In recent years, celebrities with significant cultural influence have faced public scrutiny over allegations of misconduct, abuse of power, and sexual scandals. These cases underscore systemic yet previously overlooked power imbalances within the entertainment industry. Simultaneously, they signal a cultural shift in how scandals involving high-profile individuals are addressed, particularly through social media.

Drawing on studies of „cancel culture“ and its proliferation across digital platforms, this presentation examines how YouTube users engage with the „cancellation“ of a celebrity. Focusing on the case of Petros Filippidis, an actor and director with a long and successful career in Greek television and theatre, I argue that the resulting metadiscourses often transcend the cancellation itself, renegotiating the celebrity’s public image, artistic legacy, and the audience’s relationship with the „cancelled“ figure.

Specifically, online ethnographic research reveals that users’ diverging perspectives reflect broader societal debates around political correctness, humour, and the interplay between moral and aesthetic values. Furthermore, it highlights how platforms like YouTube operate not only as spaces for commentary but also as active agents in shaping and amplifying cancel culture practices.