The up-and-coming singer Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, recently guest-starred on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast. Among several topics, Roan took a moment to complain about her fans’ expectations for her to express a political opinion.
Roan said that it is impossible for her to be politically educated on top of eating, working out and all the burdens of being a rich celebrity. “Why the f–ck are you looking to me for some political answer?” Roan whined. “You think I have the f–cking answer? I’m a pop star. I wish I had the answers. I wish the president [were] a pop star.”
Newsflash, Roan: President Donald Trump is a billionaire reality TV star. He is halfway there, and it has done little to help the nation.
Roan sure had a lot of answers in 2024 when she refused to endorse Kamala Harris’ presidential bid while micro-aggressively mispronouncing her name multiple times. She also refused to perform at the White House, citing political differences regarding U.S. support of Israel. All of that was her right, however, it made her name prominent in political conversation.
Roan’s fans are used to her sharing her political opinion and are not looking for answers, but instead, a confirmation that they support someone whose views align with theirs. Roan is a hypocrite for being, or at least pretending to be, politically educated during one of the most important elections in U.S. history. Now, she complains that her fans — the people who make her famous — expect that from her. If she wanted to take a step back from politics, it would be her right, but to go on air and swear at her fans — not for the first time — shows a lack of professionalism and humility that is quickly growing exhausting.
Further, her explanation for not making the effort to be politically educated is that she does not have time. This excuse stinks of privilege and laziness.
The queer people and people of color that create her fanbase cannot afford to let their responsibilities keep them away from politics because their lives depend on the Trump administration’s actions, yet they are being told off for expecting a woman who based her career on drag to have something to say about the nation’s state of affairs.
Drag was invented by William Dorsey Swann, a Black activist born into slavery in Maryland, and is an inherently political act. Being a queer woman, which Roan identifies as, is inherently political in America. Having a platform, in this day and age, is inherently political. Roan refusing to accept this after cultivating an image for being outspoken is her Midwest-Republican white privilege taking over.
Perhaps she is not as progressive as her music sounds. Perhaps she does not speak about Trump because she thinks he is alright. Perhaps she is a coward who bit off more than she could chew. Hopefully, in the future, given the backlash she has received after her “Call Her Daddy” appearance, she will learn to be a coward in silence.
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