Star power

By Seymour Klierly

It's hard not to notice that Inauguration Day is right around the corner. Bleachers are being set up along Pennsylvania Ave., No Parking signs are in place everywhere that you need to park, and roads leading into the heart of the city are closed. But nothing indicates more that the festivities are about to begin than the arrival of the Hollywood stars. President-elect Obama's three-day inaugural party is a star-studded affair packed with the biggest names from television, movie screens, and the radio.

The line-up for these events is impressive. Musical talent ranging from U2 to Bruce Springsteen to Jay-Z to Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers will perform at different balls or ceremonies. (If you don't know those last few names, just ask your kids.) Faith Hill, Stevie Wonder and Josh Groban will also perform at some point. Demand for tickets to the kids' concert on Monday is so great that the Disney Channel has agreed to broadcast the event so folks can enjoy it from home.

Also coming to town are Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx and, of course, the biggest star of them all, Oprah. It's no secret that Oprah was an Obama supporter from the beginning. She was seen in tears during the Democratic Convention and is said to be hosting a party at one of D.C.'s finest restaurants on Inauguration Day. Something tells me that party is not open to the public.

It may surprise you but I'm glad to see such involvement and support from the entertainment community. This is the right place and the right time for any citizen or, in the case of some of these celebrities, non-citizen who wishes to celebrate our electoral process to do so. It's much more appropriate now than say in a month at the Oscars on stage, or last week at the Golden Globe Awards. Don't misunderstand me; I believe we all have the right to express our beliefs. But something about a Hollywood award winner using their thirty-second acceptance speech to criticize our government, regardless of party, gets under my skin. I'm not certain making a movie about reverse aging or a comic book character provides an actor with some revelational insight into our political system. In the same vein, I know that I'm not an expert critic of film directors just because I used a video camera over Christmas.

Historically, inauguration activities are full of fanfare and bipartisanship and this year is no different. It may have more well-known guests, but the spirit and community that surround the celebration remains. It truly is an enjoyable time in our nation's capital, if you can manage the traffic.

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