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| John Mellencamp for President? | Views: 1424 |
| Mar 12, 2007 1:00 am | | John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net | | Hello Folks:
Here's a "Hollywood & Politics" clip from a site called Live Leak:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b890b_4507
Caption:
John Mellencamp: U.S. Should Have Negotiated With Osama bin Laden . . . Singer John Mellencamp on the ‘Charlie Rose Show’
What's the benefit of a "celebrity" giving his political opinion, apparently simply for the sake of giving his opinion? Seems that because the name is recognizable, some are inclined to listen more closely than if you or I were the one talking. And because some folks believe being a "celebrity" offers legitimacy, they might be inclined to assign more import to that opinion.
What do you think?
Blessings -- Linda
www.lindajalexander.net ** www.authorsden.com/lindajalexander
HOLLYWOOD & POLITICS - http://hollywoodpolitics-network.ryze.com/
http://www.talk2bev.com/valentine/linda_alexander_maryland.htm
Bev Mahone's '07 Valentine's Contest Essay Top 5 Winner!Private Reply to Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net |
| Mar 12, 2007 6:35 pm | | re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Christina Daly | | He sounded a bit out of his depth, didn't he. The interviewer seemed to be trying not to laugh. If he's willing to go on the air to share his opinion, he should at least know what's going on. This isn't a cocktail party, it's a news show.
I suppose using a celebrity could be a part of your marketing campaign to get your message out there. If a popular entertainment figure speaks WELL on behalf of your message, then some people in your audience will give it credibility. They are, after all, professional entertainers and good at attracting attention.
As far as celebrities running for office...for the most part that's a stretch for me (Reagan and Schwarzenagger being popular exceptions). I suppose the Horatio Alger philosophy of our country allows any naturalized citizen the opportunity to become president.
I wonder what the job description for President of the USA whould look like? SNL could do a good stchick on this ;)
Christina Daly Private Reply to Christina Daly |
| Mar 13, 2007 1:33 pm | | re: re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net | | Christina:
Mellencamp was political about 100 years ago. He started in his career doing those socio-political sort of songs & jumping in on certain issue bandwagons, so it didn't surprise me much when I saw him weighing in on this conflict.
He didn't, however, present himself all that well. He just sounded, to me, like a different version of Rodney King, in that he could've as easily been saying, "Can't we all just get along?!" His responses were so simplistic & gave no workable argument to back up his position.
I can see where utilizing the services of a celebrity to further a cause, if that celebrity is credible, can be a savvy marketing move. I think we live in a day--& clearly history repeats itself over & over--whereby it's not the celebrity being "hired," so to speak, but the celebrity using his/her own name to promote his/her own views . . . as if BECAUSE they're a celebrity, their beliefs are any more learned than those of Joe & Jane Doe. They might be, but they need the resume to prove it.
That, to me, is where some in our society might get into trouble, in the course of believing the celebrity because of their name, not because of their knowledge & expertise in whichever social/political issue is at hand.
I found this whole concept intriguing when I did my Robert Taylor book research. Everyone thinks Taylor sat there in front of HUAC cameras because of his gung-ho American idealism, that he WANTED to be there. Taylor was an idealistic American, extraordinarily conservative (sometimes he put Reagan to shame), & he believed in what he espoused. He had the political knowledge to speak intelligently since he'd been working behind the Hollywood political scene for some time. However, he did not go in front of that committee willingly. The gov't used his name to further their cause. He went w/it because there was a lot at stake (much coercion going on behind the scenes), & he was kicking & screaming all the way.
I WOULD like to see the job description for the Prez. Wouldn't that be a hoot? SNL--or even more over the top, Mad TV--would have a heyday w/that one!
Blessings -- Linda
www.lindajalexander.net ** www.authorsden.com/lindajalexander
HOLLYWOOD & POLITICS - http://hollywoodpolitics-network.ryze.com/
http://www.talk2bev.com/valentine/linda_alexander_maryland.htm
Bev Mahone's '07 Valentine's Contest Essay Top 5 Winner!Private Reply to Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net |
| Mar 18, 2007 6:13 pm | | re: re: re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Frederick A. Babb | | As much as I like Mellencamp's songs, it is obvious John doesn't know a thing about politics. Which goes further into the support of the theory that hollywood and washington don't make a good couple.
Talk, negotiate give in on just one point to a terrorist and you have justified their killing. You also open the door to more violence from would be terrorists who would go foward with their killings if they see that it gets results. Private Reply to Frederick A. Babb |
| Mar 18, 2007 8:35 pm | | re: re: re: re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net | |
Fred:
I have much the same opinion of Mellencamp. I've always enjoyed his music. There's something really engaging about him & he's held up well over the years.
One thing I've wondered since I found that clip: why did they even interview him, as if he were an expert? Clearly, he's not. I doubt ANYONE would ever accuse him of being an afficionado of int'l politics. That might be the REAL core -- who was at the helm, essentially using him to bring in viewers rather than interviewing someone who might actually have a viewpoint grounded in experienced knowledge?
Blessings -- Linda
www.lindajalexander.net ** www.authorsden.com/lindajalexander
HOLLYWOOD & POLITICS - http://hollywoodpolitics-network.ryze.com/
http://www.talk2bev.com/valentine/linda_alexander_maryland.htm
Bev Mahone's '07 Valentine's Contest Essay Top 5 Winner!Private Reply to Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net |
| Mar 19, 2007 7:25 am | | re: re: re: re: re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Frederick A. Babb | | Linda,
I think it goes back to the old philosophy that actors/singers/sports figures are somehow experts on politics because they are famous. Except for a handful that are actually educated on world politics, everyone else express their own opinions which the uneducated (politically wise) fans accept as the gospel. Private Reply to Frederick A. Babb |
| Mar 21, 2007 10:18 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Ron Sam | | Ronald Reagan for example? Private Reply to Ron Sam |
| Mar 22, 2007 12:20 am | | re: re: re: re: re: re: re: John Mellencamp for President? | # |
Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net | |
Ron:
Thx for your note. Reagan could be included in that smallish group that actually did have political awareness. Reagan was well-acquainted w/the political arena of his day waaaaay before he ran for governor of California in the '60s. He was the connector between Hollywood & Washington prior to the HUAC hearings, was even an informant for the FBI . . . complete w/an official FBI identifier.
The man was more informed--pls excuse the pun--than most knew, then or even now. And an interesting side tidbit: Robert Taylor, Reagan's best friend & arguably more anti-communist than even Reagan, was also asked to run for governor. He turned down the offer. Obviously Reagan didn't. The rest IS clearly history.
Blessings -- Linda
www.lindajalexander.net ** www.authorsden.com/lindajalexander
HOLLYWOOD & POLITICS - http://hollywoodpolitics-network.ryze.com/
http://www.talk2bev.com/valentine/linda_alexander_maryland.htm
Bev Mahone's '07 Valentine's Contest Essay Top 5 Winner!Private Reply to Linda J. Alexander http://www.lindajalexander.net |
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