Taylor Swift recently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after the September 10 debate. Statistics show that after the pop star endorsed Harris, visits to vote.gov via a link posted by Swift spiked by 405,999 people.
Other celebrities endorsing Harris include Martha Stewart, Billie Eilish, Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, George Clooney, Eva Longoria, and Jennifer Lawrence. While it’s important for celebrities and influencers to use their platforms to encourage voting and registration, they don’t need to become political activists.
Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood performed at the Republican National Convention, while Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend and Stevie Wonder performed at the Democratic National Convention. Elon Musk and Kanye West are open supporters of Donald Trump.
As far back as the 1920s, stars have been dipping their toes into politics and endorsing candidates. From Babe Ruth and Frank Sinatra to current-day Oprah Winfrey and Charlie XCX, it’s commonplace, almost a given, for some celebrities to choose a political party.
But some celebrities only endorse candidates because it makes them look popular and attractive. It creates buzz and associates them with the “winning” side. When celebrities know that their primary fan base is made up of a certain demographic, they will cater to that demographic in all areas, including politics.
Pharrell Williams recently criticized celebrities for getting too involved in politics and urged them to stay out of it, saying that to him, politics is about actions like voting and donating money to causes you care about.
Celebrities can use their careers to promote social causes and opinions, whether that be in music, fashion, or art. They are human beings and have political opinions. They can use their voices for good, but their job is not to be political activists. Their job is to be celebrities, a profession that most Americans never have. They should not be the primary source of political information or opinions for Americans.
Blindly believing what celebrities say instead of examining candidates and party policies reduces the ability of voters to think critically and reduces free thought and political participation among Americans. Examining policies, laws, and government for oneself is an essential part of democracy.
The current political climate is so divisive that celebrities often face backlash if they don’t endorse them in key elections. America shouldn’t be putting its politics in the hands of celebrities who live different lives than the majority of the nation.
