IT’S not often I wake up on a Sunday morning to so many direct messages on social media.
But this week my inbox was filled with comments from fans who were furious about an interview with my friend that was published by CNN in America overnight. They wanted me to set the record straight, so here I go.
I don’t like to criticise other journalists’ work – but CNN’s piece headlined ‘everyone hates JoJo Siwa’ just felt incredibly cruel and unnecessaryCredit: Getty
There’s no doubt everyone has an opinion on JoJo Siwa’s relationship with Chris HughesCredit: Chris Hughes / Instagram
The headline on the piece was “Everyone hates ”.
Now, I don’t really like to criticise other journalists’ work as it’s a tough job and the pressure to make headlines has never been greater.
But this just felt incredibly cruel and unnecessary.
Particularly because the piece didn’t really explain what exactly JoJo had done that was so bad to warrant “everyone” hating her.
And, to be honest, my experiences of her couldn’t be further from that. I’d even go so far as to say everyone who has met JoJo has fallen in love with her.
After all, she doesn’t drink, she doesn’t do drugs, she encourages her fans to be themselves, doesn’t slate people and she doesn’t take herself too seriously even poking fun at herself in her hit Raspy.
Watching on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year, I was struck by how kind she was.
Even when her housemate slated her or nominated her she would always respond kindly.
When I met another housemate, Angellica Bell, on , she gushed about how amazing JoJo was and was grateful that she had taught her to dance (this wasn’t shown in the edit).
I first met JoJo earlier this summer on . She joked about being taking photos and offering encouragement to him during poses.
She made time to speak to every member of the crew while tucking into Pret sandwiches and offering to run to the coffee shop to get drinks. This isn’t always how celebrities behave on set.
She posed for photographs and even filmed a video message for one of the team whose teenage daughter was a huge fan.
It was the same experience when she had .
During our chat she refused to be drawn into any bitching or fighting over mocking her for dating a man.
As always, she was thinking of others and she worried about young people who are struggling with their sexuality and the effect comments from a big star like Miley could have.
“What people say doesn’t affect me,” she told me. “But it does affect people who are younger than me and will go through something similar.
“The way people say: ‘Well, you said you’re one thing, you can’t be another.’ That’s going to affect a lot of young people.
“They need to be aware that trying to hurt me, bully me and saying things to me for a laugh is all fun and games – until somebody young sees them do that and thinks: ‘Oh, I’m scared to love.’ Being brave enough to love is a beautiful thing.”
Everyone who has met JoJo has fallen in love with her, says Kelly AllenCredit: Getty
The Sun’s Kelly with the celeb couple. She says it’s clear the pair are madly in love
This CNN article is particularly strangely timed as it has come off the back of the dancer receiving the Humanitarian Award earlier this week to acknowledge her 10 years with the charity, Dancers Against Cancer.
JoJo was given the gong at the Dancers Against Cancer gala held at The Beverly Hilton in .
She had actually refused to extend her UK and European tour as she wouldn’t want to miss the event.
I urge her [JoJo] to keep being kind and ignore the negatives as her courageous behaviour will mean the majority of people do and will always love her
“It’s a non negotiable in my diary to be there for the charity,” she told me at the time.
In a world we are told to “be kind” it feels harsh to hate someone for being someone doing just that.
Of course JoJo has been since she was a child.
She just nine when she was catapulted to fame in the hit US reality show Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, and then , which followed choreographer Abby Lee Miller as she put children through demanding dance classes, often reducing them to tears. In one episode the other girls listed off all JoJo’s faults and things they didn’t like about her.
It seems a shame that 15 years on she’s still having to hear that.
She told me it doesn’t bother her as she’s so much good in her life saying “Of course it’s hard [hearing criticism], but I’ve had to deal with so much in my life that I’m now at the point where I think: ‘You know what? All good.’”
During our chat, JoJo refused to be drawn into any bitching or fighting over Miley Cyrus mocking her for dating a manCredit: Instagram / itsjojosiwa
JoJo has been on the receiving end of hate since she was a childCredit: Dan Charity
But it still must hurt a bit.
When Chris presented her with her award last week, he said “Kindness isn’t soft, it’s courageous.”
So I urge her to keep being kind and ignore the negatives as her courageous behaviour will mean the majority of people do and will always love her.
