Senator Obama, Say Goodbye to Hollywood

Dear Senator Obama,

Congratulations on finally winning the Democratic nomination for president. I don’t know if I’m voting for you yet, but I like what I hear so far and will be happy to provide you and your GOP counterpart with some free advice on occasion. And here is my first tip for you.

You know that Hollywood rally you attended last night? Make that your first – and absolutely last – interaction with celebrities. The sooner you disassociate from them, the better. If any actor, musician or any Paris Hilton-like demi-celebrity offers to appear with you or stump for you anywhere, it’s a trick and you should run away.

Remember you need to buff up your image and support with blue collar workers, white males and Main Street Americans in places like Pennsylvania and Ohio. That’s as far from the Hollywood lifestyle as it gets, and linking yourself with celebrities who have zero in common with people who live paycheck to paycheck will not help your cause or win the election for you, despite the good intentions.

Even people who follow celebrities closely will never call them good role models. Senator, would you want your daughters to emulate the lifestyle of those they watch on TV or hear on the radio? Would it please you if they hung out with these people? It probably would not. Yet, you did just that last night.

As with politicians, there is no IQ test to become a celebrity. The vapidness of notable celebrities is well documented. Others who have at least a passing knowledge of current events too often communicate their political views in a way that alienates far more than it persuades. When celebrities stoop to either insulting an opponent or the views of anyone who thinks differently than they do, it is a huge turnoff to Main Street Americans (most of whom are polite to a fault). It also does nothing to deflate the egotistical, self-absorbed image most people have of Hollywood stars and celebrities. For a politician that often derides “special interests,” it is curious why you would associate with people whose only interests are themselves.

Moral values were cited as an issue in the last election. While I personally did not buy into this – who could say they are against moral values? – many celebrities and Hollywood in general would never be commended for morality. But with Main Street America and a growing number of even evangelical votes up for grabs this year, it would not behoove you to associate with a crowd that is not only completely out of touch with these voters, but also is (perhaps unfairly) cited as the primary reason for lowering standards in this country. One only needs to look at top grossing movies and CDs to see the messages Hollywood is sending to this country. And while most Americans can discern between entertainment and reality, celebrity actions and words prove that may not be the case in Tinseltown. Even if most of these Americans will see Sex in the City and buy 50 Cent, they expect better from their politicians.

Finally, most celebrities rushing to promote their political views or preferred candidates tend to shoot themselves in the foot far too often, and end up alienating former fans with their vitriol and hurting the politicians they support. Four years ago, John Kerry’s celebrity boosters did not help him one iota. Whoopi Goldberg insulted thousands by telling a bad dirty joke at a fundraiser, and also lost a sponsorship as a result. John Mellencamp called Bush a “cheap thug,” in one of the kinder descriptions used by Kerry’s celebrity supporters. The outcome was so bad Kerry’s team had to repeatedly issue releases saying the celebrities’ comments did not reflect the campaign’s views. We won’t even discuss Michael Moore, whose anti-GOP rhetoric is so divisive that he is kryptonite to anyone appealing to the Independents that will ultimately decide the election.

Senator Obama, celebrities are welcome to say whatever they want. But as our parents told us, you are judged by the company you keep. Associating with celebrities – with their prevalent lifestyles and attitudes – will not endear you to struggling, open-minded and undecided voters. Neither will appearing with celebrities who repeatedly call Bush supporters and Republicans idiots or worse (many of them are thinking of voting for you this year).

The sooner you ban celebrities from your commercials, appearances and fundraising events, the better your chances will be.