Zach Bryan would probably disagree.
In this day and age where social media provides us with so much access to our favorite celebrities and artists, it seems like fans feel entitled to time and attention from celebrities, which isn’t really fair or how it should be but that’s the world we live in.
And look, I get expecting someone not to be a jerk when you meet them, because that’s just being a good person. But part of that is also realizing that these artists are people too and have lives outside of being a celebrity, and respecting their time away from the spotlight.
Country star Zach Bryan recently came under fire for his response to a fan who criticized him for not meeting with fans outside of concerts, with a not-so-friendly response to the girl who turned out to be only 14 years old. In response to a TikTok she posted about him not coming out after the show to greet fans, Zach’s NSFW response made clear that he doesn’t believe he owes fans anything outside of the show they paid for:
It seems that Billy Bob Thornton, though, would disagree.
The Landman star and Academy Award-winning actor recently sat down with CBS News, and discussed why he spends so much time interacting with fans:
“When they say, why do you take pictures of everybody and stand there and talk to a woman whose son’s in dental school for a half an hour, here’s the reason: Because they put my kids through school. And so you owe it to them, you really do.”
He also says he thinks it’s a bad look for the industry as a whole for celebrities to ignore the fans:
“And anybody who doesn’t come out of their trailer, you know, because they’re upset about, you know, ‘I don’t want to say that line’ or whatever it is, or if they ignore the fans and walk past them like they mean nothing, I think that’s a bad thing for our business. And so I make sure that I do that. I’m not bragging on myself, I’m just saying I think I owe that.”
He’s got a point about only being where he is because of the fans in the first place. If it weren’t for people watching his movies, he might still be laying asphalt with the Arkansas Department of Transportation. And it’s nice to see celebrities who go out of their way to appreciate those who got them where they are. That’s no doubt why he’s been around so long as has had so much success: Being a good person goes a long way, no matter what industry you’re in.
And fans in the comments were quick to praise his humble attitude:
“Losing touch with reality is the downfall of many in the entertainment business.”
“Always been a fan of his. And this makes me love him even more.”
“He realizes he wouldn’t be anything without his fans, something a lot of celebrities I think forget”
“Billy Bob is in touch with reality”
“Much respect. I can’t say that for a lot of actors. He’s so talented and so grounded.”
“I haven’t watched Landman yet. This video has made me want to more than any commercial.”
“Man single handedly trying to save Hollywood”
There’s definitely a line between being a jerk and ignoring fans and being so accessible that fans feel entitled to your attention whenever they want it. It seems like Billy Bob Thornton, at least, has got that line figured out.
@cbssundaymorning “They put my kids through school”: Billy Bob Thornton says he feels that he owes it to fans to take time out of his day for them, saying it’s a “bad thing for our business” to ignore those who helped him find success. #billybobthornton #landman #landmanpplus ♬ original sound – CBS Sunday Morning
