A few weeks into the virus’ onslaught in
America, some commentators had soured on
the shenanigans of celebrities. “I don’t care what
celebs are doing in their mansions,” one wrote
on Instagram. Another posted a warning: “Funny
how irrelevant they become when real problems
curse us.”
The first real sign that celebrity exposure was
curdling was when “Wonder Woman” star
Gal Gadot led a sing-along of “Imagine” with
such stars as James Marsden, Zoe Kravitz,
Amy Adams and Mark Ruffalo. Pushback came
quickly, with some commentators calling it
“cringeworthy” and “out of touch.” They asked
for donations, not songs.
Akshaya Sreenivasan, a social media marketing
expert at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business
School, says as the COVID-19 crisis drags on,
celebrities are bound to face more online hate.
“Even Oprah is not going to be immune,” she
says. “The big guys in Hollywood are going to be
shredded to pieces, especially if they continue to
post on Instagram, ‘Oh my God, I’m so bored. I’m
drinking martinis in my private pool.’”
Sreenivasan anticipates some celebs will lose
followers if they continue posting without
sensitivity to the losses outside their mansions.
And she thinks many will open their wallets to
compensate for all the years of Instagram glam.
“They need to do something to protect that
brand,” she says.