Yeah yeah, you take beauty (or sex) advice from Lauren Conrad, but is it smart to let a comedian sway your vote? We think not.
Today, Adam Scott channeled his obnoxious (yet ever-entertaining) character from Step Brothers to speak out about the importance of healthcare (watch below). I'd be lying if I said it wasn't hilarious and I didn't agree with it, really. What's concerning is celebrities often use their influence to support (or disavow) hot button political issues. And while we're all for standing up for what you believe in, some of the less um, critically thinking brethren among us look to celebrities as a source of authority regardless of the topic at hand.
(For all I know, Scott is a passionate politico with secret presidential aspirations. Hey, if a B-movie star like former president Reagan can do it, why can't he?)
All in all it's a troubling trend. It wasn't too long ago when glorified soft-core porno star Jenny McCarthy went to town blasting the media with her "advice" against vaccinations. According to her (and some psuedo science), vaccinations caused autism. Many people believed her. Misconceptions spread like wildfire in a desert-dry forest and the rate of whooping cough and measles skyrocketed. All (reputable) studies point to no correlation between vaccinations and autism. In fact, the doctor who led the anti-vaccination study back in 1998, Andrew Wakefield, was accused of conducting his report unethically (as well as just plain sh*tty.) Still, people listened to McCarthy. It's amazing how much power a an articulate, semi-famous hot girl has, isn't it?
Face it: as a mass, people are gullible. They're apt to believe familiar faces (like Scott's or McCarthy's) over experts. And yeah, as much as I personally enjoyed Scott's video, I believe that this trend should stop. The healthcare debate is far more complex than a viral video can ever illustrate; it dangerously simplifies the issue. Celebrities need to get off the political soapbox. It's okay for the the pretty people to publicly state an opinion, but in terms of medical advice or domestic policy issues? It's probably best for the voters if the mega stars encouraged their fans to read and educate themselves. Imagine that.
What do you think? Watch and see for yourself.
Image: courtesy of Funny or Die
