Kristen Bell Triggers Her Michigan Hometown With Instagram Post

It's incredible to me how quickly people can turn on celebrities that they once praised. It happens all the time usually because of some big scandal. Turning, so fiercely, on someone because they're encouraging people to wear a mask...seems a bit extreme.

Kristen Bell recently shared an Instagram post encouraging the people of her hometown, Oakland Michigan, to wear a mask. The caption read,

Here’s the good news- things WILL get back to normal eventually. They will! But, we’re not quite there yet. By wearing a mask, you can decrease the risk of COVID-19 transmission! We can beat this virus if we face it together.

She also included a link, Oakgov.com/covid so her audience could have a resource. Now, the comments on her Instagram post were nothing but grateful.

Instagram user tlparish wrote: As an ER doctor who has been totally overwhelmed by the covid surge recently- I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this.

Schwartzy also wrote: As someone who lost a parent in Michigan to covid I APPRECIATE THIS IMMENSELY. Thank you for doing what you are doing. 

Sarder_mom commented: Proud Michigan Nurse!! Thanks for supporting masking up in Michigan

You can see her post below.

However, when Mlive.com reported this, the reactions were...less appreciative. On Mlive.com's Facebook post the comments were what I would describe as a bit hostile.

Mark L said: She needs to stay in her lane...actress!

Bree W wrote: If we lived in a fancy house with the funds like these people in Hollywood ... it would be a lot easier.

Rob L said: Kristen bell you decided to leave MI... Stay away, that is our message to you!! Bye, Bye!!

And Kathy H commented: If she wanted to help her State of Michigan she'd come do some volunteer work or put some of her $ where it's needed... families & local businesses.

I loathe what social media has become. A place for people to hide behind a keyboard and spew nothing but hostility and anger over opinions that differ from their own. This isn't a political thing. People on both sides of the aisle are guilty of having digital meltdowns because someone dared to post their thoughts on an issue like wearing a mask. But, just like the rest of us, Kristen Bell is free to share her thoughts on social media. Whether you agree with her or not, I don't think that the majority of people deserve that kind of backlash for something so....non threatening.

Regarding Kathy H's comment about putting her (Bell's) money back into the hometown...yeah she's got a point. It's hard to watch people flourishing while so many people are suffering (looking at you, Jeff Bezos), especially when a celebrity is speaking directly to a specific town that has been feeling the effects of 2020. However, the truth is, while a lot of her life is public, we don't actually know the details of her situation. Is she donating money to her hometown? Is she also secretly struggling? We don't know.

I would like to, instead, issue a challenge for 2021. Instead of expressing outrage at every little opinion that's different than ours on social media, no matter who is posting it, I would like us all to normalize just...scrolling past and letting it go. Just a thought.

Side note: if anyone knows where Kristen Bell purchased that shirt she's wearing in her post that reads, "If you can read this, you are too close" let me know. That shirt is fitting even in a non-pandemic year. 😂