Are you interested in the politics of celebrities?

[mvd]

Or would you rather not know or couldn't care less? I'm pretty interested, especially with my celeb crushes. All of the celebrities in my crush list are either Democrats or their affiliation is unknown to me. I was happy when CBS Soaps In Depth magazine did something a little political in the Star Talk section of their Oct. 30-Nov. 13 issue. The question is "Who on your cast would make a great president and why?" Now this doesn't say what real candidates they would vote for, but there are clues. Jennifer Landon said she's vote for the cast member if he is in the right party. Sounds Democratic in tone, and I suspect she is a Democrat anyway. Bonnie Dennison used words like "compassionate" and "intelligent." I don't think she'd be a Bush fan; she's cute, too. Ashley Jones mentioned family values but doesn't want anyone too liberal or conservative. Also stressed diplomatic skills. Bush might be too right wing for her, also. Michelle Stafford gave a funny answer: none, because no one on the cast is corrupt - lol. Jennifer Garies wants someone Kennedy-like and who can bring peace to the world. Good answer. Honesty showed up in Frank DiCopoulos and Scott Bryce's answers. Well, if they are smart, they would deduce that Bush isn't honest!

I know Adrienne Frantz, a big crush, is a Democrat - she said so before in the magazine and said her worst TV moment was when Florida was taken away from Gore. Sharon Case, another big soap crsh, is one I'm not sure about. She was less pro-death penalty than Josh Morrow, though I believe Josh is still on our side overall. Sharon also seems to have common sense in interviews. My third big soap crush, Marnie Schulenburg, is also unknown. She's from Cape Cod, Mass., which is not a conservative area.

So how much are you interested in celebrity politics?

[mvd]

1. Any opinions?

Otherwise, I'll have my answer. People don't really care.

[lightningandsnow]

2. In a way, yes.

I tend to like a lot of music that is really highly politcal: Le Tigre, Tribe 8, Ani DiFranco, Bitch and Animal, Dar Williams, The Gossip, Sleater-Kinney, etc. Also, I really admire it when celebrities get involved in activist causes, especially when they are sincere about it - and not just doing it because it's trendy to "support" a certain cause.

[mvd]

4. Haven't heard much from Dar Williams lately

I might have missed some of her political lyrics as I only have The Beauty Of The Rain and The Green World. Both outstanding albums.

[supernova]

3. Most celebs that I care about watching

most are really artists (i.e. they have a genuine talent and aren't famous just for being famous or worse coasting on one thing they did 20 years ago) are liberal anyway.

I can't think of anyone I enjoy watching who isn't liberal.

[Breeze54]

5. Yes, the one's that matter to me.

If they are true repubs or rethug supporters; I boycott them and their movies.

[lightningandsnow]

7. Really?

I don't really believe in boycotting someone because you happen to disagree with them. Bitch of B&A has made some statements I don't agree with - mainly in support of Michigan Womyn's Music Festival's "Womyn-born-womyn" policy, prohibiting trans women from attending the festival. I totally disagree with her views on this - in fact, I think it's a completely moronic policy - but she's a brilliant musician, and I would still but her albums and go to her concerts.

[Breeze54]

9. Yes, Gary Sinese is a new one on my list and the

wife from "Everybody Loves Raymond". Ray's wife. There are others.

Why should I rent a movie any of them made and add to thier bank accts. when they contribute
that $$ to help Rethugs get elected? :shrug: Seems self-defeating to me, so I don't do it. ;)

[SacredCow]

6. I really don't care one way or the other....

Much like the folks I encounter in my daily life. If they treat me respectibly, I don't care how they vote.

[Breeze54]

10. What if they contribute lots of $$ to defeat the Dems?

Why kick yourself in the head? Seems pointless to me but it's your money...

[SacredCow]

17. As far as money being used to defeat....

I'm not sure how much I buy into that. I think that probably upwards of 90% of the money spent in political campaigning is a consummate waste. I know that I completely tune out all political ads- mostly because they're annoying as sand in your bathing suit.

[Breeze54]

19. What do you mean, "buy into that"?

I mean, those rich folk in Hollywood attend political fundraisers and then that money
pays for political ads in certain area's of the country to defeat the opponents, right?

I'd rather my $$ go to defeat the rethugs! Wouldn't you? :shrug:

[SacredCow]

32. In a perfect world, absolutely...

I'm certainly not arguing that point. But it (by far) isn't a perfect world, so I make my compromises. Personally, I happen to believe that most people have made up their minds as to how they will vote long before the parties start dropping millions on television advertisments. So in that way, that all adds up to a hell of a lot of wasted money that could be doing some good.

As for the original point to this thread, I just don't care about the personal beliefs of actors. Nor do I care about the personal beliefs of the guy who works on my car, or the lady that cuts my hair, or the kid that washes my car, etc... They're all entitled to their opinions, and so long as they aren't personally attacking me for my beliefs and/or lifestyle I firmly believe in a "live and let live" policy. I don't believe in demonizing people because they don't agree with me- that's a rethug tactic, and I'm better than that.

That said, I do applaud you for your convictions. Personally, I'd drive myself crazy if I tried to keep track of who's on what side like that.

[mvd]

11. I probably care more about close friends than I do celebs

And of course girlfriends would have to be Democratic, or I'd feel too separate in thinking.

[SacredCow]

15. I have a few repub friends....

and again- as long as there's mutual respect I don't find it to be a problem.

As for a partner- I totally agree. It would be rough to be separated that far from your honey!

[Breeze54]

20. Repub poiticians only have "mutual respect" for each other.

Not for you or me or any of the 'little people'.

[SacredCow]

31. I'm not talking about politicians....

I'm talking about friends, and I'm not friends with ANY politicians.

[mvd]

21. I grew up mostly around Democrats, so it's harder..

for me with close friends. I'll try to be open-minded.

[SacredCow]

34. I grew up mostly around repubs....

And have watched (with glee) much of my family evolve towards the middle. Sure they still have some of their repub leanings, but slowly they're learning of the hypocrisy that the religious right has brought to the republican party.

But don't get me wrong- I've cut off contact with friends that became rabid right-wing hatemongers. Open-mindedness is a 2 way street; If we can agree to disagree there's no problem. However, if someone starts getting personal and refusing to see my point of view, then I end it and tell them exactly why.

[mvd]

40. Congrats on your family's turnaround!

I asked a religious right acquaintance who she was supporting, and she didn't know. I guess her church hasn't issued an edict yet. She's a nice person, and if she would just think for herself..

I also think celebs have a right to express their viewpoints. Yes, they aren't all brain trusts (I have seen quite a few who seem smart though (like Natalie Portman) - the media clouds viewpoints,) but we look to them for entertainment, and I just get a better feeling about them if they are Democrats. You have some common sense right there if you are a Democrat.

[SacredCow]

42. I can understand liking the known Dems better....

I just don't think that way, personally. If they entertain me, then I'll watch their movies, buy their music, whatever...

I guess it would be kind of like me choosing a surgeon... Would I pick a less-skilled surgeon over a highly skilled one based on who he votes for? Absolutely not.

[mvd]

43. It always influences my opinion, but not always my enjoyment

Miranda Lambert is a Repuke, but so far hasn't written any lyrics that would make me upset. And she is actually talented.

[WinkyDink]

8. Yes, but I'm in deep denial about Kelsey Grammer.

[Rhiannon12866]

28. I am, too, loved him in "Frasier," but he also worked with David Pierce.

David's from my hometown and my mother was his Sunday school teacher... She ran into him in the hospital there a few years back when he came to visit his mother, who eventually died there.:-(

David's a really nice guy and one of us. Kelsey Grammer is listed on their wall of donors, obviously made a gift to honor David's mother, so he does have a heart...;)

[QueenOfCalifornia]

12. Absolutly

I am very interested. I can not watch a right wing tool once I find out their dumb assedness and that's fine with me.

[cobalt1999]

13. No.

I consider most celebrities mindless vapid idiots. Sure some may be vocal liberals, but I've never seen one yet that can really debate an issue. I'm more interested in what intelligent educated and work experienced folks think over any celebrity.

[mvd]

14. I don't think I've seen many really debating issues

I usually just see facts about them or sound bites. Surely most liberal celebs could out-debate Elisabeth Hasselbeck. :-)

[cobalt1999]

16. Well, Elisabeth is a pretty low bar...

:)

Still, I have little to no respect for the IQ of most celebrities (even the liberal ones), so, no, I could care less what their limited brains can muster up. Probably they are just repeating what others are telling them to say.

[mvd]

18. I give them more credit

Also, they probably do have to concentrate a lot on their careers.

[quip]

33. PPPFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTT!

:rofl: :spray:

I should send you the drycleaning bill for my monitor, but I won't because it was a great laugh. Thanks! :hi:

[quip]

25. A-Frikkin-men

Just because a celebrity espouses a liberal POV, it doesn't mean that they aren't complete asshats.

Politically, with friends like them, who needs enemas? Or in their cases, coffee colonics.

:rofl:

[u4ic]

22. Heck, I don't even know who the celebrities are any more

never mind following their politics. :silly:

[last_texas_dem]

23. I do, to a point

I always find it interesting to find out where someone stands politically, and with celebrities it can be even more interesting since, as public figures, you may have heard some things about them in the past that made you wonder if they leaned a certain way politically. Like you, I would have a hard time having a celeb crush on someone who I knew was a conservative. In general, I would say that knowing a celebrity's political leanings agreed with mine would likely increase my opinion of them as a person, but probably wouldn't make too big of a difference in terms of what I thought of their work. I don't tend to like music or movies with blatantly conservative messages, but if a conservative artist did something non-political that I wouldn't tend to hold their personal views against them in terms of approaching their work. For whatever reason, though, there just don't seem to be too many artists who I know to be conservative politically whose work I care all that much for.

[qnr]

24. Not really, though I'll keep a mental note of it if I happen to come across the info n/t

[1000evorlrak]

26. Not really no....

Your typical "celebrity" especially the species "hollyweirdus celibritus" has either a high school education, or little more than a high school education. Their work consists of doing whatever someone else tells them to do. Many have such huge bank accounts that backing something that may be catostrophic to someone else is no big deal to them, not that they will ever meet or care about who they stepped on. Many, if met for more than a moment in a personal situation, come off as the colossal idiots they really are.

So, no I don't care. I don't even care what political party they identify with, if any, it doesn't matter.

[NewJeffCT]

27. Not too interested, but...

I am not all that interested in celebrity politics, unless one of them announces a radical right wing view.

However, they do have a good platform to speak from and I don't mind that they do – most celebrities are every bit as qualified to pontificate as Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Michelle Malkin, et al.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. I'm not interested in celebrity gossip, but am in their politics.

That does influence my viewing habits, avoid John Travolta and Tom Cruise, for example. And they do have some impact on public opinion when they do speak out, since this is inevitably reported in the news. I made it a point to watch Whoopi Goldberg's short-lived sitcom because she made outrageous fun of Bush*, and George Clooney's work on behalf of Darfur gave me a positive opinion of him... :-)

[quip]

35. Spin works both ways

Millionaire, shallow asshats, all of 'em.

:thumbsdown:

[Rhiannon12866]

36. I agree. I generally take the dogs out when KO does his "celebrity" segment.

I really have no interest in what so-called "celebrities" are doing. I pay so little attention that I don't even know who half of them are, or why they're "famous." But a few, like George Clooney, have used their status, and the fact that a lot of people do pay attention to what celebrities are doing, to bring public attention to important issues. I can't fault them for that, since it can do a lot of good. There seem to be a lot of people in this country who care more about celebrities than about Iraq or Darfur, unfortunately.:-(

[stuntcat]

30. yes

If I find out they're repuglycans then I don't forget. Maybe it's silly but I can't help it, I've always been that way.
Maybe when they start caring about the environment and taking care of poor kids then I'll stop but as it is I don't trust a single one of them, they're all dirty no matter how famous they are.

[Throd]

37. Could not care less

[huskerlaw]

38. I used to be intrigued

but now that I'm active in politics in Los Angeles, I actually NEED to care and pay attention. They're valuable donors!

I don't really give a shit about the Republican celebrities (all 5 of them), unless they make a really stupid public comment...like Patricia Heaton's comment regarding Sally Field's Emmy speech.

That said, I have an interesting story regarding Patricia Heaton stopping by a John Edwards table at a street fair...

;)

[redqueen]

39. I'm not interested, but once I find out, it taints their image.

I can't help but see them as what they are, and if it tarnishes them, so be it.

[Maestro]

41. I don't actively seek that info out, but when the celeb,

musician or artist in general starts making statements leaning right or left it affects my perception of him or her. For example, when the Dixie Chicks starting making waves and then getting raked over the coals in the MSM, my interest in the them went from passing familiarity with their music to really a big fan. On the other side, when Dave Mustaine started making dumba$$ statements about the left, my view of his music and my feelings for it went down which says a lot because I grew up a huge thrash metal fan. Megadeth was one of the seminal acts for this genre.