AM Golden has delivered a fascinating Comment of the Day describing a phenomenon I was barely aware of: the practice of paying celebrities to attend conventions that have little of nothing to do with what the celebrity does or is famous for.

The COTD was inspired by my commentary on the brain-meltingly stupid anti-Trump “X” screed by one-time Academy Award winning actress Mira Sorvino, now on the shady side of what turned into a disappointing career. (To be fair, she was black-balled in her prime by Harvey Weinstein for not accommodating his sexual demands when he was one of biggest power-brokers in Hollywood.)

Incidentally, appropo of subsequent events, Mira’s polemic proclaimed Trump as the second coming of Hitler and said that if he was elected, it would mean the end of America as we know it. And as it is beginning to look like he will be elected…what is the patriotic thing to do to save the nation, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

But I digress…

The convention practice is clearly a cognitive dissonance scale stunt in part: an organization that sponsors a generally admired and beloved public figure as a “guest” gets a boost up the positive end of the scale. Or the celebrity is more like a freak show attraction: Come meet Joey Buttafuoco! Kato Kaelin! And a convention that features a professional leach like Mary Trump (above)? Don’t expect me to register.

AM’s Comment of the Day is also something of an ethics quiz. Don’t jump to the end: that’s cheating.

Here is AM Golden’s Comment of the Day on the post, “Hello. This Is Mira! She Used To Be A Successful Hollywood Actress Until Trump Derangement Destroyed Her Brain. Won’t You Give a Tax-Deductible Donation To Defeat This Terrible Disease?”

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Mira has been showing up at conventions lately. It’s becoming more common for very recognizable names to start appearing at these things. Susan Sarandon has been doing them, too. We’ve not met either, but these shows are good places to meet fans in a more safe environment, sign autographs, take photos and make a bit of money. One actress we know of did conventions while she was pregnant to fund her maternity leave when she couldn’t work.

Occasionally, though, a show will bring a guest that makes little to no sense. For example, about 14 years ago, a convention in Chicago had Rod Blagojevich as a guest. No one could understand why that choice was made. When the PA system announced he was there and signing autographs, loud boos erupted throughout the hall. I met Adam West at that show. Apparently, Blago had opened the curtain to West’s booth and reached out to shake his hand. When I reached the table, West said (in that Adam West voice), “I just got ambushed by Rod Blagojevich!” He seemed just as perplexed as the fans.

Last December, in Columbus, OH, a convention had both Mike Tyson and Pete Rose as guests. They were both controversial for obvious reasons. There is a type of convention goer that wants certain types of guests to be persona non grata at these shows (For example, Gina Carano – she who was fired from “The Mandalorian” for being insufficiently woke – is hugely popular among some fans. Others want to protest when she’s added to a show.) My feeling there is that, if you don’t like a particular guest, don’t get into the autograph line. I guess that excuses Blago, too. The purpose of the show is to make money, after all. If someone wants his or Gina’s signature and is willing to pay for it, more power to him, I suppose.

Of course, you run the risk that your guest is going to run his or her mouth. Conventions try to encourage fan-friendly practices on the part of the guests, such as punctuality, speed and civil behavior, among which is to avoid discussing sensitive subjects during Q&A sessions. This does not always work. I do remember John Cusack’s ranting about “Kids in Cages”, as well as one almost unknown actor who did a profanity-laden speech about religion (in Indiana, mind you!) despite the presence of children. Many attendees walked out of that one.

I have no idea if Mira would subject a convention audience to her opinion. Another actor I know of actually demands to know who fans in his line voted for and kicks anyone out who admits to voting for Trump.

The big Star Trek convention in Las Vegas (to which I had never been because it would require flying and because also Las Vegas) offers dozens of Trek-related guests. Performers, writers, showrunners, make-up artists, podcasters and others show up to give fans the opportunity to hobnob with them. Lately, though, the convention has been adding those who are not connected to Star Trek. “Galaxy Quest” is a great film loved by Trek fans who recognize the parody and appreciate it. But it’s not a Star Trek movie. Yet, actors from the film are being added as guests at the show. Guests from other sci-fi shows, such as “Battlestar Galactica” are also scheduled to attend.

I guess if people want to see them, that’s fine. It brings in the dough, right?

But this week, the show added a guest that has some people scratching their heads – Mary Trump.

Yes, that Mary Trump.

Apparently, Mary does a Star Trek/Politics podcast. But there are plenty of other people out there who do podcasts about Star Trek that aren’t guaranteed to go on a rant about one of the candidates. I have pointed out that Mary Trump is famous for only one thing: her last name. She gets interviews because she bashes her uncle. I do not pay admission to shows to be a captive audience to someone’s political soapboxing. If she wants to address Star Trek’s history of using allegory to tackle social issues, fine. But who really believes she’s there to talk about Trek? I will be surprised if she can go a single day without mentioning Uncle Don’s name in a disparaging way. Once she does that, she’s not talking about Star Trek, she’s campaigning for his opponent.

Is this ethical? Is this like having Mike Tyson, Pete Rose or Gina Carano at a show and letting the fans decide? Is it really a market-based decision? What do you all think?