The Celebrity Factor

Celebrities and politics, is the blind leading the blind? In class we've talked about how most Americans are not educated in the political science and government, therefore their vote may hinder larger problems. Think of it as kind of like guessing on an exam where you're asked to match answers to definitions. If you get one wrong, it's a chain reaction to other problems being incorrect.

So what do celebrities contribute to politics? Similar to fusing entertainment and news, celebs involved in political races and issues causes for the same effect. Viewers tune in to see their favorite celebrity or hear their celebrities talking about a particular issue then they may feel like they want to get involved as well. The want for involvement is great, but how do we know if they're just listening to what they're told on television by a certain celebrity?

For example, during the 2008 political campaign with Obama and McCain, celebrity involvement was very high. I remember seeing many celebrities and public figures getting together in rallies, campaign ads, public service announcements, on their own platforms such as televisions shows, social media, etc. One on the top of my head would have to be Oprah. She was a hardcore Obama supporter from the get go. Since Oprah is a huge celebrity and has a great deal of influence on the average American who watches her show and participates in her book club. With the backing of Oprah, Obama's campaign points will be expressed to a wide range of people and it won't have to come directly from him. People will be getting their news about the campaign from someone that they have allowed into their homes and hearts. With that kind of trust, they trust Oprah and her backing of Obama. So more likely than none, they will be open to Obama's points and be more lenient towards voting for him.

So is celebrity sponsorship good or bad? Both. Having certain celebrities for or against you can really hurt your campaign depending on the reputation and creditability of the celebrity. I'm sure not very many Americans would take a political figure seriously if he Lindsay Lohan backing them. But maybe celebrities are the future to getting information to the younger generation. If they see people who they look up to, no matter if they're a great role model or not, being involved in politics and giving it a "cool" factor, it might spark an interest. An interest to be involved and educated about government.