Hollywood celebrities have been making themselves look foolish in the press again this week. That’s not really an unusual state of affairs, although this time the subject matter is a bit more serious than a badly chosen dress or getting drunk and punching a photographer.
Amnesty International just voted to support the decriminalization of sex work. They did this despite a number of celebrities kicking up a fuss in the press. Famous names such as Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Lena Dunham and Anne Hathaway were all opposed. So on one side we have a global organization that has spent years studying the issue and helping people affected by it. On the other we have a bunch of actors whose qualifications include looking good and delivering scripted lines in a believable manner. Those are handy attributes to have, but I’m not sure they really qualify you to lead the debate on this issue.
I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, I’ve vented on celebrity idiocy in the past. I just wished they’d stick to selling silly diet books or crazy religions, rather than sticking their nose into policies than can have life or death implications.
While Ms Hathaway may be abusing the power of her celebrity, I will admit she does look good as catwoman. The movie may have sucked, but she was one of the (rare) highlights