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Do Fans Go Too Far?

Some stars are speaking out about extreme fan behavior. How much privacy do celebrities deserve?

By Anna Starecheski and Mackenzie Carro

From the November 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: to read and analyze a text that presents arguments on both sides of a debate, then take a stand

Lexile: 1000L

Featured Skill: Argument Writing,

Listen to this debate read aloud.

Listen to this story read aloud.

In 2024, Chappell Roan seemed to be on top of the world. Her first album was finally taking off, with several songs topping charts around the globe. She was performing on stages in front of massive crowds who knew all the words to her songs, gaining 100,000 social media followers a day, and walking glamorous red carpets teeming with ultra-famous celebrities. In the span of only about a year, Roan had achieved the kind of fame that many artists only dream of.

But then came the problem: Her fans found her. Everywhere.

They begged her for selfies. They followed her around airports and to hotels. They even showed up at her parents’ house.

Many of us can relate to feeling super passionate about an artist or celebrity. We spend tons of money on expensive concert tickets to go see them. During performances or appearances, we scream and cheer them on until our throats are sore. We watch all their stories and like all their posts.

This kind of fan behavior is harmless. Fans showing up to Roan’s parents’ house, on the other hand, is not. And because of the scary experiences that Roan has had, she’s started to speak out about what fans expect from her. She says fans’ extreme behavior can be invasive—and sometimes frightening—for celebrities.

These comments have sparked a debate: What do celebrities really owe their fans? And when does being a fan go from fun and supportive to intrusive and harmful?

Fans or Friends?

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella

Bad Bunny threw a fan’s phone after she recorded him without asking.

Fans have existed for most of human history. In ancient Greece, groups of admirers would flock to the Olympics to see their favorite athletes compete. When the author Charles Dickens visited America in 1842, hordes of fans trailed him everywhere he went. In the 1960s, massive crowds would wait for the Beatles outside their recording studio in London, England.

But today, thanks to social media, fans can take their admiration to another level. Not so long ago, if people wanted to see what their favorite stars were up to, they’d have to buy a magazine or flip to the entertainment section of a newspaper. Now, with platforms like Instagram and TikTok, we have constant access to the lives of our idols. We can see what Millie Bobby Brown is wearing to the gym. We might get a look at Bad Bunny’s bedroom. We can watch Taylor Swift as she walks into her favorite restaurant for dinner—and maybe even find out what she ordered.

And as we consume more and more of these personal details, it can start to feel like we actually know the celebrities we follow. We form what is called a “parasocial relationship,” explains Lynn Zubernis, a psychologist who studies fandom and fan behavior. In a parasocial relationship, we don’t actually know a celebrity, but because of what we see on social media and all we learn about them online, we feel like we do.

“Our brains get attached to people we see often,” says Zubernis. “That happens whether they are in our living rooms or in our phones. Being able to see and hear and even interact with our favorite celebrities on social media makes us feel closer to them than we actually are.”

There’s nothing inherently wrong with these relationships, experts say, but the familiarity we feel can create the expectation that celebrities will treat us like friends. And if the parasocial relationship with a celebrity goes too far, it can lead to rude or even dangerous behavior.

This could be why some fans end up behaving in ways that stars feel cross boundaries—like grabbing a celebrity’s arm, sticking a phone in their face for a selfie without asking, or showing up at their house. You might do those things to your friends or family, but is it OK to behave that way with someone you don’t actually know?

Part of the Job

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Finn Wolfhard refused to take a photo with a fan who followed him home one night.

Some argue that dealing with fans is just part of being famous—that it’s part of the job that celebrities sign up for.

That’s why when Roan called out fans for bad behavior, some of them took offense. They said she was rude and ungrateful and that she should be honored that people love her so much.

After all, stars would not be stars—and would make no money—without fans. Shouldn’t celebrities be willing to put up with some selfies and screaming in exchange for all the wealth and opportunities they get?

What’s more, according to Zubernis, stars often encourage parasocial relationships with fans. They share personal details and invite fans into their lives to keep them invested. Perhaps if stars want more privacy, they shouldn’t share so much, some people argue.

Not Normal

But Roan is not the only celebrity who has spoken out about fans.

Justin Bieber has said fans make him feel “like a zoo animal.” Keke Palmer once called out a fan who asked her three times for a picture. (Her important reminder: “No means no.”) Emma Watson has said that she’s happy to chat with fans but declines photo requests. “It’s the difference between being able to have a life and not. If someone takes a photograph of me and posts it, within two seconds they’ve created a marker of exactly where I am,” she explained in an interview with Vanity Fair.

Roan argues that there are limits to what stars owe their fans. She says that the constant attention has affected her mental health, and that she has even feared for her safety at times.

“I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes with the job,” she said on TikTok. “That does not make it OK. That does not make it normal.”

After all, celebrities are people—just like us. Should the fact that they’re famous change the way that they’re treated? Imagine if you were swarmed by screaming fans every time you left the house. Would you start flashing smiles for selfies? Or would you secretly wish your fans would leave you alone?