Stars who continued their careers after being 'canceled'
Will Smith was at the center of one of the most highly-publicized scandals of 2022 after he slapped Chris Rock live on stage at the Academy Awards. The incident became headline news around the world and Smith smartly stepped back from the spotlight after making his apologies. He reappeared towards the end of 2022 to promote his film 'Emancipation,' and made his first major speech since the incident in March 2023 when he was honored with The Beacon Award at the African American Film Critics Association Awards for his role in the movie. However, it was his performance at Sunday night's BET Awards that signaled his bold, unapologetic comeback. Smith performed his new song 'You Can Make It' at the show—an impassioned rap about overcoming adversity backed up by powerful vocals from Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, and the Sunday Service Choir. Smith appeared on the stage surrounded by a ring of fire and said, "I don't know who needs to hear this right now, but whatever's going on in your life, I'm here to tell you, you can make it," before launching into the song. “The darker the hell you gotta endure / The brighter the heaven you get to enjoy / The harder the fall, the higher you soar,” he rapped. The song delivered a strong message from Smith, who has openly been going through a dark period in his life in recent years. From the dark revelations in his 2021 memoir to the fallout of the 2022 Oscars incident to the exposure of his separation from wife Jada Pinkett Smith, the actor has faced many challenges. 'You Can Make It' seems to mark a turning point for Smith's inner journey, if not his public image. The term "canceled" has become so ubiquitous in today's age that it can be difficult to understand what it really means for a person, including how to criticize it or, more importantly, how to find redemption in it. Its roots lie in the traditional boycott, as a means for the public to practice its own version of justice and to teach figures with more power than them what is acceptable and what is not. At its worst, it's highly reactionary and can destroy someone's reputation. At best, it's an important learning lesson for its targets and for everyone witnessing it. One of the biggest criticisms of cancel culture is that it's too swift and severe, but it's interesting to see the various ways celebrities have dealt with being "canceled," some of which actually resulted in a smooth return to their careers. Some stars make enormous apology tours and equally enormous donations to the communities they offended. Other stars try to dispute the claims. Some others disappear for a little while and try to return quietly. Others go after cancel culture itself, and a few actually do attempt genuine redemption. Though many "canceled" celebs lose projects and tours at first, and experience immense mental duress from the public shaming, there are several stars who have come out of it all with their career intact, at least somewhat. Click through to learn more and see other examples of stars who prove that cancel culture might not be as permanent as people say it is.
2024-07-01T12:20:45Z
Woodstock: Remembering "3 Days of Peace and Love"
Over 50 years ago, more than 400,000 music fans descended on a dairy farm in New York State for "3 Days of Peace and Love." The Woodstock festival, held between August 15–18, 1969, attracted some of the biggest names of the time, acts like The Who, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix. More than half a century later, let's reminisce on the legendary three-day event—widely regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in popular music history—for its music, its audience, and what it stood for: all that was good about the counterculture movement.
2024-02-28T15:26:50Z
