INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The majority of Americans don’t want to know how their favorite celebrity votes, new research reveals.
A survey of 2,000 Americans examined thoughts on celebrities and politics, finding that nearly two-thirds, 64%, would rather not know their favorite celebrity’s political affiliation. Only about 1 in 4, 22%, said they’d be happy to know if their favorite singer or actor voted red or blue.
Conducted by Talker Research, the survey also explored how people would react if they found out their favorite celebrity didn’t align with their political views. About 1 in 6, or 18%, said they’d stop being a fan, suggesting that many prioritize art and entertainment over political transparency.
Dr. Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist and consultant for reality TV told Talker Research,“For one thing, people like to feel that their favorite celebrity lives in a world of their own, a special place free of mundane issues, like going to the grocery store or figuring out who they want to vote for or support. For another thing, they are fearful that their favorite celeb holds opposing views, which would either disappoint them or make them question their own beliefs.”
Lieberman added that fans often imagine celebrities in environments that inspire their work. “For example, they like to picture country singers on their ranch or riding a horse. They want to imagine singers like Taylor Swift sitting alone in their bedroom, looking over mementos of past loves — not writing social media posts and signing them ‘Childless Cat Lady.’ Indeed, Taylor lost a lot of fans by making her dislike of Trump known.”
It’s not just celebrity political affiliations Americans prefer to avoid. Over half, or 57%, of respondents said they don’t want to know how their colleagues vote either, with 63% saying they think it’s rude to ask.
Younger Americans, however, are more likely to wear their politics on their sleeve at work. Half of Gen Z respondents said they’d prefer to know how their colleagues vote, compared to only 14% of respondents overall who said they’d want that insight.
When asked about changes in political discourse over the past decade, more than half (59%) said they believe people are more hesitant to share their political views today than they were 10 years ago.
Generational differences emerged in the data. Younger Americans like Gen Z, 37%, and millennials, 30%, were more interested in celebrities’ political leanings than Gen X, 23%, and baby boomers, 18%. Gen Z respondents, 41%, were also more likely to stop being a fan if they learned their favorite celebrity disagreed with their politics, compared to millennials, 20%; Gen X, 17%; and baby boomers, 17%.
Lieberman said, “Most people think that others are more hesitant to share their political views today than in the past. This is probably true. There is more distrust these days, so some people may feel ‘safer’ knowing that their colleague believes the same things as they do.”
