“So, if you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech, you are in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg. So, if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God, and f**k off.”
This quote comes from Ricky Gervais’ final time hosting the Golden Globes in 2020.
Whilst the content is fashioned in Gervais’ usual style – antagonistic – it does raise questions as to the validity of celebrity politicisation. Do their voices matter? Is it their duty, as public figures, to speak up when political injustice is rising? Or should they stick to their professions and leave the heavier topics to others?
This year’s Grammy awards saw a litany of political messages, both underlying and plain in tone. We saw the Biebers donning ‘ICE out’ badges, Billie Eillish and Olivia Dean condemning ICE, and Bad Bunny making his feelings abundantly clear: “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans… Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out!”
The political sway of celebrities has grown exponentially. The era of social media has caused many to deify celebrities to the extent of taking their words as gospel. This alone makes their political statements important in setting public mood, especially amongst the youth. Taylor Swift alone boosted voting numbers by 340,000 after her Instagram post endorsing Kamala Harris in 2024.
Many side with Gervais, and feel that the mere idea of a celebrity expressing political views in a public forum is laughably out of touch, and strongly feel that they should “stick to performing.”
Frankly, this sentiment is oftentimes true. It can be honestly insufferable when some celebrities decide to put in their two pence on current affairs. Leonardo Dicaprio preaching his climate activism whilst simultaneously boarding Jeff Bezos’ private jet seems like an appropriate example. The image of such a privileged class playing town crier from their ivory castles, couture outfit on and champagne in hand, is a tough pill to swallow.
So yes, Gervais makes a valid point about the hypocrisy of the super-rich providing opinions on the problems of the ordinary man. But the recent brutality and violence in the streets of the US, at the hands of ICE, is an issue which could be reformed through significant public fervour.
If the impact of celebrity statements is increased public engagement, and therefore higher turnout at protest and expanded knowledge of the reality of ICE, celebrity politicisation should be wholly encouraged.
It’ll take some of us a while to catch up with the new reality, that the power of celebrity can often reach further, and motivate better, than the intellectuals and politicians many believe hold authority when commenting on mainstream events.
“Grammy Awards, STAPLES Center” by David Jones is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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What Anti-ICE Sentiment at the Grammys Says About the Political Resonance of Celebrities
“So, if you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech, you are in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg. So, if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God, and f**k off.”
This quote comes from Ricky Gervais’ final time hosting the Golden Globes in 2020.
Whilst the content is fashioned in Gervais’ usual style – antagonistic – it does raise questions as to the validity of celebrity politicisation. Do their voices matter? Is it their duty, as public figures, to speak up when political injustice is rising? Or should they stick to their professions and leave the heavier topics to others?
This year’s Grammy awards saw a litany of political messages, both underlying and plain in tone. We saw the Biebers donning ‘ICE out’ badges, Billie Eillish and Olivia Dean condemning ICE, and Bad Bunny making his feelings abundantly clear: “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans… Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out!”
The political sway of celebrities has grown exponentially. The era of social media has caused many to deify celebrities to the extent of taking their words as gospel. This alone makes their political statements important in setting public mood, especially amongst the youth. Taylor Swift alone boosted voting numbers by 340,000 after her Instagram post endorsing Kamala Harris in 2024.
Many side with Gervais, and feel that the mere idea of a celebrity expressing political views in a public forum is laughably out of touch, and strongly feel that they should “stick to performing.”
Frankly, this sentiment is oftentimes true. It can be honestly insufferable when some celebrities decide to put in their two pence on current affairs. Leonardo Dicaprio preaching his climate activism whilst simultaneously boarding Jeff Bezos’ private jet seems like an appropriate example. The image of such a privileged class playing town crier from their ivory castles, couture outfit on and champagne in hand, is a tough pill to swallow.
So yes, Gervais makes a valid point about the hypocrisy of the super-rich providing opinions on the problems of the ordinary man. But the recent brutality and violence in the streets of the US, at the hands of ICE, is an issue which could be reformed through significant public fervour.
If the impact of celebrity statements is increased public engagement, and therefore higher turnout at protest and expanded knowledge of the reality of ICE, celebrity politicisation should be wholly encouraged.
It’ll take some of us a while to catch up with the new reality, that the power of celebrity can often reach further, and motivate better, than the intellectuals and politicians many believe hold authority when commenting on mainstream events.
“Grammy Awards, STAPLES Center” by David Jones is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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