In recent weeks, fans and (tabloid) media have been commenting more and more on Cara Delevingne's alleged mental breakdown. Find out here why a disturbing parallel can be drawn with Britney Spears in 2007.
In recent weeks, Cara Delevingne has repeatedly been in the news with photos of alleged breakdowns, video analyses of her "crash" are made on TikTok and her family and friends are bombarded with questions on Twitter. Fans would worry about her supposed crash and alleged drug use. So much so that several pictures and videos have been posted showing Cara Delevingne in a private moment at the airport, unaware that she was being photographed and filmed. Her friends were also photographed and placed in a perfidious context that was somehow meant to fit the narrative of the relevant media.
The difficult thing about the whole story is that despite all the concern (or is it perhaps just curiosity? Or even sensationalism?) about her mental health, we forget what this great media attention can do to a (sick) person.
This is why fans and media 'care' about Cara Delevingne
In August 2022, anonymous sources piled up, revealing to industry magazines such as "Page Six" that "friend:s" of Cara Delevingne were becoming increasingly concerned about the model's behaviour and alleged "decline". The situation had been getting worse for weeks and an intervention would soon be necessary. As a result, a video was released on 5 September in which Cara Delevingne is seen without shoes and with unwashed hair – shortly after she returned from the "Burning Man" festival. Incidentally, a place where very few visitors:inside walk around "normally" dressed. Because of this video, she is now being accused of "erratic behaviour" and a "disturbing performance".
Added to this are freshly released pictures of Margot Robbie leaving Cara Delevingne's house in tears (whether Cara herself was there or not is not known). This fitted perfectly into the tabloid media's set-up story: a friend who tried to help Cara but is now frustrated because Cara won't let her help. Even if this concocted narrative were true, media outlets with genuine concerns would not pounce so gleefully on such new images, but would instead give Cara Delevingne the privacy she deserves.
We should have left the reporting around Cara Delevingne back in 2007
We see a woman who, at least at the airport, may not be behaving conventionally – whatever the circumstances. Suddenly the media (and fans!) pounce on the event and try to make money out of every picture, no matter how private. It's creepily reminiscent of Britney Spears shaving off her hair in 2007 while more than 70 photographers and paparazzi watched her do it and the pictures were sold worldwide. In retrospect, it is certain that neither the media nor fans behaved respectfully and that the coverage of Britney's breakdown was very problematic – even partly responsible for it. Because after this public breakdown, her father revoked her guardianship and installed himself as her guardian. For 13 long years, he controlled every aspect of her life.
And then in 2021, people were shocked when the grim details of this guardianship came to light through a documentary – Britney's father controlled who she could see and what contraceptives she had to take. Fans were beside themselves when they learned how Britney Spears' mental issues were exploited to make money and control a human being. The #FreeBritney movement went around the world and everyone sat with their mouths open as the cruel role of tabloid media was realised while watching "Framing Britney Spears".
Don't let Cara Delevingne become the next Britney Spears.
Because that's exactly what relevant media (and through social media, some fans) do: they take an event and "frame" it, that is, they "frame" it in a certain context. This is what is happening right now with Cara Delevingne and her supposed 'fall' – the tabloid media takes an aspect of her life, puts a 'worry' in front of it and reimagines it with its own narrative. A narrative that hurts not only Cara, but those around her.
Every day, news services have to ask themselves: "What is the value of a message?" And over the last twenty years, the answer has changed: In the 2000s, it was mostly news about celebrities showing off their "love handles" or their "cellulite" on the beach and being publicly shamed for it. Today, thankfully, it's more and more body positivity news and news about how to break down the stigma around mental health issues.
So in 2022, is it really still worth an uncritical to sensationalist news story when someone is promised alleged mental health issues and a public figure has a meltdown?
There are basically two (or surely many more) possible explanations for why Cara Delevingne behaved the way she did at the airport. Either she didn't shower properly for nine days during the "Burning Man" festival, didn't eat well, drank a lot and slept little and was a bit hyperactive while waiting for her flight – we would certainly be too after such a festival. Or she has had mental problems for some time and is trying to self-medicate with drugs – certainly not unusual in Hollywood.
Either way: In all possible cases, the media and 'concerned fans' have a responsibility to treat her respectfully, give her the space she needs right now (to shower or start therapy) and not harass her friends:inside and family.
Written by Michael Zippo
Michael Zippo, passionate Webmaster and Publisher, stands out for his versatility in online dissemination. Through his blog, he explores topics ranging from celebrity net worth to celebrity net worth. to business dynamics, the economy, and developments in IT and programming. His professional presence on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-zippo-9136441b1/ - is a reflection of his dedication to the industry, while managing platforms such as EmergeSocial.NET and theworldtimes.org highlights his expertise in creating informative and timely content. Involved in significant projects such as python.engineering, Michael offers a unique experience in the digital world, inviting the public to explore the many facets online with him.