International singer-actress Lea Salonga’s recent viral video about turning away fans who were asking for a photo with her, became a point of discussion about respecting one’s privacy and boundaries.
In a video that circulated on social media, fans are seen entering Salonga’s dressing room, asking to take photos with her. The latter responded, “Who are you? I’m so sorry, I don’t know who you are.”
The singer insisted that she only accepts and entertains people into her dressing room only if they are recorded on the guest list. “If I allow this now, other people will take advantage of me,” she said. The protocol was set in place for security purposes.
Salonga instructed the fans to proceed to another designated area where she can entertain the requests to take photos with her. In the latter part of the video, a fan was heard showering her with compliments as a great artist. While she showed her gratitude to the kind words, she stressed the importance of the etiquette, saying that she had to “be strict about this.”
In a tweet, Salonga addressed the video and wrote, “Just a reminder… I have boundaries. Do not cross them. Thank you.”
Just a reminder… I have boundaries. Do not cross them. Thank you. https://t.co/LVziX55lDf
— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) July 17, 2023
A Twitter user replied to the singer’s tweet, saying “They got too comfortable lol. Btw, just to inform you, during your turn in hll nag live po sila which is so wrong. They deleted it lang. Anywaysss, stay safe and take care, Ms. Lea,” to which Salonga replied, “Ayyyyyy p********** katangahan.”
She quoted another tweet to highlight the kind of ‘mindset’ shared by many people like her in the entertainment industry.
Thanks for sharing this. Allow me to quote.
This is the mindset of many folks in the industry. If you get it, that’s good. If you don’t, then I have no good words for you. https://t.co/1YHha4acHB
— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) July 17, 2023
While it is normal to admire famous people who have an impact in our lives, it must not be forgotten that they are still humans who feel in the same way we feel. Just because they are “public” personalities does not mean that they are always open and available to the public anywhere at any time.
We must understand that this kind of reaction from celebrities doesn’t come from nowhere or out of plain bad attitude. There have been multiple instances when fans/followers went overboard and forgot their limitations. Just recently, Pia Wurtzbach recalled that she was stalked and even received death threats. It can also be remembered that Donny Pangilinan was forcefully pinched by a fan at one of his events.
It is also worth noting that one of the famous artists whom Lea Salonga has been following, BTS’ Jungkook, also faced unwanted behavior from fans. The K-pop star has been dealing with ‘sasaengs’ who constantly follow him to the gym and even go as far as delivering food to his apartment. This is the situation that was discussed in a tweet that the singer retweeted, highlighting the importance of boundaries.
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