NY woman forced to change her name after viral video sparks years of vicious cyberbullying

An character has spoken retired astir nan acheronian broadside of net fame – revealing she was erstwhile trolled truthful severely that she had to alteration her name.

Star Stone, from New York, says she was targeted by complete 200,000 comments aft being edited arsenic nan “villain” successful a viral YouTube video.

She starred successful a bid called Odd Man Out: Vegans versus Meat Eaters, which consisted of six vegan contestants trying to find nan concealed nutrient eater amongst them for a rate prize.

After receiving a whopping 17 cardinal views, hundreds of thousands of commenters took to leaving hateful messages aimed astatine Star and her questioning tactics.

The character says that nan maltreatment dispersed crossed each platforms pinch her receiving messages and comments connected TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and connected her poesy book listing connected Amazon

With complete 5 years of bullying, Star says her intelligence wellness took a superior hit.

She said: “People stalked, harassed, and cyberbullied maine for 5 years. It made maine mobility my personality and affected my intelligence health.

“Anything you could ideate that would beryllium hurtful was said to me.”

Star says that erstwhile nan video first went unrecorded and she saw nan measurement she was portrayed, she instantly called nan producers but they were not capable to supply support.

She claims that nan institution would only restrict definite words successful nan remark conception but refused to return down nan video.

The accumulation institution were approached for comment.

The character says that she deleted each of her societal media to effort and put a extremity to nan dislike – but thing seemed to work.

She said: “When I deleted my societal media, nan video was still being reposted and shared and commented on.

“That’s nan point astir societal media is that erstwhile thing is online it tin unrecorded forever.

“So, moreover without entree to it, group still messaged maine connected different platforms and recognized maine successful person- which still happens now and it’s been 6 years.

“It was very alarming astatine first to spot really passionate group were astir this video and really acold nan assemblage scope was.”

On why it was that she received truthful overmuch hate, Star thinks this could beryllium owed to “mob mentality.”

But she besides suspects that immoderate of it whitethorn beryllium rooted successful misogyny.

She added: “I deliberation that we are still uncomfortable pinch women displaying competitory behaviour pinch men.

“In my case, I deliberation that because I was competitory and wanted to win, my behaviour is typically thing we subordinate pinch men.

“I conscionable wonderment if a man had done nan nonstop aforesaid point arsenic me, would he person received dislike aliases would he beryllium praised for playing a bully game?”

Now, Star has decided to usage her acquisition successful a affirmative way- by penning a 1 female multimedia drama show called Villain Era.

The show, which is directed by Ryan Cunningham, premiered successful New York successful 2024 and was very celebrated astatine nan Edinburgh Fringe Festival past summer.

Featuring existent comments and clips from nan viral video, Star says that her capacity intends to show nan funny broadside to each that happened to her.

Audience reactions truthful acold see tears and laughter- but mostly disbelief that each nan events genuinely happened.

Star said: “This video is astir uncovering personification who isn’t vegan, it was silly and should person been funny. The truth that group took it truthful acold and were truthful superior astir it, you conscionable person to find nan joke successful it.

“If you tin laughter astatine yourself and spot nan silliness and ridiculousness of immoderate business past you person won.

“I dream that this show tin person a affirmative effect connected a batch of group and alteration nan speech astir going viral, cancel culture, and being bullied online.

“My head says drama is trauma positive time, and I deliberation it’s important to find joke moreover successful challenges.

“I dream to thief others who person gone done this by sharing this show and continuing to talk astir it.”

The show is now group to make its London premiere astatine nan Bread and Roses Theatre successful Clapham connected June 8 and 9.