Who actually decides when you’re ‘cancelled’?

Cancel culture shows up fast — and disappears just as quickly. Some people lose everything. Others barely flinch.

In this episode, Qetsiyah Jacobson, founder of Unserious, joins me to get into what actually determines who gets “cancelled” and who doesn’t. We break down the role of fanbases, parasocial loyalty, and the infrastructure behind someone’s brand — and why the same behavior can have completely different outcomes depending on who you are.

From Chris Brown to Sydney Sweeney, we look at what survival actually requires, and where the line between accountability and self-preservation starts to blur.

Highlights

(00:00) Meet Qetsiyah Jacobson

(02:15) Does society forgive misogyny?

(04:04) Why Armie Hammer and Kevin Spacey have stayed canceled

(06:51) Sydney Sweeney and the power of fanbases vs. fame

(15:23) The fall of Nicki Minaj

(18:16) Kanye West and why some apologies just don’t work

(20:30) Performative apologies vs. genuine accountability

(25:58) What the fear of being canceled means for internet culture

(29:30) Tactics for improving public image

Resources:

Hear more from Brianna in the Stop the Scroll Newsletter: https://briannadoe.substack.com/

Brianna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-doe/ 

Qetsiyah’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qetsiyahjacobson/
Unserious Agency: https://www.unserious.agency/