Staff Reports
In the aftermath of the recent election, the chatter among celebrities who vowed to leave the United States if Donald Trump won has reached a comical crescendo. Many famous figures, like Cher and Barbara Streisand, proclaimed their intentions to pack their bags and flee the country if things didn’t go their way. However, weeks have passed since Kamala Harris’s defeat, and it appears these self-proclaimed patriots are either still here or have ignored their lofty declarations—likely too busy counting their Netflix residuals to settle on a flight route to Italy.
Take Stacey as an example; she promised she would need to ditch the country and find refuge in England. Yet, as we all know, the only thing more inflated than her promises is the amount of air time her opinions receive on cable news. It’s interesting that neither she nor Cher, who claimed she’d leave the planet, have made good on their threats. Instead, Cher is still earthbound, admitting that she may just present herself as an alien rather than joining the stars. This gives a whole new meaning to “dressing up for the occasion,” doesn’t it?
Meanwhile, Sharon Stone provided her brand of enlightenment as she graced the Torino Film Festival with her presence. Apparently, with her self-reported IQ of 154, she’s decided that the loss stemmed from the collective ignorance of the American populace. How kind of her to share that insight with us mere mortals who, in her opinion, are clueless because we don’t travel abroad to experience life as she does. She asked us to believe that Americans, the vast majority of whom don’t even have a passport, are wallowing in ignorance as they cling to their uneducated mindset. Perhaps if the film industry were less concerned with producing content filled with societal whining and more focused on showcasing real talent, we might have something of substance to watch.
Stone expresses concern that good men must help each other, denying the character of their less savory friends, otherwise known as ‘bad men.’ Meanwhile, it appears she believes those of us who happen to support Trump are akin to rabid raccoons and need to be avoided at all costs. She’s so wrapped up in her celebrity status that she fails to realize that society has long identified ‘good’ and ‘bad’ individuals far before her arrival on the scene. What’s more, the audience’s applause shows how little critical thinking is required for them to accept her poorly framed views without question.
Alec Baldwin also had a few words to share, declaring that the reason for Kamala’s defeat was America’s lack of information. He believes Americans would benefit from a cinematic crash course on political issues. He thinks the salvation of our great nation lies in individuals watching narrative films that will shape their political realities. Rather than tackle facts and figures, Baldwin suggests we gather around the popcorn and let Hollywood educate us on complicated world issues. Who knew that voting decisions now rest on the twists and turns of a second-rate screenplay? It does make one wonder just how far removed from reality they are.
These celebrities are like broken records, insisting they know what’s best for America while simultaneously ridiculing those who disagree with them. They believe any dissent among the public is merely due to ignorance rather than a legitimate difference of opinion. Perhaps if they spent less time on their airplanes and more time engaging with the very Americans they criticize, they might learn something new.
In the end, the hopes of these celebrities to influence the American electorate reveal a profound disconnect from the values and realities faced by everyday citizens. Their promises to flee have come to symbolize empty threats overshadowed by an unending parade of self-importance, waxing philosophically about subjects that, frankly, they appear ill-equipped to comment on. There’s a lesson to be learned here about authenticity and accountability, but given the world of glitter and glamour they inhabit, it’s unlikely any of these stars will heed such wisdom anytime soon.
