A Chris Brown fan shut down rumors that the singer refunded her meet-and-greet ticket due to her disability. Karell Russell shared that people must stop assuming disabled people don’t have jobs.
After a viral tweet alleged that Chris Brown refunded a disabled fan’s $1,111 meet and greet ticket and also gave her $10K for coming out, the fan took to social media to explain why this false narrative is harmful. The Neighborhood Talk reposted the original tweet, as well as Russell’s video of how this rumor perpetuates a stigma against the disabled community.
Russell critiqued the exploitative posts while explaining how they further a stereotype that disabled people cannot afford things themselves.
“I’m just here to set the record straight,” began Russell, who also emphasized her past attendance at Brown’s meet and greets. “This past tour in particular, the one that people are seeing pictures of, I traveled out of state to Toronto to go see [Brown]. Me and Chris had built a great relationship over the years. Every time we see each other, its always love and positivity, and as much I love spreading [that], what I’m not okay with is strangers on the internet using my face and exploiting my disability for likes and clicks while spreading misinformation. That, we’re not going to do.”
Russell wanted to emphasize that just because she has a disability, it does not mean she needs a handout. She clarified that every ticket she bought to see Brown came from her own pockets.
She added, “Just like everyone else [there], I support Chris as a brand and as an individual. So if you see me at a show or meet and greet, please know that I paid for my ticket.”
While Brown has looked out for his loyal fans in the past with upgraded tickets, Russell explained that it was simply out of their long-standing relationship. However, she condemned how people saw this recent instance of their meeting as a “charity case.”
“Someone literally saw a beautiful moment of someone with a disability standing next to a celebrity and decided to create a narrative that is absolutely fact-less,” she explained. “It’s perpetuating the societal belief that individuals with disabilities don’t have jobs, [or] we don’t function well in society. Every time someone sees us, it turns into a charity case.”
Russell stated the assumption takes away from her agency to afford the tickets for herself and wants others to not look at individuals with disabilities as helpless. Despite this rumor, Russell stated that Brown “respects” her enough never to treat her in this discriminatory way, yet would appreciate any gift he did offer.
She lightly added, “Now Chris, if you want to send me some money, hit my DM, they don’t got to know.”
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