As a seasoned gamer of life, having navigated the labyrinthine world of politics and celebrity since the days of Reagan and Schwarzenegger, I find myself intrigued by this peculiar dance between Hollywood stars and political candidates.
Joe Biden was, perhaps, inevitably going to be forced to quit his race for re-election.
On July 10, an op-ed piece by George Clooney in the New York Times advocating for the president to resign significantly impacted the public and financial backers’ view of Biden’s suitability for the presidency.
The biting opinion piece signaled a significant increase in influence for celebrities and famous musicians within the Democratic Party’s final stretch as they sought to regain the presidency, highlighting their prominence.
Two high-profile celebrity endorsements were heavily publicized as decisive factors in swaying votes. For instance, speculation surrounding whether Taylor Swift would support Vice President Kamala Harris persisted for months. Once Swift announced her endorsement for Harris in September, it was seen as a significant victory, earning 10 million likes and driving approximately 400,000 fans to a voter registration site. An ABC headline read: “Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris could potentially shift the election outcome.
Distinguished figures also made efforts to support the vice president who had less than four months until Biden’s departure to Election Day. Beyoncé performed alongside Harris at a massive rally in Houston (an appearance that drew some criticism as attendees were displeased she didn’t sing), while others like Eminem, Lizzo, Bruce Springsteen, Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Bad Bunny, Usher, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Stevie Wonder endorsed Harris. Some even joined the candidate at campaign rallies.
Back in July, Charli XCX calling out Harris as a “brat” was seen as an initial triumph aimed at winning over younger voters. A CNN headline from last month put it this way: “How ‘brat summer’ laid the groundwork for Kamala Harris’ impressive surge.
Despite Gen Z’s courtships and celebrity endorsements favoring Harris, the voting results demonstrated a decrease in support for her among 18-29 year olds when compared to Biden.
The evidence appears to align with a 2010 study conducted at North Carolina State University, indicating that young voters tend to be unaffected by political candidates endorsed by celebrities. In some cases, they may even develop a dislike for both the candidate and the celebrity following an endorsement.
Afterward, an advertisement in favor of Harris was aired, narrated by Julia Roberts. The ad portrayed two women, who were secretly voting for Harris, despite being married to men who seemed to support Trump. While some admired it for its clever attempt at appealing to conservative-leaning female voters, others criticized the commercial as being patronizing.
Undeniably, I can’t help but wonder how my campaign journey would have unfolded had I not received – and wholeheartedly accepted – such an overwhelming support through endorsements. There’s always that tantalizing possibility they contributed positively to my campaign, even though I fell short in the race by a considerable margin.
Looking back now, it’s clear that Trump’s actions – like his visit to McDonald’s and chat with Joe Rogan on Oct 25 – might have been more successful than using Hollywood stars in campaigns, especially when targeting voters in the crucial Rust Belt states. These ordinary interactions made him seem more relatable, perhaps because they didn’t align with typical Hollywood values that these voters may not identify with.
On election night, NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz noted in casual exit polling among college students in Arizona, many mentioned Joe Rogan’s interview with Trump as pivotal. “It’s been quite remarkable how frequently the Joe Rogan podcast has been brought up,” Schwartz stated. “We’ve spoken to several students who listened to that podcast featuring the former president and claimed it was the factor that sealed their decision. They also mentioned that if Kamala Harris had appeared on that podcast, they may have cast their vote differently.” One of NBC’s election panelists concurred, sharing similar experiences with young voters referencing Rogan’s interview.
In awe, I share that my recent episode garnered an astonishing 46 million views on YouTube all by itself! Joe Rogan also extended an invitation for an interview to Kamala Harris, but her campaign declined the offer due to logistical constraints – they wouldn’t let their candidate travel to his studio in Austin, and instead requested just an hour of her time.
It’s important to note that Trump didn’t only avoid celebrity endorsements, but also made use of the ones he received – figures like Hulk Hogan, Dana White, Zachary Levi, and Kid Rock endorsed him. If Trump had a plethora of A-list stars, it would be reasonable to expect many of them on stage at his rallies, much like Harris’s team managed to do.
“It’s important not to overemphasize California or Hollywood when trying to connect with the entire country.
In this universe, we can’t definitively say if celebrities influenced the election outcome by helping or hindering either candidate. To know for sure, we would need to glimpse into another reality where Kamala Harris won against Trump. Unfortunately, we’re stuck in our current universe, where we can only speculate and analyze the impact of celebrity endorsements.
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2024-11-06 23:24