Stars discovering Obamacare is box office poison
Obamacare has become so unpopular that entertainment industry stars are discovering that speaking out in favor of it comes at a cost. Take Will Ferrell for example. Evan Murray reports at Mediaite:
Will Ferrell is the latest celebrity enlisted to help pitch the Affordable Care Act to the so-called “young invincible” crowd that needs to sign up in large numbers for the law to function:
But Ferrell’s #GetCovered post on Facebook on Monday led to an acidic sea of comments — over 4,000 and counting at press time, almost all of them negative. The actor’s followers lambasted both Ferrell for wading into politics, interspersed with links to anti-Obamacare articles from Townhall andWorld Net Daily….
Farrell is not the only person depending on the goodwill of the public to discover that Obamacare support comes at a cost. Jonathan Easley and Elise Viebeck of The Hill write:
The Obama administration is short of star power as it begins its last public relations blitz for ObamaCare.
President Obama’s celebrity supporters are not in the forefront as they were during the star-studded campaign-style videos that hogged the airwaves in 2008.
Contrary to expectations, the White House’s A-list backers have mainly stuck to Twitter to voice support for ObamaCare, while others have appeared in inexpensive online videos, or chosen to promote California’s insurance marketplace instead of HealthCare.gov, the notoriously troubled website for the federal exchanges.
It seems that not even the president’s most fervent and committed supporters want to get too close to ObamaCare. Some of Obama’s most powerful allies — figures including Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé — have stayed in the wings for the enrollment push.
Less than a year ago, Jennifer Hudson, Amy Poehler, and representatives for Winfrey and Alicia Keys were guests at the White House to discuss a strategy to promote the healthcare law.
Many expected this would lead to an advertising blitz full of famous faces. But, with limited exceptions, stars have largely failed to participate in a substantial ad campaign to promote Obama-Care’s new coverage options.
I am all in favor of ridicule for those entertainment industry figures who attach themselves to this disaster of a scheme.