Celebrities Have Opinions About COVID. Why Do We Listen?

Everybody’s got an opinion about the COVID vaccine, so it makes sense that celebrities do, too – actors, musicians, and athletes have all been sounding off. That includes singer Nicki Minaj. But they’re not doctors or vaccine experts – why do we pay attention to what they have to say? Mark Harvey studies the way celebrities influence public opinion. He is the Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs at the University of Saint Mary and author of the 2017 book, “Celebrity Influence: Politics, Persuasion, and Issue-based Advocacy.” (Segment produced by James Hoopes) (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)