On Sunday, a group of prominent Hollywood celebrities took to social media to use Mother’s Day as an opportunity to urge First Lady Jill Biden to call for a “permanent ceasefire” in Gaza. The Instagram video featured star-studded appearances from Rosie O’Donnell, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski, Annie Lennox, Frances Fisher, LisaGay Hamilton, and Marcia Cross. These entertainers implored “Dr. Jill Biden” to use her position as a mother to intervene in the ongoing war in the Middle East.
However, the video made no mention of Hamas, the terrorist organization that is responsible for perpetuating the suffering of Palestinian people and holding US citizens as hostages. Instead, it used emotional appeals, with Christine Baranski referring to “the decimation of an entire population” and Eve Ensler, the author of The Vagina Monologues, calling the situation “the unfolding genocide in Palestine.”
The video was accompanied by the hashtag #artists4ceasefire, which is associated with a celebrity activist group that has been pressuring the Biden administration for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The group has made its presence known at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, with celebrities like Billie Eilish, Rami Youssef, and Ava DuVernay wearing red lapel pins in support of their cause.
This latest effort by the Hollywood elite to use their influence to sway political decisions comes as no surprise. President Biden’s reelection campaign has been increasingly leaning on Hollywood as a key player in securing his win in November. Earlier this year, Biden’s campaign named former DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg as one of the campaign’s national co-chairs, showcasing the importance of the entertainment industry in their strategy.
The involvement of Katzenberg may prove to be beneficial for Biden’s campaign, as he has extensive connections within Hollywood and is able to target one of the main power centers in the country. Katzenberg played a major role in a recent fundraising weekend in Los Angeles, where Biden reportedly raised $15 million for his campaign.
Hollywood’s role in Biden’s campaign is not limited to financial support. The president himself made headlines last month with a surprise appearance on famed SiriusXM radio host Howard Stern’s show, where Stern praised him for his “compassion” and “calming influence.” Biden also recently appeared on the podcast “SmartLess” alongside former Presidents Obama and Clinton, and was a guest on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” where he received effusive praise from the actress.
The potential boost from Hollywood goes beyond just fundraising and can help gain attention and amplify a candidate’s message in unconventional ways. Princeton University political science professor Lauren Wright states, “It’s about reaching a section of the public that might not normally have a chance to listen to you — or want to listen to you.” However, experts caution that the impact of celebrity endorsements should not be overestimated. Wright states that while they can be helpful in getting attention, they are unlikely to change the minds of voters.
Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign continues to court Hollywood in hopes of gaining crucial support for his reelection bid. The New York Times reported earlier this year that his team was strategizing ways to secure the endorsement of singer Taylor Swift, whose massive fan base could potentially prove to be a game-changer for Biden.
However, not all experts are convinced of the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements. Fred Davis, a longtime GOP ad maker, suggests that it is merely a “big box of nothing” that has little chance of swaying voters who have already made up their minds.