It's weird when people say celebrities should stay out of politics. We all have political opinions and you have the right to express them, whether you're an actor or a construction worker. Also, in many cases, the same person complaining about celebrities getting political voted for The Apprentice's Donald Trump and Bedtime For Bonzo's Ronald Reagan.
In today's partisan climate, everyone has their favorites in Washington. There are some politicians you love because you think they are making America great again. And there are some politicians you hate because you think they are making America into a dumpster fire. But here's a rare downside to being a celebrity: The politicians you most despise might be fans of yours, and ask for a photo.
Actor Seth Rogen took a break from rolling his eyes at Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande's public flirting to stop by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. You will not be surprised to learn Seth is thrilled about Canada's decision to legalize marijuana. But you might be surprised to learn that former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney invited Seth to a charity event in Park City, Utah.
At the summit, Seth was representing his Alzheimer's charity, and made a speech to the heavily Republican audience. But before he took the stage, he had an awkward interaction. A couple teenagers asked Seth for a picture, because they were big fans. Then, after taking the photo, they said their dad wants to meet him. "I turned around, and Paul Ryan was walking towards me," said Seth. "My whole body puckered, I tensed up, and I didn't know what to do."
Republican Senator Paul Ryan has been criticized for enabling President Trump, scaling back President Obama's health care reform, and spearheading a tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits the rich - just to name a few issues. However, Paul has never been criticized for being out of shape, because the P90X enthusiast is totally ripped. So, he has that going for him, which is nice.
Seth shook Paul's hand, but when the senator asked him for a photo, he said, "No way, man!" (Man, I wish this moment was captured on camera.) But that wasn't all. Seth explained exactly why he refused: "Furthermore, I hate what you're doing to the country at this moment and I'm counting the days until you no longer have one iota of the power that you currently have."
Seth admitted he felt conflicted rejecting Paul, right in front of his teenage sons. "It's not their fault. But at the same time, they should probably learn that if they like a movie or song, the person who made that probably doesn't like their dad that much, unless they're watching 'Roseanne' re-runs or something."
Well, that's an unexpected downside to being a politician: The actors you like might hate your guts. Maybe someone on Senator Ryan's staff can Photoshop him into a picture with Seth.