By Maria-Nefeli Andredaki,
With the USA presidential elections coming closer and heated events taking place on both sides of the political spectrum, celebrities of all kinds are often pressured and shamed into clearly stating who has their vote. This phenomenon, which is also a result of the widespread use of social media, that allows every person with internet access to follow and criticize famous strangers online, seems to be crucial for people’s careers, with fans claiming that if their favorite celebrity refrains from endorsing a candidate, they are in danger of being “canceled”.
What politicians often lack and are in dire need of is an emotional bond with their voters, which would result in their immediate success. And the thing is, celebrities have just that; a connection with thousands of people who look up to them as role models. This can be seen as a parasocial relationship in which the fan has created a one-sided “love affair” with their favorite singer, actor, influencer, etc., which, of course, has a big impact on both the fan’s and the celebrity’s lives. The fan, motivated by their infatuation with their idol, makes financial decisions that benefit said idol and feed their success. This is why brands, more often than not, opt for sponsoring celebrities instead of paying for regular TV commercials.
However, celebrities have come to the point of not just selling products and services, but presidents as well. In fact, polls show that, while celebrities do not have the power to shift the election on their own, they are relevant enough to bring the younger voters’ attention to things that matter, such as reproductive rights and discrimination. By putting a specific face on certain values, as Meghan Thee Stallion did, when she endorsed Kamala Harris, celebrities can simplify the voting process and bring a specific demographic to their candidate of choice. And while this might motivate a large number of people to vote, it is important to note that this oversimplification deters fandoms from critically thinking about the impact of their vote on the rest of the country and the world at large.
A fan of Elon Musk, who endorses Trump, might be unaware of his dangerous and discriminatory rhetoric against minorities, and just vote for him because a powerful billionaire told him to. On the other hand, a fan of Taylor Swift might skip sufficient and necessary research and vote for Harris, who was endorsed by the pop star very recently.
While promoting politicization and encouraging others to take matters into their own hands through voting is undoubtedly positive, the fact that a large chunk of the population needs a celebrity to tell them what to do is very telling of the times we live in. Chappell Roan was more recently obliterated online for stating that there are issues on both sides of the political spectrum and that voters should think critically before choosing, which resulted in her being harassed and having to cancel performances. The road to being active members of society and fighting for everyone’s rights is a long and difficult one, and it will never be replaced by the public choices of a handful of privileged, famous people who decided to share their opinions online.
Reference
- Harris’ and Trump’s biggest celebrity endorsements: Zachary Levi, Chappell Roan and More. Forbes. Available here
