<\/p>\n
The Washington Stand<\/strong>\u2014Recent years have seen a number of Hollywood stars<\/a> toss out their soapboxes and urge their fellow celebrities to simply shut up about politics. <\/p>\n During President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s first term, superstar and then-\u201cit\u201d girl Jennifer Lawrence was an outspoken critic, frequently weighing in on political matters,\u00a0describing<\/a>\u00a0the Trump presidency as \u201cthe end of the world.\u201d In an interview with The New York Times late last year, Lawrence\u00a0shared<\/a>\u00a0that she intends to keep her political opinions to herself during the second Trump administration.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first Trump administration was so wild, and just\u2014how can we let this stand? I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off,\u201d Lawrence said. She observed that the vocal political opinions of celebrities make no difference \u201cwhatsoever\u201d to the outcome of elections, asking, \u201cSo then what am I doing? I\u2019m just sharing my opinion on something that\u2019s going to add fuel to a fire that\u2019s ripping the country apart. We are so divided.\u201d <\/p>\n Lawrence further noted that the left-wing political opinions voiced by many of Hollywood\u2019s elites are likely a turn-off to most Americans, who the film industry relies on to buy movie tickets. \u201cIf I can\u2019t say something that\u2019s going to speak to some kind of peace or lowering the temperature or some sort of solution, I just don\u2019t want to be a part of the problem. I don\u2019t want to make the problem worse.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, several prominent Hollywood figures are urging their fellow film industry elites to follow Lawrence\u2019s example and just stop talking. <\/p>\n Ahead of this year\u2019s Academy Awards<\/a> ceremony, Sharon Osbourne, wife of the late rock star Ozzy and a frequent guest star in films and on television shows,\u00a0called on<\/a>\u00a0award winners to keep their politics to themselves. In a podcast appearance with her son, Osbourne said that \u201ceverybody needs relief from what\u2019s going on in the world,\u201d and that most people turn to entertainment for an \u201cescape.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI understand that people get really emotional about things politically,\u201d she continued, turning her attention to the Academy Awards. \u201cSo, when they are on TV knowing that there\u2019s 15 [to] 16 million people in this country alone watching, they want to use that platform to show everybody how emotional they personally are about a situation\u2026 And I get it, but they\u2019ve also got to get that Joe Public needs a f****** break.\u201d<\/p>\n Most Americans, Osbourne observed, have had it \u201cup to here\u201d with politics and don\u2019t need the rich and famous to bring up more political anger and anxiety. She suggested that actors and actresses limit their political diatribes to their personal platforms\u2014conversations, social media posts, interviews\u2014and check their political opinions with their hats and coats at the door when taking their seats for the Academy Awards ceremony.<\/p>\n Vince Vaughn, often considered one of Hollywood\u2019s rare conservative voices<\/a>, also\u00a0took a shot<\/a>\u00a0at Hollywood political preaching in a podcast interview with comedian Theo Von last week. <\/p>\n The actor summarized Hollywood\u2019s mindset on political debate as, \u201cWe\u2019re smart and got it figured out, and if you don\u2019t agree then you\u2019re an idiot.\u201d Vaughn said that it\u2019s fine for celebrities to feel strongly on political matters, \u201cbut it\u2019s a strange thing when you start [thinking you\u2019re] better than someone. That\u2019s when it gets weird.\u201d <\/p>\n He added, \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to say \u2018This is where I\u2019m at. And then here\u2019s someone else\u2019s point of view. Disagree or agree.\u2019 It\u2019s another thing to be like, \u2018I\u2019m so right, and I\u2019m going to help you or condescend to you.\u2019\u201d He quipped, \u201cNo one wants to hang out with that.\u201d<\/p>\n Vaughn also suggested that the culture in Hollywood has not become more political, but that celebrities \u201cgot rewarded\u201d for embracing left-wing politics and ostracized or canceled for adhering to more conservative or less politically correct values. \u201cThey started to come out there and do it, and I don\u2019t even know how much everyone even is informed on everything, but they really like to get out there and do it,\u201d he said of celebrities who promote their political views. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd they\u2019re hypocrites, too, a lot of times, like anybody is,\u201d he added. \u201cPeople my age, we disagree, agree, we\u2019d change our minds, we\u2019d laugh, we joke. \u2026 But there was definitely a culture that if you didn\u2019t agree with these ideas, you were looked at as bad for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Hollywood executives made it \u201ctoo complicated\u201d to make and promote comedy films, Vaughn suggested, instead relying on stand-up comedy specials. When producing a stand-up special, he said, producers and studios could put the blame for any politically incorrect material on the featured comedian. \u201cBut the studios weren\u2019t going to produce a [feature-length comedy film] and be more responsible for supporting the making of that film,\u201d he said. \u201cThey were trying so hard not to offend anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n In an appearance on former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly\u2019s podcast, movie star Josh Duhamel also\u00a0castigated<\/a>\u00a0celebrities for airing their unsolicited political views<\/a>. \u201cI have real strong opinions about things, but I don\u2019t really talk about them,\u201d he said. \u201cWhy would I alienate half my audience? Because I respect their views on things, but I\u2019m not going to preach to them. They can believe what they want,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Duhamel anticipated that it \u201cshould be\u201d a growing trend for celebrities to keep their political opinions to themselves. \u201cIt makes perfect sense. If you really want to be a success in this business, why would you make half of your audience despise you [because of] your political beliefs? Maybe they don\u2019t care? I don\u2019t know. I look at it like a business decision,\u201d he said, comparing himself to a \u201ccourt jester\u201d who is paid for his entertainment value, not his political insight. \u201cI\u2019m just here to make cool stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n During Trump\u2019s first term in office, celebrities frequently spoke out against his administration and the Republican Party. One of the most controversial moments was when actress and self-styled comedienne Kathy Griffin posted a photo to social media holding what looked like the president\u2019s bloodied, severed head. <\/p>\n