English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams is best known for his musical stunts that helped him become a global superstar. Based on this life, a recent movie has been launched called ‘Better Man’ where a CGI chimp is designed to play his role.
It would have been easier if he was a chimp as he finds it very difficult to communicate with his fans and feels utterly ‘discomfort’ when someone asks for a photograph or an autograph. In a recent Instagram post, he said that he can ‘mask it well’ on social media but when it comes to real-life experience, he clearly has social anxiety. He said he felt frightened when a stranger approached him.
The singer is currently 51 years old and he revealed that he has turned in multiple requests from his fans when he traveled on a flight recently. However, he also explained through a lengthy post that he is very grateful for his fans and further added, “This isn’t a complaint, it’s context” before explaining his feelings.
When a fan handed him a lovely note on the flight and asked for a photo, he politely refused and wrote him back. He shared on social media, “I explained I’d been up since 04:30, had two hours’ sleep, and wrangled four kids through the airport. I’ve got bags under my eyes and I’m dealing with anxiety,” and further added, “I explained that if they came and took a photo with me, my anxiety would spike – because then the whole cabin would start wondering who I am.” The singer said, “Still… I think there needs to be a caveat,” as he had to continuously write notes to stop the fans from gathering.
William spat some harsh truth and said that there must be an “unspoken law” that assures that celebrities will be free to greet strangers at all hours of the day. He explained that it is “like you’re the mayor of the best town”. And then he emphasized, “But that thinking’s off.” The artist further said, “They’re fans of fame,” as they want to click pictures after the release of the movie but no one is even able to name a single album made by him. He said that they are fans of popularity “But not necessarily of me.”
The former ‘Take That’ singer said that if there are any true fans, he will be glad to meet them. He expressed, “That means a lot. I’ll make time. I’ve got gratitude for that.” While talking about public interactions, Robbie said, “Every interaction – with strangers or even people I know well – fills me with discomfort.”
All these issues of social anxiety and discomfort are the main reasons why ‘Better Man’ did not cast him as the protagonist but used a CGI chimp to play his character. While some might call this drama, the singer ensured, “I’m not moaning. This is a problem I’d rather have than not.”
