the Pebble Spring 2017

Lately, it’s been impossible to escape
politics. Even in entertainment —
normally a respite from the flow
of news — we cannot avoid opinions on the
great injustices of society.
Most celebrity news is frivolous, but the
media coverage it gets suggests it’s important.
When celebrities get political, it’s covered
more than news that actually affects people.
As comedian Dave Chappelle joked, no
one cares what someone like Ja Rule has to
say in a time like this; however, celebrities are
bringing up politics more and more frequently.
In early 2016 the only topics I heard about
were Donald Trump and Kanye West. Now
the two have collided, with messages on Twitter
and meetings at Trump Tower.
In the country’s polarized state, this
omnipresent political dialogue causes controversy.
From Meryl Streep’s Golden Globes
speech to Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during
the national anthem to Kanye West’s emergence
as an unapologetic Trump supporter,
when celebrities use their wide reach to say
something controversial, it riles people up.
Although celebrities’ large audiences may
imply that they have significant influence on
public beliefs, Robert Thompson, Director
of the Bleier Center for Television & Popular
Culture at Syracuse University, disagrees.
“Celebrities speak out about a political
issue, and it changes the minds of people
not about that political issue, but about that
celebrity,” Thompson said.
I had my own reckoning with this, when
Kanye, one of my favorite musicians and
personalities, went off about how he didn’t
vote but that if he had, it would have been for
Trump. Ignoring the fact that Kanye didn’t
vote, I was hurt that someone I respected was
endorsing policies I vehemently disagreed
with. I tried to defend him but eventually
resigned myself to the fact that he is just as
issues
On Screen and the Political Scene
Everyone has an opinion, to the discontent of the public
By Zach Montas
crazy as people say.
Of course, I still regularly bump Pablo.
How could I not? I can enjoy his art without
sharing his views. Celebrities can have their
say, and I can ignore them.
MPH senior Liam Meisner can relate.
He’s a fan of Sir Christopher Lee, known for
playing Saruman in the “Lord of the Rings”
movies. Before his death in 2015, Lee supported
the British Conservative Party, whose
policies Meisner opposes.
“I love his acting, so I’m not going to let
[his beliefs] get in the way of my appreciation
for him,” Meisner said.
Conservative senior Lisa Morocco agrees.
“If I have a political opinion, I do not
look to a celebrity to agree with me,” she said.
“If a celebrity agrees with what I think, it’s just
another person who feels the same way I do.”
It seems these students’ opinions are
more level-headed than those of the general
public. Compare the responses to the halftime
performances at the past two Super Bowls.
Beyoncé’s 2016 performance was contentious,
generating both praise and rebuke for her
unambiguously pro-black message.
In 2017, Lady Gaga’s performance was
lauded contradictingly on both sides. Some
loved it for its seemingly LGBTQ-positive
message, while others loved it all the same for
remaining apolitical. Some thought what little
statement she made was still too much, but I
found the performance very mild.
Tomi Lahren, former conservative commentator
for The Blaze, rejoiced at Gaga’s
lack of politics. “Yes, [Lady Gaga] has political
opinions, but on Super Bowl Sunday,
America’s game day, Lady Gaga chose to keep
her political opinions and/or distaste for the
president to herself,” she said. “How about a
round of applause, a hallelujah, and a ‘Thank
you Jesus.’” Lahren then contrasted her
praise for Gaga with her criticism of “Mrs.
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