James Acaster quit social media because he found it draining, years before Celebrity Traitors

James Acaster has become one of the biggest talking points of the Celebrity Traitors. Since the show kicked off earlier this month, TikTok has been serving up slow-motion edits of the comedian, complete with dramatic music.

Via BBC

Acaster has also found himself caught up in rumours about an alleged falling-out with fellow comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan. So, it’s been a fairly eventful few weeks for someone who doesn’t even have social media.

During a recent appearance on The Late Late Show, Acaster gave his take on the viral edits being made about him. He isn’t even online to see most of them himself.

Instead, his Celebrity Traitors co-star Sebastian Croft has apparently taken it upon himself to send Acaster screenshots and links to the videos. If you’re going to be the subject of a TikTok thirst edit, you might as well have a friend keeping you updated.

Acaster actually left social media back in 2019, after realising just how much time he was spending on it.

The comedian found himself endlessly scrolling through arguments and repeatedly searching his own name on Twitter. And, as it turns out, even finding positive things written about yourself doesn’t necessarily make the habit any less grim.

Via BBC

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He described the experience as “yucky” to The Times, explaining that the constant cycle of scrolling, checking reactions and absorbing online negativity had become unhealthy and ultimately pretty unrewarding.

Acaster’s explanation for quitting social media wasn’t quite dramatic enough for some interviewers, who kept pushing him to reveal a more elaborate reason behind his decision.

So, rather than repeatedly explaining that he’d simply had enough of scrolling, he began inventing increasingly absurd stories.

These included a tale about covering his phone in tar, driving it to a lock-up in Rhyl and constructing a fortress called “Castle Anti-Net”.

The fictional escapades eventually became part of his comedy book, James Acaster’s Guide to Quitting Social Media, which mixes his genuine frustrations with the internet and increasingly ridiculous ideas about escaping it.

While the fortress and tar-covered phone aren’t exactly a practical digital detox plan, his original point still stands. 

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Featured image via BBC