While social media is a great way for celebrities to engage more with their followers, it gets tricky when regarding sensitive topics. Usually, comedians are the best to approach these situations. They are the only ones who can get away with dark humor and try turning it into a conversable topic. For Amy Schumer, things got a little awkward when she joked about taking breaks from social media.
On August 14th, Schumer made an "important mental health announcement" on Instagram. Mental health is no laughing matter - plenty of celebrities have shared their vast experiences with it. However, Schumer's comedic nature and full-time profession allowed her to get away with this one... slightly. She proceeded to joke about using more social media for her mental health. She parodies while acknowledging the triggers of social media. From watching Love Island as a 40-year-old woman to scrolling for over 8 hours a day, she joked with her followers over these matters. The post had no intention to mock celebrities who have documented taking a break from social media - but with bad timing, her reveal came hours after Tom Holland had just done exactly that.
Things got a little awkward when users realized Schumer posted the video hours after Holland announced that he would take a break from socials to focus on his mental health. Yikes. But it seems Schumer did not actively try to offend Holland or any other struggling celebrity in this case! It is more likely Schumer did not even come across Holland's post. Schumer was, in fact, openly stating the aspects of media which could affect her, trying to normalize these feelings, if anything. She used her comedic talent to take a lighter approach to the situation, to put everyone in the same boat. As for Holland? Famous for his heroic role as Spider-Man, the actor bravely opened up. He admitted to "spiraling" when he reads about himself online as well as deeming social media as "overstimulating" and "overwhelming." He continued to "shed light" on a charity he sponsors, The Brothers Trust Shop, to raise awareness on the careful topic. Still, while many stars showed their support for Holland, Schumer had no hate as her fellow celebs understood what she was doing. Even Orlando Bloom hopped onto the joke, commenting, "This is honestly so beautiful and vulnerable. I'm here for you, your real, live, friend."
While mental health should never be joked about, Schumer tried to bring light to a serious matter. In a way, she exposed the demons of social media. Her video theoretically put everyone in the same boat, effectively trying to make everyone feel sane about the negative powers of the press. It was just unfortunate timing due to Holland's post. Still, we wish nothing but the best for our A-listers and fellow followers!
