Reagan did it for actors, and Schwarzenegger had a great shot if he wasn’t Austrian born, so why not the music industry too?
Not just rock but jazz, classical, country, Broadway musicals, whatever. Is the world ready for the **Kenny G **administration? (He’s Clinton-esque with that saxophone) Besides everything else, it would be funny to see people comb through their body of work looking for embarrassing lyrics.
(Personally I want to see Billy Idol become the leader of the UK. His works such as Vital Idol and Rebel Yell show a clear penchant for maintaining agricultural commodities at a consistent market value.)
I forgot about Canada. Neil Peart would be a great Tory. He’s the original Ayn Rand Tea Partier and I can just picture him comparing notes on seal hunting and drumming techniques with the Inuit.
Musicians largely lack even the most cursory PR skills that a real presidential contender needs. My proof is every talk show where they invite the band over to the couch for an interview. The great majority of these guys don’t even have the skills to relate an amusing anecdote or insight about their own music, let alone self promotion and speaking plainly and non-divisively about issues.
Contrast the actor skillset, and it pairs significantly better with what it takes to be a high profile politician.
Musical taste and genre are so diverse that most successful musicians have more detractors than fans. That doesn’t translate well into a successful run for national office where you have to sell yourself to an audience representing at least half of the voting public rather than just the million or so it takes to have a hit record.
I don’t see why not. Entertainers are actually naturals at politics and many of them are underrated intellectually. Al Franken’s been an outstanding Senator, which shouldn’t have surprised anyone who has read his books.
Now musical artists, hmmmm. I could see Will Smith maybe, or Jon Bon Jovi.
Tricky part is that musicians can’t put distance between themselves and their music the way that actors can with the roles they play. The actor can always say “That wasn’t me. I was just playing a part.” For a musician, we expect their art to be a direct reflection of who they are, what they believe. Some musicians write ironically for some or maybe even much of their catalogue, but much of the electorate doesn’t understand irony so that could be problematic.
Best route would be to start with a relatively small constituency. Don’t go for U.S. Senate like Franken or Governor like Reagan. Start with a city position or a small congressional district made up of a relatively homogenous electorate who are already on your “side”. Then, if successful at this lower office, run for higher office on the merit of your record as a public official putting space between you and green room coke partys at Max’s Kansas City.
Better yet, build your own small business (outside the entertainment world) or head a charity (not just act as spokesperson but actually be involved in running it) then run for your first small office based on your success there so that you’re running on achievements outside your music.
Model:
Sonny Bono became restaurant owner, then running on “small businessman” cred he became Mayor of a smallish city, then became a U.S. Congressman.
A musician could follow in Sonny’s footsteps (though best not to follow in his ski tracks) then from The House he could run for the Senate then run for President. Alternatively, as Congressman he could get chosen as a VP candidate, then either from VP to President, or failing the VP election, his Party’s presumptive nominee for President four years later.
But from the VMAs directly to a Presidential campaign? No.
Not necessarily in that category, but there are already famous (non-US, non-English singing) musicians/composers that have held high positions in government cabinets (usually the equivalent of an Arts and Culture seat, or a tourism promoter seat… a National Endowment for the Arts or PBS equivalent?)
Ten years from now, when she turns 35 and is eligible for office, it would be awesome to see President Kesha Sebert. Think of all the glitter there would be at the inaugural ball.
There are several SDMB members who are seemingly convinced that Marilyn Manson is a noble, wise and brilliant fellow, truly Solomonesque, a towering intellect whose every utterance is worthy of study and reverent reflection.
Yes, by comparison to other musicians. It’s honestly refreshing to listen to him being interviewed just for the sheer spectacle of a professional musician possessing and articulating insights. Add onto that his freakshow stage persona, and he seems even more surprising.
Basically, I’d rate him on par with a solid tenured professor at a good state university.
