So many celebrities have histories documented on the internet that haven’t aged well. Somehow, they remain popular today, some even growing in fame and success.
Sophomore Ella Lyons said, “I don’t think being cancelled is real. I think that people can try to cancel someone, but if you have a lot of money, you can do whatever the heck you want. You have to do something very bad to be cancelled, and nothing is ever that serious.”
Although in 2020 cancellation seemed like the worst thing that could happen, it hasn’t actually affected the celebrities, politicians, or influencers who have been “cancelled”.
Trisha Paytas, a well-known internet figure, has a past of being cancelled. She has videos online of her in blackface, saying racial slurs, and making fun of LGBTQ+ culture by “coming out” as a chicken nugget. Although Paytas has faced backlash, she is thriving today.
Paytas made her Broadway debut in November of 2025 in “Beetlejuice” and even had her own title show, “Trisha Paytas’ Big Broadway Dream,” in February of 2025. Despite her past, she has achieved everything she’s ever wanted.
Influencer Addison Rae was cancelled in 2020 for being racist, yet this year she performed at the Grammys and has a growing music influence.
Lyons added, “People do things that are bad all the time, and they just keep on getting bigger and bigger and more money and more money. I don’t think anyone can stop fame.”
The phenomenon of being cancelled is a topic many politicians discuss. They stress the left is “cancelling” everyone, and there’s no way to be successful with the left “cancelling” everyone. However, plenty of politicians have pasts that deserve cancellation but remain incredibly successful today.
The current President of the United States, for example, is convicted of 34 felonies. He was charged with falsifying business papers to cover up an extramarital affair. Trump faced no jail time, no fines, no probation, and no consequences. After he was convicted, he still managed to win the election of 2024.
Just under 300 years ago, Alexander Hamilton did the same thing. He falsified business papers to cover an affair and was scrutinized by America, unable to even run for president.
Although the right fears cancellation, being “cancelled” doesn’t seem to affect them socially or politically.
Junior Megan Flores said, “I think you can’t get cancelled if you’re famous, like Elon Musk. Nobody likes him, but he’s still super powerful.”
Cancel culture also has roots in civil rights movements. During the 1960s, the Montgomery bus boycott led to desegregation within the United States. When a group of people come together to fight for their beliefs, change happens. The problem with modern cancel culture is that people only band together online. Simply unfollowing someone or ignoring a racist post won’t change anything.
No one person should be powerful enough to avoid being “cancelled”. If you want real change to happen, we need to step up as a collective. Instead of scrolling past a brand that doesn’t have good morals, boycott the brand. Don’t give your money to corporations that actively go against you. Use your vote. Don’t let corruption continue to be in power. We are powerful when we come together, so become organized.
Change will happen if you are a part of it.