Part 11/17:
The evolving landscape of social media has made celebrity apologies a complicated matter. Several figures—such as comedians and musicians—find their careers derailed by missteps or controversial jokes. However, reactions to such incidents often reveal performative outrage, with celebrities feeling compelled to issue public apologies that may appear insincere or coerced.
David Lucas exemplifies this, with his joke about George Floyd leading to widespread backlash, including death threats and virtual mobs. His subsequent apology, emphasizing that he only expressed sympathy to Floyd’s family, is met with skepticism regarding its sincerity, as critics argue it’s a politeness tactic rather than a genuine remorse.