Kelly Stafford, the wife of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, sparked debates last Thursday with an Instagram video. She said that she lived in a “dictatorship” known as Michigan and expressed frustration with COVID-19 restrictions. She also said that shutting down small businesses “is not the answer.”
“So I’m going to be very blunt: I’m so over it. I’m over living in a dictatorship that we call Michigan,” Stafford said, per Click on Detroit. “I understand there’s a pandemic, and I understand it’s very scary. I’m scared of it too. If you are at risk, do not leave your house until there’s a vaccine. But shutting down all these small businesses โ things that people have worked their life for โ shutting them down again is not the answer because they will not make it. So once we are able to leave our house, once this dictatorship decides to let us have some freedom, there will be nothing left.”
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When her video surfaced on Instagram Stories, several people responded with strong comments. Some mentioned her home’s size, while others said that she should not shop at Target while talking about small businesses. The comments continued throughout the weekend as more people weighed in about Stafford’s remarks.
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โKelly Stafford thinks living in Michigan is like being in a “dictatorship” because of COVID-19 restrictions. In related news, her husband is an NFL quarterback who makes $27 million a year and has never won a playoff game.โ – @speechboy71
โ Mattison (@Mattison) November 19, 2020
kelly stafford kristen cavallari
โ maggie (@swagggiep) November 19, 2020
๐ค marrying qbs who will never win a superbowl and giving irresponsible, unsolicited advice
While there were many people talking about Stafford and her Instagram video, others took a different approach. They wanted to use the opportunity to discuss the quarterback of the Detroit Lions. Several people referenced Matthew’s win-loss record and his lack of success in the playoffs.ย
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Glad someone updated Wikipedia to make it more accurate. #KellyStafford pic.twitter.com/SgVMOLWZsE
โ Rachel Berman (@rachelgberman) November 20, 2020
The internet doesnโt play. Someone already went in and updated Kelly Staffordโs bio on Matt Staffordโs wiki page. pic.twitter.com/5geKdUNeN8
โ Jรธsiah del Rey (@vivajosiah) November 19, 2020
Several people responded to Stafford’s video by recording their own versions. Others made blunt comments on social media and said that they want her to leave town. A third group, on the other hand, immediately headed to Wikipedia. They wanted to know if anyone had made updates to the page and referenced Stafford’s video and her comments.ย
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The best part about Kelly Staffordโs rant was that she was talking about supporting local businesses while shopping at a Target.
โ Jack Roskopp (@jackroskopp) November 20, 2020
the video of kelly stafford๐ซ๐ซ her husband makes $27 million and she was acting like she cared about small businesses for five seconds then was shopping in TARGET. like who gives these people platforms
โ c (@soitgoestaylor_) November 21, 2020
Apart from the comments about Michigan being a dictatorship, there was one other factor that sparked conversation. Several people criticized Stafford for talking about local businesses before heading to Target. They made several comments about her choice of shopping destination.ย
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Kelly Stafford is entitled to her opinion, but calling Michigan a โdictatorshipโ is irresponsible. We have to sacrifice personal freedom to get this pandemic under control. The failure is our government has not adequately supported people enough to incentivize them not to work. https://t.co/b4ZrBRTYy1
โ Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) November 19, 2020
She got called out for her privelege & fake oppression. Girls trying to save face. ๐ https://t.co/qxCIKhney3
โ ฤธrฮนััฮนan (@kclynne27) November 20, 2020
There were several debates on social media after Stafford’s initial video. Some people said that they disagreed with her overall but didn’t think she should have received the hatred on social media. Others said that they supported her comments. The vocal majority, on the other hand, did not hold back with their criticism.
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Kelly Stafford is pissed!!!! She is a virtual prisoner!!! pic.twitter.com/qDMX87ustm
โ The Player & The Fan (@ThePlayerTheFa1) November 19, 2020
Kelly Stafford crying on IG about how Michigan is a “dictatorship” pic.twitter.com/0bdstJfR0j
โ Evan VanWormer (@EvanVanWormer1) November 19, 2020
When Stafford posted her video and called Michigan a dictatorship, several people responded by looking up information about her and Matthew, as well as where they live. These people posted photos showing the outside of the Stafford home, which is a large domicile. They then made comments about the amount of money made by the quarterback and the lifestyle that it provides.ย
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In the words of Kelly Stafford, โto support small local businessesโ here are a few of her tagged suggestions on IG…if I may, this seems a little bit less about helping mom-and-pop shops & a little bit more about making sure she can get a facial and a steak on the weekends pic.twitter.com/fDFqQRlMrk
โ Emily Gerds (@emily_gerds) November 19, 2020
Was inspired by Kelly Stafford to shop local today!
โ Eric (@EricGebhardt06) November 20, 2020
Found a quaint little ma and pa coffee shop right next door to a pop up hand me down shop! Only spent $2,359! #ShopLocal pic.twitter.com/GOPfqiA8id
ย When Stafford issued her apology, she sparked comments for a different reason. Some social media users expressed frustration due to her shopping at Target while talking about small businesses. These people used her location as a reason to make jokes.
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Listen, Kelly Stafford might be the worst thing about the Lions, which is really saying something.
โ Michelle (@BananaBelle22) November 19, 2020
I second that. Who thinks Kelly Stafford needs to volunteer in a Michigan ICU? Show of hands? ๐โโ๏ธ https://t.co/FygvfOiOj6
โ Kristen (@CripCamper2020) November 20, 2020
“Kelly stafford calling Michigan leadership a ‘dictatorship’ for trying to control Covid and keep hospital beds open is seriously so irresponsible and embarrassing,” one person commented on Twitter. Others expressed similar sentiments while reacting to Stafford’s original video, as well as the apology that she released later in the day following backlash on social media.ย