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Republican and Democratic Conventions Provide Two Visions of Star Power

5 minute read

Last week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland speakers list felt, at times, a bit like a convention for autograph collectors. Scott Baio of Happy Days! Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty! Kimberlin Brown of The Young and the Restless! Antonio Sabato, Jr., of… being a model? It made for an easy insta-analysis of the sea in which nominee, and former Celebrity Apprentice host, Donald Trump swims: The candidate is surrounded by the sort of self-promotional demi-celebrity that grows once the half-life of true fame draws to a close, or that’s newly minted by reality TV.

But while the list of stars feels very Trumpian, the fact of pop culture’s outsized presence may just be a sign of a new normal. The Democratic national convention has been even more reliant on pop culture in order to carry across its messages. But the manner in which they’ve done so expresses a very different vision of how celebrities can be deployed in the political arena than the Republican Party’s. Trump’s celebrity surrogates are meant to be believed because, as stars, they’re more venerated and respected than average people watching at home. They had bold and at times apocalyptic pronouncements to make that they, as celebrities, assumed you’d want to hear. Hillary Clinton’s surrogates, by contrast, are slickly packaged to seem messily relatable. They’re folksy in the most groomed possible way.

Consider the a capella video of Clinton’s campaign theme, “Fight Song,” that aired Tuesday night and that has received over one million views on YouTube. Produced by and starring Pitch Perfect 2 director Elizabeth Banks—a frequent presence onstage on Tuesday’s DNC broadcast—the video features stars that even an avid celebrity-watcher might not recognize, goofing off to a very easy-to-sing song. The most recognizable voice is that of left-wing icon Jane Fonda, who just talks her line with great verve; other performers, such as TV performers Eva Longoria and Julie Bowen, melodramatically overdo their dance moves to a not-particularly-danceable song. They’re not vocalists—they’re guests toward the end of a very fun wedding.

Celebrities at the Democratic National Convention

Alicia Keys performs on the second night of the the DNC in Wells Fargo center Philadelphia on July 26, 2016
Alicia Keys performs on the second night of the the DNC in Wells Fargo center Philadelphia on July 26, 2016Ben Lowy for TIME
Actress Meryl Streep delivers remarks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.
Actress Meryl Streep delivers remarks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.Ben Lowy for TIME
Singer Demi Lovato performs on stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
Singer Demi Lovato performs on stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.Alex Wong—Getty Images
Singer Demi Lovato performs on stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
Singer Demi Lovato performs on stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016. Ben Lowy for TIME
Boyz II Men perform during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
Boyz II Men perform during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.Ben Lowy for TIME
Actress Elizabeth Banks stand on stage during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.
Actress Elizabeth Banks stand on stage during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.Robert Deutsch—USA Today Network/Sipa USA
Recording artist Paul Simon performs at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
Recording artist Paul Simon performs at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.Mark Kauzlarich—Reuters
US Senator Al Franken (L) and comedian Sarah Silverman share a moment during Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
US Senator Al Franken (L) and comedian Sarah Silverman share a moment during Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images
Actress Ashley Judd, a member of The Creative Coalition, greets people at a DC statehood and voting rights luncheon at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel during the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.
Actress Ashley Judd, a member of The Creative Coalition, greets people at a DC statehood and voting rights luncheon at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel during the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016. Jabin Botsford—The Washington/Getty Images
U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and two of her grandsons greet comedian Stephen Colbert (R) on the floor ahead of the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 24, 2016.
U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and two of her grandsons greet comedian Stephen Colbert (R) on the floor ahead of the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 24, 2016.Mark Kauzlarich—Reuters
Actress Susan Sarandon walks on the convention floor during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
Actress Susan Sarandon walks on the convention floor during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.Paul Sancya—AP
Actress Eva Longoria arrives onstage to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.
Actress Eva Longoria arrives onstage to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016.Jim Young—Reuters
Democratic National Convention: Day Two
Actresses America Fererra (R) and Lena Dunham (L) arrive on stage to deliver remarks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 26, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Alex Wong—Getty Images
Rosie Perez joins the Stars of Broadway to perform 'What the World Needs Now' honoring those killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 27, 2016.
Rosie Perez joins the Stars of Broadway to perform 'What the World Needs Now' honoring those killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 27, 2016.Paul Morigi—WireImage/Getty Images
Singer Idina Menzel (L) joins the Stars of Broadway to perform 'What the World Needs Now' honoring those killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 27, 2016.
Singer Idina Menzel (L) joins the Stars of Broadway to perform 'What the World Needs Now' honoring those killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 27, 2016.Paul Morigi—WireImage/Getty Images
Lenny Kravitz performs during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.
Lenny Kravitz performs during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 26, 2016.Tannen Maury—EPA
Angela Bassett walks to the stage prior to speaking on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 27, 2016.
Angela Bassett walks to the stage prior to speaking on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 27, 2016.Tannen Maury—EPA
Sigourney Weaver speaks on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 27, 2016.
Sigourney Weaver speaks on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 27, 2016. Tannen Maury—EPA
Chloe Grace Moretz speaks on day four of the Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016.
Chloe Grace Moretz speaks on day four of the Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016.Van Tine Dennis—Sipa USA/Van Tine Dennis
Actress Debra Messing waves while arriving on stage during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 26, 2016.
Actress Debra Messing waves while arriving on stage during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 26, 2016. Daniel Acker—Bloomberg/Getty Images
Former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar towers above the crowd as he poses for photos on the floor before the start of day two of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 2016.
Former NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar towers above the crowd as he poses for photos on the floor before the start of day two of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 2016. Bill Clark—CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images
Katy Perry performs at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016.
Katy Perry performs at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016.Ben Lowy for TIME

There was nothing in the video that a group of friends of any level of talent couldn’t have done in 30 minutes with a “Fight Song” lyrics sheet and an iPhone camera. And that’s the point: The stars, here, are tamping down their inherent star quality in favor of an amiable goofiness that’s sunny if not substantive. Onstage at the convention, Lena Dunham and America Ferrera made clear pro-Clinton points and anti-Trump points, but did so in a bantering, friendly way that wouldn’t have been out-of-place if they were co-presenting Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes. Meryl Streep, whose offscreen persona is as chill as her onscreen work is meticulous, took the stage in a charmingly idiosyncratic American-flag-print dress to let out a whoop of glee. And a group of Broadway singers took the stage Wednesday night for a group performance of “What the World Needs Now” made memorable by its pass-the-mic device—each star had a few seconds in the spotlight, creating a disjointed and cutely collaborative scene. Much like “Fight Song,” it did not yield an aural experience I would spend $1.29 on at iTunes. That was the fun of it. The performance had nothing to do with politics, and yet its reliance on teamwork over the virtuosic individual talent was pointed enough to stick.

Placing stars in situations designed to bring them down to earth had its rockier moments; poor Demi Lovato was granted literally no transition between her impassioned speech about living with mental illness and the beat of her song “Confident” dropping—it was about as deglamorized as a pop star’s performance could get, though she acquitted herself well. And speaking extemporaneously when asked to vamp for time before a delayed performance by Paul Simon, Sarah Silverman sowed a bit of chaos when telling avid Bernie Sanders supporters they were “ridiculous.” A convention that deployed its celebrities with more rigor—like, say, the RNC—would never have allowed this baggy delay to happen in the first place, and would have ensured that Silverman had a script to stick to. Or they would have booked a celebrity more willing to deliver a speech that relied more on hitting talking points, hard, than on jokes.

Nothing, except perhaps the delay for Paul Simon, is, here, an accident, and the Democratic convention’s strategy was, in the main, effective. The DNC’s strategy of carefully constructing opportunities for casualness feels like a purposeful, and smart, way to repackage star power.

In an election more defined than any in memory by the the power of pop-culture iconography, the DNC was bound to trot out stars—they usually do anyhow. In 2012, for instance, Scarlett Johansson, Kerry Washington and Longoria all spoke. But the way the higher volume stars were framed this time around was something else—as confidantes or chatty pals, not policy experts. Scott Baio wanted you to listen to him because he’s Scott Baio. The stars of the DNC wanted you to dance and sing and joke and shout with them because life is depressing enough—why not have a little fun? It remains to be seen whether it’s a gambit that will have any impact at the ballot-box—if it’s none, perhaps the celebrities at the next DNC will be grimmer and graver. (It’s hard to imagine they’ll reduce in volume, or that politics and celebrity will unweave themselves over the next four years.)

For now, though, the DNC has been a cannily crafted reminder that celebrity can be used as something other than a cudgel.

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