Cancel Culture led to many a toxic trend, but the "hostage" apology might have been among the worst.
You know the kind ... "I feel terribly ashamed for doing [insert problematic action or comment] 20 years ago. I will do better moving forward, and I'll be an ally to the [insert far-left progressive cause]."
Nauseating and fake. You could see the PR specialist's fingerprints all over the statement.
We also saw our fair share of faux apologies. They usually involved the person apologizing for the public misinterpreting their perfectly normal behavior, suggesting that we were to blame for their inane comments, not them.
One of the worst? Movie producer Harvey Weinstein, when credibly accused of mistreating starlets in the worst way possible, vowed to attack the NRA moving forward. As if that would make us forget his unsavory behavior.
Another clunker? Jimmy Kimmel belatedly apologizing for dressing in blackface during his "Man Show" days. The comedian got away with it for years, in part, because he embraced a far-Left identity which kept the woke mob at bay.
Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing, and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices ... I won't be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas.
Paget Brewster just gave us a master class on how to apologize the right way. No hand wringing. No blame dodging. Just a simple, direct statement that acknowledges the problem and does so in a human fashion.
The "Criminal Minds" star didn't take kindly to a Screen Rant article about her long-running series. The critic found fault with the show's move from CBS, where it ran for 15 seasons to Paramount+. That shift led to some creative maneuvers that didn't sit well with the author.
Brewster let loose on the scribe for doing her job, essentially.
Hello critic Shealynn Scott ... You’re young. You don’t know that bad pics and bad reviews can lead to 350 people losing their jobs. Sell vintage. Work at a shelter. Do something better than what you do now. Because right now you suck.
Ouch.
The press quickly pounced and seized on the digital tongue lashing, defending the ScreenRant.com critic in the process. Call it Great Moments in Thin Skin Theater.
That, plus a guilty conscience, coaxed the veteran star to apologize in short order.
“Hi guys, I was mean to Shealyn Scott last night and I profoundly regret it ... Shame on me for insulting a human being for doing their job. I’m very sorry, Shealyn. And I’m sorry to those who follow me that you saw me behave like that. Turns out, last night, I sucked.
Simple. Direct. Honest. And swift. Very swift.
Many celebrity apologies come after the star (and his or her agent) stuck their thumb in the air and waited to see what the fallout might be. Here, none of that happened.
Plus, Brewster's comments don't feel like a press release or otherwise manufactured sentiment. You can hear her voice on both the attack and the mea culpa.
The best part? The micro-controversy should end here. We can all move on with our lives, and artists should think long and hard about it.
Isn't that what real apologies are all about?
