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Reality Check: Marshall returns attack ad towards Taylor
Tuesday marks five weeks until Election Day in Reno's mayoral race between Kate Marshall and Kathleen Taylor. Taylor's campaign previously ran attack ads against Marshall, who has now responded with
AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 6:11 p.m. EDT
Taylor Swift becomes most-awarded artist in MTV VMAs history, dedicates top prize to Dolly Parton
Dakota Johnson reveals root of Taylor Swift friendship, shares thoughts on Travis Kelce wedding photos
The “Verity” actress doesn’t think her longtime bestie will ever drop the pictures from her nuptials.
Can we just like a Taylor Swift song in peace?
Taylor Swift's four new songs sparked instant debate, but "Patient Zero" makes a case for letting the music grow on you before joining the discourse.
Taylor Swift and Dakota Johnson were besties onstage, plus a buzzy ‘Off Campus’ reunion: Here’s what caught my eye during the VMAs
Risqué fashion choices, historic wins, onstage reunions and a slate of top-notch performances. What more could you want from the VMAs?
Taylor Swift's 'Patient Zero' video premieres during historic VMAs
Taylor Swift debuted her video for 'Patient Zero' at a historic MTV VMAs for the pop superstar, who broke a Beyoncé record. The video featured Swift's 'good friend' Dakota Johnson, who also presented Swift with an award during the event.
Graham Norton teases mystery star at Taylor Swift wedding
Graham Norton is keeping at least one detail from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's star-studded wedding under wraps.
5 Things Auburn Fans Learned About the SEC This Weekend
Auburn football improved to 3-1 with its first SEC win under Alex Golesh, but Week 4 revealed much more about the conference. Florida is surging, Mississippi State has found a star in Kamario Taylor, and Tennessee showed major offensive concerns ahead of Auburn's trip to Knoxville.
Zoe Saldaña ‘can’t imagine’ doing another Taylor Sheridan show: ‘I think I’m good’
“I can’t imagine me taking on more of a Taylor Sheridan world,” the “Lioness” actress said.
2026 MTV VMAs red carpet: The best, boldest and most 'wait, what?!' outfits, from Belmont Cameli's Canadian tuxedo to Taylor Swift's stunning sparkles
Presenting the MTV VMAs' most stylish — and, OK, out-there — red carpet looks.
Seedy K’s Pigskin Palaver: Mediocrity, Bon Mots & Bad Woofs +++
Culling the landscape of college football. How Many Syllables Kamario? Couldn’t help myself. It’s an obscure reference to a line in the cult movie classic, “Putney Swope.” I could have titled this “More Cowbell” but I wanted to be subtler than that. Anyhow the Mississippi State Flavor of the Month QB — last name Taylor — […]
Biggest VMAs moments, from Madonna's performance to Taylor Swift's new record
Whether honoring the past with an accolade for Nirvana or christening the vocal spitfire Raye, the MTV Video Music Awards crisscrossed demographics and genres while sparking a few notable moments.
Taylor Swift sets new record at MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift is having another good year — just months after her lavish wedding to Travis Kelce, the pop superstar on Sunday made history by becoming the most awarded artist at the MTV Video Music Awards.
AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 12:25 a.m. EDT
Taylor Swift becomes most-awarded artist in MTV VMAs history, dedicates top prize to Dolly Parton
NFL player makes unexpected cameo in Taylor Swift music video
An NFL star features in Taylor Swift's new "Patient Zero" music video, but it's not her husband Travis Kelce or any of his teammates.
Taylor Swift turned up, Madonna let loose and everybody smoked: The 2026 MTV VMAs, from every angle
The 2026 VMAs gave us a Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter collab, a football-related delay and ... smoking rock stars.
AP Entertainment SummaryBrief at 11:28 p.m. EDT
Taylor Swift becomes most-awarded artist in MTV VMAs history, dedicates top prize to Dolly Parton
Taylor Swift broke Beyoncé's VMAs record, bringing home 3 new awards
Swift also received the first MTV VMA Artist Director Honors.
MTV Video Music Awards 2026 winners list including Taylor Swift
More than 40 years after her iconic "Like a Virgin" performance rocked the very first MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna is back in a big way.
MTV VMAs 2026 Winners List: Madonna Dominates, Taylor Swift Wins Special Honor
It was like 1998 all over again. Madonna won six Video Music Awards that year for Ray of Light. Flash forward to tonight, and the pop icon won seven awards, including Artist of the Year, for Confessio...
Best and Worst Moments of the 2026 MTV VMAs: Madonna Slays Opening Performance and More
Snoop Dogg hosted the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, September 27, where Madonna, Taylor Swift and more stars were honored
Taylor Swift debuts ‘Patient Zero’ music video at VMAs starring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell
The pop star and actress play women who have dated the same man — who secretly poisoned both of them the whole time.
Taylor Swift Confirms She’s ‘Patient Zero’ In VMAs Music Video Debut
Fans had been parsing the singer’s social media for clues and coming up with theories for days leading up to the ceremony.
Taylor Swift Confirms She’s ‘Patient Zero’ In VMAs Music Video Debut
Fans had been parsing the singer’s social media for clues and coming up with theories for days leading up to the ceremony.
The Deadlock Between Beyoncé And Taylor Swift Is Officially Over
Sunday’s ceremony marked the introduction of the MTV Video Music Awards’ Artist Director Honors.
Taylor Swift premieres music video for ‘Patient Zero’ at the VMAs
Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell star in this track off the encore edition of Swift’s 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Taylor Swift Receives Inaugural Artist Director Honors at 2026 MTV VMAs as She Thanks Fans for Making Directing ‘So Rewarding’
Swift went on to premiere her new music video for “Patient Zero”
Taylor Swift becomes the most-awarded artist in VMA history. How she broke the record
Taylor Swift made MTV Video Music Awards history at the 2026 ceremony, becoming the most-awarded artist in the show's history.
Taylor Swift sparkles in black-and-silver gown at 2026 VMAs
Taylor Swift made a show-stopping return to the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet.
2026 MTV VMAs Winners List
A complete list of VMAs winners for the 2026 awards, including Madonna, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter
Here’s Why Travis Kelce Isn’t Going With Wife Taylor Swift to the 2026 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift is attending the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards without her husband Travis Kelce. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 36 — who tied the knot with Swift, 36, over the July 4th weekend at Madiso...
Teyana Taylor’s Transparent 2026 VMAs Look Featured a Plunging Neckline and Dramatic Details
Teyana Taylor turned heads on the 2026 MTV VMAs red carpet in a transparent black look with a plunging neckline. See photos here.
Taylor Swift Announces First New Song Since Marrying Travis Kelce
Taylor Swift has been holding out, but she's finally announcing some exciting news.
Why Travis Kelce will miss VMAs as Taylor Swift earns inaugural award
Though both are famously supportive of each other, Travis Kelce will miss her at the VMAs, and Taylor Swift will miss his Kansas City Chiefs game.
MTV VMAs 2026 nominations: Full list as Madonna, Taylor Swift lead the pack ahead of tonight's show
This year's Best New Artist race is also heating up, with divisive pop-country nepo baby Stella Lefty and English vocal powerhouse Sienna Spiro among the evening's buzziest nominees.
How to watch the 2026 MTV VMAs live, here's how to steam with Sling
Catch Madonna, Taylor Swift, Snoop Dogg and more live at the 2026 MTV VMAs with Sling.
MTV Video Music Awards 2026 winners list
Madonna, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande lead the 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations, but who will win big Sept. 27?
Will Taylor Swift be at Dolphins-Chiefs game? Last Florida sightings
Fans are wondering whether Taylor Swift will attend the Sept. 27 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins.
Taylor Swift Gives Fans a Rare Look at Her Cleveland Trip With Travis Kelce in New Lyric Video
Taylor Swift turned the lyric video for “Cleveland!” into something much more personal than a collection of words on a screen. Mixed into the visuals ... Read More
Will Travis Kelce make it to the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards? Here's what we know
Will Travis Kelce make it from the Chiefs game in Miami to the 2026 VMAs to support his wife, Taylor Swift? Here's what his Sunday schedule looks like.
Travis Kelce Is Not Attending the 2026 VMAs with Wife Taylor Swift: Here’s Why
The 2026 Video Music Awards will air on CBS, simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, Sept. 27
Rogers Tries to Make El-Sayed’s Health Care Plan Scary
_Taylor, Michigan_HERE’S HOW YOU CAN TELL Mike Rogers is anxious to make up ground in the Michigan Senate race: He held a press conference on health care last weekend. Health care is usually a rough issue for Republicans, because voters associate the GOP with attacking cherished programs like Medicare and Medicaid that Democrats have historically supported. It’s a particularly difficult issue in this campaign, because a few months ago Donald Trump and the Republicans refused to extend temporary financial assistance in the Affordable Care Act. As a result of that decision, more than 20 million Americans faced higher insurance prices this year. That’s not a policy choice you want to be defending at a time when voters frequently cite the cost of health care as a top concern. Throw in the fact that Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed can draw on his credibility as a doctor and former public health director in Detroit, and it might seem like Rogers’s best bet would be to avoid health care altogether. But Rogers had his reasons to spotlight health care last Saturday. And they became apparent a few minutes before he spoke, when members of his campaign staff There’s a lot happening. Too much, some days. We can’t promise to have all the answers. But we can promise to keep asking the questions, following the facts, and figuring things out alongside people who care about where this country is headed. Read with us. Learn with us. And when it matters, stand with us. Join the side you’re already on. Join Bulwark+
Kamario Taylor, Jeff Lebby address Mississippi State QB transfer speculation
Mississippi State football QB Kamario Taylor addressed speculation that he could transfer after the season.
'SNL' host Jalen Brunson jokes about Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce wedding
The King of New York is live from New York.
The MTV VMAs are here with Taylor Swift making history and Madonna leading the nods: How to watch
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Taylor Swift is set to make history.
The MTV VMAs are here with Taylor Swift making history and Madonna leading the nods: How to watch
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Taylor Swift is set to make history | KYW Newsradio
The MTV VMAs are here with Taylor Swift making history and Madonna leading the nods: How to watch
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Taylor Swift is set to make history | WWL
The MTV VMAs are here with Taylor Swift making history and Madonna leading the nods: How to watch
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Taylor Swift is set to make history.
The MTV VMAs are here with Taylor Swift making history and Madonna leading the nods: How to watch
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Taylor Swift is set to make history.
The MTV VMAs Are Here With Taylor Swift Making History and Madonna Leading the Nods: How to Watch
NEW YORK (AP) — The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Swifties, it looks like the night is already yours. Earlier this week it was announced that Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors, becoming the most awarded artist in VMA history. Swift is currently tied with
MVDs: Oklahoma Edition
You don’t unceremoniously sink the Sooner Schooner without a total team effort. But even then some Bulldogs are bound to stand out above the crowd for their efforts. Those dandy ‘‘Dawgs are your MVDs, the Most Valuable Dawgs from Georgia’s 41-13 victory over Oklahoma. Offense: Talyn Taylor. Taylor’s 4 catches for 110 yards represented a […]
VMAs producer confirms idea for award Taylor Swift will first receive ‘came from external’ influence
Taylor Swift is receiving the inaugural Artist Director Honors at this year’s ceremony.
VMAs producer confirms idea for new award ‘came from external’ influence
The MTV Video Music Awards is handing out its first-ever VMA Artist Director Honors to Taylor Swift on Sept. 27.
'Werwulf' trailer: Willem Dafoe hunts Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Robert Eggers' latest
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe star in this gothic tale.
Jonathan Taylor ready to play in Week 3
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor not on injury report after a rest day earlier in the week
His melancholy Taylor Swift videos have captivated millions. Fans call the feeling getting 'gregged'
Greg Marzinsky's simple, cinematic cityscapes have inspired a legion of fans who can't help but be moved by his content.
Taylor Swift's new 'Encore' songs, ranked from worst to best
LOS ANGELES — "You only need to find one person in this entire world who doesn't find you completely insufferable." That's the wisdom Taylor Swift dispenses near the end of
Taylor Swift's new 'Encore' songs, ranked from worst to best
LOS ANGELES — "You only need to find one person in this entire world who doesn't find you completely insufferable." That's the wisdom Taylor Swift dispenses near the end of
Taylor Swift references wedding to Travis Kelce in new song ‘Cleveland!’: ‘The love of my life!’
The Grammy-winning singer will always be a lover girl at heart.
Taylor Swift releases 4 new songs for 'Life of a Showgirl: The Encore.' What do critics say?
Swift's songwriting has been called "captivating" and "shockingly tender," though one critic dismissed the new tracks as "derivative and flat."
“Big Brother ”host Julie Chen Moonves weighs in on Devens, Drew, and Taylor’s finale chances (exclusive)
The Chenbot also gives her America’s Favorite Houseguest prediction.
Julie Chen Moonves weighs in on Devens, Drew, and Taylor’s ‘Big Brother’ finale chances
Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves weighs in on Devens, Drew, and Taylor’s finale chances and predicts who she thinks will win America’s Favorite Houseguest.
What to know about Taylor Swift’s new music
Taylor Swift has released “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore.” It's an extended version of her 2025 album with four new tracks. Those include the single “Patient Zero” as
Taylor Swift releases 4 new songs, including 'Patient Zero'
Taylor Swift's 'The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore' (Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott)
Politely, Taylor Swift Could Have Skipped the Encore
Taylor Swift just released "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore." Here, a lifelong fan dives into why the pop star could have skipped the curtain call.
Taylor Swift releases 'The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore' with 4 new songs after Swifties try to decode her mysterious zeros
Our favorite pop star has dropped new music, including the single "Patient Zero."
Taylor Swift has a message for the haters on her new song ‘Cleveland!’
Swift, who dropped a deluxe version of her latest album on Friday, included an ode to her husband, Travis Kelce.
Taylor Swift 'The Life of a Showgirl Encore' New Tracks Review
A look at the four new tracks added to the "encore" edition of Taylor Swift's 'The Life of a Showgirl.'
Jonathan Taylor fully practices Thursday
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor a full participant Thursday after a limited workload
Taylor Swift Just Teased the 'Patient Zero' Music Video and I Think It Confirms *This* Theory
Taylor Swift announced that she'd be premiering a new music video, "Patient Zero," a the VMAs this weekend. Here's why I think it points to this long-standing theory.
Taylor Swift teases new music video with Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell
Are you ready for it? Taylor Swift has revealed a first look at the music video for her song "Patient Zero," which will debut during the MTV Video Music Awards
Jonathan Taylor Thomas arrested, accused of kicking LA deputy
"Home Improvement" star Jonathan Taylor Thomas was taken into custody earlier this week.
Taylor frustrated by Exeter's international absences
Exeter City manager Matt Taylor says he is unhappy at having to play his side's League Two fixture at Bristol Rovers without his two international players.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas arrested, accused of kicking Los Angeles deputy
"Home Improvement" star Jonathan Taylor Thomas was taken into custody earlier this week.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas detained after allegedly resisting police
The former 'Home Improvement' and 'Lion King' actor was arrested and spent the night in jail after he allegedly got unruly with police.
Reality Check: Kathleen Taylor’s “Kate Marshall Gambles” ad
The General Election is approaching with political attack ads emerging early, including one by Kathleen Taylor targeting Kate Marshall's tenure as Nevada State Treasurer.
Taylor and Tay Lautner welcome a new baby girl with a familiar name
On Wednesday, Taylor Lautner and his wife Tay Lautner (née Dome) announced the arrival of their first child, a baby girl with a familiar name, in a shared Instagram post.
'Home Improvement' star Jonathan Taylor Thomas arrested for alleged public intoxication, resisting deputy
Jonathan Taylor Thomas was detained in Westlake Village after reportedly exiting a vehicle.
Jonathan Taylor listed as limited Wednesday
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor sees limited work Wednesday due to rest
‘Home Improvement’ star Jonathan Taylor Thomas detained in L.A.
‘Home Improvement’ star Jonathan Taylor Thomas was detained in L.A. on Monday, Sept. 21.
Move over, Beyoncé: Taylor Swift to become the most awarded artist in VMAs history with inaugural Artist Director Honors
Taylor Swift will receive the first-ever MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, adding another milestone to her awards show legacy.
Taylor Swift announces 'The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore' will be released on Friday
The pop superstar will release an expanded version of her blockbuster 2025 album with four new songs.
Taylor Swift announces 'The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore' with 4 new songs after Swifties try to decode her mysterious zeros
Swifties, it's happening: Our favorite pop star is releasing new music.
Taylor Swift reveals new 'Life of a Showgirl The Encore' album
Taylor Swift is extending the life of "The Life of a Showgirl."
Travis Kelce Reacts to Taylor Swift's Viral 'That's My Husband' Celebration
Travis Kelce has seen the memes after wife Taylor Swift‘s touchdown celebration at his latest NFL game went viral.
3 takeaways from Taylor Tomlinson's memoir, 'Actually, Nevermind'
Taylor Tomlinson is used to turning the most personal parts of her life into comedy. Now, she’s putting them on the page in her debut memoir, “Actually Nevermind,” which is out on Sept. 22.
Did this LA Times story inspire Taylor Swift's new single?
LOS ANGELES — "Taylor Swift is patient zero for emotional contagion." This was an evocative turn of phrase from former L.A. Times columnist Amy Kaufman, in a 2024 article assessing
New Taylor Swift music is coming! 'Patient Zero' single announced
New Taylor Swift music is coming! The pop superstar has announced a new single, "Patient Zero," set to drop on Friday, Sept. 25.
Taylor Tomlinson turns off the mic to tell all in 'Actually, Nevermind'
Comedian Taylor Tomlinson turns a forced pause from nonstop touring and late-night TV into "Actually, Nevermind," an essay collection about grief, reinvention and changing your mind in adulthood.
Taylor Swift announces new single 'Patient Zero' after Swifties try to decode her mysterious zeros
Swifties, it's happening: Our favorite pop star is releasing new music.
Calvin Klein Introduces the New Perfectly Fit Bra Starring Teyana Taylor
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 22, 2026--
Taylor Swift Gave Erin Andrews' Business A 'Huge' Boost Sunday Night
Good for Erin Andrews.
Travis Kelce says Taylor Swift looked ‘hot with a gun on her waist’ in Emmys cameo
The pop star played a rookie cop in an “Law & Order: SVU” sketch that investigated whether Swift would attend the awards show.
MTV VMAs nominations 2026: Madonna, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter lead the pack
This year’s Best New Artist race is also heating up, with divisive pop-country nepo baby Stella Lefty and English vocal powerhouse Sienna Spiro among the evening’s buzziest nominees.
NWSL Matchweek 22: Top goals and saves
Angel City FC’s Taylor Suarez and Orlando Pride’s Cosette Morché each make this list twice. Who else made the cut?
CECAS recognizes inaugural Global Scholars and Dean’s Scholar Fellows
Those recognized were: Shane Abercrombie, Sumter Archer, Tiffany-Marie Baako, Colleen Clarke, Kylie Folkes, Bryson Hedrick, Sara Henry, Joshua Hoggatt, Taylor Hopkins, Azrin Jamison, Mengdi “Hansen” Li, Robert Lowery, Quincey Miller, Ben Simon, Madison Smith, Arabella Stockdale, Steven Szachara, Tianke “Kirk” Wang and Aidan Wolynn.
Rising health care costs are hurting this conservative district. But it may not change any votes.
Even in the conservative district of former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, rising health care costs are turning people against the GOP. But it may not change the outcome of November elections.
Whether you like it or not, celebrities have an impact on politics
The global groundswell of support for Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian advocacy serves to remind us that maybe celebrity activism really is that deep after all, writes Cheek’s Varsha Yajman. Subscribe In the last week, publications, podcasts, and influencers that have either rarely or never spoken about Israel’s genocide in Palestine have flooded my social feed. And it was all because singer Ed Sheeran and his team dropped Macklemore as his opener for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. Millions raised, millions speaking up in support of Palestine - all of this confirming my view that, whether I like it or not, celebrities do have an impact on political outcomes. And this is interesting when much of the time celebrity activism can induce an eye roll - I love to see Charli XCX pointing out a Palestinian flag in the crowd, but it’s hardly the bold symbol of allyship that some fans would make it out to be. But there’s a line between healthy scepticism and outright dismissal - and I’d argue that the latter lets the rich and powerful off far too easily. For instance, actress Jennifer Lawrence, once outspoken about her political views, last year told The Times she no longer believes celebrities have a role to play: “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” While it’s a narrative she might find comfort in, it simply is not true. Grassroots movements often garner worldwide attention when celebrities and other high-profile spokespeople bring a mainstream platform to their causes. And this frustrates me. We have had three years of a live-streamed genocide. Macklemore himself has been calling for a Free Palestine long before he booked the Sheeran concert. Yet it’s the high-profile fallout of the last week that finally seems to have made saying “Free Palestine” socially acceptable in the mainstream. It feels like the collective mood has shifted, where calling out censorship is now the obvious response - not just the business of ‘radical’ activists. To recap, Sheeran’s decision followed an ultimatum from billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, one of the venues Sheeran was scheduled to perform at: either drop Macklemore as your opener after only two of the eight scheduled shows, or you do not play at any stadiums. Sheeran’s disappointing decision to stand on the side of billionaire-led censorship has ultimately seen a surge in support for Free Palestine. It began when all his openers and his backing band pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, in solidarity with Macklemore and with the Palestinian cause. It was met with an uproar of support from those who had never or barely touched politics before: influencers lip-syncing to Macklemore’s music, singers like Jack Antonoff singing “Free Palestine,” and publications and podcasts standing with Macklemore. And finally, we saw material support: Macklemore donated $1 million in profits from his two nights opening for Sheeran’s tour to several Palestinian aid groups and called for Sheeran and Kraft to match it, which they have since promised to do. We’ve also seen children’s entertainer Ms Rachel follow suit with a $1 million donation to Palestinian aid, and publication PopBase has donated $10,000. Anera, a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan, said donations since Macklemore’s announcement were more than triple this month’s daily average. The group’s Instagram page has also gained 8,000 followers. Macklemore far from the first celebrity to speak and participate in politics in the Western World. In 1924, singer Al Jolson supported Republican candidate Warren G. Harding for president, and decades later, celebrities such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Aretha Franklin voiced their public support for the Civil Rights movement. More recently, in the lead-up to the 2024 US election, ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah partnered with the organisation Power the Polls to recruit poll workers to address shortages- a problem disproportionately affecting voters of colour. The campaign saw 170,000 new sign-ups - 35,000 of which came directly through the TV show’s link - resulting in the recruitment of 713,000 total poll workers that year, an almost three-fold increase on the organisation’s goal. Alongside recruiting workers, celebrities in the US (where voting in elections is not compulsory) have made a huge difference by calling for people to register to vote. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 saw over 400,000 visitors on the voter registration site within 24 hours of her Instagram post. In 2023, Swift had urged her fans to register, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. Similarly, Ariana Grande promoted voter registration in 2019 by setting up booths at concerts on the American leg of her tour, resulting in over 33,000 voters registering. And the same thing is happening closer to home. This year, musician Jack River successfully called for government action to ensure creatives in Australia do not have their work scraped by generative AI companies. Celebrity as the mediator between the punter and the politician Celebrity activism isn’t just a feel-good news story - research tells us it actually makes a difference. By directing attention to issues affecting the average person, like voting inaccessibility or a lack of action on a genocide, researchers Alfred Archer and Amanda Cawston state that “celebrities can play a useful bridging role between political elites and the people they represent”. Alternatively, in a world where talking about politics is “not cool,” or where people lack exposure or knowledge to engage with politics, celebrities can act as an educational resource or an entry point into the political world - when they speak up about an issue, their audience gets exposed to it. Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival is a perfect example. Rodrigo partnered with twelve organisations focused on women’s issues, such as reproductive rights. These organisations had stalls at the festival for people to meet them and were also featured heavily on social media, giving their issues global attention and raising $20 million for the organisations. We have also seen celebrities at award shows such as the Emmys wearing F*CK ICE pins, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s treatment and detainment of people - generally people of colour. When celebrities speak up about political issues in public forums, they put the issue at the forefront of mainstream media, rally their supporters, and make it clear that, however much they disagree, the government cannot simply ignore it. Our over-reliance on celebrities versus our politicians As much as I love seeing my favourite celebrity use their platform for a good cause, there is an important question to ask: not whether celebrity activism is good or bad, but whether we should have to rely on celebrities. And the answer would, in an ideal world, be no. In an ideal world, or merely a just world, action on Palestine would’ve happened decades ago, climate change would be taken seriously, and most importantly, people would understand their democratic rights. However, that is not our reality. Only around 28 per cent of Australian Year 10 students reach proficiency in civics and citizenship. In the US, almost two-thirds of people under 30 say high school civics education didn’t prepare them to understand voting deadlines, how to research candidates, or how to vote by mail. When civics education is weak, our trust in these institutions and our understanding of change-making processes also decline. This is where celebrity steps in and becomes our main source of reliance. As Mary R. Connelly notes in _The Tartan, “_Celebrities will always be involved in campaigns in one form or another, but their presence is not what causes people to vote blindly. The lack of political engagement and literacy is what allows celebrities to wield their influence on the political sphere so impactfully.” About the author Varsha Yajman is the Digital Content Producer at Cheek Media. She is a youth advocate and lawyer with a background in climate litigation and is passionate about looking at the intersection between race, climate justice, and mental health. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share