What’s the minimum level of fame needed to avoid being publicly shamed? I mean, lately I see a lot of artists doing questionable or downright bad/illegal things, and yet they still have a horde of fans defending them tooth and nail. So it makes me wonder, how many fans do you really need to have that level of security? To know you have a fanbase that will always be there no matter what? Maybe 10 fans aren’t enough, or even 500… what’s the minimum?
It sort of starts with what is “canceled” to you. Do you mean never work in the industry again? Lose all fans? Face legal repercussions? Someone like Louis CK had a reckoning during me too. It wasn’t enough to face legal charges, but he stopped for a bit and lost some fans, but not all and came back after a couple years. For some that was enough, while others were pissed he still had a platform at all.
It also depends on the type of celebrity or artist. Some have very little barriers to entry to get their stuff out there. A YouTuber just needs to be able to post a video where bands or live performers can have venues cancel on them. Even if YouTube steps in, someone like Alex Jones can move to another site and keep making content for his fans.
I see canceling as a means of spreading awareness to others that a celebrity had done something wrong and isn’t worth spending time or money on. It is often a stop gap when our legal systems don’t have means to right a wrong. If a celebrity did something morally wrong but legally gray they shouldn’t get off scot free