News and Commentary

Biden’s Inauguration: The A-List Stars are Back

   DailyWire.com
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Lady Gaga attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Among other things, the end of the Donald Trump presidency has lifted the moratorium on celebrities hobnobbing with the political ruling class. As reported by the Associated Press, Biden’s inauguration ceremony will platform a torrent of A-list celebrities from Hollywood and the music industry. 

The 46th president’s inauguration will feature — among others — Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Bruce Springsteen, who most recently accused President Trump of “brainwashing” and “hypnotizing” American voters. Additionally, set to perform are other outspoken liberals like John Legend and the Foo Fighters. The de facto political music festival also boasts the talents of Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, and Demi Lovato.

Lovato had most recently made headlines when she announced that the January 6 riots on Capitol Hill, which left five people dead, had inspired her to write a new pop song. She took to Twitter to say, “I’m in the studio working on something special after today’s assault on democracy.”

Former Nirvana drummer, and current Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl is likewise an apparent ardent member of the Left. As far back as 2004, he excoriated President George W. Bush for playing the Foo Fighters’ “Times Like These” at a campaign rally. Renouncing Bush for his political ideology, he exclaimed, “I don’t give a s*** if he likes our band, but I take it personally when a politician that doesn’t represent my personal beliefs uses music that I poured my heart and soul into for his personal gain.” 

More recently, in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Grohl named President Trump as both an impetus and an influence on his then latest record, Concrete and Gold. While not specifying any specific legislative or executive action, he accused the Republican government of encroaching upon his freedoms saying, “I think I’ve realized we’re not all as free as we were before.”  A year later, in a 2018 interview with GQ UK Magazine, Grohl further added that he was “ashamed” of the American President, calling Donald Trump “a massive jerk.” 

Lady Gaga, who has long been a vocal critic of President Trump, recently released a campaign ad for Joe Biden. In an attempt – which packed as much self-awareness as an Intel computer processor – to reach out to rural American voters, the New York native draped herself in camo, leaned against a pickup truck, and popping open a can of beer, said, “Hey, this is Lady Gaga. I’m voting for America, which means I’m voting for Joe Biden.”

At the inauguration, Gaga is slated to perform the national anthem. In contrast, at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, celebrities of such caliber and recognition were scant, with the anthem instead sung by a humble 16-year-old, Jackie Evancho. 

In fact, for Trump’s inaugural ceremony, virtually every rock star and world-famous singer that was asked to perform shied away, steering clear from any possible controversy. 

After being asked to perform at Trump’s inauguration, Broadway singer Jennifer Holliday reportedly received a deluge of social media backlash – including death threats – until she caved, announcing that she would not make the event. Similarly, last year, Ellen DeGeneres was publicly scolded and pressured by the Twitter mob into issuing a statement apologizing for daring to appear at a football game sitting next to former President George W. Bush.

Even Elton John, a longtime friend of Donald Trump’s, publicly declined his request to perform at the inauguration. Artists ranging from Andrea Bocelli to The Beach Boys to Ice-T echoed similar sentiments, all declining to participate in the ceremony. 

Bereft of A-Listers with bravado, Trump’s inauguration instead featured the country frills of Toby Keith and The Piano Guys, who responded to criticism with, “We are here not to be political, we’re here to be patriotic.” 

The presidency of Joe Biden, in addition to bringing back Obama-era legislative policy, will reprise the marriage of the glitterati with the political class – a relationship best described by Tom Wolfe as the radical chic. From White House performances to paeans heaping praise upon the President, celebrities, with chameleon-like cunning will shimmy from the government’s most vocal critics to its most vocal cheerleaders. 

Harry Khachatrian is a Canadian computer engineer and a contributor at The Daily Wire. Find him on Twitter

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Already have an account?

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Biden’s Inauguration: The A-List Stars are Back