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Youth Radio's Sophie Simon-Ortiz poses for a photo with Janeane Garafalo in the shadows.
Credit: Nick Miroff,
Youth Radio
I used to think I was above celebrity influence on MY politics. Then…things changed.
Actor Steve Buscemi, Fargo (1996) & Reservoir Dogs (1992), was among the many celebrities at the DNC. Here, he stops for a quick interview with the TV show, Extra.
Credit: Nick Miroff,
Youth Radio
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By Sophie Simon Ortiz
This fall, some of the nation’s hottest bands will launch a swing-state concert tour, hoping to use their music and popularity to support John Kerry for President. The Republicans, for their part, have just announced their convention’s celebrity line-up. Youth Radio’s Sophie Simon-Ortiz recently attended a hip political party, and her thinking changed about the way celebrity culture is transforming national politics.
I saw one of my favorite celebrities, Jon Stewart, at a nightclub. Actually…that’s a big lie. I didn’t see him at all. I saw his name on an invitation to a political bash where he was supposed to be -- a sold-out Democratic Party event co-sponsored by Rock the Vote.
SECURITY (on tape)
This is the press receiving line. This
is the very entrance of the press line, so I suggest you stand right
there, okay? There you go. A little inside scoop.
SOPHIE
And thanks to that scoop, I got close enough to Star Wars actress
Natalie Portman to see details in her hand-made Kerry for President
t-shirt, as she walked down the red carpet. I could practically hear
her chandelier earrings jingle…as she talked to Entertainment Tonight.
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT ANCHOR (on tape)
So how do you use your celebrity status to get the word out?
Natalie Portman:
I know people probably look and say ahhh, celebrities, entertainers, who listens to them? But if people say, hey what a cute shirt, and it makes them think about Kerry, then great.
SOPHIE
Hollywood a-listers don’t necessarily mobilize young voters, according to19 year-old political activist Marissa Brown. But she says they’re good for energizing a crowd.
MARISSA (on tape)
It’s putting familiar faces behind the importance of activism. For the organizers, the people here who are dedicated to the cause, it’s like a reward for them for all their hard work.
SOPHIE
But I find it pretty hard to concentrate on presidential politics or any cause for that matter, with Jerry Springer stepping out of his limo and into a sea of TV cameras and hovering boom mics.
Truth is, I’m not even sure I believe in using celebrities to sell a political message. Entertainers can fly first class to political events between talk show appearances, while I’m stressing about college tuition: why should I identify with their sound-byte activism? It took all MY energy not to get stomped into the ground.
The problem with celebrity placement is…real issues are drowned out by everyone’s rush to get their photo op with a famous person. And let’s face it, there’s not a lot of depth in a paparazzi snapshot. But Rock the Vote President Jehmu Greene says it’s all a numbers game. And one that works.
JEHMU (on tape)
Celebrities have millions of people who listen to them when they talk. To have our celebrities we work with put a voter registration link on their fan sites means we’re gonna have thousands of people registering to vote.
SOPHIE
Like 22-year old College Democrat Casey Brownbear, I found the whole celebrity thing a bit twisted.
CASEY (on tape)
It really should be about the message, about the politics, it kind of hurts there’s a lot of people in line who’ve been working hard for Gain…they’re being kind of pushed aside for pretty people.
SOPHIE
The guy has a point, but…here’s my big confession: I used to think I was above celebrity influence on MY politics. Then…things changed. When I was at the Democratic National Convention, I was totally star-struck after my night on the floor, where I watched Alec Baldwin and Gray Davis mingling with the crowd. I actually got giggly when I saw Janeane Garafalo. And I have to admit, if my music idol Ani Di Franco joined the swing state concert tour, I might register on MoveOn.org to get advanced tickets. I mean, her music is always political, not just a fashion statement. And that means something to me.
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