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Highbrow: Monitoring the Paris-Britney Ad Fallout
Highbrow
After Monday's discussion, I didn't think I'd be talking politics again so soon, but Paris forced my hand.
By now we're all familiar with the ad: in an attempt to diminish opponent Barack Obama, John McCain compared him to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. And despite the fact that it may not make the best Friday List inspiration, there has been some meaty opinion-making over the past week -- weighing the ad's effects on the presidential race and the bleeding of celebrity into the campaign.
As expected, the comparison drew outrage from Paris's mom, Kathy Hilton, who called the ad "frivolous" and a "waste of time and money." (And quite possibly her money, since it turns out Hilton had contributed funds to the McCain campaign in the past). Slate's Christopher Beam even asked if Paris could sue the McCain campaign. Probably not, since "political speech is so highly protected by the First Amendment," he concludes.
But, who would sue when faced with a golden opportunity to ride an unexpected wave of publicity? Not Paris, who fired back earlier this week with her own satirical take on the ad, courtesy of the Will Ferrell backed site FunnyorDie.com:
As if we didn't already realize that John McCain is old and out of touch, the contrast of Paris's well-produced, spot on rebuttal only makes him seem more remote and removed from what makes America tick. (From the voice-over: "He's the oldest celebrity in the world, like super old. Old enough to remember when dancing was a sin.") Score one for Paris.
The NYT's Maureen Dowd thinks McCain's ad is a bellwether for a foundering campaign and a major insight into a candidate green with jealousy:
The Arizona senator who built his reputation on being a brave proponent of big solutions is running a schoolyard campaign about tire gauges and Paris Hilton, childishly accusing his opponent of being too serious, too popular and not patriotic enough.
She continues:
For McCain, being cool meant being a rogue, not a policy wonk; but Obama manages to be a cool College Bowl type, which must irk McCain, who liked to play up his bad-boy cool. Now the guy in the back of the class is shooting spitballs at the class pet and is coming off as more juvenile than daring.
After reviewing the ghosts of campaign ads past, Annabelle Gurwitch (writing in The Nation) not only invokes the infamous Willie Horton ad, but thinks that the use of Paris and Brit only points out the fact that John McCain just doesn't get it: Paris and Brit are geniuses of brand marketing, continuing to rake in the bucks despite an otherwise tanking economy -- so, by likening his opponent to Brit and Paris, McCain is only reinforcing Obama's firm position in our national psyche.
Still, the McCain ad team has decided to doggedly stick to its new theme, yesterday releasing an ad again labeling Obama a -- dare I say it? -- "celebrity." Says the Fix's Chris Cillizza:
Let there be no doubt: Republicans have adopted "celebrity" just as they associated "flip-flop" with John Kerry in 2004.
Why stick with a concept that drew mostly guffaws and head-shaking the first time around? Cillizza continues:
This makes perfect sense considering the success of the "Celeb" ad: It has been watched more than 1.6 million times on YouTube and replayed constantly on network and cable news shows. Another mention of it in reference to this new ad will lead to a whole new round of free air time, further driving the term into the minds of voters.
Although the ad didn't do McCain any favors, he should get some kind of consolation prize (perhaps free admission to next month's AARP convention?) for stumbling on the revelation that Paris and Brit can bring bring more eyeballs and chatter to a campaign than even the most pitched battles over energy policy.
Spears, it should be noted, has remained mum on the ad, though as these clips so skillfully point out -- she may actually have more in common with McCain than Obama.
Please discuss calmly, rationally and with as many references to ponies as possible.
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Hunter RiderRonin
Lily Adler🎃 Pumpkin Spice ☕
SwordOfMorningSuper Moderator
