Many have an opinion about Selena Gomez.
Her edgier, sexier movie roles. Her more raunchy music. And especially, her on-off-again relationship with Justin Bieber .
But while any actor, actress, entertainer, or public figure knows that dealing with opinions is an inevitable part of public life, it’s also clear that in today’s social media world some of that “opinionating” often strays into straight up “hating.”
And it’s not just public forum comments where Gomez, Bieber and other celebrities get a battering.
In Touch Weekly , Life & Style , Star magazine, Hollywood Life , RadarOnline , The Sun , The Sunday People , Mail Online and Showbiz Spy , are the worst offenders. All devote a large part of their content to hit pieces. These are skewed negative reports, which typically use coercive or exaggerated language or outright misinformation often citing invented and/or non-credible sources .
In Touch’s alleged Bieber/Gomez/Kendall Jenner love triangle item last week, a case in point. The outlet has since claimed Selena has given Justin a “marriage ultimatum.” An informed source recently told Gossip Cop the “ultimatum” claim is “tabloid garbage.”
Small wonder Selena has strong words for “grown-up” haters , whether they be internet commenters or journalists and entertainment writers working for outlets that perpetuate false claims and flout ethics.
“I get picked on by grown adults all the time,” the former Disney starlet told E! News , while promoting her latest film, the William H. Macy-directed emotional drama, Rudderless .
“It’s grown-ups and I don’t get it. It just baffles me. I wish I could just sit them down and say, ‘What were you doing at 15? What were you doing at 18? What were you doing at 21?” Because I can guarantee you it’s not half of what I’ve done.’”
Gomez makes a good point. She been working in Hollywood since she was 10-years-old, getting her start on PBS’ Barney & Friends , before taking the lead role in Disney’s Wizards of Beverly Place in 2007, which later won three Emmys. A concurrent music career led to her first Billboard No. 1 album with Stars Dance last year.
Of her haters, Selena tells E! ,
“Trust me, it’s hard. I’ve had my moments where I’ve let them get to me but I refuse to let them win.”
We’re told Gomez has no intention of leaving social media, despite the negative (as well as positive) comments she gets.
“Maybe when I’m older, but I think right now I want to be that person for those girls and for my fans,” says Gomez, who has 23.7 million Twitter devotees, 16 million on Instagram and over 64 million fans on Facebook.
Selena continues, “It’s nice to be able to connect with my fans. I’m a part of it. I’m totally involved.”
Meanwhile, after revealing she is a fan of Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope’s power-dressing fixer on Scandal , the 22-year-old channeled Pope for her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday to promote Rudderless .
In the caption to an Instagram shared yesterday, the actress-singer revealed she arrived at the Kimmel studios in Chanel and Tom Ford.
Gomez’s navy ensemble — a 50’s pencil skirt, lace brassiere, killer heels and Bardot hair — wowed waiting crowds in Los Angeles.
Selena wore a white pants and brassiere outfit during Kimmel’s show.
She didn’t discuss Justin Bieber, or her haters for that matter. But, she did talk about being “part of the generation” that loves selfies, but insisted she only sends around eight texts a day.
As for the ongoing drama that is Justin and Selena’s relationship, it’s unclear whether the starlet’s unfollowing of the Biebs on Instagram and her cryptic tweets, will spell the end of Jelena for good.
Which should give haters something to chew on.