Star Power? Advocacy, Receptivity, and Viewpoints on Celebrity Involvement in Issue Politics

Recognizing the ever-increasing involvement of celebrities in political life, the current study presents an empirical investigation of the impact of celebrity issue politics in the post-2008 election environment. Relying on experimental data collected in the fall of 2009, initial results suggest that the less politically important an issue, the more appropriate it is for celebrities to promote their own viewpoint. The second analysis highlights significant positive relationships between exposure to celebrity issue advocacy appeals and receptivity toward celebrity involvement in politics. Implications of the findings are discussed.