By Logan Pillard
At the 2017 Golden Globe Award Ceremony on Jan. 8, actor Meryl Streep was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille award, and she used her acceptance speech to scorn the actions of President-elect Donald Trump during his campaign, in particular, his mocking of a disabled reporter. Streep received mixed reviews for her speech, ranging from thunderous applause to late-night tweets from the president-elect himself, calling her “over-rated,” which in turn caused even more pushback from Streep supporters.
Streep is only the most recent in a long line of politically active celebrities. The 2016 presidential election was marked with many household Hollywood names making stops on the campaign trail. In Iowa City, Demi Lovato campaigned with Hillary Clinton, and Josh Hutcherson stood alongside Bernie Sanders. Other celebrity political involvement over the past year included cast members of Marvel’s Avengers standing with protesters at Standing Rock as well as Beyoncé’s “Lemonade,” a short film that débuted with the release of her album advocating for the equal treatment of African Americans in America.
There are many people from both political parties who believe celebrities should stick to what they know and act, smile, wave, and take selfies with their fans. I, however, believe this is a complete waste of influence. As Americans, we were granted the right to freedom of speech by our Founding Fathers. As with Americans posting articles on Facebook or sticking signs in their front yards, celebrities use the voices given to them by us, the people, to voice their views. Therefore, if Uncle John can post his political commentary on social media, celebrities have just as much right to do the same.
However, we have to be honest with ourselves. Celebrities are not like you and me. They can’t leave their homes without cameras flashing; if Kylie Jenner has a small breakout, it gets plastered on Snapchat with the headline “Why is Kylie So Stressed?” We look up to them as role models. We aspire to their grace, and beauty and strength as they flow down the red carpet. As Streep said, being a celebrity is a “privilege.” We have given these people a place in which they can make a difference simply by using their privilege to give back and to provide a voice for those who can only whisper. For example, besides being one of the most celebrated actresses of her time, Audrey Hepburn went on to become a spokeswoman for the United Nations, advocating for Women’s Rights. Alongside her are actors Angelina Jolie and Emma Watson. Actor and comedian Amy Schumer has worked alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to promote policies against sexual violence.
Our society places a large emphasis on pop culture. Hollywood is not just an American staple, it is also a global beacon. It’s no surprise that when pop culture is something America is best known for, we (and I use this term very loosely) elect a celebrity as our next president. Gone are the days that congressional representatives were common household names. We’ve entered an era in which the lines between pop culture and politics have slowly thinned to nothingness, and the idea of Kim Kardashian sharing the same title as Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
