On the night of May 6, 27 protesters were arrested on the Upper East Side during a pro-Palestinian demonstration between dress adjustments, pearl attachments and camera flashes at the controversial Met Gala. , while Israeli forces occupied the Rafah crossing, which was relied upon by displaced Palestinians. for refuge in Egypt. In response to the silence of celebrities in Gaza and the ostentatious displays of wealth at fundraising events, many people promoted “celebrity block parties” as a means of protecting themselves from the distracting and exploitative nature of consumer culture. I started.
The online campaign, also known as “Celebrity Block List'' or “Celebrity Blockout 2024,'' is exactly what it sounds like, targeting celebrities and influencers who have expressed or not expressed support for Israel. It's a social media blocking act. For more than six months, fans have been pressuring various celebrities to speak out about the suffering of Palestine, but Block Party is set to feature an influencer named Hailey Khalil interviewing gala attendees outside of one event. It was born out of an invitation. Women at a major hotel posted videos lip-syncing to a popular TikTok sound that includes the phrase “let them eat cake.” These are the infamous and possibly false words said to have been uttered by Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, to starving peasants.
Although Khalil's video has been removed and he has apologized for using a certain TikTok sound, people around the world have decided that the Met Gala is a last resort, using the block button as a “digital guillotine” or “digitine” so to speak. I am using it. Highly allergic We spoke to June Johnson and Nick Lancellotti, two activists from We the People (WTP), one of the resistance movements behind last week's Met Gala protests, to learn more about block parties and their impact. Ta.
“We've seen this happen periodically throughout history. When there are too many haves and too many have-nots, the bourgeoisie is the first to be at risk,” Johnson explained. “Coupled with the fact that we know that Israel launches its worst attacks when it knows Americans will be most distracted from the Super Bowl and other events, it helps to take people off center from the Met Gala. I was able to do that.”
There's a lot of information floating around the internet with varying degrees of fact-checking and specificity, but WTP's initial blocklist starts with all notable gala attendees. The way Johnson sees it, everyone at the lavish party is complicit to some degree. This event coincided with Israel's escalation in Rafah.
Johnson emphasized that the chain of blocks is just one of many layers of digital activity, and that everyone's block list will look a little different. There are even anonymous Instagram accounts trying to energize the art world block party. The online campaign, which is still in its early stages, seems disjointed with so many lists floating around, but TikTok disability blogger and activist Imani Barbarin has created a more streamlined and actionable way to support the movement. is presenting.
Regarding the parasocial or one-sided relationships between fans and celebrities, and the loyalty of certain fan bases to “separate the art from the artist” in order to continue enjoying the creative work of a particular person, Johnson argues that Block Party explained that it aims to help bring people out of their comfort zones and create space for difficult conversations.
“I know it's heartbreaking and painful to see your favorite singers and actors on your blocklist, but I just keep reflecting on this and trying to figure out why my attachment to them is the same as my attachment to them. “I also encourage you to keep thinking about what feels more important than 'the movement itself,'” she continued.
Lancelotti says parasocial relationships with celebrities mean that “celebrities don't know who we are on a personal level, but they earn money from our attention and focus.” He said it was “abuse.”
Lancellotti acknowledged the difficulty of distancing himself from the artist, especially given the role of art in informing and conveying human emotions. He reiterated that he is open to excluding his favorite celebrities, but cited Vietnam War folk singers as a specific example, stressing that “revolution is not found in mainstream art.”
Some critics of the Bloc have asked what the point is in targeting entertainment and consumer industries rather than elected officials, but Johnson and Lancellotti Both explained that simply focusing on the latter has clearly not been successful in the past seven months. Politics and entertainment influence each other. Remember when Cardi B interviewed Joe Biden before the 2020 election? Remember who gets invited to various White House events?
“Celebrities have direct connections to politicians and we want to activate their platforms to further the cause,” Johnson elaborated. “And celebrities are much more flexible than politicians.”
But until then, we are required to put pressure on the elites by removing the platforms that we gave them in the first place with our care. Block Party doesn't just eliminate distractions; it has the power to influence the algorithms and marketing efforts that serve celebrity content based on our interactions.
