Kate Mulgrew Expresses Political Views at Las Vegas Convention

[Kolbar]

Kate Mulgrew expressed her political views on Saturday at the Star Trek Las Vegas Convention. She constantly pressured audience members to vote for Kerry in the upcoming election. This caused a little bit of contraversy.

For more information, click here.

 

[James]

The article in question isn't totally neutral, so one has to be careful what you pick up from the report.

I'm not against preaching at cons. People come to see the person. If politics is the person, then that's a part of who they are. You can't pick and choose who the person is or what they should say. It's up to the attendee if they want to stay and listen... If it's an unpopular more, the audience will show it and leave. Sounds like those who were interested outweighed those who weren't...

 

[DR.MID-NITE]

I don't agree with what she did. I am a Republican. And if she said that you should vote for Bush. I still wouldn't agree with her. It is not the place for it. Especially for people who spent money to see it.

 

[James]

I don't agree with what she did. I am a Republican. And if she said that you should vote for Bush. I still wouldn't agree with her. It is not the place for it. Especially for people who spent money to see it.

To see what? To see Kate Mulgrew. It's up to her how she presents herself. If she was boring/uninteresting etc then she'll learn pretty quick when people stop booking her. But that's her. People wanted to see her so there she is.

By the sounds of it people weren't that bothered. Possibly not because of their political slants, but she may have been interesting. I've heard several guest speaks talk on allsorts of things but it's how they say it which is interesting. I think if you go to see an actor what you see is what you get, I don't see why they should have to limit themselves to a certain neutrality. If they are not interesting, then they will sink. That's the only thing they have to be careful about. Even big names will suffer on their next circuit. Word speads fast...

 

[JLApe]

Maybe it's the fact she doesn't usually talk politics, or isn't known for doing so, that got people reacting when she brought up politics. The ones that have been known for talking politics don't get negative receptions: like Chris Matthews and Bill Maher criticizing Bush when they appeared on Jay Leno.

 

[loyalheart]

or maybe it's the fact that people go to conventions to hear about their acting in the series, get their autographs and run.

 

[Fone Bone]

Looks like Kerry's locked up the geek vote.

I'm kidding. Relax. I'm a Trekkie too.

 

[sun]

Nothing wrong with celebrities endorsing candidates.

I do not believe there is anything wrong with celebrties, whoever they may be, endorsing candidates..Something about the First Ammendment to the Consitution...I suspect that many will endorse Bush, at the Republican Convention. I have even heard of celebrities running for political office, and guess what? winning....let's see, Terminator, did he run and win? And I seem to recall that an actor of the 40s and a TV narrator of a Western Series, of the 50s and 60s ran for some office won, and then ran for another, lost, and ran again and in l980 became President..What Kate Mulgrew said is OK with me. She deserves the same chance to talk (and run if she wishes) as the "Terminator"

 

[DR.MID-NITE]

I do not believe there is anything wrong with celebrties, whoever they may be, endorsing candidates..Something about the First Ammendment to the Consitution...I suspect that many will endorse Bush, at the Republican Convention. I have even heard of celebrities running for political office, and guess what? winning....let's see, Terminator, did he run and win? And I seem to recall that an actor of the 40s and a TV narrator of a Western Series, of the 50s and 60s ran for some office won, and then ran for another, lost, and ran again and in l980 became President..What Kate Mulgrew said is OK with me. She deserves the same chance to talk (and run if she wishes) as the "Terminator"

I agree. And if she wants to go to the Convention like Affleck. All the power to her. It's good she gets involved. But, if I go to a Star Trek convention and PAY to see a Star Trek actor. I want her to discuss the show. If Arnold went to a Terminator show (like that would happen. ) I expect him to discuss the movie. I just disagree about having to pay to hear someones idealogies.

 

[Web Head]

I agree. And if she wants to go to the Convention like Affleck. All the power to her. It's good she gets involved. But, if I go to a Star Trek convention and PAY to see a Star Trek actor. I want her to discuss the show. If Arnold went to a Terminator show (like that would happen. ) I expect him to discuss the movie. I just disagree about having to pay to hear someones idealogies.

I agree with the good Doctor. If you turn on CNN and, for example, see Michael Moore speaking against Bush/for Kerry then that's fine because he is in a forum dedicated to news coverage and political discussion.

But when a celebrity uses something like an awards ceremony or a fan convention to do it they are IMO telling their fans to go shove off. If Kate Mulgrew wants to publicly campaign for Kerry then do it on MSNBC or CNN.

Using a speaking engagement at a fan convention like this draws the audience in under false pretenses. Mulgrew may have a constitutional right to say what she chooses, but she chose a forum that was focused exclusively on Star Trek to do it in.

I basically think this is the equivalent of walking into this con, giving the fans the middle finger and saying "forget talking about the reason this convention is held and the reason I was hired, I'm going to talk about what I want". I just feel it's disrespectful to those who spent good money for a non-political event.

 

[William C. Maune]

How often do guests at cons talk solely about their work?

 

[James]

How often do guests at cons talk solely about their work?

Absolutely. Having had friends who have helped run or have run some of the UK cons, I don't believe there is any stipulation what they talk about. In fact - at least in the UK - fans aren't bothered about what they talk about, they are just interested in getting to know the actors and seeing what makes them tick. So often their work on a show plays a small part, and it allows the guests to open up and show themselves rather that Janeway/Chekov/Ivanova whatever.

I'd like to think fandom has grown up a little to appreciate that these are actors - they have more in their lives than just the show. That's the fun. I spent about an hour with a few friends sitting talking to Robert LeeShock from Earth Final Conflict. We just drinking a pint in the reception and we got chatting. I talked to him about his life and his acting career - the differences between the east and west coast for an actor and he opened up. He relaxed and sat down on the floor next to us and just talked about his life. This was interesting. We didn't once talk about Earth Final Conflict. He was a fun guy (a little bit of a womaniser too.. ).

The point is, fans and guests have to find some middle ground. As long as the actors are willing to chat about Star Trek (which I'm sure Mulgrew was) whats the problem. Actors really open up if you respect them enough to talk about what means something to them. Seeing James Marsters, he politely and intelligently answered the Buffy question and then someone asked about Shakespere and he just opened up. You saw the light in his eyes - it was something he really wanted to talk about, and it was really interesting.

Mulgrew has done the cons many times, if she felt she could open up and talk to the crowd about politics, it's a safe bet she knew what she was doing. If it was a bad call she'll suffer form it in future. By the sounds of it the fans were intrested because most came to see Kate Mulgrew - not Janeway. Mulgrew is clearly political, so she spoke about what's important to her.

Politics is big and for some people it's very important to them, be they republican/democrat whatever. If you want to know about a person, then hear what makes them tick.

It's pretty hard to say how far she went from the report. Whether she responded to questions, just make questions, soapboxed/ranted, we can't say, but it is her. Kate Mulgrew - THAT is who you pay to see and there is nothing on the ticket about exclusively chatting about Star Trek.

 

[Peter Paltridge]

"I'M A CELEBRITY!"
"No you're not; otherwise I would have heard of you."
"I AM TOO!"
"What do you think of Bush?"
"He's okay."
"....You're not a celebrity. The End."

 

[Conekiller]

Regardless of their opinion I would be very pissed off if a celebrity I went to go see at a non-political convention started pressing their political views on me and try to encourage me to think likewise. IE If I went to go see Bruce Campbell, and I paid a decnt sum of money to so see an actor whose personality charm and funny stories I appreciate, I would be very upset and if he constantly brought up how he is going to vote for Nader and why. it's not why I paid to go see him and not whan I'm interested in hearing. (Disclaimer: i have absolutely no idea who Cambell is going to vote for, this was a hypotherical sentence)

 

[James]

Regardless of their opinion I would be very pissed off if a celebrity I went to go see at a non-political convention started pressing their political views on me and try to encourage me to think likewise. IE If I went to go see Bruce Campbell, and I paid a decnt sum of money to so see an actor whose personality charm and funny stories I appreciate, I would be very upset and if he constantly brought up how he is going to vote for Nader and why. it's not why I paid to go see him and not whan I'm interested in hearing. (Disclaimer: i have absolutely no idea who Cambell is going to vote for, this was a hypotherical sentence)

Then you are ignoring a part of who that actor is. You don't got to meet Janeway, you go to meet Mulgrew, to see what makes the person behind the "mask" tick. A man is a sum of all his parts. You want to listen to him you will here what you may not want to. That's life. You may find the guy is an atheist who offends your religious views, or he's extremely religious which makes you feel he's boring...

Again, guests have no stipulations. This isn't a cabaret service where actors have to be funny or act in a way that will please a certain fan. They go up there and be themselves - whoever that is. Some are, serious, some are dull, some are funny. Some are political. You paid to see that person - not dictate what he can or cannot say. People are political, especially at the moment that's the way it is. Many people feel for the political situation, you can't be surprised when people go to see an audience with that person that they speak about what is of interest to them. That's what you pay for. To see a guest and listen to what they say - no one has the right to dictate what is appropiate when you seeing them in a non affliated capacity (eg; she is not a spokesperson for Star Trek when she does guestspots, she's just a trek actor at a trek convention talking about herself).

You pay to see someone you don't know, you take the risk you'll be disappointed.

Considering that most con appearances are Q&A, I doubt this was as big a rant as being made. Regardless she's there to entertain, and whatever she said, it sounds like the majority were okay about it (if we read into the article) so it can't be horrendous. If you don't like what they say, you know to leave and not pay to seem them again... No one is forcing you to listen.