TJ Walker examines whether celebrities should stay out of politics, using Mark Wahlberg's call for silence as a starting point. He points out that celebrities hold political power precisely because they're famous, and cites Donald Trump as the only celebrity who actually won an election, alongside Reagan, Eastwood, Streisand, and Redford as examples of lasting political influence.
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Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg getting a lot.
Of attention today and over the weekend.
For his comments stating that he thinks.
Hollywood celebrities should shut up when it comes to politics.
He says that the results of the election this year are proof that many.
Hollywood elite are out of touch and.
Their opinions are really not that valued by Americans. There is a certain irony to these statements, of course. The only reason we're talking about Mark Wahlberg and his opinions about Hollywood celebrities and politics is that in fact, he is a Hollywood celebrity and he's asking people essentially to give him attention because of his celebrity.
Now, it certainly is true that the.
Vast majority of Hollywood celebrities this year.
Spoke out in favor of Hillary Clinton.
And Hillary Clinton did not win enough.
Votes in the right states to win the Electoral College.
There's no doubt about that.
But there is one Hollywood celebrity who.
Was listened to in the election this.
Year, one Hollywood celebrity, someone with a.
Big star on Hollywood, whose views on.
Issues were listened to very carefully.
I'm speaking, of course, of President elect.
Donald Trump, who is not really a.
Real estate mogul, but is in fact.
A Hollywood celebrity, a reality TV show.
Celebrity who spends most of his time and has for years in the production of entertainment, the Apprentice, and he in.
Fact was elected president. So the idea that people don't respect.
Hollywood, I think, doesn't really hold up.
If they didn't, why in the world.
Would they elect someone who is very much a star and a celebrity of.
Hollywood in the form of Donald Trump?
Now, this is an old and often tired argument.
Many liberals didn't like that Ronald Reagan.
Got attention, became president, he was derided.
As just a Hollywood actor. Many liberals don't like that Clint Eastwood.
Received such an outsized role at the 2012 Republican convention. And of course many conservatives don't like that.
Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford and other Warren.
Beatty, other prominent liberals back Democratic candidates. Here's the reality in the new world, social media world, that's different, in fact, from what happened in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. These days, everybody can speak out on politics. Hollywood celebrities still do have more fans.
Do have more followers.
Therefore they're going to have their voice.
Reach a higher number of people.
Doesn't mean they'll persuade more, but they do have an audience and they have a right to speak out just as much as anyone else. Just as much as the Koch brothers.
Have a right to write billion dollar.
Checks in the new world.
It's not, not a matter of telling.
Any one group to shut up.
It's a matter of who has the.
Best message and the most persuasive message.
And the ability to reach the majority, or at least a plurality.
