Because My Hero Said So!

The value of the Celebrity Endorsement

My “Two And Only” pod cast pal, best-selling author, Jim Bovard, recently penned a NY Post piece “How Joe Biden can save his old man image”. While the Post relied on Personal Stylist/Wardrobe Curator Sara Alviti for glam guidance, friend Jim stuck with his own stylin’ and profilin’ expertise perfected while toiling on the rural runways of the Virginia Highway Dept. where he specialized in Flag Waving and Shovel Art. Later, in New Jersey, he personally improved the landscape around the State capitol, ridding it of (inorganic) trash and other distractions. However, Jim ultimately admits such remediation might “fix the optics, but Biden would remain at risk of people hearing his catastrophic verbal pratfalls.” As they say on X, “prove him wrong.”

While it doesn’t take a PhD in Research to see through the humor to find the accuracy of Bovard’s analysis, it does raise provocative questions. How much weight does a voter give to a (female) candidate’s wardrobe? If it’s between “Kinda Important” and “Crazy Important!”, how does one explain the (alleged) popularity of two time Presidential candidate and Major League grifter, Hillary Clinton’s unisex pant suit or the tufted flannel bath robe look only Kim Jong Un could love? It adorned her campaign appearances - but not necessarily her. Granted, there was no figure to flatter unless the fashion came from Ralph Lauren’s “Thunder Thigh” collection.

But enough about wardrobe. Male political candidates are rarely critiqued about their suits, sport coats or jeans. As Bovard states,”…the risk of people hearing [Biden’s] catastrophic verbal pratfalls…” is bigger, more politically problematic than getting caught in a déclassé “Members Only” windbreaker.

But aside from the tirades raging amongst the yammering classes about programs, policies, gaffs, temper fits, age, stage and mind wanderings, there are sentient beings eager to heave their endorsement upon the “Biden ’24” campaign wagon. From a political job security perspective, the Why? is obvious. What I’ve been curious about has been: How effective are Celebrity Endorsements? Really. Assuming you’re intelligently connected to serious current events, how could the voting recommendations of Taylor Swift be of value or concern?   

Yet, Las Vegas odds-makers have serious numbers posted about the difference it will make in November -- assuming Old Joe is still vertical then.      

And it’s not just Taylor Swift. Think about the Mighty Media Mavens over the years who have salivated over This or That Candidate for…what? We know the majority of media marvels are more than a tad shallow when it comes to the variety of issues boiling the political stew. Doubt that? Watch “Celebrity Jeopardy”. Brain trust it ain’t. And yet this is the ilk that regularly comments on who should be your next Ruler. Of course, these are also the same people most likely to utter that fatal phrase “Don’t you know who I am??!!” Even political big shots are liable to be in that chorus.  

Still, one wonders about the strength, worth, brilliance of the Celebrity Endorsement. Would you be swayed to vote for Biden over Trump (or vice versa) because Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Tom Bradley, Alfred E. Neuman or Elmer Fudd said it was a great idea? What do their assorted opinions bring to the table? What does it say about your ability to analyze the issues accurately?

Give that some thought as the political theater plays out over the next 7 months. It’s safe to say a LOT is going to happen between now and November. What exactly? I don’t know. But as Tucker Carlson has intimated, it isn’t going to be good.

Situational awareness: practice it every day.

BW

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