Zach Galifianakis warns Kamala Harris about possible backlash from endorsements

Zach Galifianakis has issued a word of caution to the Kamala Harris – Tim Walz presidential campaign about over-reliance on Hollywood endorsements, emphasizing the need for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to moderate their celebrity involvement. The 54-year-old actor, known for “The Hangover,” is set to appear in the new series of the mystery comedy “Only Murders In The Building.”

Speaking to Variety at a premiere event during this year’s Democratic National Convention, Galifianakis shared, “As a small-town guy from North Carolina … I do wish the DNC would step back from the celebrities a little bit.”

He further explained, “It works to a point, but they have to win over rural America. Hollywood thinks it’s so important and that’s a problem.”

Galifianakis added, “Actors are people too, and they’re citizens too, but I’m more on the small-town side of that than I am on the Hollywood side of that. That’s just me.”

The Democratic National Convention in Chicago showcased numerous big-name guest appearances. Highlights included a speech by Oprah Winfrey and musical performances by Stevie Wonder, John Legend, and Pink.

Rumors circulating on social media suggested that Beyoncé might make an appearance, prompting excitement and high expectations among delegates and attendees, many of whom dressed in stetsons and red-white-and-blue sashes in homage to the star’s recent album “Cowboy Carter.”

Although Beyoncé did not publicly endorse Harris for 2024, she showed her support by allowing the use of her song “Freedom” as the official anthem of the Harris campaign almost immediately after it launched.

Recently, controversy arose when Trump’s campaign used the same song without permission in a video showing the former president stepping off a plane in Michigan. In response, Beyoncé sent a cease-and-desist letter, leading to the quick deletion of the video from social media platform X.

Beyoncé, who voted for President Joe Biden during the 2020 election, also extended her support by gifting tickets worth approximately $1,655 to her Renaissance Tour in 2023 to Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff.

On Thursday, TMZ reported, citing multiple sources, that Beyoncé would give a surprise performance on Harris’s significant night. However, the outlet later had to retract their information.

In a post on X, along with an amendment to their original article, TMZ wrote, “To quote the great Beyoncé: We gotta lay our cards down, down, down … we got this one wrong.”

Source: Variety, TMZ