by William Skink

MTV used to have a claymation show called Celebrity Death Match. If that show still existed, two recent spats could translate into some quality throw-down television.

The phenomenon of celebrities becoming politically outspoken is obnoxious and totally deserving of the reactions these hollow performances have earned.

Rose McGowan, for example, got so tired of her peers endless virtue-signaling she went on an epic rant with a series of tweets. This is my favorite one:

Another great response to celebrity virtue signaling is Joe Rogan’s reaction to Alyssa Milano, who recently lamented the fact Rogan’s podcast audience is three times bigger than hers. Here is some of what Rogan and his guest, Tim Dillon, said to put this celebrity phenomenon in context:

“I think we should leave it all to Alyssa Milano,” Rogan cracked after Dillon said he’s sick of every single American weighing in on every single political topic.

“That’s the way to be relevant now is to be … political,” Dillon said, leaning into the pregnant pause. “All day, every day.”

“That shift where you go from actor to activist, all in, as soon as the f***ing calls stop coming in, you’re like, ‘all right, I’m an activist,’” Rogan said without mentioning Milano directly. The actress continues to find work, including a gig on Netflix’s “Insatiable.” She generates far more cyber ink, of late, for her activism (and hypocrisy).

Dillon said most stars are self-absorbed and not truly plugged in to the latest news.

“This idea that these people are now gonna pretend they’ve spent their entire career thinking about global warming,” Dillon said, the thought trailing off along with a hearty laugh. “I’ve met these people. My friends have opened for some of these people. I know that these people are going out there, and there, like, ‘listen we gotta do this, we gotta do that. We have to move the country forward.’”

That’s all well and good, except the same stars aren’t as magnanimous in real life, he contended.

“I’ve seen them make people cry backstage at a theater because there’s not enough water in the dressing room. It’s those same people who are really cruel going out and telling everybody how good of a person they are all of the time,” Dillon said.

I think the influence of celebrities had its apex years ago, and now that influence is waning. Why? Because more and more people are waking up to what Hollywood is, and it isn’t pretty, or glamorous.

I got turned on to a new podcast recently called The Higherside Chat, and one of the guests, Tiffany Fitzhenry, is a former Hollywood insider who turned her back on this cess pool of stardom once she realized what it takes to become successful. Check it out if you want a better understanding how celebrity influence functions.