John McCain recently called Barack Obama âthe biggest celebrity in the world.â If so, then itâs appropriate Hollywoodâs biggest celebrities would come out to celebrate Obama and this weekâs Democratic National Convention in Denver last week.
Among the stars included Oprah Winfrey, Scarlett Johansson, Steven Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lopez, Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, Charlize Theron, Angela Bassett, Ashley Judd, Kirsten Dunst, Chevy Chase, Forest Whitaker, Josh Brolin, Hill Harper, Fran Drescher, Annette Bening, Spike Lee and Jamie Foxx.
And it wasnât just actors. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem, and singers Sheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Kanye West and the Black Eyed Peas were also on hand.
Celebrities publicly endorsing candidates and making a spectacle at the convention is both criticized and embraced by citizens â even among the celebrities themselves.
Private Practice and Wings star Tim Daly, who is the president of the nonprofit group Creative Coalition that brings stars together to discuss important issues, thinks celebrities have every right to discuss their viewpoints.
âPerformers are citizens and in the U.S., we are allowed to talk about our beliefs. It’s also the privilege of people not to listen,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “The interesting thing about celebrity involvement is that they’re the only group of so-called lobbyists who stand to gain nothing from what they do, except to support the causes they believe in.”
Yet, Kid Rock tells Showbiz Tonight he thinks stars shouldnât publicly endorse candidates. In fact, when a big star announces who he or she picked, he doesnât want to vote for that candidate.
Nevertheless, the stars will continue to mingle with politics. Daly told the L.A. Times the Creative Coalition will also be bringing stars to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul this week.
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