Posted on 10/30/2004 4:56:19 AM PDT by Ginifer
NEW YORK - Madison Avenue had unwelcome news for John Kerry's campaign yesterday as advertising executives said Bruce Springsteen, who is campaigning with the Democratic presidential hopeful, turns away more votes than he attracts.
The campaign trails have begun to look like Hollywood Boulevard as both presidential candidates inject star power into their campaigns, with Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing with George W. Bush in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday.
While many stars have spoken out about their presidential preference, with most opting for Mr. Kerry, a major ad industry study shows most voters prefer candidates who keep their distance from Hollywood. The exception is the celebrities who do not ram their political opinions down voters' throats.
Known to fans as The Boss, Mr. Springsteen is so outspoken he drives twice as many people to Mr. Bush as he keeps for Mr. Kerry, says the poll by Pere Partners, a New York ad agency that specializes in the entertainment industry.
But even though he's a movie star, Mr. Schwarzenegger is more easily accepted when he pushes his views because he has already moved into politics, being elected Governor of California.
"The results tell us if you go to a concert and pay $100 for a ticket, you want to see The Boss sing because he is an American icon and tremendously talented," said Glenn Pere, the agency's president.
"You also want to hear the lyrics. You don't want a lecture."
The survey names Michael Moore, director of Fahrenheit 9/11, as another high-profile celebrity whose campaigning is doing more harm than good to Mr. Kerry.
Not all the irritating celebrities are on the Democratic side. Actor Charlton Heston, who backs gun rights, and Bill O'Reilly, a leading Fox News host, are doing their best to annoy liberal Republican voters into the Kerry camp.
Mr. Peres says the survey shows people want to know only the superficial things about celebrities -- such as where they eat, what diet they are on, what car they drive and where they vacation
"Americans don't want to know a celebrity's point of view when it comes to politics," he said.
Nonetheless, there are a few celebrities with genuine clout, such as talk-show host Winfrey Oprah, former Army General Norman Schwarzkopf, comedian Jon Stewart and basketball player Charles Barley.
"Oprah is a Democrat, but comes across differently from other celebrities," said Mr. Pere.
"She doesn't preach, and you feel she understands both sides. Being well informed also makes her extremely credible."
For his part, Mr. Bush has simultaneously tried to capitalize on celebrities and criticize his opponent for being star struck.
"You might remember that my opponent said the heart and soul of America can be found in Hollywood," he said in Michigan this week, adding, "I understand most American families do not look to Hollywood as a source of values."
Yesterday, he took pains to refer to Mr. Schwarzenegger as "Governor" and did not mention his movie career.
But the U.S. President was unable to distance himself completely from the celebrity world.
The musician who co-wrote and sang the 1970s hit Still the One said Mr. Bush should stop playing the tune at his campaign events. John Hall, who recorded the song in 1976 after writing it with his then-wife, Joanna D. Hall, said he has told his lawyers to write a formal letter of complaint to the Bush campaign because he does not support his re-election bid.
No more good ol' American guy image!
Certainly he's now pegged himself as a partisan American from the left wing of New Jersey. Not exactly a place held in high esteem these days. Dems from NJ are having a hard time staying the course in the wake of the scandalous McGreevy and company. Bruce is being tarnished now with the same brush of liberal corruption.
Criticizing the President isn't very American for Mr. "born in the usa"!
I have an idea for a campaign theme song for W. Since all his enemies call him a cowboy, and since all these 9/11 mom's are worried about security why not use the song "COWBOY, Take Me Away." Yes I know who sings it. What better way to tiss them off.
Jane Fonda, please pick up the white courtesy phone.
These people are playing with backfire.
Bruce is painted as a voice for the little guy. Just asked the little guy in Pennsylvania who owned a small little skating rink. He played a Bruce Springsteen Tape one day, and the "boss" sued him bacuse he didn't have public performance rights. Should he have had the rights, yes. Shoulf bruce have sued him? Well if you're for the little guy. . .
Anyway I've never Winfrey Oprah or Charles Barley.
Both those songs have held up pretty well. I agree with you. Dance with me is a pretty good little pop tune. Harmonically and melodically interesting.
Over Barbra??????
You're not looking at this objectively.
The snippit of him holding up the gun probably scares some people but overall I don't think he turns off anybody.
I remember when he threw a hissy fit over Reagan's use of Born in the USA, and I was thinking of his song "The River" in which he said
Got a job working construction
in the Johnstown company
but lately there isn't been much work
on account of the economy
which of course was written in the Carter administration.
Madison Avenue had unwelcome news for John Kerry's campaign yesterday as advertising executives said Bruce Springsteen, who is campaigning with the Democratic presidential hopeful, turns away more votes than he attracts.
THE BOSS PITCHES IN: Bruce Springsteen joined Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry at a rally in Madison, Wis. Kerry told the crowd of about 80,000 that he would honor the rock icon's ideals.
I suspect this is true of most rock "stars."
That's actually more than I want to know. All I want to know about a celebrity is do they have enough talent to warrant the money I'm putting down to see/hear them?
King is an apppropriate name for this thunderous ego. Note her use of the royal "We" here -- she is talking about herself: "Our name brings" whereas if she was talking about all the Film Actors Guild types, it would be "Our names bring." Carole King has made a living as a songwriter and lyricist for almost fifty years and she uses words with great deliberation. QED.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
They are trying to draw an equivalence where none exists. Along with projection, one of the leftist establishment's favoriate behavioral tropes.
I used to play sort of folky Christian music with a couple of guys at church. I had quit but then I walked through where they were practicing and they were working on "This Land Is Your Land." I was like "Don't you know that's a communist song, not a religious song?" They were all "Whatever."
OK. Lemme get this straight. The challenger's campaign is basically a huge Hollywood fest, and he's gone so far as to say he'll look to some New Jersey bar band guy for ideals. Ohhhh-kay. So some "celebrity" (with a hit from 1976? Uh, how far does this word stretch? Is Napoleon XIV gonna endorse Kerry next, or maybe The Ventures?) attacks the President, and this is described as him being "unable to distance himself... from the celebrity world."
I dunno, but it looks to me like washed-up singers bashing Bush is qualitatively about the same as slightly less-washed-up singers pimping Kerry. Now, on to John Hall:
...who recorded the song in 1976 after writing it with his then-wife, Joanna D. Hall, said he has told his lawyers to write a formal letter of complaint....
How sweet it is. The song, "Still the One," is a celebration of an enduring relationship: evidently like, say, George and Laura's, and not, for instance, John and Joanne's, or any of these other celebrities with their abusive, manipulative relationships with their ultimately disposable mates.
Here is a shortlist of Celebs for Kerry who are still married to spouse #1:
(I told you it was short).
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
Ok this is gross but one time I read where Ted Nugent said sometimes he screams so loud he shi'ites. I've always thought the boss used too many bathroom muscles in his singing as well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.