How much influence do celebrities really have on voters?

[FerrisBueller86]

I keep hearing that celebrity endorsements of presidential candidates really help that candidate.  Then I keep hearing about a backlash against Hollywood leading to Bush winning again.

Do celebrities have that much influence?  Do people really think, "My favorite celebrity is voting for X, so I will too"?  I was a Democrat long before I learned that Mandy Moore was.  Gloria Estefan is a Republican, but being one of her fans never influenced me to consider voting Republican.  I'm sure there are Democrats out there who religiously watched Tom Selleck in "Magnum PI" and Republicans out there who have all of Barbara Streisand's albums.

Does the anti-Hollywood backlash affect votes?  I wonder if the people who equate Hollywood with Democrats were hardcore Republicans to begin with.  The irony is that Reagan and the Governator were both from Hollywood while no Democrats from Hollywood have been so prominent in politics.

[dazzleman]

I'm sure there are Democrats out there who religiously watched Tom Selleck in "Magnum PI" and Republicans out there who have all of Barbara Streisand's albums.

You're pretty correct, though I doubt there are too many Republicans with all of Barbra Streisand's albums....

I think celebrity endorsements are a net negative, at this point in time.  The most vocal celebrities are so over-the-top and so anti-American and hateful that they turn off swing voters, and fail to attract anybody who isn't in the Democratic camp already.

I think Hollywood's behavior in the 2004 election definitely helped re-elect President Bush.  People who may have been less than fully satisfied with Bush, and may have been wavering, were driven back to Bush by the recognition that these dreadful Hollywood people were strongly supporting Kerry.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You're pretty correct, though I doubt there are too many Republicans with all of Barbra Streisand's albums....

um, I bet most people who do are Republicans. That isn't exactly the type of stuff Democrats listen to.

[FerrisBueller86]

OK, OK, I was disappointed when I heard that Howard Stern was endorsing Kerry.  I don't like it when my candidate gets endorsed by an obscene shock jock.  Then again, Rush Limbaugh endorsed Bush, so I guess that was a wash.

[Storebought]

You're pretty correct, though I doubt there are too many Republicans with all of Barbra Streisand's albums....

um, I bet most people who do are Republicans. That isn't exactly the type of stuff Democrats listen to.

Babs was (is) a gay icon, therefore most of her audience is Democrat.

Although that's not always the case. Last year, Linda Ronstadt decided to channel Michael Moore during a concert in Vegas. It pissed off her audience (and the hotel management) so badly that she is not allowed to perform there again.

[CARLHAYDEN]

A lot of people wonder if Linda needed mental treatment.

He remarks were way over the top.

I know that Fred was shocked by her nutty statement.

[TeePee4Prez]

I think the airheadedness of Jessica Simpson or Britney Spears could also turn off people to Bush, but that's me.

[Alcon]

I think the airheadedness of Jessica Simpson or Britney Spears could also turn off people to Bush, but that's me.

As opposed to the airheadedness of our significantly more outspoken compatriots on the Golden Coast who, unlike Britney and Jessica and other blondes-from-a-bottle, actually are under the misconception that they are more intelligent than rocks?

I think that, between someone obviously regurgitating their parents' political ideals, and someone who thinks they are an activist but has no idea what it means to be one, Americans will take airheaded innocence any day.

Nonetheless, the effect of celebrities on voters is always significantly less than the effect that they think they have, with perhaps the exception of someone like Bono, who actually does know what he is talking about.

[MODU]

I ignore most celebs when they start spouting politics. 

[MasterJedi]

I ignore most celebs when they start spouting politics. 

True, unless they state something and don't try to convince you otherwise or campaign for said candidate.