Express & Star

Kirsty Bosley: Are celebrities holding more power in the world of politics?

Being a celebrity in 2016 is an extraordinarily powerful position to be in.

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Every digital utterance is beamed out to potentially millions and millions of young, impressionable people, making them wear different clothes, buy different products or act differently.

You only have to look at the rise in popularity of terms like 'bae' to see how these things can stick and spread if you throw them out there regularly.

Imagine if the same could happen for politics? How different things could be if the younger members of our society weren't so disillusioned? There's a political blackspot in our society, made up of young people more likely to replicate a Kylie Jenner lip-liner illusion pout than to go out and cast their vote for someone with a boringly un-plump lip line like David Cameron.

I often wonder how different the current climate would be if someone from, say, Celebrity Big Brother decided to run for candidacy here in Britain? I wonder if someone like David Beckham announced he was gunning to take over the Labour Party, more people would turn out and vote?

If teachers and schools are doing nothing to point children in the direction of information to help them make sound political choices, then it's no wonder celebs are wading into the conversation. How wasteful it would be to be given a voice and a platform, only to utilise it for spreading absolute bobbins.

When the Conservatives won the 1992 election, one particular media source famously claimed the victory. 'It was The Sun wot won it' they splashed on their front page, and many believe that they did.

But here in 2016, it's more likely to be celebrities that do so. With that understanding, dozens of celebrities have been taking to the web to share their political opinions with millions of followers, in the hope of making some difference to how people vote.

Everyone from award-winning TV stars to bum-shaking singers have had their say, and few politicians have provoked a celeb opinion quite like Donald Trump. The questionably-haired business juggernaut is, as we know, racing towards the White House as fast as his little legs (and voters) will take him. And many members of the showbiz elite aren't happy about it.

Take Michael Stipe, for example. The REM singer was not happy to hear Donald and Ted Cruz had used his music on the campaign trail: "You sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men. Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign."

Do you reckon he was unhappy?

Actor Matt Damon had similar vitriol for the Tangoed politician, saying: "If you analyse the things he is saying it is disgusting and dehumanising. You have to take it seriously that he is doing so well in the polls, but if you hear the things he says, they are so xenophobic and crazy that it is amazing that so many people are willing to vote for him."

Shakira, whose Hips Don't Lie, added: "No one living in this century should stand behind so much ignorance," and Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul was similarly concise, stating: "Dear Donald Trump, you're an idiot."

But none are as influential as Katy Perry, the most followed person on Twitter, with 86 million subscribers. That's more people than there are in Britain, according to my best mate Google.

She understands her influence, and uses it. Her feed is a mix of nonsense ('When ur dreaming that ur running through a field of fresh honeysuckle & you wake up to realize it was just ur dog peeing all over the bed'), messages of support for the Pope ('the Pope is dope') and links to support concerts for Hillary Clinton.

In comparison, David Cameron has just 1.5 million followers and even Barack Obama is trailing behind Katy by 15 million. The Pope has just nine million followers. That means that, as international voices go, the woman who sang 'getting our nails did, all Japanese-y' has a bigger reach to share messages than the man who runs her country or the leader of the Catholic church.

What is going on?

Maybe it'd take a celebrity like Harry Styles, one of the most digitally popular Brits, to take up politics to make the next generation care about it? No one has become disillusioned by the One Direction heartthrob yet. He hasn't bare-faced lied to us about his intentions, nor has his dad powered money into an off-shore account for all we know.

Some celebrities think they could do it – that they could be the next world leader. Take wrestler Hulk Hogan, he of the yellow bandana and golden musculature: "I want to be Trump's running mate. Did you hear that? Vice President Hogan?" he asked last year.

And troubled Charlie Sheen thinks he is in with a chance too. "If Trump will have me, I'd be his VP in a heartbeat!" he said.

Can you imagine the scenes? You might think that these celebrities were unable to pack any kind of political clout, but you'd probably be wrong. It's no surprise that Barak became president, especially after power-couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z threw their support behind him. . .

Celebs have a terrifying power, and they must know it, because so many of them toe the political line. While some, like Queen Bey, Jay-Z and Katy Perry aren't afraid to spread their chosen candidates' agenda, others steer away from it completely. Politics, like salary and religion, are just not polite to talk about. Also, it's a sure fire way to make yourself look stupid, isn't it? Something you DON'T want to do when you need your street cred to sell records.

The world of politics is filled with words that are difficult to understand, policies than make no sense to the every man and terminology that baffles. It's almost as though they were designed to make us feel that way. . . ahem.

Maybe more celebs should be brave and talk politics? Or maybe they should run for candidacy? Having Posh and Becks all turnt up at Number 10 sounds lit, bae.

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