“We choose freedom. Freedom. Freedom. I came home free. Don’t call me to say we are freedom.” With these powerful words, Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off her first campaign ad to the tune of Beyoncé’s song “Freedom,” which the superstar graciously allowed Harris to use. Entertainers are playing a significant role in this November’s presidential election, capturing the attention of young voters and energizing the campaign trail.
Former CNN chief media correspondent Brian stated that celebrities often align themselves with certain candidates, but this time we see Gen Z’s Charli XCX affectionately calling Kamala Harris a “brat” – a compliment that has spawned viral memes. On Donald Trump’s side, we have Hulk Hogan, who gave an enthusiastic introduction to Trump at the RNC. Young people are traditionally not known for being reliable voters, but it seems like they’re paying attention to this election cycle. How crucial will it be to capture the Gen Z and millennial vote?
“I think it’s one of the big changes in the past week. We’ve lived through a month of extraordinary change, and because of Kamala Harris and her ascension, a lot of that energy among young people has been unleashed. It’s like a champagne bottle that was corked and has suddenly been popped open. You’re seeing that in a lot of the online reactions to the Harris news. There’s a little bit of that on the Trump side with some celebrity endorsements, but Democrats historically have an advantage when it comes to Hollywood star power. And we’re seeing that this week, centering around Harris.”
How much power is behind the star power then?
“As you know, George Clooney inserted himself into the 2024 race. He was first a major Democratic fundraiser for Biden, then he penned a New York Times op-ed urging President Biden to step down, which surprised a lot of people. A-listers like Clooney are having a bigger impact than we’ve seen in the past. It’s happening more visibly. Clooney understands politics from a unique vantage point. I also produce a morning show called ‘The Morning Show’ on Apple TV, and I know that the worst thing a producer has to do is recast an actor. You never want to do it, but sometimes it’s necessary. That’s what happened in the Democratic Party. The donors, voters, and activists didn’t believe Biden could do it, so they recast him with Kamala Harris.”
Jennifer Aniston is another Hollywood celebrity who doesn’t often get involved in politics. She magnified Republican JD Vance’s comments from 2021 where he insulted childless people. Let’s listen to that comment.
“It was a sarcastic comment. I’ve got nothing against Cats. The substance of what I said is true. It is true that we have become anti-family. The left has become anti-child.”
JD Vance is now on the defensive. Aniston posted to her 44 million Instagram followers that she hoped Vance didn’t have a daughter who would be unable to conceive, as she has been open about her IVF journey. Aniston appeals to Gen-Z, millennials, and Gen Xers. Do you think the Trump campaign will have to summon its Gen X celebrity supporters to counter the bad press, or how will they fight this one?
“It would be tough. Vance is on a damage control tour, and the problem is he went on Tucker Carlson’s show multiple times to say provocative things. This is going to be a recurring problem for Vance and thus for the Trump campaign. The Trump campaign doesn’t have as many levers to pull in terms of cultural power. They have some celebrity endorsements, but not as many. When stars like Jennifer Aniston or Cardi B call Trump a dictator, it becomes an entry point for people who might not care much about politics but pay attention when a trusted celebrity talks about it.”
Quick answer to this one, please. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift – how significant are their endorsements?
“Beyoncé endorsed Hillary Clinton, wanting her daughter to see a woman president. Taylor Swift doesn’t need to endorse anyone specifically. All she needs to say is, ‘Go out and vote,’ and her fans will. Taylor’s fans are already energized for Harris. Everything has changed in the past week with all this new energy.”