Celebrity Politics

As politics and celebrity mingle (and, in some cases, merge), it's no surprise that people look to the mega-famous for cues on everything from how to feel about poverty in Africa, to which presidential candidate to vote for (not to mention which shampoo to buy). Bruce Willis had something to say about this recently, telling Hollywood to "shut-up," though not in so many words. And, there's this piece in LA Times from the weekend. The basic argument: the cult of celebrity now shapes our political and moral views... that "fame confers authority...," and that this is all a little askew, "the cult of celebrity trivializes everything it touches." With presidential primaries getting closer and closer, we're going to hear a lot from actors-turned-activists. The question is, does anyone care enough about what entertainers think to shape their own moral and political views around them?

 

Send a Comment

Comments are reviewed and edited by NPR prior to display. All comments will be read, but not all will be posted.







 (privacy policy)

NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.



   
   
   
null


 
E-mail this page Print this page
 
 
 

Bloggers

Neal Conan

Neal Conan

Host,
Talk of the Nation

 

Scott Cameron

Scott Cameron

Editor,
Talk of the Nation

 

Sarah Handel

Sarah Handel

Associate Producer,
Talk of the Nation

 

Barrie Hardymon

Barrie Hardymon

Assistant Editor,
Talk of the Nation

 

 
 
Get My Vote promo

Share Your Story

What would it take to get your vote? Share text, audio or video.

 
 

 
 

Recent Comments

 
 

About Blog of the Nation

Blog of the Nation is the official blog of the NPR talk show Talk of the Nation. For more information about the blog, the show and everything else in between, please be sure to read our show's Frequently Asked Questions guide and the discussion rules.

 
 

Related News Feeds

 
 

Contact Us:

Want to contact us privately? Write us!

 
 
 

Search the Blog


 
 

Browse Topics

Services

Programs