Famous doesn’t mean intelligent

(Via the Drudge Report)

Or well-educated, or possessing common sense, or able to read at an 8th grade level, apparently:

When it comes to science, Barack Obama is no better than many of us. Today he joins the list of shame of those in public life who made scientifically unsupportable statements in 2008.

Closer to home, Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith faltered on the science of food, while Kate Moss, Oprah Winfrey and Demi Moore all get roastings for scientific illiteracy.

Why am I…unsurprised.

Tens if not hundreds of millions listen to these people and give greater credence to what they say than they do to the words of those who are trained and experienced in the subject under discussion. Then those of us who are willing to listen to people like nuclear physicists and engineers sit around with skyrocketing electric bills and wonder why the hell we aren’t building more nuclear-powered electric generating plants (for example).

The experts might not always be right, but they have a better track record than celebrities.