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?
Chris Rock stumping for Obama. Say what?
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Comments (1-27) of 27 Add your comment
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.
Heath Ledger could change my mind, but I don’t think he’s gonna call me anytime soon.
Geoff Stults would have to show up and “convince” me. I am not above trading political support for sexual favors. I just want that out there.
Of course there’s not a celebrity endorser that could change my mind. Everyone has a right to their own political opinion (including celebrities) but I care about their endorsements about as much as I care who Hillary Clinton thinks will win the best picture Oscar this year.
It’s pretty interesting how most people here claim that they wouldn’t consider a celebrity’s political endorsement. I share that position, considering that there is very little compelling reason that anyone should ever listen to them as “experts” or in any other way insightful. At the same token, why are celebrities considered to be experts at merchandising endorsements? Ok; bringing attention to something that you aren’t otherwise aware of is one thing. However, if it’s appealing to some inner urge to (at least perception wise) share the same affinity as your favorite celebrity, that is pathetic.
Hey, I’m impressed you all got celebrities calling you, pre-recorded messages or not. Best I get in Illinois is a local politician’s recorded message (which makes me promptly hang up). Actually, if I see a particular politician endorse a candidate, that’s enough for me not to vote for that candidate. And no, even George Clooney couldn’t make me vote for a particular one, though I agree with Sally in Chicago – just encourage me to vote.
Not to harp, but is this really popwatcy worthy? Mr. Quaker Oats himself made robo-calls to people a few years ago to ask them to support Bush’s Health Care plan. Bill Clinton did the same thing in 2000 to convince Black voters to support Al Gore. This feels like old news.
Plus, did EW already do a gig on how Samuel L was calling people to get support for “Snakes on a Plane”? So not only’s this subject been covered before, it’s been covered here!
Chris Rock’s always been political, so it makes sense that he’d be making calls. Plus he already made a movie where a black man became President, so maybe he’s hoping a few folk thought it was a documentary.
It has the opposite effect for me. All of the celebrity stumping turns me off to the point where I think more negatively about the candidate. If Lawrence Tribe were to leave me a voicemail, however, that would influence me.
NO! I do not want to be spun and especially not by celebrities. Is it impossible to get a little substance in my voting process? FYI, I hang up on all recorded phone calls.
I would listen 2 Chris Rock. Mainly because he ran for fictional office in Head of State.
As I pointed out in that Tech thread I don’t have a land line so I don’t get these phone calls at all.
I read the Stephen King article and it seems like he was more upset with the way the mainstream news media was turning the election into pop entertainment than with the celebrities. If the journalists would focus on the issues rather than who’s more likable the celebrity endorsement thing wouldn’t be an issue.
@J: Not watching someone’s movies because of which candidate they like seems really silly. Do you stop being friends with people because of who they vote for? No? Then why care about the position of someone you’re never going to meet?
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I just watched two hours of you on television. I was spellbound; not since my youth, have I had such hope. Go further. Never be afraid. You bring us all together in the best way that we wanted in the sixties — and try being a white woman (btw NOT DATING a black man in Mississippi in 1965)because you believed you believed you could be the best thing that has happened in so long – you were there to make a difference to be part of it all