Do Celebrities and Politics Mix?
Do Celebrities and Politics Mix?
Like watermelon and gravy…
Why do some celebrities feel the need to publicly support a candidate? Why do some candidates feel it’s necessary to be publicly supported by a celebrity? These are questions that mainstream reporters have ignored and the general public has pondered since the first symbiotic relationship between the two groups was formed. I believe that this relationship is unnecessary, unproductive, alienating, illegal, and ultimately, just the wrong way to gain support. I have three main arguments that support my opinion.
1. Celebrities are “normal” people… that are famous!
Celebrities to not need the support of a candidate in order to further their career. Yes, they are just people, but they’re famous people. So why are they publicly supporting a candidate? I think it’s because they truly want to make a difference, and that’s great. The only problem with that way of thinking is that they will make a difference, and it will be a noticeable difference that may on the surface look positive for the candidate. But what about the effect that is occurring that you can’t see?
What about the candidates current supporters that may not like a certain celebrity or do not like when candidates are publicly supported by celebrities? Candidates may slowly lose those supporters. What about those people that are on the fence, and when they see that Oprah is supporting Obama, they cringe? You can make the argument that others that are on the fence, may jump on board when Oprah publicly supports Obama, but aren’t we really just pouring out one glass to fill the other?
I believe at best you end up with a zero sum result where you have just as many supporters that you did when you began, only now your supporters are the type that are more apt to be influenced by celebrities. And is that really the type of supporters you want on your team or as your base?
2. Politicians will be categorized by the media.
The media. Everybody’s best friend and worst enemy… (read my article on media responsibility) Images, sound bites, repetition, and ultimately, we’re left with a biased frame of reference for a politician. These are a few things that happen with the 24 hour news programs. Oprah is supporting Obama… Did Oprah bring more supporters than Obama? Did Oprah and Obama’s wife connect on stage? Did Oprah’s appearance overshadow Obama’s message? I don’t know “Mr. Reporter”… at this point, I’ve forgotten what Obama’s message was!!! However, I do know that I like what Oprah was wearing…
3. I believe it’s illegal.
An individual is only allowed to donate $4,600 per election (can be split $2,300 for the primary and $2,300 for the general election). As I stated before, I believe a celebrity is a “normal” person, an individual. However, they are famous individuals whose appearance is worth a lot of money. How much do you think it would cost to have Robert Dinero give a speech at your graduation? Now, what if he were to deliver that speech for free? How much money has he really donated to you by just being your supporter and not charging you a dime? I think it’s worth much more than $4,600 for these politicians to be supported by celebrities. And just because the celebrity didn’t write a check for more than $4,600, they really have donated much more than $4,600 by showing support at a candidate’s event.
So what can we do about this loophole that celebrities are afforded?
That’s a question that I am going to pursue as I develop this website… it may even be a project that I will work on and try to get support for on a national level. You can also start a discussion in the forums section. Ultimately, I believe that we have to stop this nonsense and stop celebrities from having more influence on our political process than the normal citizen.
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Sarah Hartwell...
I wish everyone could live in peace! Also, congratulations on quitting smoking Matt! I have been t...
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Good post. I agree we need to help other people because what goes around comes around!...
Agreed. I don’t like to see celebrities involved in politics. After all, the “relationships” between celebrities and politicians dissolve as quickly as they start. I haven’t heard anything about Oprah supporting Obama since she originally got up on stage and whooped and hollered about how he was “the choosen one.” It basically just comes down to the fact that celebrities and politicians can’t mix because they each have their own agendas. While Oprah is supporting Obama one week, she’s focasing on “Oprah’s big give” the next, and by the following week she’s got to get back to her book club. Meanwhile, Obama is still focused on making real changes to help our country and Oprah is whooping and hollering about a new recipe she found for extra delicious apple pie.
Maybe these politicians think that “hanging out” with celebrities will elevate them some kind of fake superstar status, but if you ask me, most voters aren’t impressed by celebrity endorsements.
I’m voting for McCain just because Chuck Norris endorsed him.
Queen,
Are you serious?
I was being sarcastic…I’ll be voting for Obama (or Clinton), but hopefully Obama!