'The View' Co-hosts Clash Over 70-Year-Old Billy Bob Thornton's Politics Stance

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 12

Billy Bob Thornton, 70, said on a podcast he avoids using his Hollywood platform to push political views, saying he is not an expert and does not want to force beliefs on others.
That stance split "The View": Joy Behar mocked him for "bragging" about being uninformed, while Sunny Hostin said celebrities with outsized platforms have a responsibility to speak up during a democratic crisis.
Alyssa Farah Griffin pushed back by citing George Clooney's call for Joe Biden to leave the race, arguing the show cannot praise celebrity activism only when it matches its politics.
Sara Haines backed Thornton's broader point, saying pressuring celebrities to speak out is bullying and that bombastic political statements often polarize audiences rather than change minds.

Do celebrity political endorsements change minds, or simply deepen the divide by 'preaching to the choir'?

When traditional authorities lose trust, does a celebrity's silence on key issues become a political act in itself?

As fan relationships intensify online, are celebrities' personal beliefs becoming a greater professional liability than ever before?