Celebrities often share everyday moments on social media to connect with fans. While authentic glimpses can resonate, many attempts to seem relatable instead reveal their disconnect from average life. Here are 12 notable examples where stars aimed for relatability but drew criticism for appearing out of touch.
1. Kim Kardashian’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Hop in London
In 2023, photos surfaced of Kim Kardashian enjoying a pub crawl in London with friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The images depicted a lively night out that many viewed as a typical local experience.
2. Kim Kardashian Compares Short Marriage to Cancer Battle
After her 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries ended, Kim Kardashian reflected on life lessons. She stated, “We had been done filming our season at that point, so we decided to film for the wedding. And that was a decision that he and I made together. But I think that, with any decisions in life, like, I spoke to a girl today who had cancer, and we were talking about how this is such a hard thing for her, but it taught her a big lesson on who her friends are and so much about life. She’s 18. And I was like, that’s how I feel.”
On her website, she clarified, “In no way was I comparing my own experiences to that of a cancer patient. I was merely talking about how there are times in your life, and everyone goes through them, when you find out who loves you enough to stand by you through thick and thin.” She added, “This is a disease that has brought so much pain and heartache to our family, and I would never want to offend or upset anyone who was battling cancer, or whose family members were battling or had passed away from cancer. What I said in the interview was misconstrued, and I wanted to explain to you all what the context was around my phone call with this girl.”
Social media users widely criticized the comparison, highlighting Kardashian’s business advantages. Similar sentiments appeared in comments on full video clips online.
3. Kendall Jenner’s Cucumber-Chopping Moment
In a 2022 episode of The Kardashians, Kris Jenner offered to have the chef prepare a snack for her daughter Kendall. Kendall responded, “I’m making it myself. I’m just gonna chop up some cucumber. It’s pretty easy.” She then sliced the cucumber awkwardly, as if unfamiliar with the task.
Social media reactions labeled it “middle-class cosplay,” pointing to the privilege of having a personal chef.
4. Kylie Jenner’s Grocery Store Trip with Mom
Two weeks later on The Kardashians, Kylie Jenner told Kris Jenner, “I just want to do normal things with you.” They visited a grocery store, which Kylie called “good for [the] soul.” Afterward, they passed through a car wash, which Kris likened to Disneyland.
5. Travis and Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s Truck Stop Photoshoot
In 2022, Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian staged a photoshoot at a truck stop. Commenters online criticized the effort as another out-of-touch display.
6. Bella Hadid’s Designer Fashion Reflection
Reflecting on her 2021 Cannes Film Festival outfit, Bella Hadid shared emotional thoughts: “I never, growing up, had anything designer. My mom wouldn’t let me. I think I got my first pair of Louboutins when I graduated high school. It makes me emotional actually, because I’m so happy in this picture, for the first time in my whole adult life…I feel so good about myself, I felt beautiful…compared to [my younger self]; she was so sad, and [current me] is so content and happy.”
Observers noted Hadid’s privileged upbringing as the daughter of real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and model Yolanda Hadid. The family lived in an $85 million mansion, and critics distinguished between affordability and parental restrictions on luxury purchases.
7. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Food Stamps Challenge
In 2015, Gwyneth Paltrow took on a “food stamps challenge,” showcasing groceries bought with the equivalent of SNAP benefits.
Critics argued her selections were unrealistic for SNAP recipients, who often rely on more affordable processed foods. Kathy Green, senior director of advocacy and public policy at the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, stated, “A lot of [recipients] are working, so they have an income, and they come to our food pantry. In the majority of cases, they are piecing together different vehicles for food…[But] I don’t know if what she bought is very representative of what they would normally buy. … Produce is wonderful, but in comparison to what they can get for their dollar, a lot of them turn to more shelf-stable processed food.”
8. Emma Chamberlain Equates Influencer Life to 9-5 Job
On a 2022 episode of her podcast Anything Goes, Emma Chamberlain compared self-employment to a traditional job: “Because you’re an employee of somebody else, mentally, it’s easier for you to disconnect after work so that you can enjoy all of your free time to the fullest without having to think about your job. Whereas, when you’re self-employed…you never stop thinking about it. You never get to disconnect. You never get to be like, ‘Oh, I’m done for now.’ It is so hard.”
Online discussions, including on Reddit, contrasted this with the realities faced by typical 9-5 workers.
In a follow-up post online, she wrote, “I promise I will not always say the right thing in the right way, but I also promise I hate disappointing or pissing you guys off. I’m sorry, and I will do better to not be such an asshole.”
9. Jennifer Lopez’s Olive Oil Skin Secret
In 2020, Jennifer Lopez attributed her smooth skin to olive oil. She shared, “It’s a secret I’ve used over the years because it really does work.” She emphasized sunscreen and moisturizer for maintaining her glow.
10. Jennifer Lawrence’s Sacred Rock Incident
During a 2016 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Jennifer Lawrence recounted an awkward filming story from The Hunger Games. She described using sacred Hawaiian rocks to scratch an itch: “I dunno, [the rocks] were ancestors, who knows — they were sacred. And you’re not supposed to sit on them, because you’re not supposed to expose your genitalia to them. I, however, was in a wetsuit for this whole shoot – oh my god, they were so good for butt itching!” She added, “One rock that I was butt-scratchin’ on came loose [causing a landslide]…and almost killed our sound guy…And all the Hawaiians were like, ‘Oh my god, it’s the curse!’ And I’m in the corner going, ‘I’m your curse. I wedged it loose with my ass.'”
