Celebrities

As I was reading the news and deciding about all the worthy topics of discussion I for some reason I can't explain had an image of the Obama "yes we can song" go through my head. As I saw the image and thought about the effect that the music video had on some of my classmates and millions around the country it also occurred to me how ridiculous the video is. I don't mean to say that the video wasn't effective or well done-- because it was both, but I think it's so ridiculous that the video has celebrities in it. At least for me when I saw Scarlett Johanson I felt that the video must be more important, and will probably affect more people. What on earth made me think that? I don't really understand why celebrity endorsements mean anything. Charlie Sheen makes me laugh and feel sorry for him, so why are others being affected by what he tells them he thinks of politics. The guy is a nut. Paris Hilton is at least in my opinion a ditzy blonde why does she have such a strong effect on teens. Why does a celebrity endorsement make something more powerful?

I would much rather hear analysis by scholars than hear "this is one of Goldie Hawn/John Travolta/Nicholas cage/Lindsay Lohan/Ashton Kutchers" big projects.

What is it that makes their name so important? why is a product with their stamp so coveted and accepted?

I don't know why I think this, maybe I'm completely wrong, I know many actors are very intelligent (James Franco is apparently pursuing 2 degrees from 2 different Ivy's, Natalie Portman graduated Harvard, Emma Watson is at Yale... and many others have similiar stories, yet when I think of celebrities  I think of characters like Phoebe and Joey from friends. I dont generally think that celebrities are particularly intelligent. So why is it that the fight against aids is always being endorsed by a celebrities, that bills in congress are often represented by celebrities? 

Is it because Reagan was a celebrity? (I'm kidding I don't actually mean that Because a president was also a movie star that it gives actors credibility.) I just really do not get it. What makes an actor-- who many people probably stereotype as "dumb" have any effect on a product or bill at all????