Should actors/actresses incorporate they're political rhetoric at the oscars?
I've been thinking about this seeing how celebrities have been quite vocal in regards to politics and I'm curious what you guys think.
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Obviously they can, but as for the "should" part (and I'm speaking as a liberal here), I've been torn since I saw Meryl Streep's speech. She gave a great speech from my point-of-view, but seeing these very rich Hollywood stars speak out about injustice in the world or whatever isn't necessarily a great PR move/strategy for the left, since the right often claims that the left is out of touch with voters. But on the other hand, it is important to let Muslims, LGBT community, immigrants, etc. know they are loved and that there is a fight to protect them. It's a tricky situation.
I'm with you on the top part. It's hard to really take these celebrities seriously when nearly all issues and injustice in America and abroad have absolutely no effect on them and they're multimillionaires and billionaires who live lives of luxury and comfort. It's very difficult for me to say "that celebrity really cares about what's going on" when you really consider that.
They probably shouldn't, but they will and that's ok. Rights and shit.
Exactly. It's not very strategic. The major lesson from the election is that the left needs to regain the trust and votes of the white middle-class (ironically, they're going to have to regain it from a billionaire...) so I think it would do liberals good to shy away from huge declarations by celebrities. Instead of giving speeches and seeming out of touch, celebs can instead donate (as Sia did to the ACLU) or volunteer.
It's their right.
BUT. Their opinion should not matter. Most of them are spoiled, overpaid, filthy rich, pretenders who live in different world than regular hard working citizens.
Overpaid is putting it generously. Daniel Craig was offered nearly 90 million dollars to play James Bond.
It's their right, but then what's left?
They won the award they get their minute or whatever to say whatever they want.
It's almost a partisan issue, because besides outliers - some real, some attention seekers - celebrities only talk the politics of one side. Especially obviously at circlejerks like the Oscars, or Golden Globes - which I see more as an endurance test, than anything else. Granted, I don't think they do that side any good. No one voted for Hillary because countless political geniuses like Madonna, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Lena Dunham, and Lady Gaga etc, etc, endorsed her. Actually, maybe some did (and quite frankly, that's horrifying) but the point is: it alienates more people than it persuades, and it annoys more people than it comforts.
And no one wants to be lectured on taxes by people that could live off 1% of their income. No one wants to be lectured on tolerance by people who live in perhaps the biggest insular, hive mind, community in the world. No one wants to be lectured on immigration, from people with multiple properties, all within safe, rich culturally homogenous areas that will never see it. Basically, no one wants to be bombarded by the opinions of people, whose only appeal to authority is the fact they've been in movies... or their parents were in movies, or made movies, or something. It's just undignified and distasteful to throw stones from ivory towers - even if you agree with their targets, and the reasoning behind them.
I don't think celebrities should publically speak politics, as a general rule - though of course they can, and obviously they will. And I know people justify it by saying: "well Trump was a celebrity, too, and people cared about his politics!" Well he actually became a politician. He ran for something. Which is the point where it's valid to start caring about their political views as they're relevant, as would be true for all these other celebrities if they wished to follow that trajectory, and put their money (and time) where their mouth is - but of course they won't.
And a lot of this is down to media reporting, too - how many times have we all checked the news, only to find the "top stories," are, in fact, just reports of whatever predictable, eye-rolling asinine views, celebrities have come out with lately?
This stuff gets prioritised over actual news. Which is another thing that should not happen. The whole thing is just a mess.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
They do and should have the right, but the problem is that people worship celebrities too much. Celebrities, especially those with younger fanbases, need to understand how much of an influence they can have when talking politics, and should be very careful with what they say.
Me.
Just another reason why I love sia
Ok wow, that was the first time in 2 years that I've been able to post a comment on my phone I didn't think that'd work
Everyone has the right to come off pompous and full-of-themselves.
Making vein statements based off of one's own personal beliefs is one of them.
That's a twisted view. They're people just like everyone else.
What do you exactly mean by that?
They're people with millions and billions of dollars living lives of luxury and comfort far removed from the struggles and conflicts of an average citizen in America. We're all people, but celebrities are in a extremely different class with a natural disconnect to struggles,conflicts and problems in this country. Celebrities never have to worry about feeding they're families,healthcare,security,food stamps,job growth,minimum wage or housing. They simply cannot understand or comprehend the hardships everyday people have to endure and the politics that effect regular citizens. Granted at one point celebrities could've been "poor" but now they're in a position of immense wealth and power having to have no worries for they're future unlike everyday people. So to me i find it very meaningless and weightless when celebrities make "political statements" because after they make they're speech they get to fly in they're private jets to a mansion somewhere.
They're free to say what they want, but it comes off as empty if they're not doing more like donating to the ACLU or more.
So because they're more fortunate than others anything they say is meaningless? That's absolute crap.
No, it's just that most of what they say in terms of politics is meaningless. They're completely out of touch of what the everyday person, who isn't a millionaire, goes through and while that in it's self isn't a major problem, it still shows how hypocritical they truly are. How can they tell people who to vote for or whatever else they latch onto, when they, themselves, aren't in a position where that decision will even effect them? Most of them are just spoiled, overpaid mainstream liberals who talk as though they know something when in fact, they know very little and only promote what they perceive to be the popular opinion of the time to further their own careers.
They try to continuously tell us what is right and what is wrong, often times in the most patronising manner, but rarely do they actually express much more care outside of preaching, as few of them actually try to make any real difference with the shit ton of money they get for doing little.
Having said all that though, they're completely entitled to their opinions and whatever political spectrum they support. I just wish they didn't present themselves in such a pompous and self righteous manner when doing so.
Lots of the celebrities you mention spoke about politics because they were asked to, responding to questions. In that case the problem lies in people's obsession with celebrities (which is bipartisan), not with the fact that celebrities are being openly centrist. I don't see why they should have to censor themselves from responding honestly to questions about politics.
They have a right to do it, but most of the time it makes them look like a fuckass.
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Why should they only respond to questions if they're forced to? It's their choice. Freedom of speech applies to them as much as us.
In fact half of your post is asking whether celebrities were 'forced' to do what they do. They weren't forced, they gave their opinion, often in response to questions (you've cherry picked the most extreme examples where they weren't). Unless you can explain specifically why celebrities should have their first amendment rights revoked, I don't think there's much of a conversation to be had in terms of 'forcing people'.
More censoring is therefore good?
Decorum is about how you express your political opinions. It doesn't mean you shouldn't do so at all. Should lots of centrist and left wing celebrities expressed their opinions different? Yes. Should they have censored themselves? I don't see why.
You seriously think celebrities offering their political opinion publicly is akin to propaganda? That's laughably extreme. They offer their opinions, their fans are free to agree or disagree. If their fans are easily swayed then that's the problem of the fans for not educating themselves fully, not the problem of the celebrity who wants to be open about their opinion.
I really think there's a double standard here. You express frustration that right-wing celebrities feel like they can't speak out, but then say no celebrities should be public about their opinion whatsoever because their fans may be impressionable.
If a celebrity proudly publicly stated they were conservative, would you criticise them and chastise them as propagandaists? I doubt it.
Society needs to get to a point where conservatives and liberals stop getting offended by the other viewpoint being expressed. We should encourage open political discussion, not try to hide it away. We have to get to a stage where BOTH centrists AND the firm-right feel able to express their opinions and discuss them, not where NEITHER feel able. That would be really regressive, and wouldn't encourage healthy discussion.
It would lead to just more and more of the safe-space culture plaguing the left, the centre and the right alike in America, where people withdraw to sites like Tumblr and 4chan and The_Donald to get offended about other people without debate.
We need an America where NO-ONE is ashamed to express their political views, not an America where EVERYONE is.
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But as you've shown yourself aware, it'as not that simple. Conservative celebrities can express their opinion, but they feel like they can't. This is shit, in my opinion. Do you think that's an issue or not? I'm confused as to whether you think Conservative celebrities should feel able to voice their opinions or not.
I personally believe censoring of opinions is more subtle often than just having a black and white 'are they legally allowed to say it'. As you note, conservatives feel they cant speak out publicly, and this is in my opinion proof that society at the moment is not open enough to all kinds of political discussion, particularly conservative discussion.
You're saying the issue is NOT them being open about politics, it's that lots of them are hypocrites about it? Well 100% agreed. I really hate hypocrisy in all its forms. I'm curiously, if, a celebrity donated loads to charities, started foundations etc, and expressed their opinion, would you think that is 'anti-decorum' or not, due to them being famous? For example Stephen Fry does a lot of work with mental health charities. If he expressed his opinion that the current government is failing people with mental health, is that inappropriate because it's political and public?
I don't believe I implied that they are exemplars of goodness and virtue?
By that definition, all Americans are propagandaists when they talk about politics, because they are all biased.
Er, you said 'Hollywood celebrities have two options in maintaining their status, speak lefty, or stay silent.'? Yeah you didn't say the exact word 'right wing' but you expressed frustration that in your view left wing celebrities feel able to speak out and non-left-wing celebrities don't.
Aren't we talking about being publicly open about political views as a celebrity as the 'behaviour' in question? In which case a quick google of 'conservative hollywood actors' can easily show you them.
What about Clint Eastwood endorsing Romney in 2012? Or Bruce Willis endorsing Bush and speaking at the Republican National Convention? Or Don King being proudly displayed by Trump during the handover? Or LL Cool J attending the convention? Or Meat Loaf endorsing Romney? Or Steve Baldwin who threatened to move to Canada if Obama won, then didn't (just like the left wing celebrity snowflakes did)? Or Sammy Hagar contributing thousands of dollars to Bush's election?
If the question is about how they express their political opinions publicly, in that case I'd completely 100% agree with you that many do so inappropriately, but I don't think expressing public political views as a celebrity is inherently wrong, which seems to be the sticking point.
Absolutely not. I've said that I think the way these celebrities express their opinion is poor. I simply don't believe they should never express political opinion publicly - I think there is a calm, respectful way to do so, and people on both sides doing this will encourage better discussion.
Yet again, 100%, categorically NO. I am in 100% agreement with you that they need to express themselves in far better ways. Celebrities should be role models (not empirically, but by nature of the fact that many people do look up to them, whether we like that or not), and it'd be great to get to a stage where they express opinions respectfully, which will do a whole lot of good.
In my opinion suggesting conservative and liberal celebrities should hide away their views is just encouraging the current system where tumblrinas and Trumpettes withdraw to their safe spaces and avoid open discussion.
The current system sucks. We need to, in my opinion, work that a) celebrities feel able to express their opinion just as much if they're conservative as if they're liberal, and b) work that they express their opinions, if they choose to, in a respectful manner. I personally don't think the end goal should be for them to avoid all public political discussion in case either side gets triggered.
Interesting seeing people's general disgust towards celebrities voicing their opinions and labeling them as out of touch rich people considering who is in the white house.
Really hate it when award show like the Oscars do political things.Where none of the people want them to do it,it's stupid and yeah,it's there right,but I won't watch them.
Considering the line of work they're in, where they depend on the favor of other people to keep them in business, I think they're best off keeping their opinions to themselves.
Here's what Kurt Russell had to say about it, when asked by the cast of The View - a Liberal cast - about his thoughts on Guns and The Second Amendment.
Didn't she rape her kid sister or something?
Their line of work is telling stories.
Now, stories, for a couple of thousand years at least, encompass a discussion of moral values. If the values communicated in a story (the story, not the individual character) aren't at the actor's heart, he or she will likely do a crappy job. If the actor doesn't stand for those values in public as well, he or she will not be a believable real person.
Their line of work is thinking themselves into persons that have little or no resemblance to themselves, to walk in their shoes.
That doesn't make them better people off the bat, but it's clear enough that in general, little love is lost among the actor community for the present auto- and plutocratic US regime that lacks even basic empathy. I think there's a connection to a heightened sense of empathy in good actors. At the very least it seems clear to me that the empathy that Meryl displayed was real. And it seems VERY clear to me that the situation Meryl spoke about – a presidential candidate mocking a disabled journalist because the disabled journalist didn't validate the presidential candidate's pathetic and hate mongering conspiracy nonsense – was a very sensible and necessary thing to criticise.
Anyway, the idea that actors should keep their opinions to themselves as they rely on the "favors of others" is nothing less than a hideous suppression of free speech.
I do find it obnoxious when people bring politics into everything, but regardless, they have as much of a right to freedom of speech as you and I. I usually record the Oscars on my DVR anyway so if there's a part that I find myself disliking, I can just fast forward through it. So it's not that big a deal for me.
Every time I would try to type something from my mobile device, it said an error had occurred
Well i didn t even watch the Oscars last night.It started with Political issues which most of the people turned off(well my sister did and my gf)and it started with anti-trump speeches and started bashing him on everything like immigration, Travel Ban,and everything else.I got tired and started to turn the channel and I think some of the people here did too.
Look at this article about there lowest rating in 9 years and the smallest audience Jon Stewart hosted the Oscars in 2008. Oscars Ratings Hit 9 Year Low
What is going on with Oscars?Thoughts? Also do you think they should stop presenting politics in the award shows?I think they should stop. Also if you watch the Oscars?They accidentally gave the best picture award to LA LA Land instead of moonlight which was a fumble on there part.I read about it today
Guys, CNN told me that Russia hacked the Oscars last night. Those bastards. I mean, I could've sworn La La Land won the popular vote.
All kidding aside, actors have the right to their own political opinions, even if they want to spout it on stage. But them thinking their own opinion has more leverage than the average person is just plain idiotic.
I mean the sia part.
Why in a show about performing arts and entertainment and being recognized for your acting ability should you incporoate politics into it?.