Vince Guerrieri wonders what the hoopla's all about: Jerry Springer's recent re-entry into the world of politics is nothing new for him -- or other entertainers, for that matter.
By Vince Guerrieri
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The most vital function our government performs is entertainment.
--Dave Barry
Well, Jerry Springer has thrown his hat into the ring, which already contains two midget strippers and the 500-pound lesbian trapped in a man’s body who loves them both.
Springer announced his candidacy for next year’s U.S. Senate race in Ohio, a seat currently occupied by George Voinovich. As expected, there are some people who are positively mortified that an entertainer would attempt to enter politics. Many of these people probably voted for Ronald Reagan … hell, didn’t everyone in 1984? Reagan, you may remember, made some lousy westerns before becoming governor of California and then President. It’s worth noting at this point that Springer already has elective experience, having served as councilman and mayor of Cincinnati.
Many people have been making the leap from sports or entertainment into politics. The Republican vice-presidential candidate in 1996, Jack Kemp, shared a locker room with O.J. Simpson as quarterback for the Buffalo Bills in the 1960s. The junior senator from Kentucky, Jim Bunning, is the only senator and the only man to throw no-hitters in both leagues. Arnold Schwarzenegger is mulling a run for governor of California. His opponent might be Rob Reiner (can you see the campaign ads? Carroll O’Connor in his “All in the Family” glory screaming “You are a meathead! Dead from the neck up!”).
The line between politics and so-called “serious” issues and more frivolous entertainment issues is becoming blurry enough that you have to squint to see it. Celebrities have offered their political views (some, all too willingly), and some have left the gridiron or the baseball diamond for Congress.
This is a uniquely 20th century problem, because before then, there really were no leisure activities like going to movies or ballgames, and thus, no class of people who made them their living.
People in power started to realize how much influence ballgames and movies had during the 1930s and 1940s. People went to movies or ballgames to escape the Great Depression, if only for a few hours. Actors were used to sell war bonds, and Franklin Roosevelt said that baseball was necessary to keep morale up.
After World War II, the gaze of Washington turned to Hollywood. Communists were infesting the movie industry, leading to hearings and blacklisting. Clearly, by this time, the influence of movies could not be denied.
Some movie stars got defensive against communist witch hunts. Others got on the offensive. Ronald Reagan, whose movie career had more days behind it than ahead of it, was the president of the Screen Actors Guild at the time (to date, he’s the only former union president elected President of the United States). The Errol Flynn of the B movies, as Reagan was called, decided that communism was a scourge and began speaking out against it. The Western actor started carrying a pistol for protection against communists, cultivating the cowboy image that led him to the governor’s mansion and then into the White House.
In 1988, when Reagan was forbidden from running for a third term, his vice president, George Bush, ran for president. Along with him on the campaign trail was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who described his opponent, Michael Dukakis, as the real Terminator. Dukakis, for his part, had a cousin, Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar (something that Schwarzenegger still can’t claim).
Now, there’s a movement afoot to recall California Gov. Gray Davis, and Ahhnold is considering a run, if not this year, then when the term would be up next year. Suddenly the line from “Demolition Man” about the Schwarzenegger amendment, letting him become president, is a little less funny because it’s a little less far-fetched.
Because Reagan made the jump, everyone else in Hollywood thinks people care about their politics. Actors and actresses wear ribbons for their cause, be it breast cancer, AIDS or whatever. Some use their appearances at events or talk shows as a bully pulpit.
During the events leading up to war in Iraq, and the war itself, some celebrities thought war was a bad idea. Surprisingly, there weren’t a lot of people in Congress who offered that kind of criticism, which makes electing actors to Congress a decent idea.
People in Washington asked about the credentials of the people criticizing them, forgetting that as Americans, we all have the right (some would say duty) to question our government. They don’t know what we know, politicians say. However, in light of the revelations about George W. Bush’s last State of the Union address, I’m not sure just how much politicians really know.
Like Frankenstein, political involvement by celebrities was a beast created by Washington. They liked it when they were part of the propaganda machine, but when celebrities started to think for themselves and challenging authority, well then, what did they know?
Warren Beatty thought about running for president (and you thought Bill Clinton had a nonstop sex life?). Charlton Heston became president of the National Rifle Association Sonny Bono was mayor of Palm Springs and then Congressman. Clint Eastwood was mayor of Carmel by the Sea. Someone asked Bruce Springsteen about running for the U.S. Senate from New Jersey (to his credit, he refused, saying he didn’t want a real job. He’s my hero).
And now, Jerry Springer wants to run for the Senate. I say why not? Where does it say in the Constitution that a senator has to be a lawyer? Or even a college graduate? All a senator has to be is at least 30 years old and a U.S. citizen.
Springer’s run won’t be politics as usual, and that can’t be a bad thing. If nothing else, Senator Springer would make C-Span ratings go through the roof.