The name on everybody’s lips is gonna be … Gypsy.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard, 32, pled guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 after conspiring with her then-boyfriend Nick Godejohn to kill her mother, who allegedly suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy (those with this condition make children sick by creating fake symptoms of disease or inducing real ones). The case has been well-documented in the media in both a fictionalized retelling and several documentaries.
Blanchard recently wrapped up her prison sentence – and went straight to social media stardom. She has millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok. She’s posting selfies, releasing videos and promoting a new quasi-memoir about her life and time in prison. She found a husband. #gypsyrose alone has 3.3 billion views on TikTok and counting.
“I’m finally free,” she commented in one of her TikToks. “I just want to send a quick video to thank everyone one for the massive amount of support that I’ve been getting on social media. Everyone has been really, really nice and supportive. I really appreciate that.”
Her fans, meanwhile, can’t get enough and couldn’t wait for her release from prison.
They sympathize. They want to meet her. Protect her. Help her transition back into society. Concerned for her return to society, a la Britney Spears post-conservatorship.
Blanchard’s popularity makes sense given the storied “true crime” phenomenon – who can’t resist piecing together a mystery? – but it won’t be long before another story captures the nation’s attention.
“The curiosity fades hastily as algorithm-influenced digital publics move on to the next trending story, and Gypsy’s transitory celebrity span fails to sustain interest,” says Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University.
Are you watching?’Prison Confessions of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard’: Bombshells from Lifetime’s new docuseries.
Gypsy Rose Blanchard ‘perfect embodiment’ of true crime and celebrity
The Munchausen syndrome by proxy of it all piques interest in Blanchard’s story to another level. “This case is especially fascinating because of the complexity,” says W. Keith Campbell, an expert on narcissism, personality and cultural change. The narrative: The victim conspires to kill her alleged abuser, serves time and is ready to rejoin the world.
“In many ways, (Blanchard) is the perfect embodiment of the fusion of these two passions (true crime and celebrity),” says David Schmid, associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo. “Combine that fact with the tabloid-like ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ characteristic of (Blanchard’s) story, and you’ve got a perfect storm of factors coming together to launch both a million memes and what could be a long-standing career in the public eye.”
Plus, people put themselves in Blanchard’s shoes: “With any true crime, viewers wonder ‘could this happen to me?’ It makes us curious for the details so we can try to answer that question,” says media psychologist Pamela Rutldege.
