"The Right Angle"

Whatever Happened to “Let Me Entertain You”?

Celebrities as political activists

by Heidi Parent
10/01/04

Being a conservative, my entertainment choices would be pretty slim if I allowed my politics to dictate whose music I listen to or whose movies or TV shows I watch. And since I do enjoy the music of many liberal musicians and the performances of a few liberal actors, I make a conscious effort to not allow the political differences come between my entertainment and me. Until now.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy certain performers knowing they are actively opposing issues and candidates I support very strongly. It's like being friends with someone who is trying to thwart your efforts at every turn. At a certain point it becomes unforgivable.

And that's where I find myself.

This month Bruce Springsteen and a number of other musicians whose music I enjoy(ed) are playing over 30 concerts in 9 battleground states on what they're calling the Vote For Change tour. The proceeds from their shows are going to a MoveOn.org affiliated PAC, with the hope that the money they raise will help defeat President Bush in November. “A vote for change is a vote for a stronger, safer, healthier America. A vote for Bush is a vote for a divided, unstable, paranoid America," said tour participant Dave Matthews.

Now this tour will no doubt raise money, but will it influence voters? Perhaps a few. Will it be enough to sway an election? Doubtful. Most concertgoers will probably fall into one of two groups: people who already support the causes these musicians are touting and therefore will already vote accordingly, and young voters who are unlikely to vote, that is if the last Presidential election is any guide. In 2000, only about 50% of eligible 18-24 year olds were registered to vote. Of that 50%, only 32% actually voted.

So the bigger question is: What effect will the activities of these celebrities have on their overall fan base? Because with this type of participation in the political process, Bruce, Dave, and their cohorts are no longer just musicians, they are now political operatives. And this fact raises issues with voters like me – and perhaps you too – who already know how they will vote and resent being force-fed an opposing view.

Which is why activities like this concert tour can prove to be quite risky. We live in a country that's pretty much split down the middle in terms of its political beliefs. So while these celebrities will be getting cheered by half of the country for publicly stating their views, the other half will be turned off (I include myself squarely in this group).

Look no further for proof than Linda Ronstadt, Whoopi Goldberg, and the Dixie Chicks.

Singer Linda Ronstadt was recently booed off the stage in Las Vegas after praising Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11.” And once it became known that her show included praise for Moore, hundreds of ticket holders for future shows began calling for refunds.

Comedienne Whoopi Goldberg lost her Slim Fast endorsement after she made crude comments, including a play on words about a part of her anatomy and the president's last name, at a Democrat fundraiser.

The Dixie Chicks experienced tremendous backlash including a boycott of their music by radio stations after they criticized the war in Iraq while touring in Europe.

Now after these outspoken celebrities and others like them experienced the backlash brought about by their comments, they inevitably wailed that their First Amendment rights had been violated. Some even went so far as to claim they were being blacklisted. Neither of which are true.

Certainly these celebrities have a right to speak out and no one is stopping them. But the public has an equal right to not listen, and to be angry when forced to. Selling tickets to a concert but then turning it into a political rally is nothing short of a bait and switch. If I buy a ticket to a Linda Ronstadt concert, I'm paying to hear “You're No Good” and “When Will I Be Loved?” I'm not paying to hear her opine about all that is wrong with our country. Conversely, when I tune in to Rush Limbaugh I expect to hear him comment on the issues of the day. I don't expect to hear his rendition of “Hey Jude.”

And the cry of blacklisting is simply preposterous. There is no conspiracy in place that bars these individuals from working. There are, however, consequences to speaking out. In other words, business decisions are being made based on the outspoken celebrity's image. And it's certainly no secret that in the entertainment business, image is everything. (Just ask Kobe Bryant about his lost endorsements.) Martin Sheen of NBC's “The West Wing” said network executives let him know they are “very uncomfortable" with his public opposition to the war in Iraq. No kidding. What producer wants to hire or work with an unpopular actor? And if that actor's unpopularity is due to his own outspokenness, he has no one but himself to blame for his failure to land or keep a job. So what these celebrities are experiencing is not blacklisting, but audience backlash, and producers recognize this. America is saying, “Shut your pie hole and just entertain me!” And it's about time. So feel free to speak your mind, Opinionated Celebrity, but be prepared to suffer the consequences when you do.

I would wager that, like most Americans, many celebrities have opinions on the pressing issues of the day. But the majority of them are smart enough to not put themselves, or their careers, in a position that ticks off half the country. Take Michael Jordan, for example. When asked to endorse a Democrat candidate running for office in his native North Carolina, Jordan declined saying, “Republicans buy sneakers too.”

There's a long list of celebrities who could take a cue from Jordan.