Does it matter that BJ Hunnicut is opposed to war in Iraq?

Calvin Trillin once called government officials and media pundits who appear on Sunday morning public affairs programs “Sabbath Day Gasbags.” It was a great line. Today, however, Carpetbagger was troubled to see a slate of “Sabbath Day Celebrities” making the rounds.

When looking over the guest list for today’s political programs, there are plenty of familiar names of candidates and public officials. You’ve got your Senators (Hagel, Schumer, Santorum), your presidential candidates (Gephardt, Kucinich), a few governors (Richardson, Warner), and … a few Hollywood celebrities?

That’s right, if you tuned into Fox News Sunday, there was Janeane Garofalo discussing her opposition to war in Iraq. An hour later, you could catch Susan Sarandon and Mike Farrell on Face the Nation. While Farrell portrayed BJ Hunnicut on MASH, pretending to have served in the Korean War does not make one an expert on foreign affairs.

Carpetbagger doesn’t mind celebrities speaking out against the war; in fact, I’m fairly sympathetic to their point of view. The problem lies in public affairs programs booking celebrities to address critical issues of the day. Hundreds of lawmakers, cabinet officials, scholars, and military personnel can offer valuable contributions to a debate over whether to wage war in Iraq. Actors, talented though they may be in their given craft, are simply not qualified.

Look, Garofalo was great on Saturday Night Live. Sarandon rocked in Bull Durham. But does their perspective on Iraq warrant national television exposure?

What’s wrong with these actors voicing their opposition to the war? Absolutely nothing. They are concerned Americans who should speak out when they oppose the actions of their government. Like all citizens, they can march in protests, contribute to their given cause, even spend $50k on a newspaper ad to bring more attention to their beliefs. To be sure, the country would be better off if everyone took as active an interest in current events as these performers do. But please television producers, don’t tell us a celebrity’s opinion is newsworthy simply because he or she is in the movies.