On the night of September 7th, country singer Zach Bryan provoked an officer during a traffic pile-up in Oklahoma and was briefly arrested. He was charged with obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor.
“I’ll go to jail. Let’s do it,” Bryan said to the officer. Reportedly, he was quite aggressive and even made threats to break out of the handcuffs. This news and the mugshot circling around just about broke the internet. Bryan confirmed his arrest on social media thereafter and claimed, “Emotions got the best of me and I was out of line in the things I said.” Nevertheless, September 7th will be remembered in pop culture as the night Zach Bryan quite literally became something in the orange.
There are definitely conflicting viewpoints on Bryan’s arrest, especially from his fans. Was Zach Bryan really in the wrong, or was he justified? Fans who support his every move are set on the latter. How far will fans go to support their favorite music artist?
When asking students around Green Level, a common opinion is expressed. The first clear takeaway is that most fans aren’t particular about who their favorite music artists are as a person. For instance, sophomore Anastasia Dmello shares, “I separate the artist from the person, so I don’t really care what the artists I listen to do, I’ll still listen to them.” The second apparent standpoint is that fans will justify his actions simply because it’s Zach Bryan. Junior Lily Silvera mentions, “I know what he’s in trouble for and he was just being stupid. I mean, it was well-deserved, but I think his fan base doesn’t care at all. It’s fine, who cares?” Even sophomore Kelcey G says, “I don’t know exactly how he got arrested, but I mean, it’s Zach Bryan so maybe he had a bad day?” The consistent answer from students of “free Zach Bryan” painted the picture quite clearly. Zach Bryan’s fanbase is incredibly loyal, even despite a criminal record.
So, the question arises: Would it be different if he wasn’t Zach Bryan? Being a famous, white pop star comes with some privileges that not everyone possesses. When Zach Bryan commits a disrespectful and irresponsible crime, fans around the country let it slide, neglecting the significance of his actions. Ethically, fans shouldn’t be so defensive and adamant about Bryan’s innocence, but they are making T-shirts with the mugshot and making light of the situation. What if it were a man or woman of color, or just any other regular person on the news? Surely, the majority of people would be angered or disapprove of their behavior. So, why should we let Zach Bryan get away with something we wouldn’t approve of if it were anyone else?
