Star power dim at the Garden

Ellis Henican: August 29, 2004

It's not the trade deficit that ought to be worrying Republicans.

It's not even the budget deficit or the jobs deficit.

All those deficits are serious enough - and important to the future of the nation. But honestly, this is a time of politics. None of that is going to tip this election.

But there's another deficit, growing more severe by the day, that Republicans ignore at their peril. I'm talking about the eye-popping celebrity deficit.

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The star gap. The gaping chasm between Democratic and Republican celebs.

Have you seen what passes for "star-studded" at the Republican National Convention this year?

Country crooner Darryl Worley!

Atlanta-based rock band Dexter Freebish!

Latin gospel singer Jaci Velasquez!

Christian rock group Third Day!

These are the performers the Grand Ol' Party is putting up on the stage at Madison Square Garden to entertain the 2004 delegates. Not since the "Joe Franklin Show" went off the air has New York seen such an assemblage of not-quite-household names.

For all we know, they may be as big as Elvis in Tulsa or Grand Forks or Little Rock. But their names are a million miles from boldface around here.

These Republican celebrities are all fine and talented performers, I am sure. No disrespect to any of them. But let's be honest here. We're a long way from Bruce Springsteen here, and I'll tell you how I know.

When you put these peoples' names in the paper, you have to add a little descriptive phrase in front of each of them.

"Christian singer Gracie Rosenberger."

"Country duo Brooks & Dunn."

Otherwise, lots of readers wouldn't have a clue who you were talking about.

You'll notice, a few paragraphs up, I didn't have to write "New Jersey-born rock singer and band leader Bruce Springsteen, who this fall will be leading a cross-country tour of other Democratic-leaning musicians."

The name alone was enough. Actually I didn't even need to say "Bruce." "Springsteen" would have done it. Or even "the Boss."

Now that's star power!

So where's the Republican Matt Damon? The Republican Ben Affleck? There's barely a Republican Martin Sheen or Rob Lowe. While the Republicans do now claim a Baldwin - brother Steve - he's two or three celebrity notches below Billy and Alec, both outspoken Democrats.

And this fall, when Springsteen heads out on tour to rev up the Democratic base, he won't be joined by a bunch of musicians you never heard of. He'll share the stage with the Dave Matthews Band, the Dixie Chicks and high-watt Democratic stars.

Some of my Republican friends like to grumble that the Democrats are practically married to Hollywood, and there may be something to that. But I tell them it didn't exactly happen by accident.

"There's a reason the preponderance of celebrities and successful movies and musicians and painters and people in the whole world of culture support Democrats," New York PR man Ken Sunshine was saying at week's end.

Sunshine should know. He represents a number of politically active performers, including Leo DiCaprio, Barbra Streisand, John Mellencamp and Affleck.

"Democrats have been a whole lot better on issues like civil rights and civil liberties and peace and gay rights and abortion rights," Sunshine said. "Those issues unify people in the creative world."

The Republicans, of course, will do what they can. They certainly won't keep California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger off TV.

And it comes as no surprise that many of these up-front-and-center Republican celebrities come from the country- and gospel-music worlds. Those genres are far more popular in the mid-country red states.

"But in the end," Ken Sunshine said, "it has to do with issues. It has to do with style. Even more than tradition. Bruce came from blue-collar New Jersey. John Mellencamp comes from Indiana. Barbra comes from a not-so-great area in Brooklyn, she is proud to say, and went to Erasmus High School."

And it won't be stopping anytime soon.

"Obviously, celebrities create a sense of excitement at public events," Sunshine said. "Tell me honestly. Who would you rather hear speak at some cocktail party? Ben Affleck or Bruce? Or a bunch of lobbyists or tobacco or Enron executives?"