To: Celebs; Love, The White House

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By: Reanna Phillips

There are a great many things to say about the phenomenon that is Presidents inviting celebrities to the White House, but among those is the rising question of why. In recent years we have seen people like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, and even Olivia Rodrigo- a now 7-time grammy winner- visit the White House, and a great deal of why we know this is because they were sure to get the photos to prove it.

Surely, there can be little that an eighteen-year-old actress and singer can offer in the most powerful office in our country. Yet, her visit did prove eventful, as she even gave a speech to encourage what she called “youth vaccines”. While she by no means has the scientific credibility as someone like Dr. Fauci might, her right to do so comes from her celebrity. In my understanding of C. Wright Mills, this is what he would refer to as a coordination of power among the elites in a time of crisis- as an international pandemic certainly qualifies.

Pictures like this, of course, are meant to be youthful and inviting. While it makes Biden look as though he has all the suave of Regina George’s mom, his attitude and her attire bring a happy medium of politics to children- her fans- who otherwise, could likely not care less. Her invitation to the White House had little to do with any psychological or moral high ground and everything to do with the celebrity she has built for herself amongst her young and impressionable fans.


Sources:

Daniela Avila October 27, 2021 05:50 PM. “Olivia Rodrigo Says Biden 'Gave Her' Ray-Bans, 

m&Ms and a Shoehorn during White House Visit.” PEOPLE.com, 

https://people.com/music/olivia-rodrigo-reveals-details-white-house-visit/.

Mills, C. Wright. The Power Elite. 1975.


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