The dangerous allure the politician
Kanye West, a rapper and Trump supporter, has announced that he will run for the US presidency as a celebrity presidents. West’s chances are slim to none without the thousands of signatures required to be on all the states’ ballots or the support of small parties.
While West will not be entering the White House anytime soon, there are many other stars who have had a successful career as politicians. They can appeal to voters by combining charisma, media savvy, and anti-establishment airs. It is important to be aware of what makes these people popular among voters, as it often doesn’t work out in reality when they are actually elected.
The US has also seen many celebrities become politicians, including Trump. Sonny Bono, the singer of Sonny and Cher fame was elected mayor of Palm Springs in 1988. He then went on to be elected to Congress in 1994. Jesse “the Bod” Ventura, a professional wrestler, was elected governor of Minnesota in 1999. He held that position until 2003. Ronald Reagan, a former US governor and actor in Hollywood, was next.
This phenomenon isn’t limited to the US. Imran Khan, the prime minister of Pakistan was a cricketer. Jimmy Morales was a comedian and the celebrity presidents of Guatemala. Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor who played the role of the Ukrainian celebrity presidents on the television series Servant of the People. Celebrities have been involved in politics all over the globe, some even holding the highest office.
Celebrity presidents have the advantage
Politics and celebrity may seem like a natural match. Celebrities are charismatic and skilled at engaging with media. Celebrities have more experience working with cameras and creating images. They may also have a better understanding of social media.
Celebrities are not like outsiders who appear out of the blue. Their campaigns are more likely get media attention and name recognition. Trump’s antics were a magnet for the media, which earned him almost $5 billion (PS4 trillion) in free airtime during his 2016 campaign.
Celebrity politicians are a result of changes in politics, from traditional political skills to media fundraising and management to more mainstream political skills. Although celebrities are not always well-suited for the role of governor, they can still attract attention from the media.
Celebrities are now more likely to run for politics because of the blurred lines between news and entertainment (or infotainment). Profiling a celebrity candidate makes for a great story.
It is not only the role of media and political changes that are important. Celebrities are popular because they are anti-establishment.
