Through a brutal flood of social media posts and news articles, popular R&B artist Usher is under fire after a less-than-chivalrous exit from the Baccarat Hotel. When leaving the hotel he was staying at a hotel in Paris during his most recent tour, paparazzi awaited him outside, only to catch a scene involving an unopened door. While the woman he was with opened the door for herself, Usher stood back, still holding said door, so his door-holder assistant could rush up and hold it for him. Many online are calling this act “entitled,” when it seems pointless.
The video uploaded on April 19 left many conflicted, with a majority against Usher, yet some came to his defense, making statements such as “the doorman is getting paid to open the door for the people entering and exiting.” The debate continued the following week, many unsure if it was justified or an act of pure selfishness.
While sites such as Reddit and X seemed to not let Usher forget this petty act, the discourse is another quick reach from audiences who pay too much attention to current media. Usher is not the most likeable celebrity, but hyper analyzing this situation is senseless.
Usher could have opened the door for himself and walked out casually with his guest, but then again, it is not that serious. He looks bad in these clips — not holding the door for his companion and spending seconds waiting for his doorman — but it does not warrant further investigation.
The argument on whether or not the doorman should have been there or whether Usher should or should not have walked out on his own has no value. What could have been a meaningless clip has suddenly started a massive uproar. People are only paying more attention to pop culture than important issues in their own lives.
The problem with overexaggerated pop culture drama is something many are faced with, despite having every opportunity not to. Usher may have asked politely for his doorman, or may not have. When those possibilities dictate how you view celebrities, it is hard to realize that these idols are merely people. People who make less charming choices are still human beings. Whether one likes Usher after this video has no harm, but contributing to its relevance is pointless.
