Celebs, Good Allyship Is Not That Complicated

Did you think celebrities learned their lesson about making cringe-y "support" videos after Gal Gadot's infamous "Imagine" debacle?

Then you've greatly underestimated Hollywood's capacity for delusion. (And/or their need to crank out a sequel.)

Yes, they're back on their bullshit, this time with black and white photography and a Very Serious TM soundtrack to accompany what looks like an audition reel for Good White Friend.

Supporting the fight against racial injustice isn't that complicated, but celebrities don't seem to get it. It's really simple: educate yourselves on the issues, donate to causes, amplify BIPOC voices, and use your privilege to help when you can. There doesn't need to be a performance, there doesn't need to be a super-cut of yourself alongside other random famous people, and there certainly doesn't have to be whatever the hell this is:

Yup, there are Instagram influencers who are doing blackface to "show solidarity."

It's utterly baffling how these people can claim to be invested in the Black community without having listened long enough to know that Blackface is a bad idea. But I guess that would require them to shift focus away from themselves for half-of-a-second, and when you're this addicted to attention, that half-of-a-second is too long to go without.

And maybe that's why celebrities (Instagram or otherwise) have such a hard time with this. Supporting the movement is essentially about listening and moving the spotlight away from oneself and on to the issues. There is no Oscar to be won for allyship, although damn if Aaron Paul didn't wring out every last bit of pathos from his one line anyway. It's too bad this video wasn't made before Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd. Knowing Kristen Bell took responsibility for her racism surely would have stopped him.

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Top Image: ITakeResponsiblity.org