“I don’t want to start turning people off to films and to art that could change consciousness or change the world because they don’t like my political opinions,” she added. “I want to protect my craft so that you can still get lost in what I’m doing. And if I can’t say something that’s going to speak to some kind of peace or lowering the temperature or some sort of solution, I don’t want to be a part of the problem. I don’t want to make the problem worse.”
—-Actress Jennifer Lawrence, finally, in her maturity, figuring out that it’s not part of an artist’s job to be public pundit, and that abusing celebrity in that fashion risks undermining that artist’s professional mission.
Lawrence prefaced her remarks by saying on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast,“During the first Trump administration, I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. But as we’ve learned, election after election, celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.”
And, may I add, as it would be expecting a lot for a Hollywood star to mention this, her opinions regarding politics and social issues deserve no more attention that that of the local barfly, and conceivably less.
When Donald Trump first announced his candidacy in 2015, Lawrence told Entertainment Weekly, “If Donald Trump becomes president, that will be the end of the world. I genuinely believe that reality television has reached the ultimate place where now even things like this might just be for entertainment.” That prognostication didn’t age well. After Trump defeated Hillary, Lawrence wrote, “Do not let this defeat you — let this enrage you!“Let it motivate you! Let this be the fire you didn’t have before. If you are an immigrant, if you are a person of color, if you are LGBTQ+, if you are a woman — don’t be afraid, be loud!”
Now solidly in her 30s, Jennifer understands that if you are an actress and out of your depth, shut up and entertain. I like Jennifer Lawrence, but I no more want to know her opinions on politics and the daily news than I want to hear Boston Red Sox players opine on legal ethics. I’m pretty good at not letting the artist get in the way of my appreciation of his or her art, which is a strong principle I have held since my teens. There are limits, however. Sometimes an otherwise brilliant artist so radiates bias and stupidity in public that the cognitive dissonance scale becomes insuperable. I won’t watch Roman Polanski films any more. I literally wince my way through Robert De Nero movies. I can’t separate Whoopi Goldberg roles from her idiotic statements on “The View.” The presence of O.J. Simpson chills the humor in all of the “Naked Gun” movies. And don’t get me started on Woody Allen…
The other problem with most performing celebrities is that they are weenies, and back away from their pronouncements as soon as they sense serious criticism. Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth expressed sympathy for the family of Charlie Kirk following his murder, and after being attacked for the sentiment on social media, said that she “had a human moment of reflection” and “came to understand that my comment” about Kirk “hurt some folks and that hurt me.” Oh. You know, Kristin, people who are “hurt” by someone regretting an innocent man’s murder are not worth feeling sorry for.
Similarly, Jamie Lee Curtis wept over Kirk’s death on a podcast, and after being attacked on social media, made a point of saying that she didn’t mean to seem “like I was talking about him in a very positive way, which I wasn’t.” Nice. Coward.
These are, for the most part, spoiled, under-educated, narrowly experienced, talented but trivial people who are used to sycophants and who live in a bubble. They have no wisdom to offer once they get outside their area of expertise, which, with rare exceptions, consists of the performing arts.
Jennifer Lawrence has figured it out. I hope her colleagues are paying attention.
Ethics Alarms 
Yeah, Lawrence figured out that alienating 1/2 of the countrty doesn’t bode well for her bank account. Call me cynical, but her comments strike me as someone worried about a paycheck more than being kind and considerate to those nasty, deplorable, racist, Nazi Trumpistas.
I do agree that actors, musicians, performers, artists overestimate their wisdom and knowledge about things of the real world, though. The cult of celebrity runs deep with them, as you might expect but I simply couldn’t care less what some actor or musician says about the Consumer Price Index or what is happening in Myanmar or South Sudan, not unless they actually have some background in the matter. I will listen to David Draiman from Disturbed because he seems to know what he is talking about regarding Israel. I might listen to Keanu Reeves because he seems to put his money where his mouth is. Roger Watters from Pink Floyd gets no particular weight from me, though – no more so than, say, David Gilmour. Actors? Most of them should shut up and act.
jvb
“Yeah, Lawrence figured out that alienating 1/2 of the countrty doesn’t bode well for her bank account. Call me cynical, but her comments strike me as someone worried about a paycheck more than being kind and considerate to those nasty, deplorable, racist, Nazi Trumpistas.”
Yeah, she’s not quite in the same tax bracket as Harrison Ford who used to avoid this kind of talk because he allegedly felt that no one should base one’s vote on what an actor says. Then, he endorsed Kamala Harris and has recently opened his mouth about how awful Trump is.
What do they know that we don’t? Is there some open secret in Hollywood about Trump that no one wants to spill to the rest of the country? If not and this is just boilerplate Trump hate, they need to recognize the harm they are doing.