Gathan's Twitter nightmare (From Worcester News)
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X Factor's Gathan Cheema's Twitter nightmare
9:52am Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By Catherine Phillips, Reporter
ABUSE: X Factor's Gathan Cheema received vile messages on Twitter (37130507)
X Factor contestant Gathan Cheema has spoken of his hell after receiving thousands of vile messages on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Gathan, who made it through to boot camp before being kicked off the talent show on Sunday, said he had been inundated with about 4,500 messages of abuse after he claims he was badly edited on the show.
Disgusting tweets sent on Twitter included messages saying his mother should have aborted him, he should ‘go die’ and another user wishing he could run Gathan over. Many used foul language.
The 22-year-old, of Tolladine Road, Worcester, was shocked when the official X Factor account commented on his “orange afterglow”, forcing him to point out that he was Indian and did not use fake tan.
Even celebrities began writing abuse including former Another Level singer Dane Bowers who posted a comment making fun of his name saying: “I’m sorry... your name is Gathan! You’re going home.”
Gathan said: “I have been losing sleep over it. It’s just gone crazy. I’m all for people having freedom of speech, it’s a wonderful thing, but this is people hiding behind computers.
“I’ve searched myself and there are about 5,000 tweets and only a few are good and about 4,500 are bad. The celebrities have been where I am now so why are they trying to knock me down?”
Despite the deluge of nasty comments, Gathan was hopeful of a successful career following X Factor and is searching for someone who would be able to guide him.
Gathan, who has performed as a Michael Jackson impersonator, compared his plight to that of his idol, saying that Jackson had received bad publicity but had managed to continue to be successful.
“The pop career is everything I am aiming for, all this bad press can be turned into good press but I don’t know how to see through the clouds at the moment,” he said.
And he remains adamant that the bullies would not push him off Twitter and said he was trying to respond articulately to the tirade of abuse.
“X Factor can only mean good things, I have to believe that and these people sending abuse will realise that when they buy my single or dance to it in a club,” he said.
He said he would not be contacting police about the messages at present but would consider doing so if the abuse escalated.
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Comments(17)
Ted Elgar
says...
11:48am Thu 27 Sep 12
Shame on you all you twitter #haterz #worcesteronthemap
spider666
says...
11:51am Thu 27 Sep 12
Hamilton60 wrote:Well said ---some people are unbelievably cruel and spiteful.I didn't like his style but good luck to him and at least he had the courage to face criticism unlike the cowards on twitter
It's so easy for people to use Twitter to bully or criticise people who are trying to make a go of their career. Like him or not, Gathan should not be subjected to all the hate twittering. If you don't like the guy, fine, we're all entitled to free speech but this amounts to bullying. However, even Lady Gaga is subjected to torrents of abuse from some people. She has to rise above it as well and realise that people are buying her music so it can't be all bad. Good luck to him.
induby
says...
12:07pm Thu 27 Sep 12
Hwicce
says...
12:08pm Thu 27 Sep 12
If you don't like it then the simple answer is to not have a Twitter account.
More Tea Vicar
says...
12:10pm Thu 27 Sep 12
As the man says, “The pop career is everything I am aiming for, all this bad press can be turned into good press ..."
Bribe.A.Burger
says...
12:35pm Thu 27 Sep 12
There is no such thing as bad publicity...
one94
says...
1:33pm Thu 27 Sep 12
.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, so stop with the self pity. Pick yourself up and keep fighting for your dream!
More Tea Vicar
says...
2:12pm Thu 27 Sep 12
Bribe.A.Burger wrote:I suspect Allah Ditta might beg to differ.
Indeed. There is no such thing as bad publicity...
More Tea Vicar
says...
2:47pm Thu 27 Sep 12
Ted Elgar wrote:yes, I bet a lot of editing went into that, to create an impression that was totally the opposite of what was actually the case.
I think it is shameful that the producers of the HATE Factor edited the hours of material they had of Gathan to make him seem like a deluded pillock with bad dress sense. Shame on you all you twitter #haterz #worcesteronthemap
ushmush83
says...
3:19pm Thu 27 Sep 12
mayall8808
says...
5:22pm Thu 27 Sep 12
Dane Bowers, who or what is he doing now? he had his 15 minutes of fame and i didn't care for him either.
MakeUthink
says...
6:03pm Thu 27 Sep 12
johnowat
says...
8:06pm Thu 27 Sep 12
thecigarman
says...
10:17pm Thu 27 Sep 12
johnowat wrote:i totally agree. find a different career.
To be fair he did come across as an arrogant idiot and if he/she cant take criticism then i think he should consider a different career.
More Tea Vicar
says...
11:12am Fri 28 Sep 12
The things they have been through might be described as a nightmare, and the way they dealt with it as incredibly admirable.
All a bit of a contrast with this 'nightmare' isn't it.
Can't help thinking there's something gone seriously wrong with our culture.
Jabbadad
says...
10:28am Sat 29 Sep 12
But as said and although he can sing so much better than me, i didn't, think his performance was that strong, and so he should take a reality cheque as potential artists do, and carry on trying as other artists do.
Hamilton60 says...
11:27am Thu 27 Sep 12