Voices of Fame

So last week were the Oscars, and what a crazy night it was. A few tourists, falling candy and a huge mishap that will be remembered for years to come, it was unforgettable. Unfortunately, a few friends of mine were upset with some of the acceptance speeches made by the winners that included jabs at Trump, the economy, politics or just life in general. My friends felt that actors had no right to say those things. But I just thought “Why not?” I’m not saying that I agree or disagree with what they were saying, but honestly what’s the problem with actors speaking their mind?

Obviously, the answer is: a lot. We can even see evidence of that from the Kardashians or celebrities that you see on TV do something so stupid you can’t decide whether to hate or pity them. When you are a celebrity, your entire life is under a microscope. Every little thing or detail that you do is under examination and revealed to the public in over-exaggerated ways. Most celebrities can’t go to the store without being scrutinized for how they dress or what they buy. But why? What’s the big deal? It’s not like they’re role models. Yet, in a way, they are just that. If we find out that an actor we know and love has been doing drugs and abused his family, our affection for that actor goes down. Someone we thought we knew, shattered their image we held into a million pieces, making it harder for us to accept and move on. Case in point: anybody hear many Chris Brown after the Rhianna incident?

However, this doesn’t really answer my question. What’s wrong with celebrities speaking their minds about politics and the world? The answer is staggeringly simple. Nothing at all. No, really. What many people seem to forget is that not all celebrities are idiots (shocker). There are many celebrities who went to college and have numerous degrees. Did you know Lisa Kudrow has a degree in Biology from Vassar College or that Natalie Portman is a Psychology Major from Harvard? I don’t know about you, but that’s kinda awesome. And that being said, it goes to show that not all celebrities are dumb. In truth, celebrities are not all that different from you or me. Why? Because there is no difference. They are average citizens who pay taxes, vote, and do things just like regular people do. The only different thing is that they’re on camera more often because their jobs make them more noticeable than most others.

I didn’t want Trump for President, but you have to admit that it’s not unnatural for a celebrity to be President. Remember Ronald Reagan? Want to know what his first job was? He was an actor? A big one too. The First Lady was one of his leading ladies in his films. When peoplee began to take that Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to be President because he became governor of California, it really wasn't all that weird. He knew the political game and knew what the people wanted. That’s how he got the job and not because he was a cyborg on camera.

A few weeks ago, Ashton Kutcher delivered a speech to Congress about how we need to put more security against human trafficking. He talked about how his company specialized in helping many people, including those who are the same age as his own children. Kutcher also said that it was unbelievable how in his day, they came to an actor and his company as the last line of defense against these threats. Kutcher was right that it is so unbelievable, but more in terms of the country’s economy than why he wasn’t the man for the job.

Is it a little weird sometimes when actor makes a political or economic comment? Well, yeah. That’s not why we were watching them to begin with. But the things they say can still be true. Sure, they get backlash for siding with one side or the other, but so do we. In all honesty, I don’t see the difference between a celebrity giving their political opinion versus a friends on Facebook or Twitter. We’re all human citizens with valid opinions, some are just seen more than others.