As the 2016 election nears its end Nov. 8, it seems only natural that both the Democratic and Republican candidacies become more passionate. With that has come some of the strangest celebrity endorsements ever seen in any election.
While celebrity endorsements have been present in politics since the 1920s with President Warren G. Harding’s campaign, it wasn’t until the 1960s when celebrities became more openly political through the Civil Rights movement and the war in Vietnam.
Campaign songs were one popular way to promote candidates. Frank Sinatra re-recorded his hit song “High Hopes” for John F. Kennedy’s 1960 campaign, and the classic show-tune “Hello, Dolly!” was remade into “Hello, Lyndon!” by Carol Channing for Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1964 campaign.
However, these are all trivial compared to the insane number and style of endorsements pledged during this election.
Never before has the phrase “everyone likes a circus” ever been more epitomized. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are the ringleaders, and their celebrity supporters are the weird performance acts.
Clinton has had strong female supporters even before her first presidential campaign in 2008. Not only has Amy Poehler done the best Clinton impersonation ever on “Saturday Night Live,” but she also played Clinton’s No. 1 fan, Leslie Knope, on “Parks and Recreation.”
Many of these early endorsements focused primarily on her strong demeanor, plus the fact that she would be the first female president. A focus on the issues and common-ground to take down Trump has brought forth other supporters as well.
Katy Perry, a longtime supporter of Clinton, tweeted in June of 2014 that she would be willing to write a campaign song for the Democratic candidate. Perry’s song “Rise,” a rendition of her hit “Roar,” was performed at this year’s Democratic National Convention.
Those aren’t even the strange parts. In September, Funny or Die released a sketch of Perry arriving to the polls completely naked, ready to vote for Clinton but instead arrested by police.
She isn’t the only female celebrity getting naked for Clinton either. Shortly after, Madonna posted a nude selfie on Instagram with the caption, “I’m voting naked with Katy Perry!! Vote for Hillary. She’s the best we got!”
By far the best endorsement for Clinton, however, was in the special “Will & Grace” reunion episode. In the 10-minute episode, meant to coincide with the first presidential debate, Will and Grace explain their reasoning for supporting Clinton, while their friend Karen comically supports Trump.
How many TV shows, on air or otherwise, would be willing to dedicate an episode to the support of a candidate? That’s impressive campaigning.
But don’t worry, Trump has an equal number of wacky endorsers.
Sarah Palin — the closest Washington, D.C. ever got to its own Paris Hilton — publicly endorsed Trump in a long, convoluted speech in January.
“He is from the private sector, not a politician,” Palin said in her speech. “Can I get a ‘Hallelujah?’”
What? Even Trump at one point looked like she was too crazy for him.
There was seriously a moment where two former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestlers, Hulk Hogan and Jesse “The Body” Ventura, were about to fight each other to be Trump’s running mate.
At no surprise to anyone, controversial rock musician and NRA board member Ted Nugent also supports Trump. Like many other supporters, Nugent also believes Trump “tells it like it is.”
“Duck Dynasty” star and Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson said he supports Trump because both of them have been successful businessmen and stars of reality TV shows.
By that logic, does that mean Hugh Hefner’s success with “Playboy” and his occasional appearances on “Bad Girls Club” warrant him as a worthy president? Actually, I’d still be more likely to vote for Hefner than Trump.
Here comes my favorite. Former reality TV star Tila Tequila said she believes in Trump. Want to know what she also believes in? The earth is flat, Adolf Hitler is a “good man,” and the real Tequila was assassinated in 2012 and the current Tequila is actually a government-designed robot.
Keep it classy, D.C.
afaulds@indiana.edu
