BIG STARS ALIGN ON OBAMA’S DAY
Barack Obama will take the oath of office in the shadow of hard times, but his Hollywood supporters have no intention of letting stormy economic weather dampen their spirits when they converge on Washington to celebrate the inauguration of the United States’ first African American president -- and the kind of charismatic star Tinseltown embraces.
Obama put together an electoral coalition as broad and diverse as the country itself, and there will something to buoy everybody’s spirits during the inaugural festivities -- including the heartfelt rock of Bruce Springsteen and the music of pop diva Rihanna. And, no matter where the attendees are from, it’s more than likely that they’ll catch a glimpse of one of their favorite Hollywood stars during the celebration.
The entertainment industry found a new political leading man in the Democratic nominee. During the primaries the town was split between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, but post-convention all the love went to Obama, who used celebrity backers like Oprah Winfrey and Matt Damon judiciously in key states (and Hollywood money everywhere). Now the town is staging a mass migration east for inaugural week.
“It’s going to make Oscar night look like a wake,” said veteran publicist Stan Rosenfield, who represents George Clooney among others. Rosenfield quipped: “I would pay good money not to go.”
The list of Obama’s celebrity followers is longer than most Hollywood marriages. Steven Spielberg will be there; so will Sharon Stone, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, and so on. Sting and Elvis Costello will serenade a ballroom of people across town.
Springsteen will give a public concert, with a host of other artists, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial today. But don’t expect the artists to sing their greatest hits. They are being asked to perform pieces that capture the spirit and history of America. Among the lengthy list of performers, representing a wide variety of styles: Beyonce, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, will.i.am and Stevie Wonder.
The president-elect started quietly cultivating the entertainment industry at least five years ago with an introduction party at legendary producer Norman Lear’s house.
From the start the entertainment industry was intrigued by the Illinois politician, and he was adroit at converting that interest into well-focused support. (For example, Scarlett Johansson went on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania at a time when the state seemed very much up for grabs, Damon stumped for him in Florida, and Clooney headlined a fundraiser in Switzerland.)
Throughout the campaign, Obama remained connected in a quiet but effective way with his celebrity pals via their own medium -- the BlackBerry. (Winfrey said on election night that she hoped he didn’t change his e-mail addresses once he took office.) That private aspect points to one of the crucial differences between Obama’s relationship with the entertainment industry and the one Bill Clinton famously enjoyed.
Clinton’s relationship often seemed like an endless series of photo ops for a president who appeared to bask in the stars’ reflected light as much as they did his.
Look for Obama to remain very much in charge of his celebrity relationships, and expect them to play out on his and not the glitterati’s terms. “It’s Obama’s universe, and we’re all revolving around him,” publicist Michael Levine said.
Obama will use his celebrity friends as representatives for causes and issues, similar to the way the United Nations uses its goodwill ambassadors.
When it comes to setting the overall tone for his administration, however, this is going to be a script with only one leading role. The only other parts -- even for members of the Academy -- are strictly supporting.
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