Do Celebrity Endorsements Really Help?

As much as the latest Presidential candidates are lining up for their run for president, so are their supporters. Soon yards will be filled with posters proclaiming support for one candidate or another and the airwaves will be filled (even more than they already are) with the sound of political messages about this, that, and the other thing. It is the season. It's also the season for celebs to start coming out in force to offer up support to the candidates that they like. Though celebrity support is nothing new really, it is something that has gained a lot more attention in the media over the past decade or so. I still remember the star-studded inaugural gala that was held for Clinton during his first and second terms in office. Hollywood loved him (for the most part) and so they made no mystery about it.

Now celebrities work just as hard to endorse the candidate of their choice simply because many of them have realized that by supporting a presidential hopeful they have an open road into the government in order to attempt and garner support for their individual charity or projects of interest. I mean if I were to approach the White House with a proposal to ban the sale of shrimp cocktails across the United States I would be laughed at. Now if Tom Cruise came to the White House and did the same thing, he'd at least have a few minutes to talk about it before possibly being laughed out of the room. But what other reason do politicians have to run to celebrities for support? Well the money is a big thing. When you're a star in Hollywood so rather than throwing that money away on a new car or billion dollar mansion, why not blow some of it on the future of the country? But does it really help?

Celebrity support is common place these days but I'm curious if it really has an impact on a voter. I mean I may be a big fan of Robert DeNiro but just because he says candidate A is better than the rest of the pack doesn't mean I'll necessarily agree with him. Heck, I may even disagree with him to the point that I may start liking him less as an actor and that could certainly affect his draw at the box office. I mean my money won't be lining his pocket if I don't necessarily like the candidate he backs. But really speaking then why do they do it at all? I have come to think that it's for those people out there who are the ones keeping the stories of Britney Spears latest meltdown or Paris Hilton's latest escapade from finally dying a well-deserved and long-overdue death. It's because there are probably more people out there who are familiar with what Paris Hilton did last week than there are who know what is happening in other parts of the world.

If it has nothing to do with movies or entertainment in general people could generally care less. Don't believe me? What about Arnold Schwarzenegger's run for governor the first time around? Do you ever recall reading about how there was record voter turnout? Why? Did people suddenly wake up and realize that by voting they have a say in the way their government runs? Of course not! That sort of mass outbreak of common sense would signal the coming Apocalypse and I certainly don't think we're there yet (at times it seems we may be getting closer). No, the record voter turnout was simply because people were interested in voting for the Terminator (now known as the Governator). If it becomes possible for Schwarzenegger to run for the Presidency I'm sure he'd win simply because despite his possibly not having any knowledge of world events, at least the country would be happy knowing their president can bench press the president of any other country.

We are becoming more and more obsessed with celebrity news at times that I find it distressing. I'm not saying that we should take more interest in the problems around the world and be cognizant of any and all of it but a little less attention on whether Britney Spears will get to keep her kids or not would be greatly appreciated. After all who cares? She's such a screwed up person right now that I feel allowing her to have custody of her kids would damage their minds more than any drugs could ever do. Celebrities can certainly make the case for our future leaders. I mean though I may not support whosoever Robert DeNiro supports I may like the candidate Clint Eastwood is in favor of. After all, if Dirty Harry says that candidate B is the one he's voting for then who am I to argue? Right punk?

I think that's why so many candidates these days run around for support from celebrities. Obama is happy that Oprah is on his side but at ever political rally that she attends with him, the audience isn't there to see Obama as much as they are hopeful that perhaps Oprah will suddenly grab the microphone and announce that she's giving everyone at the rally a brand new car! At least maybe that's what Obama is possibly hoping. I mean all the fans of the old show "Walker: Texas Ranger" are probably ecstatic that Chuck Norris is supporting Mike Huckabee. That means that they in turn will support Mike Huckabee. That type of blind devotion and faith in the 'knowledge' and 'wisdom' of celebrities is what many of these politicians hope for. They hope that they can get enough fan recognition to gain that edge in the election. It may have been effective in the past but the last few years have led many to become cynical and so they are more interested finding out more about a candidate rather than letting Barbara Striesand sing them their choice. I think it's for the better that way.