#overreacting

I responded earlier to you about Louis’ drinking and smoking weed. In some ways, I agree with you, and in some I don’t.

I too am concerned about Louis’ health and his fitness for his tour. He’s been sick more than once so far and has a few more months to go. Drinking and smoking can’t be good for his resistance to illness. Plus, although his voice has mostly sounded outstanding, it could affect that too.

I too was shocked when he started smoking a joint onstage. I assumed he was making a statement about the lifestyle freedoms allowable in Amsterdam but not in many other cities he’ll visit on the tour. Weed is just one that he can be open about.

I would have been more shocked and bothered if he had lit up a tobacco cigarette on stage. To me, the difference in our attitudes about these actions is probably cultural.

To me, drinking alcohol and smoking weed are not intrinsically wrong or unsafe. In excess or for an addict, they can be. Someone who uses these substances, even if they get drunk or high, is not necessarily a danger to oneself or an addict. I have addicts in my family. Although several siblings had similar lifestyles when we were teenagers and young adults, drinking, smoking weed, and even experimenting with other drugs, only one of four became an addict. For many years now, I rarely drink, and I never smoke anything.

We cannot tell from a distance what his circumstances are. Hopefully, those close to him can and do communicate if they have concerns. We could even express caring concerns directly to him through mail, email, or as you have done through social media.

Was it irresponsible to light up onstage? Perhaps I would have thought so if I was concerned about his being a poor example for young fans. But his fans represent all ages, and I would hope impressionable young fans would be accompanied by parents. As I stated earlier, I saw it as a political statement about having the freedom to do that in Amsterdam.

Based on your statements, your decision to sell your ticket and not attend Louis’ concert is aligned with your values. I commend you for that.

I just wanted to clarify that there are other ways fans may perceive the situation. I admire his courage in making a political statement. In terms of values, I want to support Louis’ work ethic and creativity, his music, his love for home and family, his appreciation for his fans, and remaining a humble man from Doncaster. I go to concerts for entertainment, wonderful music, and positive, inclusive atmosphere/vibes. I know I will get that from Louis’ concerts.

I prefer to suspend any negative judgments about Louis and his concerts, as long as I am getting what I hoped for when I attend or view a livestream.

Please don’t feel compelled to share this message unless you want to. It’s not a question, so you can share if you wish.

I see many fans oversimplifying complex issues. I want to encourage discussions that acknowledge our cultural differences, individual opinions, and the NOT simple circumstances we see our favorites encountering. No one is incorrect. And no one is ever always correct.❤️

Thank you for sharing your opinion with me. I understand where your point is coming from, but I’m afraid this discussion isn’t about “who’s right or wrong.” It’s important to understand that even if my stance on alcohol and drugs is one thing, it doesn’t matter when I’m arguing based on objective facts. What I mean is: even if my personal behavior contradicted it—if I were an alcoholic or used drugs—saying “drinking and using drugs is harmful” would still be valid. What I do personally doesn’t take away from that truth.

I’m explaining this because people have a very simplistic and honestly ridiculous understanding of the discussion. They think I’m just complaining for the sake of it, or that I genuinely hate Louis. Whether you like his shows or I like his shows is irrelevant here—because again, this isn’t about opinions, it’s about objective facts. And objectively, his shows have not been professional.

I’ve seen a lot of comments saying that Louis smoking on stage was about “freedom” or that since he was in Amsterdam, he’s free to do that. But once again, we’re talking about objective reality. Just because something is socially accepted doesn’t mean it’s correct or harmless. Alcohol is legal worldwide—that doesn’t make it safe or beneficial. The same applies to drugs: they can be harmful regardless of legality.

What Louis represents right now as an artist makes me question a lot of things, but above all, it makes me feel like he lacks respect for his craft and for his fans. Fans pay to attend his shows expecting something good. And yes, many still enjoy them because they love him—but if you step back and look at it objectively, the standard for entertainment might be lower than it should be.

I think you’re missing the point that this isn’t about the “example” he sets—it’s about professionalism. I’ve said this before, but things like his voice sounding off, skipping parts of songs, relying heavily on backing vocals, forgetting lyrics, not canceling when he’s clearly unwell yet barely singing, drinking and smoking on stage—all of that adds up. It’s not just one thing. And it becomes a lack of respect toward the audience who paid for those tickets—tickets that aren’t cheap, that often involve travel, accommodation, time off work, and effort.

Again, you’re free to enjoy those shows if you want. But that doesn’t automatically make them good.

I love Louis, and I’ve loved him for almost 13 years. But at this point, I don’t respect him as a performer. And it honestly still surprises me how people don’t see how bad things have gotten. A genuine question: what would it take for people to realize how serious this is?

I hope you have a good night, and maybe take a moment to reflect on this more calmly and objectively—because this hasn’t just been happening today, it’s been going on for months.

(And by the way, cigarettes are just as harmful—whether it’s tobacco or weed. I can share articles about that too if you’re interested.)

here

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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