Hollywoods rich and famous are that because of their make-believe activities. Being directed to act as someone else, then becoming famous for pretending to be someone else, or for directing others pretend activities. And get filthy rich for it.
They know their fortunes are from make-believe. And most athletes fortunes are from playing a game with a ball.
No wonder so many actors and athletes desire to be known for something real, and punditry is easy, with fast feedback.
Anthony Hopkins on Why He Doesn’t Talk About Politics: ‘Actors Are Pretty Stupid’
In a conversation with fellow actor Brad Pitt for a lengthy chat for Interview magazine, Anthony Hopkins explained why he seldom — actually: never — talks about politics... and why he’s not a big fan of other actors talking about politics either. In short: “Actors are pretty stupid.”
“People ask me questions about present situations in life, and I say, I dont know, Im just an actor,’” Hopkins told Pitt. “ I dont have any opinions. Actors are pretty stupid. My opinion is not worth anything. Theres no controversy for me, so dont engage me in it, because Im not going to participate.”
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17ji7tA4swAkqBooxinjnLwGsSMT9qe1gcmuDihDoCjM/edit
There seems to have been an actual decline in rational thinking. The United States had become a place where entertainers like De Niro/the zero and professional athletes were mistaken for people of importance.
They were idolized and treated as leaders; their opinions were sought on everything and they took themselves just as seriously after all, if an athlete is paid a million or more a year, he knows he is important so his opinions of foreign affairs and domestic policies must be important, too, even though he proves himself to be both ignorant and subliterate every time he opens his mouth. (Most of his fans were just as ignorant and unlettered; the disease was spreading.)
Robert A. Heinlein, To Sail Beyond the Sunset