At around 5 p.m. yesterday afternoon, I answered my phone like I always do: "This is Vanessa." On the other line? Chris Rock. No, he wasn’t phoning in for a scheduled interview — he was calling me on behalf of Barack Obama and "urging" me (in a recording, of course) to vote for the senator in the New York primary today. He said something about principles and a common purpose. I wasn’t listening all that well because the idea that Chris Rock would tell me to do anything, much less for whom I should vote, struck me as ridiculous. It’s not that I think celebrities shouldn’t use their high profiles to drum up support for certain causes (though Stephen King disagrees: read his recent column on the subject); it’s that, well, I wasn’t a huge fan of Bad Company. Plus, you called me at work, on my direct line, in something of a personal gesture. On the other hand, my roommate rightly points out that it was a more effective way for Obama to get in touch with the yuts in comparison to Hillary’s Hallmark extravaganza. Now, maybe if it had been Robert Redford or Paul Newman, or hell, even Tina Fey because she’s just a bad-ass, I would have been all ears. What about you, PopWatchers: Is there a celebrity endorser out there that could change your mind at the polls today?
Feb 5
2008
03:17 PM ET
Chris Rock stumping for Obama. Say what?
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In a word: no. Just to clarify, Vanessa, did Chris Rock *actually* call you, or was it a recorded message? If the former, I’m impressed…if the latter, not so much.
Why is it so ridiculous to think that Chris Rock is really into politics? If you watch all of his comedy specials, and his HBO series, ALOT of his work is on the political side. Why Redford or Newman? Is it because they have 100+ years (each) on him? I’d rather have Chris Rock call me than someone like Scarlett Johannssen who made the most asinine, airhead comments about Obama a few weeks back. Give the guy a break.
tina fey most definitely
ps – that other KG is not me
Jake Gyllenhaal! no question.
I would prefer that they just urge us “go vote” rather than stump for one particular candidate.
No celebrity endorsement will ever impress me. What do they know? Frankly, when I saw DeNiro endorse Obama last night, I vowed to boycott DeNiro’s movies. So disgusted.
I get George Clooney voice mails about Darfur. I am more apt to advocate for US assistance in halting the genocide and have been duly inspired by the shock of a famous voice in my phone. Go George.
I agree with KG, if you are more familiar with Chris Rock’s stand up, he’s always been deep into politics. It makes complete sense that he would be urging people to go out and vote. Even though I’m a fan of his and like what he has to say, no celebrity can convince me to vote one way or another
Bradley Whitford’s doing the Obama recorded messages in LA.
Yesterday Scarlett Johansson called to ask me to support Obama as well. Barack’s vote was already in the bag but I desperately wanted to tell Scarlett to runaway from those terrible Woody Allen movies. If she can advise me in politics, the least I can do his give her career advice.
There is no celebrity who could convince me to vote for anyone. Not because celebrities are necessarily uninformed, and not because they’re not entitled to express their opinion (they are, of course), but because I decide these things for myself after getting educated on the issues and the candidates–as everyone should.
I remember one year I got a phone message from Diddy exhorting me to “Vote, or Die.” Huh? Thanks for nothing.
Vanessa,
Chris Rock calling me? Not impressed. But your roommate is pretty cute. Could he give me a call?
I’m still known to go off about Kirsten Dunst calling me in the last election to tell me to vote for John Kerry. The idea that a girl so young who had it so easy in life (getting paid lots to act badly in the movies) would presume to give me political advice really annoyed me.
Yuck. People really can’t think for themselves these days can they?
I second the Tina Fey mention. I think she is so smart and very honest, so I would take her opinion seriously.