--- title: Celebrities Rally Around Bullied Student After Viral Video description: Patricia Arquette, Millie Bobby Brown and the UFC have Keaton Jones' back canonical: https://time.com/5057983/celebrities-tennessee-bullying-viral-video/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-11T03:20:46.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:24.516Z og:title: Celebrities Rally Around Bullied Student After Viral Video og:description: Patricia Arquette, Millie Bobby Brown and the UFC have Keaton Jones' back og:url: https://time.com/5057983/celebrities-tennessee-bullying-viral-video/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Celebrities Rally Around Bullied Student After Viral Video twitter:description: Patricia Arquette, Millie Bobby Brown and the UFC have Keaton Jones' back twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 'They Say I Have No Friends.' Celebrities Rally Around a Bullied Student After His Emotional Video Went Viral > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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First Lady Melania Trump Speaks about Caring for Children at the United Nations_ by [Stephanie Petit / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Stephanie Petit / People Contributor Dec 11, 2017 3:20 AM UTC by [Stephanie Petit / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Stephanie Petit / People Contributor Dec 11, 2017 3:20 AM UTC A young man has spoken out against those who bully him and others in a video clip that’s making waves on the Internet — and earning him a slew of famous friends. In a video posted on Facebook, Friday, by his mother, Tennessee student Keaton Jones emotionally explained how he was bullied at school. “They make fun of my nose. They call me ugly. They say I have no friends,” Keaton told his mother in a car with tears in his eyes. He added that things even get physical at lunch, when bullies “put milk on me and put ham down my clothes, throw bread on me.” “Just out of curiosity, why do they bully? What’s the point of it?” he asked. “Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to them? It’s not okay.” Keaton said he also feels for others who suffer through similar situations. “I don’t like that they do it to me. And I, for sure, don’t like that they do it to other people, cause it’s not okay!” he told his mother. “People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault.” Alongside the emotional video, Keaton’s mother, Kimberly Jones, wrote, “For the record, Keaton asked to do this AFTER he had he me pick him up AGAIN because he was afraid to go to lunch.” “My kids are by no stretch perfect, & at home, he’s as all boy as they come, but by all accounts he’s good at school,” wrote Kimberly. “Talk to your kids. I’ve even had friends of mine tell me they’re \[sic\] kids were only nice to him to get him to mess with people. We all know how it feels to want to belong, but only a select few know how it really feels not to belong anywhere.” Keaton’s message went viral, catching the attention of several celebrities who wanted to reach out and offer their support. “Keaton, this is so accurate,” wrote _Stranger Things_ star [Millie Bobby Brown](http://people.com/tag/millie-bobby-brown/) on Twitter. “Why do people do this? I think your sooo cool Keaton! I wanna be your friend ( but srsly) ur freakin awesome.” Oscar-winner [Patricia Arquette](http://people.com/tag/Patricia-Arquette/) added, “Keaton, I’m sorry those kids are being so mean. Unless people like that change they will end up having unhappy lives. I think you’re cool!” [Cardi B](http://people.com/tag/cardi-b) also stood up for Keaton, writing on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcg2qCyBDPT/), “Who ever goes to this boy school, If you pick on him you not even a bully YOU A STRAIGHT UP P— A— PUNK A— B—-,” she wrote. “Like how you pick on somebody who can’t defend them self ? THATS NOT GANGSTA !” UFC President Dana White also took notice, saying that he wanted to bring Keaton to Las Vegas to hang out at UFC headquarters. The message was reposted on Instagram by [Ricky Martin](http://people.com/tag/ricky-martin/). Many other athletes, actors, and well-known figures, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Bernice, also sent messages of support on social media. “Friends, overwhelmed is the understatement of the world right now,” Keaton’s mother, Kimberly, [wrote on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.jones.568847/posts/1858430920852166?pnref=story) Saturday afternoon. “I’m humbled by the voice my boy has been given, but he’s still just a little boy & he’s a little boy who desperately wants acceptance, that I have to try to find a way to navigate him through the difference in true acceptance & attention.” “I know God has His hand in this, & I trust that the right things will happen in the right time.” _The_ [_article_](http://people.com/human-interest/keaton-jones-stars-rally-around-bullied-middle-school-student-viral-video/) _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://people.com/)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5057983/celebrities-tennessee-bullying-viral-video/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5057983/celebrities-tennessee-bullying-viral-video/"},"headline":"'They Say I Have No Friends.' 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