Brilliant comparison to Casablanca! Rick's arc from neutrality to active resistence really captures the limits of staying apolitical when authoritariansim is on the march. I've been thinking alot about how artists today default to "I just want to tell stories" without recognizing that their privilige buys them a safetynet that others dont have.
A big question might be - what do we care what Sweeney thinks? She's a Central Idaho Republican. So what? We're not going to stop Trump by boycotting Sydney Sweeney movies and the Right using her as a cudgel only works if you care about their bullshit...no "Leftists I know gave two shits about "hating Seeeney because of a jeans ad"...that was always a manufactured FOX talking point so they could point and laugh and say "Dem cucks hate blonde women with big tatas..."....
"It’s profitable but not particularly inspiring, which I think is Chipotle’s slogan." LMAO. And of course, you beat me to the punch with "Casablanca." "Cabaret," indeed.
Art is political. It is one of the first targets of authoritarian regimes to attack and destroy. Symbols matter. Ideas matter. Myths matter. Stories matter. Music matters.
An idea once expressed lives on long after the person who expressed it.
An apolitical artist is someone with nothing to say and will likely be mediocre at best. Churning out mindless pablum to amuse or lull people into stupor while the world burns around them.
I'm honestly not interested in her projects given that mindset.
I think we need to push back on the "celebrities are out of touch" narrative the right keeps pushing. They are and can be, but if they are out of touch, then how "relatable" are the BILLIONAIRES the right elected to run this country? Many celebrities aren't even that wealthy at this point, definitely not in comparison to Musk, Bezos, etc. It's another diversion tactic. Paint the liberals as elites while billionaires run your party.
This is quite an interesting article, and well also wow it's the first time this year I thought about Sydney Sweeney. But yeah we are in an era now where a party is openly performing ethnic cleansing, among other horrors. So under the "silence = consensus" paradigm, if someone prominent is still supporting this party silently...yeah that's a big problem.
And whew boy do I know a lot of people who do the "ooooo please no politics :-)" thing and that gradually allowed so many spaces to become veritable Nazi bars.
Defending the constitutional rights of everyone isn’t an act of political defiance. It’s an adherence to our (once) most sacred document. Sure, Syd. You don’t care. Until it happens to you.
A young Suzie Greenburg went to see U2's Rattle and Hum at the local, old fashioned movie theater in the small town where my high school was. At some point in the film, the bass player (Adam Clayton) was sitting, being interviewed. He was probably at a bar, but I can't be sure. He founded the band, and was known for not being as political in the press as his band mates. What he said was impressed upon me, I've carried it with me.
"There are some people who say you shouldn't mix politics and music, sports and politics. Well... I think that's kinda bullshit!"
They played 2 concerts for only $5.00 ticket price when I was a sophomore or junior in HS to give the proceeds to our state (AZ) for the anti Mecham or the MLK day campaign (I can't remember which).
And there seems to be the underlying assumption that we should respect all viewpoints.
No. We should not.
And I was literally permanently kicked off of Nextdoor for saying precisely that. A woman was saying, "*ALL* viewpoints deserve respect." I responded, "Even those of racists and homophobes?" and she indicated yes.
I said that racists, homophobes, misogynists, etc. should NOT be respected and I briefly described the Paradox of Tolerance and was kicked off.
Being "neutral" only ever helps the oppressors. These "nice, polite bystanders" are worse, to me, than the open fascists. They will sell us ALL down the river to preserve their property values, way of life, and peace and quiet. To Hell with the country and us.
I think I’ve graded Sweeney on a curve because her facial expression suggests very low intelligence. But it is clear she’s trying to do the Michael Jordan thing (“Republicans buy shoes, too”) which wasn’t so obnoxious in an era where the mainstream Republican and mainstream Democratic positions boiled down to “we disagree on policy but ultimately are trying to do what’s best for the country at large.” You could think Bob Dole was pushing bad policy but you’d never think he considered those who voted against him as subhuman. Those days are over with Trump.
Many celebrities tried the Jordan approach—no one knew Taylor Swift’s politics until 2018 (she had to come out as a Democrat because the alt-Right started calling her an Aryan goddess, assuming she was one of them), Jim Gaffigan went through something similar because to audiences he coded as a Republican (midwestern family man and regular churchgoer—turns out he’s a churchgoer who actually believes the teachings of Jesus, so he had to speak out against Trump).
If Sweeney is truly a MAGA or at least just doesn’t want to lose MAGA fans, then good luck with that career. Maybe she can do TPUSA events with big stars like Scott Baio and Kristy Swanson.
"Maher claims celebrities are out of touch and completely removed from the life experiences of average Americans."
Maher is #1 on my celebrity asshole list but he's right about that. Obviously I don't agree with him that well known people need to shut up and dribble, but I do think they underestimate how much wealth and privilege delegitimizes much of their lefty political speech to an average person in the US-I mean, talking about BLM or honoring stolen land while thanking the Academy or holding a Grammy in your exclusive designer clothes comes across to many as pretty inauthentic, not to mention tin eared.
But do they think that? All celebrities - that they are speaking to a specific audience. They may think that they are speaking to all of the public, or to all of their fans. Or that they are speaking Truth to Power.
Here is where that hair is split for me-celebrities making left wing proclamations of solidarity with the oppressed do so from the comfort of lavish dwellings and $20,000 handbags and Bentleys. It's a hard sell to a lot of people when it looks like you've benefitted greatly from the very system you claim to want to change while giving up nothing to do so. Right wing celebrities make no bones about saying they feel completely entitled to everything they have so fuck you all you're just jealous (even some celebrities popular with a cross section, like Ricky Gervais, make these types of statements or at least imply it). It's an easier lift for their audience to swallow and even some who would prefer never to think about.
Well, yes and no. The opinions expressed are often (but not always) pretty in step with what the majority of Americans believe (like ICE is out of control and doing harm). But people just don't like being lectured by people they perceive as sacrificing nothing for those beliefs, especially when those lectures seem to directly point a finger at them, or at least theirs. IMO one reason Trump was and remains stubbornly more popular than we can grasp is that inauthenticity per se was never his problem, even if rampant lying and lawbreaking are.
I will say this though; a lot of his 'authenticity' is itself a forced meme (especially with his mental degradation). All of "The Apprentice" was a forced meme. Hell, his 'relationship' with Racist Birther Trophy Wife is a forced meme.
Particularly horrifying is that because he has an actual job/portfolio given to him by Americans (to perform ethnic cleansing), this means that the voting majority has given him a pass for tormenting children.
“But one thing is clear: authenticity (or at least, the perception of authenticity) is fundamental to capturing attention, which in turn is absolutely necessary to win votes. Relentless poll-testing, dictating exactly what a candidate can or should say, runs counter to voters’ hunger for authenticity. People may not like Trump, but plenty of his voters clearly found him more authentic than even other Republicans.”
Or Hillary Clinton for that matter, who has had the perceived authenticity problem since she first stepped on the national stage in 1992.
We were just told she is inauthentic by bad faith actors with big microphones. Same thing behind the "Dean Scream." Same thing behind "have a beer with him" Dumbya.
It’s interesting in that I really think what he is most authentic about-aside from his blatant contempt for any dark skinned immigrant-is the fact that he thinks he is always right, period. Even when he is obviously, egregiously incorrect on the facts themselves, he believes the truth is negotiable and how he wants it to be is the ultimate yardstick. I don’t even think he’s disingenuous on that, just the worst narcissist the Western world has seen in a long time.
That's fair but I don't put much stock in approval polls. I don't care what people say, I care what they DO. To that extent, yes I am a bit buoyed by the special election wins Dems are getting but I do want to see more.
I don’t follow them closely either, but I think it’s hard to argue with 37%. When Biden hit 37%, it was effectively over, even if the polls themselves could be quibbled with.
Brilliant comparison to Casablanca! Rick's arc from neutrality to active resistence really captures the limits of staying apolitical when authoritariansim is on the march. I've been thinking alot about how artists today default to "I just want to tell stories" without recognizing that their privilige buys them a safetynet that others dont have.
The more celebrity news I see the happier I am that I stopped watching TV completely after Mythbusters ended.
A big question might be - what do we care what Sweeney thinks? She's a Central Idaho Republican. So what? We're not going to stop Trump by boycotting Sydney Sweeney movies and the Right using her as a cudgel only works if you care about their bullshit...no "Leftists I know gave two shits about "hating Seeeney because of a jeans ad"...that was always a manufactured FOX talking point so they could point and laugh and say "Dem cucks hate blonde women with big tatas..."....
Absurd.
"It’s profitable but not particularly inspiring, which I think is Chipotle’s slogan." LMAO. And of course, you beat me to the punch with "Casablanca." "Cabaret," indeed.
It's never a wasted day when you discover an allusion to "Barton Fink"!
"I’m in the arts."
Art is political. It is one of the first targets of authoritarian regimes to attack and destroy. Symbols matter. Ideas matter. Myths matter. Stories matter. Music matters.
An idea once expressed lives on long after the person who expressed it.
An apolitical artist is someone with nothing to say and will likely be mediocre at best. Churning out mindless pablum to amuse or lull people into stupor while the world burns around them.
I'm honestly not interested in her projects given that mindset.
This right here. The arts are, IMO, inherently political.
I think we need to push back on the "celebrities are out of touch" narrative the right keeps pushing. They are and can be, but if they are out of touch, then how "relatable" are the BILLIONAIRES the right elected to run this country? Many celebrities aren't even that wealthy at this point, definitely not in comparison to Musk, Bezos, etc. It's another diversion tactic. Paint the liberals as elites while billionaires run your party.
Y'know what I say: You may try to stay out of politics, but what makes you think politics will stay out of YOU?
This is quite an interesting article, and well also wow it's the first time this year I thought about Sydney Sweeney. But yeah we are in an era now where a party is openly performing ethnic cleansing, among other horrors. So under the "silence = consensus" paradigm, if someone prominent is still supporting this party silently...yeah that's a big problem.
And whew boy do I know a lot of people who do the "ooooo please no politics :-)" thing and that gradually allowed so many spaces to become veritable Nazi bars.
Cant be silent anymore, not in the face of this.
Defending the constitutional rights of everyone isn’t an act of political defiance. It’s an adherence to our (once) most sacred document. Sure, Syd. You don’t care. Until it happens to you.
She seems incredibly selfish.
A young Suzie Greenburg went to see U2's Rattle and Hum at the local, old fashioned movie theater in the small town where my high school was. At some point in the film, the bass player (Adam Clayton) was sitting, being interviewed. He was probably at a bar, but I can't be sure. He founded the band, and was known for not being as political in the press as his band mates. What he said was impressed upon me, I've carried it with me.
"There are some people who say you shouldn't mix politics and music, sports and politics. Well... I think that's kinda bullshit!"
Well said Adam. Well said.
They played 2 concerts for only $5.00 ticket price when I was a sophomore or junior in HS to give the proceeds to our state (AZ) for the anti Mecham or the MLK day campaign (I can't remember which).
Five bucks!!! Awesome.
" I believe we should all love each other and have respect and understanding for one another.”
Can't tell if Sydney Sweeney or Lana Del Rey.
She's the typical privileged white woman who isn't directly affected by this mess, so she has no reason to care.
And there seems to be the underlying assumption that we should respect all viewpoints.
No. We should not.
And I was literally permanently kicked off of Nextdoor for saying precisely that. A woman was saying, "*ALL* viewpoints deserve respect." I responded, "Even those of racists and homophobes?" and she indicated yes.
I said that racists, homophobes, misogynists, etc. should NOT be respected and I briefly described the Paradox of Tolerance and was kicked off.
Being "neutral" only ever helps the oppressors. These "nice, polite bystanders" are worse, to me, than the open fascists. They will sell us ALL down the river to preserve their property values, way of life, and peace and quiet. To Hell with the country and us.
They would rather Hiel Trump.
The "ALL viewpoints need to be respected and listened to" crowd always remind me of the Famous Moments In History Reimagined by Centrists comic.
I think I’ve graded Sweeney on a curve because her facial expression suggests very low intelligence. But it is clear she’s trying to do the Michael Jordan thing (“Republicans buy shoes, too”) which wasn’t so obnoxious in an era where the mainstream Republican and mainstream Democratic positions boiled down to “we disagree on policy but ultimately are trying to do what’s best for the country at large.” You could think Bob Dole was pushing bad policy but you’d never think he considered those who voted against him as subhuman. Those days are over with Trump.
Many celebrities tried the Jordan approach—no one knew Taylor Swift’s politics until 2018 (she had to come out as a Democrat because the alt-Right started calling her an Aryan goddess, assuming she was one of them), Jim Gaffigan went through something similar because to audiences he coded as a Republican (midwestern family man and regular churchgoer—turns out he’s a churchgoer who actually believes the teachings of Jesus, so he had to speak out against Trump).
If Sweeney is truly a MAGA or at least just doesn’t want to lose MAGA fans, then good luck with that career. Maybe she can do TPUSA events with big stars like Scott Baio and Kristy Swanson.
"Maher claims celebrities are out of touch and completely removed from the life experiences of average Americans."
Maher is #1 on my celebrity asshole list but he's right about that. Obviously I don't agree with him that well known people need to shut up and dribble, but I do think they underestimate how much wealth and privilege delegitimizes much of their lefty political speech to an average person in the US-I mean, talking about BLM or honoring stolen land while thanking the Academy or holding a Grammy in your exclusive designer clothes comes across to many as pretty inauthentic, not to mention tin eared.
What about the righty political speeches from the con celebrities?
They are playing to a different audience, and there is not nearly as many of them.
But do they think that? All celebrities - that they are speaking to a specific audience. They may think that they are speaking to all of the public, or to all of their fans. Or that they are speaking Truth to Power.
Here is where that hair is split for me-celebrities making left wing proclamations of solidarity with the oppressed do so from the comfort of lavish dwellings and $20,000 handbags and Bentleys. It's a hard sell to a lot of people when it looks like you've benefitted greatly from the very system you claim to want to change while giving up nothing to do so. Right wing celebrities make no bones about saying they feel completely entitled to everything they have so fuck you all you're just jealous (even some celebrities popular with a cross section, like Ricky Gervais, make these types of statements or at least imply it). It's an easier lift for their audience to swallow and even some who would prefer never to think about.
Good point.
Jelly Roll? Dude couldn't even come up with an original name.
Maybe they're his faves. Who knows? These guys have no sense of or appreciation for history.
Morton
I think the problem is less that the opinion is coming from a celebrity and more that the opinion itself is idiotic or at least expressed idiotically.
Well, yes and no. The opinions expressed are often (but not always) pretty in step with what the majority of Americans believe (like ICE is out of control and doing harm). But people just don't like being lectured by people they perceive as sacrificing nothing for those beliefs, especially when those lectures seem to directly point a finger at them, or at least theirs. IMO one reason Trump was and remains stubbornly more popular than we can grasp is that inauthenticity per se was never his problem, even if rampant lying and lawbreaking are.
I will say this though; a lot of his 'authenticity' is itself a forced meme (especially with his mental degradation). All of "The Apprentice" was a forced meme. Hell, his 'relationship' with Racist Birther Trophy Wife is a forced meme.
Particularly horrifying is that because he has an actual job/portfolio given to him by Americans (to perform ethnic cleansing), this means that the voting majority has given him a pass for tormenting children.
“But one thing is clear: authenticity (or at least, the perception of authenticity) is fundamental to capturing attention, which in turn is absolutely necessary to win votes. Relentless poll-testing, dictating exactly what a candidate can or should say, runs counter to voters’ hunger for authenticity. People may not like Trump, but plenty of his voters clearly found him more authentic than even other Republicans.”
Or Hillary Clinton for that matter, who has had the perceived authenticity problem since she first stepped on the national stage in 1992.
https://www.bostonreview.net/forum/how-not-to-defeat-authoritarianism/amanda-litman/
We were just told she is inauthentic by bad faith actors with big microphones. Same thing behind the "Dean Scream." Same thing behind "have a beer with him" Dumbya.
It’s interesting in that I really think what he is most authentic about-aside from his blatant contempt for any dark skinned immigrant-is the fact that he thinks he is always right, period. Even when he is obviously, egregiously incorrect on the facts themselves, he believes the truth is negotiable and how he wants it to be is the ultimate yardstick. I don’t even think he’s disingenuous on that, just the worst narcissist the Western world has seen in a long time.
I think if that were true, his approval rating would be higher. He has inflicted pain on others, sure, but it’s not enough.
That's fair but I don't put much stock in approval polls. I don't care what people say, I care what they DO. To that extent, yes I am a bit buoyed by the special election wins Dems are getting but I do want to see more.
I don’t follow them closely either, but I think it’s hard to argue with 37%. When Biden hit 37%, it was effectively over, even if the polls themselves could be quibbled with.