Recently, whilst enjoying some casual internet browsing I stumbled upon the Jimmy Kimmel – Mean Tweets series on YouTube. This series is taken from a segment on the American talk show hosts show and features celebrities reading out mean tweets that have been posted about them. I think this is interesting as it highlights that you are talking to actual people when you at-tag a celebrity or public figure. Many of the tweets are things people would not say if they were face-to-face with either the celebrity or in fact anyone, if did then they’d probably face legal action resulting in either a fine or jail time.
The celebs reactions are interesting, even the ones who laugh it off, sometimes looks like they are trying to use humour to make it okay. Of course some of the tweets are things many of us have thought about those individuals, saying celeb x is a useless dick for example. Seeing that person reading it about, somehow reminds you that they are still a person and it is still wrong to say hurtful things about them. I guess what I am trying to articulate is that, getting to watch a celebrity, someone we often think of as a commodity, reading out the tweets re-humanises them. It makes you realise that they are not simply a brand name, but an organic and sentient being who we should treat as we would anyone else.
I do wonder though, is this series harmful by glorifying the mean tweets? By using them for entertainment does it send a message that, these tweets can be amusing? If you send one you might even get a mention on Jimmy Kimmel, that is a pretty good incentive to send more abuse (some of the guests do appear in multiple episodes).
It is now time for you to judge for yourself, watch the clips and make up your own mind.
YouTube clips of the various editions of Mean Tweets:
Celebrity Mean Tweets – Music edition
Celebrity Mean Tweets – NBA edition
Digi Domi 
Leave a comment