Agonism in the arena: Analyzing cancel culture using a rhetorical model of deviance and reputational repair

Cancel culture is a socio-political movement that aims to financially punish or ostracize a person from the public sphere due to a transgression. Such offenses range from criminal acts to the public expression of controversial opinions. In response, digital activism coalesces into a socio-political force that seeks to shame, silence, or punish the offending individual. This study seeks to understand the agonistic reputational wrangle facilitated by cancel culture using an original theoretical framework that combines the rhetorical paradigm from public relations with deviance theory from sociology and media studies. Specifically, this study analyzes the cancellation and reputational repair strategies of four celebrities—Louis C.K., Logan Paul, Jussie Smollett, and J.K. Rowling. It utilizes large-scale social media sentiment analysis to reveal varying degrees of reputational decay and recovery. The study shows that factors impacting the severity of cancellation and the likelihood of reputational recovery include distinguishing between criminal acts and controversial opinions, as well as social variables and the strength of a parasocial relationship between a celebrity and their fandom.