Singled Out
In a piece in Slate properly troubled by Jenny McCarthy's fight against vaccination, we get this odd statement from vaccine inventor Dr. Paul Offit:
Jenny McCarthy doesn't bother me that much because I don't think most people take her as a serious commenter on medicine. I'd be more concerned if it was someone like Meryl Streep, someone seen as person of gravity and good sense.
Huh? Meryl Streep may be more respected in her field than Jenny McCarthy, but they both do the same thing--pretend to be someone else and speak lines written for them. Neither has any special expertise regarding medical issues. It's bizarre that anyone would take Meryl Streep's opinion on anything outside the arts more seriously than Jenny McCarthy's merely because she's a better actor.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:16 AM
3 Comments:
Well yes but he wasn't comparing their scientific acumen. But the perception of Meryl Streep is as deep thoughtful person (or something like that) while Jenny McCarthy is basically perceived as a bimbo. Dr. Offit fears this cause having a more effective spokesperson that the public would be more likely to take seriously (even if for non-supportable reasons)
This is my point. Because Meryl Streep plays serious roles and wins Academy Awards, people take her scientific opinions more seriously that Jenny McCarthy's. It's about as silly as saying "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV."
Well TD Waterhouse hires Sam Waterston to be its pitch man not Carrot Top. Celebrity is all about creating a unspoken subliminal (even brand) about oneself.
I think its about presentation skills more than about somehow fooling people into believing the spokesperson has special knowledge of the issue.
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