Rebecca Black, ‘Friday’ Singer, Leaves Anaheim School Due To Bullying

August 11, 2011 10:47 AM

(Credit: Rebecca Black/Getty Images Entertainment)

Filed under

Entertainment, Local, News, Syndicated Local, Watch + Listen

Photo Galleries

'Carmageddon II'

Car Snapped: Celebrities On The Go

CBSLA Hurricane Relief Telethon

Cute Dogs And Cars

ANAHEIM (CBS) — Rebecca Black says endless teasing and harassment from classmates forced her to pull out of El Rancho Charter School in Anaheim.

The 14-year-old, whose much-buzzed video for her song “Friday” became a YouTube phenomenon, is now being homeschooled by her mother.

“When I walk by they’ll start singing ‘Friday’ in a really nasally voice,” Black tells ABC News. “Or, you know, they’ll be like, ‘Oh hey, Rebecca, guess what day it is?”

After the video’s release in March, it hit 167 million views, which is roughly half of the population of the United States, ABC News points out.

But it was heavily ridiculed for the song’s lyrics (“Kickin’ in the front seat / Sittin’ in the back seat / Gotta make my mind up / Which seat can I take?”), and many critics questioned if it was the worst song ever.

Black, however, can count a few celebs as fans including Simon Cowell, who told her that he “loves her and the fact that she’s gotten so much publicity.”

“People are so upset about the song, but I think it’s hysterical,” he said.

Black, who recently stepped out at the Teen Choice Awards, was also invited to star in Katy Perry’s music video for “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).” She even joined Perry onstage at her Los Angeles tour stop last week, where the two sang a duet to “Friday.”

“It’s hard because everyone wants to say, ‘Oh my God, I’m this big star now,’” Black said. “But I don’t see it that way. I’m still the same 14-year-old girl that loves to hang out with her friends.”

Rebecca Black, Friday Singer, Leaves Anaheim School Due To Bullying

Get Over It

Poor Rebecca, life must be really hard in the real world, huh?

USC Fan

Think before you speak, the school and the adults failed to act accordingly and therefore, the bullying continued. I do not blame her for leaving becasue the adults fail to meet their standards as educated professionals.

Pat Robertson

Dork, are you for real?

FYI, Lane Kiffin (Lame Kitten) smokes pole.
Sue

II agree with USC rules. Bullying, regardless, is wrong and the police should have gotten involved if it worsened.

To Pat,

If ya can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. You should be ashamed.

Go UCI, beat LBSU
Sue is fat

Hey Sue,

Ride me into the sunset, sweetheart.

Chester

My pictures of her are all stuck together.

greg

I respect her for at least trying to keep her life as normal as possible, not initially hiding in some locked prep school and dropping all her friends, it seems her classmates are the ones who are jealous of the attention she gets and teased her. Rebecca, realize it’s the others with the problem NOT you.

Dingus McDork

Well, heck the fact that greg here respects you makes it all worthwhile, doesn’t it?
What a nad.

Regg

Honestly, what did she expect? That song is worse than anything I’ve ever heard in my life. No exaggeration.
Deborah Lynn Andelin

Rebecca, another way to look at the way other react, such as, “Get Over It”. They are just jealous they aren’t receiving their moment of fame. Boo hoo! Congrats to you.

DD

ummm jealous??
DD

I highly doubt anyone is jealous of her. She is not famous, she put up her own music video on youtube that her parents paid for and she got laughed at cause she couldn’t sing. I wouldn’t want that kind of fame.

Deborah Lynn Andelin

Famous? Hummmm. We are discussing her and not you. Are you Jealous too? Boo hoo for you too.
DD

Deborah Lynn Andelin
What is with the word “jealous”. Not everyone has to like this girl and no she is not famous. She’s not a real singer or an actress. She has done nothing for society but put out a video on youtube, which sucked btw. What about those struggling artists that actually have talent but can’t get anywhere because people like her are getting the attention. It’s people like you that make untalented idiots like Rebecca Black, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, etc.. “famous”.
Deborah Lynn Andelin

If you check out Webster’s Dictionary for the definition of “Famous” you will find one of the definitions is “widely known”. With 167 million views, I would say she is widely known. I would also say that Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, etc., as you state are also widely known. I am sorry you are unfamiliar with the English language. I don’t particularly care for Korn, Marilyn Manson and others, but they have a following. Who died and made you the world wide music critic? Whatever your feelings, it doesn’t make it right to bully any individual. Despite your feelings you can’t bully me into saying differently.
DD

Yes she is widely known, but for her terrible singing. Who wants fame like that? I didn’t know I was a bully now for stating my opinion but okay no comment there because it’s pointless to tell you what is obvious and true. Everyone gets bullied at some point and it’s up to you how you handle it. Now you go listen to your Rebecca Black, weird nasally and overly auto tuned, CD. Oh and don’t forget Jersey Shore is on tonight too, you seem like someone that is into untalented people.

Roger Wallace

She should be laughing back at them and replying, “Sorry, but I can’t hear you with all of the $100 bills I have packed in my ears.”

BD McGee

Ummmm- what?

Jennifer

I hope she tried some sort of comeback before she left…..something like, “here..let me get some footage of you trying to sing that so I can mash it up with the others, and put it out on youtube” or….What day is it, why (I’m hoping)it’s…and burst into singing the chorus of “friday”. Humor might have diffused the situation.

Yet, the bigger issue is how did the school handle this instance of bullying, and where were the social skills lessons on how to be a better person for those who thought it was cool to push it this far to where she felt she had to leave the school she had always gone to in order to be able to complete her education.

Shellie

Excellent comment. It seems a shame she left instead of trying to handle it, because you can’t always just run from a tough situation. I was thinking the same thing: couldn’t she have laughed or joked about it? How bad could it have been? You have to face things, not run from them.
I’m not sure what part the school should have played but what you said sounds sensible.

gregory

Hey Rebecca,
Keep in mind that you are in the front seat and those kids are waiting at the bus stop.
GO GIRL!!!!
Chester

She needs to get some advice from Lindsay Lohan on how to handle the pressure of being a teen star. (Possibly over drinks.)
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/11/13/same-producer-of-friday-releases-new-viral-video-its-thanksgiving/ Same Producer Of ‘Friday’ Releases New Viral Video ‘It’s Thanksgiving’ « CBS Los Angeles

[...] August 2011, Black left her school in Anaheim to be home-schooled after endless teasing and harassment from [...]