Celebrities loooove Twitter. It lets them be heard (which is all they really want) without being censored by publicists our journalists.
But without those gatekeepers, stars—who often live in a fantasy land of indulgence and absolute support—can say some really dumb shit.
Pop singer Kelly Clarkson proved that today when she endorsed Ron Paul for president via Twitter.
“I love Ron Paul. I liked him a lot during the last republican nomination and no one gave him a chance. If he wins the nomination for the Republican party in 2012 he’s got my vote. Too bad he probably won’t.”
If Kelly’s publicist controlled her access to Twitter, the American Idol winner might have found out about the various allegations of racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia being levied at the candidate. Even Paul himself has said he wouldn’t distance himself from hate groups if they supported him.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Apparently she didn’t know that. “I have never heard that he’s a racist? I definitely don’t agree with racism, that’s ignorant,” Clarkson, 29, later tweeted when someone informed her.
And thus began a waterfall of Twitter posts:
*”I love all people and could care less if you like men or women. I have never heard that Ron Paul is a racist or homophobe”
*”I have never seen or heard Ron Paul say anything against gay people”
*”I respect your opinion and I am about progress. Ron Paul is about letting people decide, not the government. I am for this.”
It’s one thing to say the allegations against Paul are false (though he doesn’t do much to deny them), but Clarkson insists she didn’t know any of this stuff was being talked about.
Read a newspaper, girl! Read this blog—read any blog!
Finally Clarkson realized she was in over her head, as so many celebs do, and tweeted a “my bad.”
I am really sorry if I have offended anyone. Obviously that was not my intent. I do not support racism. I support gay rights, straight rights, women’s rights, men’s rights, white/black/purple/orange rights. I like Ron Paul because he believes in less government and letting the people (all of us) make the decisions and mold our country. That is all. Out of all of the Republican nominees, he’s my favorite.
Then, like Lance Bass in his “tranny” apology, Clarkson soon turned around and blamed her accusers.
“If y’all ever disagree with something I say please don’t feel the need to attack me. I will listen to what you say and any articles or viewpoints you have when you say it with respect. Being hateful is not a healthy way to get people to see or hear you. I was raised to respect people and their decisions and beliefs and I hope you will grant me the same decency. If you don’t agree with me simply unfollow me. It’s really that easy. I hope you don’t because I would love the chance to hear what you have to say but if you’re so blinded by hate you can’t seek peace and progress then that is your unfortunate prerogative.”
We generally like Clarkson, and have no reason to believe she’s anything but tolerant. But in this instance she sounds like those Fundamentalist Christians who claim they’re being discriminated against because people aren’t just quietly swallowing the hateful things they say.
If you go on a public platform and make a endorsement for president—even if was for Mr. Rogers—you can’t tell people they can’t react strongly.
Images via VagueOnTheHow
Kana
Kelly Clarkson is really bright to love a anti-Semitic homophobe while being in a industry full of gays, lesbians and Jews. Brilliant!
Tangentman
If anyone is interested in real homophobic comments then please dont go to the Wonder Woman foorum over on Comic Book Resources; its is a hive of anti-gay filth and racist propoganda from day to day.
Jim
So any support counts as a support for all things he allegedly said or did? By that standard, all Obama supporters believe in indefinite detention for US citizens.
Get real and take off your partisan blinders.
Cinesnatch
Hmmm, queerty has multiple posters and towel road had only two (at a time max; generally, only one at a time with additional specialty posters) yet all of queerty’s posts seem to be obscure homophobia-baiting, dated or towel road repeats. Wow, there has got to be a crew of gays in this world that can do better than this.
Cinesnatch
@Jim: One point Jim; zero points queerty.
Pip
Kelly Clarkson is a country bumpkin people. No surprises here.
christopher di spirito
Kelly Clarkson is an ignorant Texas hick.
A visit to her website is stunning. When people try to explain to her that Ron Paul wrote in a 1992 newsletter of “the coming race war” and of a “the federal-homosexual cover up on AIDS”, and that his 2012 Iowa State Director of Ron Paul’s presidential campaign is none other than the notorious Mike Heath, who Chaired Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) from 2008?–?2010, an anti-gay organization who also includes Peter LaBarbera, she dismisses your comments and relegates you to the status of a “hater.”
No one called her fat or said her music sucked. People are just trying to get her up to speed about who she is endorsing. But alas, for Kelly Clarkson, ignorance is bliss.
Cinesnatch
@christopher di spirito: While this could be a shrewd move on his part to cull votes from groups he can easily take Advantage of, it’s disappointing that he associates with heath’s ilk. Then again, what politician doesn’t rub elbows with the scum of the earth, please tell me ….
DenverBarbie
Uggghhh. That totally killed the girlerection I’ve been harboring for her since she won Idol.
jason
I support Ron Paul too. He’s a bright light in the Republican ranks, the only independent thinker.
A lot of you are just bitter because she’s not following the typical anti-Republican line that characterizes Gay Inc.
Gay Inc is known to have a very narrow outlook. Just remember that you should be voting for the candidate who will help get the country back into tip top shape. If you vote merely on how gay-friendly a candidate is, you will end up with some atrocious leaders. You will suffer in the end because of this.
oldgayvermonter
@Lars: Thanks, Lars… We are at risk of being sucked in by the MSM disinformation machine here. They are frothing at the mouth (except for Santorum’s frothy problems) scared that their neo-con war party might actually try PEACE. Just follow the dollars and don’t get fooled. The banksters and “defense” profiteers would lose out big time without endless wars, endless bailouts, and nonstop tax breaks. Find any actual Ron Paul speeches where he is racist or anti-Semitic or anti-gay and post the links. Or STFU. There are many, many clips out there in Youtube-land where he calmly and reasonably explains how our interpersonal relations should be just that, not government enabled class warfare. And he has been anti war way back into the 80’s, without flipping positions every cycle.
christopher di spirito
Ron Paul won’t shake a gay man’s hands. Paul is either afraid of catching AIDS or “teh gay” or possibly both.
He strenuously does not believe the United States had any business getting involved in fighting Hitler in WWII. He has stated in his newsletters and in debates that “saving the Jews,” was absolutely none of our business.
Look at the oddballs and oddities who support his run for president. These are the genuine fringe dwellers in America.
FreddyMertz
I see the Ron Paul defenders are out. I actually liked(past tense) Mr. Paul, out of all the candidates he believes what he says. The problem that I have with him and his excuse about the newsletter that had his name on it: he never wrote or knew about the racist, homophobic writings is just not plausible. I believe a person can evolve in one’s thinking…I would have hoped he would have said as much. Now he’s just another POLITICIAN to me.
jason
Ron Paul was simply stating the truth about the AIDS industry. The AIDS industry is replete with men who enjoy the attention that goes with being sick. It’s a fact. The amount of money these sick people demand from the government is atrocious. It’s often used to line the pockets of AIDS activists.
I support Mr Paul’s cynicism towards the AIDS industry. It’s part of the entitlement industry.
Joetx
I just stopped being a Kelly Clarkson fan.
1. She said she’s against ignorance, but her support of Ron Paul reeks of ignorance.
2. The government is the boogeyman crowd is stupid. Clarkson appears to be a member of that crowd. Therefore, she’s stupid.
Joetx
@jason: After reading your posts under the Sean Cody/bareback thread, I’m not the least surprised you’re a Ron Paul fan.
christopher di spirito
@jason: With each idiotic and moronic post, you secure your status as the dumbest troll posting on Queerty.
Cam
@Lars: said…
“Stop listening to the mainstream media. Ron Paul is not a racist, a homophobe, or an anti-semetic. He is a libertarian! He believes in individual rights for everyone and is against big government.”
_______________-
Actually that is a lie, he is against freedoms for gays which is govt. interfering in peoples freedoms.
Also, Clarkson is a major closet case. She has supposedly been “Too busy for a boyfriend” for something like 10 years now. No WONDER she supports a homophobe.
Isaac C
@jason: The sad thing is, you’re correct.
Tom F
It must be hard to sing when you’ve got your foot in your mouth
Tom
It must be hard to sing when you have your foot in your mouth
Sass-zilla
Love me some Kelly and Love me some Ron Paul! Yeah Kelly is a Hick and Ron may not like the gays, but tolerance for people we don’t like and working together is what this country is all about … NOT just thoughtlessly following the PC crowd for mindless votes.
Ron Paul is for people to have the right to do and act however they want (as long as it isn’t interfering or harming others). As for gay marriage he believes the states should all vote on it individually and it shouldn’t be a federal issue. (I disagree with that belief – but that doesn’t mean he is out to stop teh gays)
For his foreign policy – he wants countries to govern themselves not for US to dictate what they have to do or for US to be told what we have to do because a country may have a strategic position in the world. And for our troops to come home!
He is also the only candidate with a different approach to fixing the economy instead of the same old tax and spend and worthless budget cuts that most politicians engage in.
And overall he has the LEAST amount of scandal and the most consistent voting and budgeting records of any politician – Republican or Democrat.
Thanks – Kelly!
“You ain’t got the right to tell me
When and where to go, no right to tell me
Acting like you own me lately
Yeah baby you don’t know a thing about me
You don’t know a thing about me”
Erik
As someone who is super wealthy, Kelly Clarkson never has to worry about being the sick, uninsured, hospital patient who Ron Paul thinks should be untreated and left to die.
Must be nice!
Cinesnatch
@christopher di spirito: Sorry that you have to be so judgmental and dismissive.
Lars
@Cam:
He is against freedoms for gays? Did you watch the video I posted? In the video he says that gays should be allowed to marry.
He did not sign the Conservative Iowans’ pledge to make a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage if elected. All other republican candidates did. He voted for the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell. Most of the other candidates say they will reinstate it.
Cam
@Lars:
The chairman of his Iowa campaign used to head up a registered anti-gay hate group.
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/anti-gay-hate-group-chair-is-now-ron-pauls-iowa-state-director/politics/2011/12/29/32460
He has written said multiple anti-gay statements and even his own spokesperson has said that yes he is anti-gay.
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/ron-pauls-anti-gay-past-revealed-past-writings
unclemike
@Lars: He does not say “gays should be allowed to marry” in the video you posted. He is asked that question, and his answer is that the federal government should be completely out of the business of marriage and it should be a state-by-state issue. He never says he supports gays marrying.
And, by the way, his answer doesn’t address citizens who wish to marry a foreign-born partner. Immigration is a federal issue, not a state one.
christopher di spirito
@Cinesnatch: Only when it comes to assholes.
jason
The thing I like about Kelly Clarkson is that she at least has some talent. Unlike 90% of female singers out there, she’s not heavily AutoTuned, she doesn’t use playback in her concerts, and she doesn’t claim to be bisexual in order to titillate sexist and homophobic men.
If you want homophobia, look no further than Rihanna’s support for violently anti-gay dancehall acts who advocate the shooting and hanging of gays and lesbians. Yet not a whimper from Gay Inc on Rihanna’s support for these creeps….
Ryan
I can’t think of anything more mysogynistic and fascist than this display by a bunch of “liberal” men angrily pontificating on and denouncing Kelly Clarkson’s political views.
Cinesnatch
@christopher di spirito: Wow, you’re a real gentleman and a scholar. I hope you’re so civil out and about.
Tony
@Lars: Your and ignorant asshat if you expect us to believe this.
tjr101
Kelly Clarkson appears to be the type that says she supports, gay rights, blacks, Latinos, yada, yada and yet still naively vote Republican because it’s her familial background and quite frankly she doesn’t know any better. Bless her heart.
jeff4justice
Kelly Clarkson is the new Dixi Chicks for endorsing Ron Paul.
Meanwhile liberals like Tavis Smiley, Cornel West, Michael Moore, and Matt Damon keep pointing out how much of a sellout Obama is.
Good for Kelly.
Obama is GWB’s 3rd term and one has to be in deep denial to not see how the 2party system keeps ruining this country.
Too bad LGBT blogs like this dwell on Republicans instead of focusing on pro-equality alternative parties – but that would require research amid a media blackout.
If we have a congress with the lowest approval rating ever and half of the country is poor and people are still too dumb to stop voting for Republicans and Democrats then we deserve the hell we live in.
hf2hvit
Ron Paul who accepts endorsement from Rev Phillip Kayser who advocates execution of homosexuals.
jeff4justice
Voters leaving Republican, Democratic parties in droves
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-12-22/voters-political-parties/52171688/1
MKe
@Erik: good point because when i watched Ron Paul answer that question from Wolf Blitzer i was genuinely worried for my own future. I suppose I wouldn’t have cared if I had 100 million dollars.
Tony
Kelly Clarkson should stick to her day job: a mediocre-never would have made it without reality TV-over rated-voice is already going- pop “singer”
rick
I support Ron Paul. He is not anti-gay. He is not anti-anything, really. He is sort of anti-war. His position is simple and easy to understand: “Is it covered by the Constitution?” If yes, then its a Federal issue. If no, then its not a Federal power and states and localities can decide.
I personally believe that would lead to a much more free America. More liberal states could do what they wanted with drugs, for example. We’d also, ideally, follow our own laws regarding declaring war.
Ron Paul voted to repeal DADT, and I believe he was the only Republican to do that at one time.
He is a man of principle, and its a shame that most Americans will cling only to soundbites rather than seeking to understand the positions of the candidates.
The fear-mongering is primarily baiting from the religious right. Mike Huckabee HATES Ron Paul, if that tells you anything. Michelle Bachmann does, too.
Chris
The most infulential video for Ron PAuL – http://bit.ly/sR6MWm amazing!
Elis
Queerty seems to be the gay Fox news these days. What’s with the retarded fixation on Ron Paul out of all the candidates?
Cam
@Ryan: said…
“I can’t think of anything more mysogynistic and fascist than this display by a bunch of “liberal” men angrily pontificating on and denouncing Kelly Clarkson’s political views.”
__________________________-
Oh Ryan, I’m sorry, did you not get the memo? You see, the Right wing narrative of pretending that calling out people on their bigotry is somehow intolerant doesn’t work.
You see, not tolerating bigotry is actually BEING open minded. Calling out the KKK on their views is, according to you bigoted. Sorry, but that is idiotic and most other trolls on here have already figured out it doesn’t work.
As for Ron Paul, if you look up at my earlier post I give TWO links proving his anti-gay views.
J Bocca
Kelly is RIGHT! Ron Paul is the BEST candidate for presidency (republican or not) First of all he’s had the best track record of basically ANY politician when it comes to voting and where he stands on issues. I mean aren’t you all sick of presidents who say one thing and do another? At least you know he will not flip flop on issues. Also he’s anti-war and pro people. That’s exactly what this country needs right now! We need more by the people instead of government control. Oh and these ridiculous stories of him being homophobic (He voted to repeal DADT and he also didn’t sign the constitution of marriage like all the other “republican” candidates did) or racist, I mean didn’t they try to portray Obama a racist too (against whites). PULEASE when all else fails try to make the guy a bigot. And of course all you little sheep are falling for it.
nooope
I still like Kelly Clarkson. I feel like it’s kind of obvious that she isn’t a bigot. I think this may be being blown out of proportion. Just a little bit?
Tony
yeah who needs that darn government? I personally could live without police protection, fire protection, 911 service, pesky schools, a penal system, and those annoying checks and balances that keep this country from becoming a dictatorship…..yes, the United States government does NOTHING for us….let’s go back to mob rule and every man, woman, and child for themselves….yeah, that’s the ticket….(memo to Ron Paul fans: read a history book, do some homework, and get a life..).
Jim
@Tony: Because libertarianism = anarchy. You’re quite accomplished at beating up strawmen.
Kyle
Letting the state decide the rights of a minority is a bad decision, and Paul knows this. Dick Cheney also believes that gay rights should be left up to the state. A majority will never vote in favor of a minority. Never. Savvy politicians know this. The government and the courts will be the only ones to give gay people full-on equality. The public will not.
Kyle
People in control is dangerous. VERY dangerous. Can you imagine what would have happened to African-Americans if the government didn’t step in? Could you imagine what would happen to abortion? Gay rights would cease to be if people took control as you see when gay marriage is on a ballot. We need the government to do the right, moral, ethical thing. The “people” would destroy America.
Jim
@Kyle: Does this mean you are against what happened in New York State?
Kyle
@Jim: The New York senate passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.
Jim
@Kyle: Yes, which is the state deciding it. That doesn’t always mean a voter ballot issue.
Kyle
Jim, what is the New York State Assembly? People or government? That is a serious question for myself. Gay marriage on a ballot is never going to pass. You know this. If NY put gay marriage on a ballot you would have another Prop 8.
Jim
@Kyle: If it’s anything like other legislative bodies, it consists of the representatives elected by the people to write laws.
I understand what you’re saying about voter ballots. I’m just wondering how you think gay marriage should be accomplished?
Kyle
Gay marriage/gay rights passing because of legislative bodies. Not even at the state level, at the supreme court level. NY is not the rest of the country. It’s not even CA.
Thanks for clarifying what the NY State Assembly is.
Jim
@Kyle: I’m confused about what you mean by supreme court level. As far as I know, the courts do not pass laws; they interpret the laws.
Lucifer
I hope her music bombs.
Shannon1981
No longer a fan. As a member of the LGBT community, I cannot and will not support anyone who doesn’t support me. She’s voting for this hate mongering bigot? No matter what she says, I don’t believe she herself isn’t a hate mongering bigot as well. She’s just got the right PR people who help her know when to keep her big mouth shut.
Ron Paul is a racist, anti- semitic homophobe. Screw him and anyone who votes for him.
hwt123
This guy was a witness to Ron Paul’s racism
http://youtu.be/8Rv0Z5SNrF4
Kyle
Jim, I would like to see gay rights permitted and protected by the government, the way abortion is. The public has no business making these desicions. NY is a huge, and vastly different exception. NY is not like any state in the Union.
erik
@Shannon1981: Re: “She’s just got the right PR people who help her know when to keep her big mouth shut.”
That’s the absolute truth. This story was all over the place yesterday, and most of the time the reports didn’t even bother to explain that Paul’s racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic conspiracy theory crackpot newsletters are what people were pissed about.
Jim
@Kyle: Then this really has nothing to do with the presidency.
mk_ultra_again
I don’t fault Clarkson for advocating for the homophobic, racist lunatic Paul without knowing about his true, prejudice feelings. The MSM, dispite various claims, is his good friend. She is the nice, naive girl and the cut throat, dog eat dog world of politics is another universe to her.
Shannon1981
@erik: That is the problem with celebs and twitter. It is the one place where their PR machines don’t control what they say.
I am glad of it, though, because you know what? As an avid twitter user, I can say this myself: it is extremely spur of the moment, off the cuff, no time to think mass communication. It’s how you know what people really think and what they are really about.
The thing that bothers me is that even after she found out what the guy was about, she still defended her support of him. No matter how LGBT/all races friendly she says she is, she is still voting against our rights. Actions speak louder than words, and talk is cheap.
Shannon1981
I personally think Federal Level Legislation should accomplish our rights, as it has for everyone else. Why should they get to vote on our marriages and lives and families when we didn’t get to vote on theirs?
Kyle
I agree Shannon. That’s the point I was getting at. You said it better.
Kyle
Don’t listen to get music anymore. You control her career, not her. She’ll fade into obscurity.
Tommy
Celebrities should stay away from twitter. It just gets them into trouble. I don’t think twitter necessarily reflects a person’s true nature or what they really think. Anyone in a bad mood or having a bad day can say something nasty that they don’t really mean. The problem is if you put in on twitter it’s there forever and everyone is talking about it all over the world if you are famous.
As far as Kelly, I like her music and I don’t care about her political opinions. I support Obama, but Ron Paul is actually more of a libertarian than a true conservative Republican. He may have said homophobic and racist things in the past, but he’s not spouting them now constantly like the way say Bachman and Santorum are going on about how they want to take away gay people’s rights. Kelly does come off as ignorant though since she didn’t know much about the person she was supporting. But she’s not promoting herself as some kind of intellectual genius, but as a good singer.
I think it’s shocking because the vast majority of pop stars such as Madonna and Lady Gaga usually have very liberal Democratic views. You don’t expect a Republican endorsement from a pop star.