Celebrities and Their Soapboxes: Why We Need to Chill Out

Alright, let’s be real for a sec. Nobody loves seeing celebrities preach about politics. It’s like your dentist giving you stock tips – you just didn’t sign up for that. And yeah, Jon. D. Schaff makes some solid points in Arena about how mixing entertainment and politics is kinda messy. But here’s the thing: while it might not be ideal, celebrities using their platforms to talk politics isn’t the end of the world. In fact, trying to silence them is a whole other problem.

Look, I’m not saying we all need to grab popcorn and eagerly await the next celebrity Twitter rant on tax reform. But we do need to acknowledge a few things. First off, celebrities have the right to speak their minds, just like you and me. Second, maybe, just maybe, we’re the problem, not them.

Celebrities: They’re Just Like Us (Kind of)

Okay, so maybe “just like us” is a stretch when they’re jetting off to private islands and whatnot. But when it comes to basic rights, like freedom of speech, yeah, they’re on the same playing field as the rest of us. Just because someone can act, sing, or throw a football really well doesn’t mean they should lose their right to express their opinions.

Here’s the deal: we need to stop treating celebrities like they’re public property. They don’t work for us. They’re not obligated to entertain us or make us happy. And they’re definitely not accountable to us in the same way that elected officials are.

Think about it: you wouldn’t tell your neighbor they can’t voice their opinion just because you disagree with them (well, hopefully you wouldn’t). Celebrities deserve the same respect. They have their own beliefs, values, and experiences that shape their worldview, and they have every right to express them, even if those views are about as popular as a root canal.

The Blame Game: It’s On Us, Folks

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room (or maybe it’s more like a very vocal parrot on Twitter): yes, some celebrities are about as informed on politics as a potato. But here’s the kicker: so are a lot of people! Remember that time your great aunt shared that fake news article about…well, you know what I’m talking about.

It reminds me of this part in “Max Havelaar” (yeah, yeah, I’m that friend who’s always quoting books) where Multatuli talks about how we tend to believe the guy who’s been to India even if he’s a total stranger, over someone we know who hasn’t. We do the same thing with celebrities. We give their words more weight just because they’re famous, even if they’re talking about something they know nothing about.

So, instead of pointing fingers at celebrities for being uninformed (which, let’s be honest, is a tale as old as time), maybe we should look in the mirror. Why are we giving so much weight to their opinions in the first place? It’s our responsibility to think critically, to question what we hear, to do our own research, and to form our own opinions – regardless of who’s doing the talking. Blaming celebrities for our own lack of critical thinking is like blaming the pizza delivery guy for your weight gain – it’s just not fair (or accurate).

Everybody’s Working an Angle

Here’s another thing to consider: it’s not like celebrities are the only ones using their “platform” (ugh, I hate that word, but it fits) to push their views. Your wealthy uncle who’s always ranting about taxes? Platform. That charismatic pastor at your church? Platform. Your friend with a knack for going viral on TikTok? You guessed it – platform.

The point is, people have always used whatever influence they have to sway others. It’s human nature! We’re social creatures, hardwired to persuade and be persuaded. Celebrities just happen to have a louder microphone. But as long as they’re not, you know, inciting violence or spreading harmful misinformation (which is a whole other can of worms), why should we begrudge them the right to use their voice?

Instead of getting bent out of shape because Chris Pratt wore a “controversial” t-shirt, maybe we should focus on having more productive conversations with the people in our own lives – you know, the ones who actually listen to us when we talk about something other than the latest season of “Stranger Things.”

The Uninformed Opinion Epidemic (It’s Not Just Celebrities)

Okay, I’ll admit it: sometimes celebrity political commentary is about as enjoyable as a root canal. Remember that time that one actor compared a political candidate to… well, let’s not go there. It was rough.

But here’s the thing: celebrities aren’t the only ones who are guilty of spouting off about things they don’t fully understand. Remember the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic? Everyone and their dog (literally, some people were giving medical advice based on their dog’s symptoms) suddenly became an epidemiologist. We had armchair experts coming out of the woodwork, sharing their hot takes on everything from mask mandates to vaccine efficacy. And let’s not even get started on the conspiracy theories…

My point is, we’re all susceptible to this. We all have our blind spots, our biases, and our moments of sheer, unadulterated ignorance. So, before we get too high and mighty about celebrities sharing their less-than-informed opinions, maybe we should take a beat and acknowledge that we’re all just trying to figure things out in this crazy, mixed-up world.

The Price of Fame: It Ain’t Always Pretty

Here’s something else to chew on: when celebrities do speak out about politics, they often face way more backlash than the average Joe. I’m talking lost endorsements, boycotts, death threats (seriously, people are messed up). It’s like the public expects them to be perfect robots who only say and do things that align with their own personal beliefs. And if they dare to deviate from that script? Well, let’s just say the internet can be a very unforgiving place.

Think about it: when was the last time you lost your job because of a political comment you made on Facebook? Or got dropped by your sponsors because you donated to a certain charity? Probably never (and if you have, I’m truly sorry, because that’s messed up). But for celebrities, this kind of thing is a very real risk. They put their careers and reputations on the line every time they open their mouths about anything remotely controversial.

Remember Marlene Dietrich? The glamorous actress and singer? During World War II, she actively campaigned against the Nazi regime, even performing for American troops. That took guts. Or Charlie Chaplin, the king of silent comedy, who used his fame to criticize Hitler and fascism when it was far from popular. These legends used their platforms for good, and it came at a cost.

So yeah, maybe the next time you’re tempted to roll your eyes at a celebrity’s political tweet, remember this: they’re putting themselves out there in a way that most of us never will. And while that doesn’t make them immune from criticism, it does mean we should at least try to be a little more understanding (and a lot less eager to grab our pitchforks).

Can’t Live With ‘Em, Can’t Tell ‘Em to Shut Up

Let’s face it: we send some seriously mixed messages to celebrities. On one hand, we want them to use their influence for good. We applaud them when they raise money for disaster relief, speak out against injustice, or encourage people to vote. But then, when they say something we disagree with, we tell them to “stay in their lane” and “shut up and sing (or act, or dribble, or whatever).” It’s like we want them to be woke activists, but only if they agree with our definition of “woke.”

This whole double standard is getting old. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t praise celebrities for speaking out on certain issues and then crucify them for speaking out on others. If we’re going to hold them to a higher standard, we need to at least be consistent with our expectations.

In Conclusion: Let’s All Just Take a Deep Breath

Look, I get it. Celebrity political commentary can be annoying, uninformed, and sometimes downright cringeworthy. But here’s the bottom line: it’s not going anywhere. Celebrities are part of our cultural landscape, and they’re going to keep using their platforms to voice their opinions, whether we like it or not.

So, instead of trying to silence them (which is a losing battle, by the way), maybe we should focus on becoming more discerning consumers of information. Let’s do our own research, think critically about what we hear, and form our own opinions – regardless of who’s doing the talking. And hey, if a celebrity says something we disagree with? We can always choose to ignore them. Because at the end of the day, they’re just people with opinions – just like us.