Star Gazing

More

Don't know if this is a reflection of the Democratic Congress or simply a reflection of our popular culture, but Congress is simply teeming with celebrities today. On the House side alone, Josh Groban and Linda Ronstadt testified, and Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, and Richard Schiff all appeared for a press conference--and those are just the ones I happened to spot. The other day, well-traveled, tantrum-throwing wide receiver Terrell Owens testified. Nobody really even noticed. Once upon a time, celebrity testimony was a big, big deal. In 1981, when Jack "Quincy M.D." Klugman testified before a House subcommittee in support of orphan drug legislation, it rated a front-page story in The New York Times. Today's celebs are lucky to make CongressDaily.

Jump to comments

Joshua Green is a former writer and editor at The Atlantic.

Get Today's Top Stories in Your Inbox (preview)


Elsewhere on the web

Join the Discussion

After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register. blog comments powered by Disqus

Video

Miami: The Next Big Start-Up City?

How the city became a center for innovation

Video

Video

A Brief History of Romantic Comedies

From The Atlantic's Chris Orr

Video

Life in 'the New Arctic'

A moving portrait of a fading landscape

Video

Video

The Rise of New York City

A fascinating look at Manhattan in the 1940s

Video

What Is Methane Hydrate?

"Flaming ice" is a vast natural energy source

Video

NASA's Time-Lapse of the Sun

Now with epic dubstep music

Video

Shaken Not Tuned: Cocktail Experiments

Can a tuning fork improve a cocktail?

Video

Video

Is He Cheating? A 1950s Guide

'That little blonde secretary from the office?’

Video

New Yorkers: Vintage Vacuum-Tube Amps

Risking electric shock to restore old amplifiers

Video

The DIY Piano-Bicycle

Everybody needs a hobby

Writers

Up
Down

More in Politics

In Focus

2013 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest