Why what is this? Republican Kevin Costner testifies before Congress?

[librechik]

How shameful is that???

(not much--his starpower brought attention to an issue, just like Colbert did.)

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/w0006571.html

Or how about the party crashing couple, the Salahis, invited by REPUBLICAN congressman
Peter King to testify before Congress about PARTY CRASHING? That wasn't a waste of time at all, was it?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/03/AR2009120303908.html

Or Nicole Kidman, testifying before the House Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs about violence toward women?
Didn't you know she was a renowned expert on the subject having played abused women on screen?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/22/nicole-kidman-hollywood-violence-women

And let's not forget about the 300 or so Hollywood stars who were called to testify by the Republican dominated House Un-American Affairs committee back in the fifties--How many lives were ruined by those Republicans and how much of a fool did they make out of Congress--and America--with that months-long stunt?

Well we did get one thing out of it. Ronald Reagan as president. But when a Republican is a Hollywood star, that's ok. He can testify, he can legislate, he can rule. But don't try it if you are a Democrat. That is just an insult to America. Right?

[bluestateguy]

1. Didn't Jewel testify several years ago?

???

[librechik]

2. Why yes--as well as Christie Brinkley (Republican) and others, including Elmo (Puppet)

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/11464

But none of that was a waste of time either.

[librechik]

4. and don't forget a Jonas brother, Sheryl Crow, Robert Redford, John Legend,&Dennis Quaid,

http://www.good.is/post/slideshow-celebrities-who-have-testified-before-congress/page:2#slideshow_49981

[pinboy3niner]

11. In Elmo's defense, he IS kind of an Everymuppet...

...and, apparently, he's some sort of crime-fighting superhero to boot:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9215671

:)

[librechik]

12. exactly. His testimony was vital.

:)

[Buns_of_Fire]

25. Perhaps so, but I hope he was wearing pants when he testified.

Elmo, that is. I'm pretty sure Colbert was wearing pants.

[pinboy3niner]

3. Jon Stewart did a good segment last night on Colbert's testimony...

"Truthiness to Power" is the segment's title:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-september-27-2010/truthiness-to-power?xrs=share_copy

[ashleyforachange]

6. It was good....

[pinboy3niner]

8. Welcome to DU, ashleyforachange!

:hi:

[Johonny]

13. +1

[librechik]

5. In fact, this is so common a scholar did a study about it

http://www.kbjournal.org/darr_strine

A Pentadic Analysis of Celebrity Testimony in Congressional Hearings

Christopher R. Darr, Indiana University Kokomo
Harry C. Strine IV, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Abstract

The existing literature on celebrity testimony in Congress suggests that celebrities are nothing more than pawns of committees who use these witnesses to publicize their hearings. The current study modifies this understanding by looking at the rhetoric of celebrities using Burke’s dramatistic pentad of act, scene, agent, agency and purpose. Our use of Pentadic analysis, which takes the perspective of the witnesses rather than the perspective of the committee, reveals a much different view of celebrities and their purposes for testifying. We argue that the scene-act ratio dominates the rhetoric of celebrity witnesses: Celebrities portray their testimony as giving voice to the voiceless (act) and as motivated by significant societal ills (scene). They commonly use emotional appeals (agency) toward the self-professed end of improving the lives of the less fortunate (purpose) and downplay their own celebrity status (agent).

For better or worse, the American people pay deference to celebrities, and celebrities often capitalize on their status to draw attention to issues important to them. For instance, actor Michael J. Fox severed ties with his popular television show, Spin City, to help pursue a cure for Parkinson’s disease in 2000, telling a United States Senate committee “what celebrity has given me is the opportunity to raise the visibility of Parkinson’s disease and focus attention on the desperate need for more research dollars” (Abelson, 2000, p. F1). Other entertainers have used their celebrity status to draw attention to stem cell research (Christopher Reeve), AIDS (Elton John), diabetes (Mary Tyler Moore), music piracy (Lars Ulrich), freedom of religion (Isaac Hayes), and other medical, social, legal and political issues. Celebrities are clearly aware of their latent political power and are willing to use it to advance various agendas.

Likewise, legislators often use celebrities to draw attention to specific issues and legislation by inviting celebrities to testify before Congressional committees. Since 1969 there have been at least 400 celebrity witnesses at House and Senate hearings, including Ben Affleck, Charleton Heston, Danielle Steele, Muhammad Ali, Sheryl Crow, Tony Bennett, Julia Roberts, and a host of other actors, musicians and athletes (Strine, 2004). Strine (2004) points out that despite the large number of celebrity witnesses to appear as experts, their role in the legislative process has been largely ignored by political scientists. Communication scholars have also largely ignored this phenomenon—indeed, committee hearings, with the exception of Supreme Court hearings, have been almost totally neglected by rhetorical critics. Recent communication studies of Congressional communication have focused on floor speeches given during confirmation debates (Bates, 2003; Darr, 2005) and the Supreme Court nomination process (Darr, 2007; Parry-Giles, 2006), but to our knowledge no study has yet looked directly at the rhetoric of celebrity witnesses.

[librechik]

7. and this study reminded me about Charlton Heston--another Republican used to further the RW agenda

So they should just shut tup.

[kctim]

9. You seriously

don't see the difference between a Costner or Cloony testimony and the silly in character Colbert testimony?

IMO, you are looking for something that is not there when it comes to this.

[librechik]

10. Elmo wasn't in character?

you are picking nits. The larger point is there is nothing unusual about a person from the performing arts testifying before Congress. There is no grounds to criticize the testimony as irrelevant or shameful. As the Right is trying to do.

[Winterblues]

15. Are you suggesting those other actors can't hold a candle to Colbert?

I think they can act as good or at least almost as good as Colbert. Colbert has a Political show and they don't yet for some reason they were also invited to a political forum to testify on subjects they only act about...At least Colbert interviews many people involved in current political issues. Many people are able to get to the meat of the matter easier through humor than otherwise..

[kctim]

24. Just the opposite

Colbert can't hold a candle to Clooney or Costner. In acting or care and knowledge of what they testified about.

[Obamanaut]

14. Self delete. Read the OP incorrectly, and responded too quickly. nt

[pinboy3niner]

17. Read librechik's OP again

"How shameful is that???

(not much--his starpower brought attention to an issue, just like Colbert did.)"

[Obamanaut]

19. Reread the OP. Modified earlier post. Thank you. nt

[pinboy3niner]

21. Was that an addition?

Sorry, I didn't catch that. If it was added as an afterthought, it was a good one. Using celebrity to call attention to important issues is just as valid when Costner does it as it is when Colbert or "Elmo" do it--which, I think, was your original point.

:hi:

[Cleita]

16. Costner is an Independent.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080703/PEOPLE/994132453

I said most people have the idea that Costner is a Republican, but he says he's an independent.

"I grew up in a Republican household, and I heard father go, 'Damn that Kennedy,' and when you're 12 years old, you're probably thinking, if you love your father, yeah, damn that Kennedy. My family was very staunchly Republican. I had to evolve and that took time for myself. I moved very quickly as a 20-year-old. I have very conservative roots, but my evolution allowed me to make 'JFK' and '13 Days' and those kinds of movies. I've always felt too limited by both parties."

[librechik]

20. I stand corrected n/t

[OKNancy]

23. His money goes to Democrats. n/t

[thelordofhell]

18. If Congress really wanted people to watch

They would get porn stars and bikini models to testify.......in character.

[NickB79]

22. And Michael Crichton testified a few years ago that global warming wasn't real either

Because we all know of his impressive scientific credentials :eyes: