There was a time when actors and celebrities were incredibly influential. Movie stars were relied upon, not to just act in films, but to sell products left and right.
They could get together for a charity event and draw thousands of people, using their influence to get people involved in a cause, or paying attention to a tragedy.
They could even influence your vote. Frank Sinatra endorsed Kennedy, adding a flare of cool to his campaign. In the 1990s, MTV launched “Rock the Vote,” inspiring many in Gen-X to get out and pull the lever. Oprah’s endorsement of Barack Obama in 2008 was considered to be a large factor in influencing a lot of women to put Obama in the White House.
But then something happened. The internet became a thing, and with it, came social media, podcasts, and YouTube.
I can remember when YouTube creators truly started becoming a…
