The Epidemic of Celebrity Cowardice (with Gianmarco Soresi and Caroline Kwan)

About this episode

The episode discusses the shift in celebrity political engagement and the implications of their silence on social issues.

Neil Patrick Harris would like to make art that is “apolitical.” Sydney Sweeney “is not a political person.” Jelly Roll is a “dumb redneck” who we shouldn’t want to hear from, but we will be hearing his thoughts on global events “soon.” Ethan Hawke says we shouldn’t seek moral guidance from “a bunch of jet-lagged, drunk artists,” and perhaps he’s right. But at a time when celebrities who were once known for their political outspokenness have gotten strangely coy (Taylor Swift and Beyoncé come to mind), one naturally begins to wonder if something is amiss. And when LeBron James, who cites civil rights hero Muhammad Ali as an inspiration, says he’s heard “only great things” about Israel — now we’re just being, well, played. Today, Gianmarco Soresi, Caroline Kwan and I examine the marked shift pop culture has taken towards spinelessness and attempt to remedy it. Listen to bonus episodes on Patreon! Thanks to today’s sponsors! Start managing your money better and cancel unwanted expenses at https://www.rocketmoney.com/fruity. Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to clean at https://www.blueland.com/fruity. Follow Gianmarco on Instagram. Watch Gianmarco’s podcast, The Downside…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Bernstein

Guests: Gianmarco Soresi, Caroline Kwan

Topics covered

• celebrity culture
• political commentary
• pop culture
• celebrity activism
• social issues
• media influence

Keywords

• celebrity cowardice
• political silence
• pop culture
• social commentary
• celebrity activism
• media influence
• cultural critique

Sponsors

Rocket Money, Blueland

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