One can never entirely trust an entertainer - and the reason why should be obvious.
He was a lawyer, law professor, economist, White House speech writer (Nixon, Ford), and author before he entered the entertainment field.
Ben Stein is not an entertainer. Far from it, in fact. He is a author and pundit whos credentials include service in the White House. Merle Haggard, on the other hand, is a entertainer.