Kamala's pointless celebrity splurge



It had a billion-dollar budget, lavish sets, and some of the biggest names in entertainment — so why did the Democrats' latest presidential campaign tank at the voting booth?

Yes, there was that desperate, last-minute casting change. But new lead Kamala Harris seemed to get the notoriously troubled production back on track despite a predecessor unwilling to give up his former role and co-star Tim Walz's troublingly erratic public behavior.

Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, and Charli XCX just weren’t up to the task of rescuing Harris from herself.

The sheer star power on hand seemed to guarantee a runaway hit: Gen Z favorite Alex Cooper ("Call Me Daddy"), as well as proven draws like Will Ferrell, Rihanna, George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, and even Oprah Winfrey.

Pay to play

Winfrey's glorified cameo was said to cost a cool million. Also rumored to have gotten a seven-figure payday was Beyoncé — who perversely enough appeared in a non-singing role — and any number of other artists ranging from Taylor Swift to Eminem.

Whatever the exact line items were, one thing is certain: A campaign that still had more than $100 million in the bank in October now finds itself $20 million in the hole.

In retrospect, maybe that GloRilla performance wasn't such a good idea after all.

Or maybe the era of the big-budget, mass-marketed, four-quadrant blockbuster is over.

Joy division

Where was the big-name actor or actress who would come along and save Harris from her floundering campaign?

The tear-streaked viral post recorded on the spur of the moment by Lady Gaga that would finally convince regular people in Pennsylvania and North Carolina that Harris really was the answer to their prayers — and not just a Polly POC-et puppet who couldn’t string two sentences together without cackling like a banshee and waxing poetic about the joy of abortion rights?

Indeed, what happened to the days of influential celebrity videos with warnings about “fascism” and “democracy"? Did they stop uploading them, or did everybody just stop watching?

Falling stars

The answer seems to be a bit of both. A recent YouGov poll found that only 10% of Americans say a celebrity’s opinion has caused them to cast a vote or rethink their vote. Another poll by USA Today and Suffolk University found that political endorsements had a much larger effect on swaying the Democratic vote than celebrity endorsements.

The study also found that conservatives were rarely swayed by either, including from within the conservative movement’s leadership. (The influence of Hulk Hogan’s bodice-ripping howl of support for Trump remains a subject for future historians.)

Perhaps this is why the standard-issue Democratic endorsements Harris got from Obama and the Clintons didn’t do much: They weren’t delivered with much conviction. It probably didn't help that the DNC brand was tainted by the still-fresh memory of Joe Biden's public stab in the back.

Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, and Charli XCX just weren’t up to the task of rescuing Harris from herself. Even those who somehow enjoy their music apparently found it hard to get very excited about their political opinions.

Box office poison?

The celebrities who did endorse Harris did so with smug certitude that didn’t do much to reach independents. Their urgent pleas to “get out and vote” (with the obvious insinuation that meant voting for Harris) also clearly backfired, since Trump won men under 30 by 14 points and Harris won young women under 30 by only 18 points. Gen Z voters just weren't pulling the lever for the Democrats the way their celebrities and pop culture puppets told them to.

As Jimmy Vielkind and Aaron Zitner point out, Harris’ result for young women was “down from the 32-point margin for Biden among that group in 2020.”

Trump’s mastery of social media and popular podcasts like Joe Rogan's show also clearly bolstered his already well-known brand and put him front and center in the mind of many undecideds.

Triple threat

But the fact remains that Trump didn't really need anybody's endorsement — at least not the way Harris did. Our former and future president is a consummate entertainer. He sings, he tells jokes, he does his own stunts. He even dances. Who needs celebrities when you can groove out with the candidate himself?

Expensive disasters tend to end with a lot of finger-pointing, and the Harris campaign is no exception. The Democrats might as well take the opportunity to clean house — starting with those among them who insist on blaming the voters.

If the incredible comeback of Donald Trump can teach us anything, it's that fewer and fewer people are waiting for the media to tell them what's worth their time and attention. After years of having their taste underestimated and dismissed, Americans are finally confident enough to call out real, once-in-a-generation talent when they see it. Anyone who wants to win the people over better start with that.

Variety gets hammered online for defending celebrity endorsements after devastating Harris loss



Variety magazine defended celebrities and scolded the public in the wake of the devastating loss for Democrats, and many did not appreciate the advice.

Music writer Chris Willman angrily denounced some in the media who blamed celebrity endorsements for the loss and, worse still, those who proclaimed that celebrity endorsements were meaningless.

The idea that entertainers and artists’ involvement somehow leads to actual voter dissuasion is a fantasy — bull*** that is happily perpetrated by the “go woke, go broke” crowd, and picked up by columnists who think that picking on limousine liberals never goes out of style. (It really doesn’t.) It’s just disappointing to see this picked up by objective journalists and by some Democrats themselves, who imagine they have practical reasons to tell the entertainment world to shut up and sing.

Willman went on to opine that celebrities had nothing to do with the loss but also argued that they did have an effect on voters and should be listened to, which appears at least somewhat contradictory.

Many on social media lashed out against the reprimand.

"She only lost because we didn't hear from MORE celebs," joked commentator Sean Medlock. "This is what I have been saying."

"Celebrities don’t stress about whether to buy groceries or put gas in their cars. They’re not worried about getting assaulted, robbed or murdered at the hands of criminal illegals because they have their own security & lives behind gates. They are completely out of touch of just how dire it is," read one popular response.

"I'll say it once again: we need to treat entertainers like the ancients did ‐ as the lowest rung on the social ladder & entirely useless at anything other than performing for our benefit," responded writer Mike Coté.

"[Y]ou people are so ridiculously out of touch with reality that it's actually funny," replied author Raven O'Connor.

"I value the opinion of rich Diddy diddlers about as much as the local homeless man telling me about a lucrative crypto opportunity," read another response.

The Harris-Walz campaign has faced fierce criticism for raising an astounding $1 billion dollars in campaign donations, spending it all in a devastating loss, and reportedly ending up in debt.

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'Happy' singer Pharrell Williams just gave his two cents on politics: 'Shut up. Nobody asked you.'



American singer, songwriter, and producer Pharrell Williams will not be joining Taylor Swift and the long list of celebrities endorsing a presidential candidate this election cycle.

In fact, he thinks that celebrities should refrain from engaging in politics altogether.

“I don’t do politics,” the “Happy” singer told the Hollywood Reporter. “In fact, I get annoyed sometimes when I see celebrities trying to tell you [who to vote for].”

“Shut up. Nobody asked you,” Williams said in reference to celebrities who use their platforms to influence politics.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

Columnist Karol Markowicz commends Williams for keeping his political ideology to himself and says she prefers when celebrities stay away from politics.

Dave Rubin thinks that Williams’ silence on political matters is because he’s secretly a conservative.

“Adam Carolla said to me many years ago that if you don't know what a celebrity thinks, then they're a conservative,” he says.

“Pharrell is my new favorite guy,” adds Dr. Drew Pinsky. “I love that he said that.”

To hear more of the conversation, watch the clip above.

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Celebrities facing backlash for crypto endorsements following price crashes



Anyone who watched this year’s Super Bowl is well aware of the crypto craze that swept much of the world in recent months. Celebrities who saw this 21st-century gold rush were quick to jump on board, offering their famous faces as endorsements for all forms of Web3 products, including Bitcoin and personalized NFTs. Perhaps most famously, Matt Damon’s “Fortune Favors the Brave” ad for Crytpo.com has been viewed by countless millions around the world.

But as most major cryptocurrencies have faced significant price crashes and crypto-related businesses are laying off employees by the thousands, those same celebrities are now facing scrutiny for enticing unsophisticated investors to dump cash into highly volatile markets. Some investors are even taking legal action, with former NBA star Paul Pierce on the receiving end of a lawsuit alleging involvement in a pump-and-dump scheme.

Celebrities may have rushed to promote crypto during its bull run, but their current public stance is as cold as the market. NBC News recently contacted representatives for celebrity crypto endorsers such as Matt Damon, as well as Larry David, Charli D’Amelio, Jamie Foxx, Paris Hilton, LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Reese Witherspoon. None offered a response. Bloomberg also reached out to several celebrities who publicly touted crypto. Only one, singer Nick Carter, provided comment. Carter’s representatives maintained that Carter “simply purchased some … tokens on his own like any other member of the public.”

Consumer advocates and professional investors alike have expressed worry that celebrity endorsements may have caused everyday Americans to make poorly considered investments in crypto. "The major celebrity endorsements across crypto—whether it's Matt Damon or Tom Brady—help consumers feel comfortable with these brands," Jason Damata, CEO of strategy and marketing firm Fabric Media, told NBC News. Damata explained that he does not hold any of the celebrities directly responsible for fluctuations in the market.