When Barack Obama accepted his presidential nomination on the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Jennifer Lopez was on the town, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner attended the proceedings collectively, and Kanye West carried out at an Obama marketing campaign celebration.
4 conventions later, many issues are totally different in Hollywood – however the A-list enthusiasm for the celebration’s presidential ticket stays the identical.
Not because the Obama years has celeb enthusiasm been so excessive, merging the world of popular culture and politics because the race for the White Home kicks into excessive gear with this week’s Democratic convention in Chicago.
John Legend – who carried out on the 2008 and 2020 conventions – is about to headline a present Tuesday for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. On Wednesday afternoon, “Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus is hosting a panel with the nation’s eight feminine Democratic governors. And on Wednesday evening, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will carry out at a profit live performance thrown by the Artistic Coalition, a Hollywood advocacy nonprofit. Notable actors anticipated to attend embrace Tim Daly, Uzo Aduba, Anthony Anderson, Iain Armitage, Yvette Nicole Brown, David Cross, Jon Cryer, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Danai Gurira, Richard Form, Busy Philipps and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Excessive-profile audio system are nonetheless being finalized, a number of sources informed CNN, including {that a} slew of actors will converse on the conference’s principal stage. However hypothesis has run rampant on two stars specifically: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.
With no main performer introduced, followers of each Beyoncé and Swift are hopeful that the ladies – who each endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 – will present up in Chicago.
Representatives for Swift and Beyoncé didn’t reply to CNN’s quite a few requests for remark.
Spokespeople for the DNC and the Harris marketing campaign wouldn’t touch upon the rumors surrounding the 2 megastars.
CNN previously reported that Beyoncé gave Harris an early stamp of approval by signing off on the vice president utilizing her music “Freedom”in Harris’ marketing campaign – so it’s not implausible that Beyoncé would possibly carry out the music in particular person.
Beyoncé has a historical past of performing for Democratic politicians. In 2013, she sang the nationwide anthem at Obama’s inauguration. In 2016, alongside together with her husband, Jay-Z, she headlined a preelection concert for Hillary Clinton in Cleveland together with her backup dancers wearing blue pantsuits to honor the girl who may have been the primary feminine president.
Now, with one other potential first feminine president on the ticket, will “Queen Bey” take the stage?
Swift – who has but to make a presidential endorsement this election cycle – is within the midst of a five-night run of shows in London to cap off the European leg of her “Eras Tour.” The celebrity wraps at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday, or Day 2 of the conference, which means she may theoretically be in Chicago by Wednesday for the ultimate two nights.
Swift not too long ago fueled fan theories that she had already endorsed Harris when a girl’s silhouette pictured onstage behind her appeared to depict the vp. However CNN debunked that theory final week, reporting that the silhouette in query was certainly one of Swift’s background singers.
Swift’s military of followers – the Swifties – by no means miss a beat, and this week’s conference shall be no totally different. Even with out Swift, her presence shall be felt by means of her followers in Chicago.
As a part of the conference’s “DemPalooza” – public occasions and trainings – the Democratic Nationwide Committee introduced there shall be areas the place attendees could make friendship bracelets. Beaded bracelets are sometimes traded between Swift followers at her concert events – impressed by the lyrics to “You’re on Your Personal, Child” from the singer’s album “Midnights.”
There’s additionally Swifties for Kamala, a considerable coalition of Swift followers who organically mobilized on-line on the evening that President Joe Biden dropped out of the race endorsed Harris in July. Swift is just not affiliated with the group.
Irene Kim, who co-founded the group alongside fellow Swiftie Carly Lengthy, mentioned the Harris marketing campaign has been in contact. “They reached out to us asking how they’ll help in our initiative,” Kim informed CNN.
Kim additionally informed CNN she was invited to the Democratic conference as a content material creator, together with one other member of Swifties for Kamala, however mentioned she gained’t have the ability to make it to Chicago.
Earlier this month, conference organizers announced they would credential greater than 200 content material creators to cowl the occasion, marking a strategic effort to achieve youthful voters throughout social media – and a recognition by the Harris marketing campaign of how the panorama of political influencers has dramatically modified.
Whereas A-listers (particularly of the stature of Swift or Beyoncé) make noise, the definition of celeb is evolving. The high-profile attendees shall be starry, however maybe extra importantly, the group will doubtless break a document for social media follower rely on the conference room ground.
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