The ‘Morality Olympics’ of Ed Sheeran’s Tour – why do we make celebrities the end-point of our advocacy on world atrocities?
Taboo on the BusShow Notes
Sit down with me today to discuss the fallout from Ed Sheeran dropping Macklemore from his tour over his public support for a free Palestine. What started as a conversation centred on Palestinian liberation has warped into memes, weighing up of celebrity ‘sides’, drags of Ed Sheeran’s tattoos, and somewhat of a ‘Morality Olympics’ at play online.
What I have noticed is that amid conversations centring on world atrocities, we can be quick to end our advocacy online at follows/unfollows, and surveillance of celebrity stances and movements. We can get wrapped up in mass cancellations, public dragging, and picking ‘sides’, which diverts from conversations and actions that actually can move the dial.
This episode serves to discuss how we must engage with BOTH in order to make a difference and keep pressure on the cause, which is, and remains, a free Palestine.
Let me know what you think. I hope this serves as an important addition of digital culture analysis and a reminder of the root here.
Thank you for your continued support for my podcast/vodcast, it means the world to me!
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Reference List:
TikTok: Ed Sheeran Tattoo Artist: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8rATGRg/ Club Leader Gary: https://www.tiktok.com/@garebearclub?_r=1&_t=ZN-9A55wn0Qk5O
Articles Mentioned: https://gaypop.substack.com/p/ed-sheeran-and-the-fallacy-of-apoliticism
https://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2025/09/19/the-curtains-arent-just-blue-why-art-cannot-be-apolitical/
https://www.palatinate.org.uk/the-fallacy-that-art-can-be-apolitical/
Donation Links: https://www.pcrf.net https://donate.wck.org/campaign/749399/donate?utm_source=googlesearch&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gaza-googleaccountsitelinks&c_src=2025-paidmedia-fundraising-googlesearch-gaza-googleaccountsitelinks&utm_source=googlepmax&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=evergreen-performancemax&c_src=2026-paidmedia-fundraising-googlepmax-evergreen-performancemax&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22475403517&gbraid=0AAAAApcxQJu3-B3-VBxYdCggywRPvbNVO&gclid=CjwKCAjw_eLVBhBEEiwAeaYZfA79vlR0ntUqTbLFUhOmbO6c_z6dI5_umT9vYY6qcVswscf08Q0QmxoCCIYQAvD_BwE
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