Inside D.C.
Out of the mouths of celebrities
When I founded the Animal Agriculture Alliance, one of the first projects we launched was the first research on consumer attitudes towards the animal rights movement, trust in and understanding of farming and ranching, messages the public wanted to hear and who the public trusts when it comes to recommendations about what they eat. It was an eye-opener.
This last question went to animal agriculture’s increasing frustration with the number of Hollywood types who parroted the PETA and HSUS lines with nary a thought to the damage they might do to farmers and ranchers, the number of consumers they would outright mislead or the degree to which they’d block food production technology advances, the kind of breakthroughs that keep food abundant, safe and affordable.
I was pleased to see the public give little credence to dietary advice from celebrities. Just as they wouldn’t take medical advice from Ellen DeGeneres or Pamela Anderson, they don’t pay much attention to celebrity food faves or dietary choices.
So every time a Hollywood type shows up in Washington, DC, I think about that survey data, and then I remind myself that the DC magic media formula is as follows: Take one controversial issue, add one celebrity – preferably an A List celebrity – with an axe to grind, and you have automatic media coverage. After all, reporters are just as shallow as the rest of us when it comes to celebrity sightings, as in “she/he’s so short,” or “she/he’s better looking in person.”
This week we were graced with the presence of actress and self-styled lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow –mother and actress Blythe Danner in tow – who appeared on Capitol Hill for the Just Label It coalition to promote federal labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients. She did her requisite press event — with Congress out of town on August recess — with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D, CA), the author of the Senate bill mandating GM food labeling; Sen. Patrick Leahy (D, VT), the “father of the organic program” and whose home state enacted its own GM labeling law, now the focus of a lawsuit by the food industry; Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D, CT), another whose home state has enacted a labeling law, and Sen. Jon Tester (D, MT), an organic farmer.
To listen to Paltrow’s prepared remarks was to hear her say, “I’m not here as an expert. I’m here as an American mother who honestly believes I have the right to know what’s in the food I feed my family.” She proved she’s no expert, but she is a celebrity.
Paltrow’s qualifications appear to be that she’s dedicated the last year of her life to publishing a lifestyle website called www.goop.com, featuring clothing, exercise, food recipes, detoxes/cleanses, travel tips and other insights. It is on goop.com where you can purchase a “half cardigan stitch V-neck” for $995, or cruise the food section where you won’t find a section on meat recipes, but you’ll find several nifty cocktail recommendations.
Couple this affinity with average working Joe or Jane, and then consider the following statements Paltrow said out loud, courtesy of the ABC News website, “Good Morning America” division: “I am who I am. I can’t pretend to be somebody who makes $25,000 a year,” or “I’d rather smoke crack than eat cheese from a tin,” and finally, “I would rather die than let my kid eat Cup-a-Soup.”
This begs the very obvious question: Why would you choose Paltrow as your celebrity spokesperson? Lots of media did show up, but it was a slow news day, I guess. Take heart; it doesn’t matter because the folks aren’t listening anyway, at least to the celebrities.
Stay after them, Steve. If we tell the truth often enough, sooner or later these misled folks are going to listen. Will they wise-up? Some will, some won’t. But we can’t let this nonsense ride to the detriment of a world full of hungry people. Well fed people normally don’t want to fight.
Gene