Celebrities Should Not Make Political Endorsements
Summary
A straphanger has strong opinions about celebrity political endorsements: if you're too famous to go to the grocery store or pay your own taxes, you shouldn't have any say in politics at all. The rider tells Kareem that celebrity endorsements are "the laziest form of activism" a presidential candidate could pursue, though they'd make an exception for Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg collaborating on an endorsement since they already teamed up for the Olympics. When asked about the worst endorsements from this year, the rider clams up. They're afraid of retribution from the Swifties and the Beehive, despite noting these groups "aren't powerful enough to elect a president." Their solution? Candidates should get endorsements from random people on the subway instead.
Full Transcript
So what's your take? Celebrities should have no part in political endorsements? 100% agree. I don't care who Lizzo wants to be president. If you are too famous to go to the grocery store, to pay your own taxes, you should not have any say in politics—in politics at all. You don't care, you don't use any public services, you don't need the government.
It also doesn't work as a political endorsement. They didn't help at all. I think that it's the laziest form of activism that a presidential candidate could possibly do is say, "Oh, get Martha Stewart to endorse this candidate." I feel like Martha Stewart would actually help. She and Snoop Dogg could, like, collab on a political endorsement. Martha and Snoop can endorse—they already did the Olympics.
What were the worst political endorsements that you saw this year? I don't want to go on the record.
Are you afraid of retribution? I'm definitely afraid of retribution.
You're afraid of retribution? I'm afraid of the Swifties. I'm afraid of the Beehive.
You accidentally just named it. They're not powerful enough to elect a president.
So next campaign, what do you hope to see? Do you hope to see any endorsements? Maybe like, guys on the street. If you went around on the subway and asked random people who they endorse, that might work better.
That's the common man. 100% agree. Cheers.