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Obama Celebrity Fundraiser Barrage Worries Some in Hollywood
The Hollywood Reporter
Tina Daunt
6/21/2012
Excerpt:
"Barack Obama's recent barrage of Hollywood campaign fund-raisers is drawing backlash from an unlikely place: Hollywood.
Some of the president's most ardent entertainment industry supporters quietly tell The Hollywood Reporter that while they realize he needs to deploy all of his weapons to compete with deep-pocketed Republican super PACs, they fear the increasing reliance on stars and celebrity contests could backfire with swing voters and mobilize the right.
"We don't like what he's doing, but we understand it," says one Hollywood fund-raising insider. "He has to raise the money. It's a bad situation."
Reaction was particularly strong to the $40,000-a-plate dinner co-hosted June 14 by Sarah Jessica Parker and Vogue editor Anna Wintour with guests including Meryl Streep, Aretha Franklin and Bravo's Andy Cohen. Critics say the tony, heavily promoted event* -- Parker sent an e-mail to supporters promising the evening would be "fabulous," and Wintour posted a video online urging supporters to enter a lottery for two tickets -- risked creating the impression of an elitist, out-of-touch candidate in a period of ongoing distress and growing economic inequality.
"It's a mistake," a veteran Hollywood exec says flatly of the event, which the Drudge Report headlined "Checks in the City." The exec adds: "He's supposed to be a man of the people, and he's hanging out with Anna Wintour? Is he trying to turn the election into a celebrity reality show?"
Conservatives quickly pounced, with Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus writing a column on Breitbart.com titled "Out-of-touch Obama Is in Wintour Wonderland." Even liberal-leaning Jon Stewart reminded viewers that the insufferable magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada was loosely based on Wintour, quipping, "If there are two things the American people relate to, it's the devil and Prada."
Despite the criticism, the Parker-Wintour event raised at least $2 million for Obama's re-election effort, and a fund-raiser later that evening at The Plaza featuring singers Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys brought in $2.5 million. This is on top of the $15 million raised at a George Clooney dinner in May and millions more from twin June events, one emceed by Ellen DeGeneres and one hosted by Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy."
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View the complete article at:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ampaign-339410
The Hollywood Reporter
Tina Daunt
6/21/2012
Excerpt:
"Barack Obama's recent barrage of Hollywood campaign fund-raisers is drawing backlash from an unlikely place: Hollywood.
Some of the president's most ardent entertainment industry supporters quietly tell The Hollywood Reporter that while they realize he needs to deploy all of his weapons to compete with deep-pocketed Republican super PACs, they fear the increasing reliance on stars and celebrity contests could backfire with swing voters and mobilize the right.
"We don't like what he's doing, but we understand it," says one Hollywood fund-raising insider. "He has to raise the money. It's a bad situation."
Reaction was particularly strong to the $40,000-a-plate dinner co-hosted June 14 by Sarah Jessica Parker and Vogue editor Anna Wintour with guests including Meryl Streep, Aretha Franklin and Bravo's Andy Cohen. Critics say the tony, heavily promoted event* -- Parker sent an e-mail to supporters promising the evening would be "fabulous," and Wintour posted a video online urging supporters to enter a lottery for two tickets -- risked creating the impression of an elitist, out-of-touch candidate in a period of ongoing distress and growing economic inequality.
"It's a mistake," a veteran Hollywood exec says flatly of the event, which the Drudge Report headlined "Checks in the City." The exec adds: "He's supposed to be a man of the people, and he's hanging out with Anna Wintour? Is he trying to turn the election into a celebrity reality show?"
Conservatives quickly pounced, with Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus writing a column on Breitbart.com titled "Out-of-touch Obama Is in Wintour Wonderland." Even liberal-leaning Jon Stewart reminded viewers that the insufferable magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada was loosely based on Wintour, quipping, "If there are two things the American people relate to, it's the devil and Prada."
Despite the criticism, the Parker-Wintour event raised at least $2 million for Obama's re-election effort, and a fund-raiser later that evening at The Plaza featuring singers Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys brought in $2.5 million. This is on top of the $15 million raised at a George Clooney dinner in May and millions more from twin June events, one emceed by Ellen DeGeneres and one hosted by Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy."
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View the complete article at:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ampaign-339410