Why Some Fans Think Panic! at the Disco Singer Brendon Urie Is ‘Problematic’
Panic! At The Disco singer Brendon Urie is made news headlines on social media following sexual assault accusations in 2020. Controversy isn’t new for Urie who, according to fans, has been a “problematic” artist for some time. Now, Urie’s previous history is under fire again with many using #BrendonUrieSpeakUp on Twitter.
Brendon Urie news became a trending topic on Twitter amid accusations
On Aug. 13, 2020, Twitter users banded together under the hashtag #BrendonUrieSpeakUp to call attention to allegations against Urie.
The hashtag came as a result of former Panic! At The Disco bassist Dallon Weekes’ wife, Breezy Weekes, who accused the band’s bodyguard Zack Hall of sexual harassment. Dallon Weekes left in 2017 and has since said he was “constantly bullied.”
Urie didn’t address the tweets, causing the previous hashtags #dismisszackhall and #thebrendonurieisoverparty. Now, new allegations have come to light.
One anonymous Twitter user alleged that Urie made advancements when the user “explicitly” acknowledged they were underage at that time. While many came to Urie’s defense, others pointed to the possible legitimacy of the story.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, PATD fans seem torn between believing those who’ve come forward or pointing to celebrities in similar situations where the accusations were proven false.
Others brought up past ‘problematic’ Brendon Urie incidents
Amid the slew of tweets surrounding the hashtags, Meaww reported on other “problematic” behaviors in the past.
Some of Urie’s alleged offenses have been documented. An “I wish I was Black” speech and multiple “slut-shaming” videos were posted to YouTube. There’s also a lengthy Twitter conversation linking to other videos, interviews, and tweets by Urie himself that allude to transphobia, ableism, rape, racial slurs, and more.
However, in one Reddit thread, many users defend the singer, saying his behavior has been taken too seriously.
Brendon Urie hasn’t responded to the allegations while fans keep referring to Weekes’ tweets
While PATD fans await Urie’s response to the allegations, some are referring back to tweets from Breezy Weekes.
“Abusive behavior is often dismissed as ‘jokes’. They’re not. These are just a couple examples of the ‘jokes’ I had to endure. When I stopped ‘playing along’, it got worse,” Weekes shared on July 26.
In other tweets, Weekes posted a photo of fan mail in a trash can, suggesting Hall threw it out.
“Except he would rarely if ever give Dallon his fan mail at shows & would throw it away. I know this for a fact because we knew a few fans closely and they would ask if we got an item soon after passing it to Zack and never did. He made Dallon think he wasn’t getting any,” she said.
Hall hasn’t addressed these allegations from Weekes.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
