MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Twitter has been praised as a social media site that breaks down boundaries between celebrities and their fans (Muntean & Petersen, 2009; Sanderson, 2012). Others have complicated this distinction; Marwick and boyd (2011) note that while fans often feel this connection to celebrities, this relationship remains a parasocial one, as celebrities still perform identities rather than presenting their “authentic” identities. Another aspect of online culture involves flaming, criticizing celebrities on blogs and social media (Au, 2012). Through these comments, Marwick (2013) argues that social media provides a policing function for individuals’ behavior, emphasizing both a desire for authenticity from celebrities and an adherence to a particular type of morality.

This paper examines an aspect of celebrity and fan relationships by providing an analysis of a reoccurring segment on the late night comedy program The Jimmy Kimmel show called “Mean Tweets.” On this segment, celebrities read tweets of negative comments Twitter users have written about them. Kimmel introduces this segment with a reminder that celebrities are people too, breaking down the barrier between celebrities and fans, and demonstrating to people just how wide their audience is on Twitter.

Through a content analysis of tweets sent after the user’s tweet appeared on the show, this presentation traces the aftermath of these tweets’ publicity. While some users capitalized on the show to gain their own notoriety, others made their Twitter accounts private, and others expressed regret for sending the tweets. This presentation argues that “Mean Tweets” serves an etiquette function, instructing individuals on proper behavior on Twitter. Examining mainstream media discussions of social media can provide scholars with insights into the ways media create expectations for behavior in new media environments as well as proper ways to interact with celebrities in these new spaces.