You can now log into your favorite social media app and possibly see your favorite celeb on live, completely unhinged. Negative press does not carry the same weight it once did. What used to be career damaging, something that called for a PR rebrand, lost brand deals, or cutting ties, has now become a green light to visibility and success.
When people hear the word broke, they automatically think money, being poor or down bad in life. In this context, broke is a mindset, not a bank account. It’s how someone moves, reacts, and values attention, power, and validation. A broke mindset is short-term thinking, chasing quick clout instead of long-term growth. It’s the willingness to air out private business, embarrass yourself or others, just to be seen or talked about.
If it goes viral, then it must be worth it.
It’s going on live rants, flaunting money publicly, or calling fans broke. Glorifying side-chick narratives and cheating scandals. Putting personal business online, oversharing private situations, even celebrating nasty rumors if they bring attention.
These are behaviors people once side-eyed or avoided. Now that same behavior has been rebranded and sold as entertainment.
Reality TV, social media, and city girl culture changed the game. They did not create this mindset, but they definitely helped make it profitable. The same things celebrities once worked hard to separate themselves from are now the foundation of their platforms. Money changes, status changes, but the mindset often stays the same.
Fame now shields people from the scrutiny everyone else gets.
The louder the drama, the more attention. The more attention, the more followers. The more followers, the more blog posts. The more blog posts, the more engagement.
A ridiculous idea has formed:
once you’re famous, nothing can really touch you.
That’s why so many celebrities move like they have nothing to lose.
Celebrities still want celebrity treatment while moving like regular people. They overshare things nobody asked for, then demand privacy when it doesn’t go their way. They make everything public, then get mad when everybody has an opinion. They still expect people to separate the art from the behavior, even when the behavior is ongoing and often overshadowing the talent. Some of them move like fame makes them exempt from consequences. And honestly, sometimes it does.
What used to stay in the group chat is now posted for millions to see. Baby mamas and baby daddies get exposed. Private texts go public. Screenshots get dropped. People get embarrassed in real time, and the audience eats it up. That’s why fans feel so connected. It doesn’t feel like watching a superstar anymore. It feels like watching somebody from your neighborhood who just happens to have money and a platform. So people get attached, defend it, and excuse it. If you’re not liked, you’ll get cancelled fast. But if you’re loved, or if you keep the internet entertained with tea and receipts, you’ll get a pass, at least until the public decides otherwise.
Another issue is the disconnect between image and reality.
The art looks and sounds healing and encouraging, but the actions still look unstable. The brand looks polished, but the attitude is nasty. The image gives boss, but the choices keep giving mediocre.
Once fans start seeing too much, it gets harder to consume. Because at a certain level of success, your work should get sharper, not sloppier. Your life should get more protected, not more public.
But the media now pushes the opposite.
A perfect example played out in 2025 when Saweetie became the subject of viral allegations started by someone she used to be close with. Instead of responding online, she stayed quiet and later said she would handle it legally.
Then social media personality Sukihana went on a podcast and said people “can’t relate” to Saweetie because she isn’t being real. According to Suki, if Saweetie just came out and embraced being a ho, people would respect her more and feel closer to her. As if that label is something to be proud of.
That right there shows how far this mindset has gone.
It pushes the idea that the only way to be relatable is to lower yourself for public approval instead of protecting your name and your future. It teaches people that respect doesn’t matter as long as attention keeps coming.
Why are growth, silence, privacy, maturity, and standards considered fake or boring now?
The cost isn’t just lost careers. It changes what people think is normal. It lowers the standard for maturity, self-respect, and accountability. Like nothing is worth being embarrassed about anymore.
That can be dangerous.
Because embarrassment isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes embarrassment is the signal that something needs to change. Sometimes shame is your spirit saying, “This isn’t you.” Sometimes it’s trying to stop you before you make things worse.
Sometimes privacy is protection.
This lifestyle comes with real consequences. Whatever you put into the public atmosphere follows you. The internet does not forget.
What brings brand deals and laughs today can affect your livelihood tomorrow. The same behavior that builds momentum now can be the reason you get pushed out later.
Right now, we live in an era obsessed with going viral and making a big bag. And if we’re being honest, it’s not just celebrities. The audience plays a role too. We reward it, repost it, and we often fuel it.
This isn’t about canceling celebrities. It’s about recognizing a broke mindset when we see it and refusing to reward it. Fame doesn’t excuse reckless behavior, and money doesn’t replace character. If we want better from the industry, we have to stop applauding dysfunction. Otherwise, we’ll keep elevating it until standards don’t exist at all.
