The Mundling Zone

Thoughts, rants, and raves from the desk of Michelle Mundling

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Consumer Backlash Against Celebrities

Catherine Donaldson-Evans of Fox News wrote an article yesterday called Consumers Fight Political Stars With Dollars. I have a few thoughts I'd like to add to her article.

I am one of many consumers who are sick and tired of Hollywood stars and celebrities using their "star power" to act as authority figures for their causes. I'm not talking about expressing their opinions; that's their right and I respect that right.

What really infuriates me is when some of them openly criticize this country yet reap all the benefits of performing in this country (hello Madonna, Elton John, Jessica Lange, Sean Penn, et al). In fact, many of them wait until they are in another country before they proceed to trash this country. Hey! Nobody is making them stay in the USA. Delta is ready when they are.

According to BBC News, World Edition, Elton John is quoted as saying, " stars are scared to speak out against war in Iraq because of "bullying tactics" used by the US government to hinder free speech. " He used the backlash against the Dixie Chicks as an example. The only problem with his theory is that the backlash was not by the government, but by the outraged fans and consumers. In general, we Americans know bullsh!t when we see it. Spare me, Elton. You make these remarks about all this fear and neo-McCarthyism in my country, yet you were performing in New York at the time you made these remarks? It's not the government you should fear; it should be your fans. You know ... the ones who buy your albums and your concert tickets, but not your bullsh!t. Fans are fickle, but an angry fan feels betrayal and will put more effort into the backlash against you than into his/her collection of your artistic work.

Celebrities, stick with what you know: entertaining. You have something to say or an opinion to share? Get a web site and start blogging. However, stop acting like authority figures; you're not. You're all goldfish living in a fish bowl. You have no idea what's really going on in the world. It's time for you to get down from your podiums and swim back to your fantasy lives in your own personal million dollar fishbowl.

And word to Whoopi: the republicans didn't make SlimFast dump you, the owner of Slim Fast made Slim Fast dump you. The owner of Slim Fast is a democrat, not a republican.

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