Rock the Vote: Movie Stars Meet Democracy in Action

Not only do movies and TV shows influence our political beliefs, but the actors and actresses that star in them can influence us as well. If you don’t believe me, check out the YouTube videos below, which feature celebrities encouraging everyone to do their civic duty by voting. Many of them emphasize specific political causes, like abortion, environmentalism, and prison reform, and imply that you should care about those causes too.

Rock the Vote, the non-partisan, non-profit organization that produced two of these videos, is dedicated to informing and registering potential voters. According to their website,

“Rock the Vote works to mobilize the millennial voting bloc and the youth vote, protect voting rights, and advocate for an electoral process and voting system that works for the 21st century electorate. Since 1990, Rock the Vote has revolutionized the use of pop culture, music, art and technology to inspire political activity.”

Their website includes helpful resources and opportunities for you to get involved.

This is a pretty cool organization, and they certainly made an effective choice when they enlisted big-name actors and actresses to promote their cause.

Jon Stewart didn’t vote!!! Or did he? Does it really matter? Apparently it does.

It became big news when The Daily Show host Jon Stewart announced in an interview with CNN that he didn’t vote.

Why is this big news? Lots of people, the majority of Americans in fact, don’t vote. Why does it matter than Jon Stewart was one of them?

I believe it’s because Stewart is considered a political role model for many people. His show, which satirizes the news, is the only exposure to politics some people get. I could write a whole blog post on that point alone, but the point here is that people reacted when someone they saw as influential in the American political system treated the fundamental right to vote so flippantly.

The resultant outrage goes to show just how important television comedy has become in our political system, and that’s the point I really want to emphasize. The influence of comedians like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert has become impressively extensive.

Stewart cleared the air later in the day on his show when he announced that he really did vote. In his comments, he stated, “I want to apologize. It sent a message that I didn’t think voting was important or that I didn’t think it was a big issue. And I do.”

So relax, everyone. Stewart has relented of his secret plot to single-handedly bring our political system crashing to the ground by setting an example of not voting. He voted. The fact that this even made the news shows just how powerful television and television comedians have become.

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