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single word to describe someone famous who uses their fame to push their personal agenda. Example is sports or entertainment celebs pushing their political/environmental/equal rights agenda

Ed (a famous sportsman) is a xxxxxxxxxx for using his fame to promote his political views

I have done many searches revolving around one using their position to advance their personal agenda. The closest word I've found is opportunist - although that doesn't seem to describe the extra influence that fame contributes to it.

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    Single word request questions must include: a sample sentence demonstrating how the word would be used; what thesaurus or dictionary searches you've tried; clear criteria for choosing the "best" word (e.g. register, connotations, part of speech); what words you've considered, and why they don't work for you; whether a compound word or phrase would be acceptable Review our full requirements for more info.
    – TaliesinMerlin
    Feb 11, 2019 at 15:48
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    Thanks for the adjustment! I'll keep thinking about this question, but I have nothing good, and I'm running into difficulty. Basically, what you're describing is more or less leadership or advocacy or being a paraclete; further nuances are less likely to be represented in any single word, whether that's distinguishing one kind of influence from another (fame from entertainment versus business, politics, military action, religion?) or taking a negative view of using one's fame to lead. It feels like you're using a single word to resolve a complex argument about whether an action is good.
    – TaliesinMerlin
    Feb 11, 2019 at 16:36
  • I can't think of a single word. The phrase "throwing his weight around" comes to mind. Ed is throwing his weight around to promote his political views. "Using his celebrity" is another possible phrase.
    – ab2
    Feb 12, 2019 at 2:30
  • "Personal agenda"? The expression sounds a tad loaded. Do you not mean "views" instead?
    – Beginner Biker
    Jul 1, 2021 at 13:36

3 Answers 3

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The common phrase I've seen for this is "celebrity activist"--see news examples here at Huffington Post. Google searches also return this phrase in tabloids and pop culture magazines.

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  • There are various activist-based compounds like "hacktivist" (someone who hacks systems for political aims, like Wikileaks), and "slacktivist" (low-effort activism) but nobody seems to have shortened this yet.
    – Stuart F
    Oct 29, 2021 at 9:08
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Ed may be a promoter of the idea. He may also be authoritative on the subject. Neither of these says he is not correct or excessive in his views.

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As in:

Ed (a famous sportsman) is as a dilettante, using only his fame to promote political views.

or

Ed (a famous sportsman) is being dilettantish (showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish), using his fame to promote his political views

dilettante, in the following sense: TFD

  1. a person whose interest in a subject is superficial rather than professional
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  • OK, I get the downvotes on this one, as it does not adequately answer the question. I would like to point out, however, that most celebrities who comment on politics are irritating political dilettantes.
    – RobJarvis
    Jul 1, 2021 at 13:21

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