift is with some football player. Of course, while a certain degree of pop-culture interest is understandable, It is when people fail to move on from things that parasocial relationships – that is, imaginary relationships perceived and created by one individual that are not reciprocated by the other – begin to form.
Credit: Esther Kim
As exemplified by the aforementioned situations, one obvious way that these relationships can be harmful is that the fan begins to detach themselves from reality in favor of creating artificial relationships with whatever celebrity they enjoy. The increasing prevalence of social media has cemented the formation of parasocial relationships. In extreme cases, a person would begin to believe that the relationship they’ve created between them and the celebrity exists. This past August, Drew Barrymore had to be escorted off stage after a creepy encounter with a fan. The fan who approached her even yelled, “You know who I am”. This incident shows how the social media presence of celebrities can cause obsessive fans to form parasocial relationships and view them as some sort of friend.
Social media makes these celebrities more accessible and there are specific types of fans who will go to extreme lengths to defend the behavior of their favorite celebrity. It is not uncommon for people to “want the best” for their favorite celebrity. But what does this really mean? The hardcore fans will make dedicated “stan” accounts for their favorite celebrity and spend time filling the account feed with that celebrities accolades. Each post will be accompanied by a heartfelt caption about the fan behind the account being happy for that celebrity despite them never knowing each other. But fans expect something in return: often, they harass celebrities to speak publicly on pressing political or social matters, and if they don’t, expect others to express disappointment and anger towards the celebrity. But unless celebrities are purposefully and publicly aligning themselves with bigotry, their remarks and actions will have no true impact on our lives. Celebrities such as Emma Watson and Jennifer Lawrence have even been harassed for the mere fact that they choose not to interact with their audience. In truth, celebrities don’t know you, and you certainly don’t actually know anything about them – even if social media might make you think otherwise.