Imagine this. An actor, director, musician, etc. who is great at their craft. You absolutely adore their work. But one day, you accidentally stumble upon a fact. Your favorite artist is a bad person. What do you do? Should you stop liking said art? Are you bad if you still like it?
Basically everyone has been put in this situation as of late. From Bill Cosby to Johnny Depp, Chris Brown to Mel Gibson, even Bill Murray; nobody’s favorite is safe anymore. Whether a past indiscretion or a recent faux pas, do these mistakes really matter in the whole scheme of things?
Yes and no. This is when a person’s own moral compass comes into play. For me personally, I don’t want to give my money and praise to someone convicted of a sex crime or a hate crime. Their status as an offender affects how I interpret any work, including them. But art can be consumed without supporting the artist. I’m not saying you’re an awful person because you bought that Woody Allen DVD at Target, but the best way to deal with a problematic artist is to support them the least you can.
Again, you aren’t terrible for buying tickets to the new Johnny Depp movie. The only thing that could make you terrible is trying to excuse an individual’s inexcusable actions. Just because Bill Cosby was a talented comedian you used to look up to, that doesn’t mean you need to defend him to your dying breath against 50 victimized women. Just because you love Edward Scissorhands, doesn’t mean you have to call Amber Heard a gold digger for accusing Johnny Depp of domestic abuse.
Recognize the faults in your idols and don’t defend the indefensible. Choose to support the boycotts or choose not to, just don’t turn a complete blind eye to the issues at hand.