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Stars are like us: They also publish negative restaurant reviews on the Internet. Even during the Olympic Games in Paris.
Just look at Serena Williams’ tweet from earlier this week: “Oops @peninsulaparis I was denied access to the rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids,” the tennis champion posted on X. “Always a first.”
The restaurant, in turn, issued statements to the media apologizing to Williams and claiming it was fully booked. Responding to her tweet, it said: “Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you experienced this evening. Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked and the only free tables you saw belonged to our fine dining restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved.”
It’s not entirely clear what exactly happened, but as is common with incidents of this nature, people from both sides have chimed in. “French racism is truly unique,” wrote one X user, while others felt the restaurant was in the right: “If they’re fully booked, they’re fully booked and getting upset that they didn’t figure it out is an absolute must because ‘I’m special.'”
USA TODAY has reached out to Williams for comment; the restaurant contacted her directly.
This incident is in line with a larger trend we’ve seen over the past few years: venting online is the new way to complain. Instead of leaving a one-star review on Yelp or sharing a bad experience with family and friends, angry customers can go viral on TikTok and attack a place—or person—that they believe has wronged them.
Whether it’s a bakery, a tattoo parlor, an airline or a bar, anyone can find themselves at the mercy of thousands of angry followers ready to pin the blame on an organization or person they don’t know. It’s even worse when the person making the claim is famous themselves.
Experts say the phenomenon is more than an isolated incident. Rather, it’s a desire to take sides and feel validated by others – even if you have no real connection to either party.
“Social media, particularly TikTok, has democratized consumer reach,” Matthew Prince, associate professor of communication at Chapman University, previously told USA TODAY. “Whether you have 200 followers or 2 million, consumer content reaches further than ever before. With that reach comes power.”
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“A feeling of powerlessness”: Why people want revenge online
The internet, and in recent years TikTok in particular, have taken venting to a new level. When we feel like we’ve lost out, we look for people to agree with us, experts explain, and in viral posts, people find thousands of people who agree with them. Those who follow recent incidents – like #CakeGate or #TattooGate – are captivated by the drama, in part because people are programmed to be social and take sides based on who they most identify with. The same goes for Serena Williams and the Paris restaurant.
“When you feel like you’ve been betrayed, you usually have a feeling of powerlessness,” Andrea Bonior, a clinical psychologist and host of the podcast “Baggage Check: Mental Health Talk and Advice,” previously told USA TODAY. “When you post about it, you’re often trying to reverse that: You get validation when people agree that you’ve been wronged.” Yes, celebrities can feel powerless too. Humanly. Especially when someone feels like their identity has been attacked in some way.
People online often appreciate being able to connect with others when they share their frustration over an argument in which they share the same side.
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But is the punishment appropriate for the crime?
Of course, the punishment (hatred from thousands of people) is not always appropriate to the crime (refusing someone a seat in a restaurant).
“It allows people to temporarily escape their own lives and enjoy the thrill of other people’s conflict without being directly involved themselves,” crisis management and public relations expert Molly McPherson previously told USA TODAY. “It appeals to our innate desire for justice and our fascination with human conflict. It’s like we’re watching real-life reality TV play out before our eyes, and people can’t help but watch it all unfold on their feeds.”
Remember that? People are fighting online over a cake with rainbow sprinkles. It’s gotten out of control.
So why are we interested in drama?
“Humans have always been interested in gossip and conflict,” said Gayle Stever, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at Empire State University of New York. “In my mother’s day, it was about the neighbors, and that was the pastry shop down the street. Today, as the boundaries of our social worlds have expanded, we learn about these things from afar, but the human tendency to comment on things that are essentially none of our business is irresistible to many – not all – people.”
And that urge to band together is even stronger when drama – and a celebrity – is at the center.
“When it comes to interpersonal relationships, there is certainly a bias toward negativity, and social media is no exception,” Prince said. “In many cases, negative experiences are easier to understand, rationalize and lean on than positive ones.”
Contributors: Hannah Yasharoff
