Being a celebrity comes with its many pros and cons, and NFL star Jason Kelce experienced this first hand while visiting Penn State on November 2. While walking through a large crowd, one man reportedly spent 20 minutes verbally harassing him and insulting his brother, Travis Kelce. After the man referred to Travis as a homophobic slur, Jason grabbed the man’s phone and threw it to the ground, retorting, “Who’s the [slur] now?”
In the recording that circulated online, Kelce’s frustration is visible. It’s been hotly debated if smashing the phone was what Kelce should’ve done. Many have supported Kelce, seeing his actions as a noble defense of his brother. “The guy was yelling right in his face,” LJHS Senior Richardson Liou said. “I’d probably do the same thing; I don’t blame him.”
Some felt Kelce went too far. Senior Antonia Mago said, “I think it was lowkey kind of messed up how he smashed his phone, that was too far but it wasn’t that bad”. Ultimately, the situation has started a conversation about celebrity culture. It has struck a chord with those who saw Kelce’s action as a stand against disrespect.
