One-on-one interviews with the guest celebrities of Tuesday’s Vote for a Change ‘92 rally showed that, when it comes to politics, the stars are regular people too.
The largest celebrity, both in physical stature and fan support, was George Wendt, who plays Norm Peterson on the NBC situation comedy, Cheers.
After his speech, Wendt said he supports the Clinton/Gore ticket and agrees with their platform, but he is still “a lightweight, politically speaking.”
Wendt said he became involved with the rally because he was asked to do so by the Hollywood Women’s Political Caucus, a California political organization.
Although Wendt came to Ohio State to show support for the Clinton/Gore campaign, he found time to talk about other topics.
“The main difference between Norm and myself is that Norm has much better writers than I do,” Wendt said in reference to a prepared speech that was written for him to read at the rally which he neglected. “We both like beer, though.”
One other thing that Wendt and Norm agree on is the choice of Clinton for President.
“I’m sure Norm would vote for Clinton,” Wendt said. “He’s out of work.”
Wendt may also be out of work soon. Cheers is probably in its last season, he said.
Singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked said she has not voted since the 1980 presidential election because, “We weren’t really given a choice. We were given candidates who encouraged apathy.
“I felt very grateful to be given the opportunity to add my two cents worth to the process taking place on this campus, which is usually characterized as football-loving, conservative, Republican students,” Shocked said.
Shocked said there is a tide of change sweeping the country and this campus and she is proud to be part of it.
Troy Evans, of television’s China Beach, said although he is a Vietnam veteran, Clinton’s draft-dodging controversy doesn’t bother him.
“People who protested against the war were heroes of the war,” Evans said. “They saved lives.”
“Everybody knew it (the Vietnam War) was wrong, and they were shipping their boys off to die in the mud rather than say that the government was wrong,” Evans said.
When Evans returned home after 16 months in Vietnam, he visited his girlfriend at Berkeley and was shot in the back with rock-salt by a policeman. He said he was wearing his military clothes when the action occurred.
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