Pharrell Williams, For One, Is Sick Of Celebrity Presidential Endorsements: “Shut Up, Nobody Asked”

Pharrell Williams had plenty of preferences to share in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Among them: Beats should be “alien,” “cinematic liberty” in biopics (his upcoming one is filmed through the medium of Lego toys, by the way), and celebrities should “shut up” about their political endorsements.

The interview, which largely revolves around said plasticine biopic, Piece By Piece, which will hit theaters October 11, was published online on September 12—the day after Taylor Swift dropped her endorsement of Kamala Harris for president.

Williams, when asked about the upcoming election, said he considered himself to be “more of a federal employee,” keeping his specific choice of candidate under his hat.

“There are federal employees, this is what they do, come rain or shine, whether it’s a Democrat or a Republican in office, you show up to work every day, you serve your country,” he said. “I’m more of a humanitarian. I like people trying to help people. Not sure I’ll ever vote far right. I won’t do that.”

While maintaining that he doesn’t really “do politics,” he said that he cares about issues like education. “I’m not an activist, but I believe in action. But I do believe in activists, and you need everybody.”

But he’d also like everybody to shut up, even as artists like Swift, Billie Eilish and Finneas, John Legend, and more throw their support behind candidates. Williams insisted that he’s “really about the action,” but also plans to “stay out of the way.”

“I get annoyed sometimes when I see celebrities trying to tell you [who to vote for],” he said. “There are celebrities that I respect that have an opinion, but not all of them. I’m one of them people [who says], ‘What the heck? Shut up. Nobody asked you.’”

It’s worth noting that at least in Swift’s case, and many other boldface names, people really did ask her, and Donald Trump specifically seemed to be trying to goad her into a statement through tactics like releasing AI-generated images that seemed to imply her endorsement, and laying the praise on thick for fellow Kansas City Chiefs WAG and Swift pal Brittany Mahomes.

Williams continued, “When people get out there and get self-righteous and they roll up their sleeves and shit, and they are out there walking around with a placard: ‘Shut up!’ So, no, I would rather stay out of the way, and obviously, I’m going to vote how I’m going to vote.”