Hollywood is back in the White House.
When Elton John performed in Washington, DC last Friday night, his performance was not only symbolic of his philanthropic work on HIV/AIDS – for which President Joe Biden honored the artist with the National Humanities Medal. It was also a reminder that big star power and advocacy are returning to the nation’s capital.
“Once in a lifetime, the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise, and hope and history rhyme,” Biden said, Quote from Seamus Heaney. “Throughout his incredible career, Sir Elton John has been that tidal wave, a tidal wave that helps people rise up and make hope and history rhyme.”
John’s appearance is among several prominent sightings at the White House since Biden took office in 2021. Olivia Rodrigo met with Biden last summer to promote COVID-19 vaccines to young people. BTS attended a White House press conference this spring to speak out against anti-Asian hate crimes during AAPI Heritage Month. Matthew McConaughey pleaded passionately for an end to gun violence after a mass shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.
The ultimate goal of these performances is to affect a wider audience than would normally pay attention to the President. Stars and social media personalities can use their platform to garner more attention than regular politicians, but it can also help their own brand — if done right, experts say.
But do these partnerships lead to real change? It depends on the situation – and who you ask.
‘That’s probably the icing on the cake’:Elton John was blown away by his concert on the White House lawn
Why do celebrities visit the White House?
Alongside Rodrigo, BTS and McConaughey, Selena Gomez visited the nation’s capital in May to promote a partnership between the White House and MTV to address the growing youth mental health crisis. Ciara, Paris Hilton, Angelina Jolie and the Jonas Brothers have also visited the White House to speak out on various causes.
“When celebrities start getting involved in political discourse in the media, they’re much more likely to take notice of that issue than any regular politician, sometimes even the president,” said Mark Harvey, director of the University of MBA program St. Mary and the author of Celebrity Influence: Politics, Persuasion, and Issue-Based Advocacy.
A celebrity’s political involvement can also give them an image boost if they take the time to do adequate research or have a personal connection to the issue, which is why many gave McConaughey partial credit for helping Congress, the greatest Gun Security Package for three decades to say goodbye to his tearful speech on the podium of the press conference room.
“Things like identity are important,” says Harvey. “So, unsurprisingly, LGBTQ issues with people like Elton John or Ellen DeGeneres are a lot more credible than most politicians.”
Stars with big platforms may also feel a moral obligation to speak up for causes they believe in. But according to Harvey, the rules for when a celebrity can talk about hot topics have been “rewritten in the last eight years or so” thanks to changes in industry contracts, the 24-hour news cycle and social media.
“This moment is different”:Matthew McConaughey urges leaders to address gun violence in White House speech
How celebrities’ relationship to politics has changed over time
Almost a century ago, in the Golden Age of Hollywood, entertainers were viewed as just that: entertainers. The studios were largely in control of an actor’s brand, and many contracts contained morality clauses that prohibited the stars from doing or saying anything that might negatively impact the studio.
The Beatles marked a turning point in the industry’s approach to celebrities speaking out on political issues, says Harvey. They “got absolutely so big that no one could do anything without their opinion, so they started lobbying for it. Essentially they were saying things like, ‘We’re not going to play in the South unless it’s an integrated arena.'”
From this point on, contracts began to loosen and LA and DC hesitantly began to mix more: Al Jolson appeared for the presidential campaigns of Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s; Harry Belafonte and others took part in the 1963 March on Washington; and Elvis Presley met Richard Nixon in the early 1970s.
At the turn of the century, the rise of cable television, the Internet, and social media changed the pace of the news cycle, creating a need to fill news slots and create content that drives clicks.
Barack Obama’s campaign and administration was full of celebrity.
“Young voters put Obama in office,” said Andy Bernstein, co-founder and executive director of non-partisan voter registration organization HeadCount. Obama capitalized on youth interest through Oval Office invites to social media stars, including YouTubers Tyler Oakley, Ingrid Nilsen and GloZell Green.
Despite being a celebrity himself, Trump’s tenure in the White House has brought less engagement from big stars. Ye and Kid Rock made high-profile visits to the White House during this time, but Kim Kardashian was an outlier. She has met with Trump and his advisers several times to raise awareness of criminal justice reform.
“It was a win-win situation for both parties,” says crisis management and branding expert Holly Baird. “If (Kardashian) can use her fame for justice, her fans should rally behind her and support this cause.”
More:Kim Kardashian Visits White House, Thanking Trump for Transforming Sentences of ‘Three Truly Deserving Women’
Biden Attracts Star Power – But Is It Effective?
Biden’s inauguration was attended by dozens of today’s most well-known celebrities: Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, John Legend and Bruce Springsteen and more. It was a foretaste of the many visits to come, but the jury’s still out on whether those connections have bolstered his credibility.
In addition to A-listers, Biden has also harnessed the power of social media stars. As the definition of “celebrity” continues to expand in the digital space, it makes sense that the types of stars recognized by the White House are also growing, notes Baird.
Over the past year, the White House has briefed several TikTokers on pressing issues such as the war in Ukraine, the lack of baby food this summer, and high gas prices.
Other Gen Z favorites like Rodrigo, who visited the White House to promote vaccines, have turned young people’s heads, but Bernstein wonders if the White House was the “best place for that message”.
“The problem with vaccine hesitation is that vaccines are politicized,” he says. “So anything that politicizes these messages, you lose about half the audience. … When you have an agenda, anything you say is suspect.”
More:Stars spoke out for abortion rights. It has Roe v. Wade not rescued. what was the point
The question of Hollywood’s place in government boils down to making an impact: When and how can celebrities best step into the political conversation to actually make a difference?
“Celebrities have become so much a part of the ecosystem, and the political system itself has changed so much, that consumers are making new demands on these celebrities, as much as they expect. It’s no longer enough for celebrities to stand out and just entertain people,” adds Bernstein. “It’s accepted and expected that people take sides. And sometimes you get punished for not taking sides.”
On the other hand, taking sides isn’t always beneficial for a celebrity’s brand. Remember Michael Jordan’s “Republicans buy sneakers, too” line? Conversely, some performers who embraced right-wing views “felt excluded and unemployed,” notes Baird.
More:Chrissy Teigen shares she ‘had an abortion to save my life’ during the death of her unborn son.
Speaking out on wedge issues like abortion or gun control may not easily influence others unless the star has a compelling and enduring connection to the cause, although it has the potential to reinforce her personal brand among those who share the same beliefs. However, experts argue that people in the middle or outside of political engagement can benefit from celebrities making political issues more accessible.
“If we want to get young people excited about democracy… we can reach them through culture,” says Bernstein. “If we can reach the fan bases of these artists, and if the artists themselves make their mark on civic participation, that means a lot more than any politician or campaign.”
But, as Baird notes, Hollywood is famous for believing that “there is no such thing as bad publicity.” Ultimately, fans will “gather behind people they believe in and identify with.”
More:Maren Morris on the public call for transphobia
And:Paris Hilton campaigns for change in DC after new sexual abuse allegations were revealed
Comments are closed.