Best Celebrity Political Moments of 2011

Stars who spoke out (and got spoken to).

Common Comes to the White House - After the rapper was invited by Michelle Obama to be a part of a poetry event at the White House, Sarah Palin and a host of other Republicans blast the first lady for including him. Their gripe? A political-minded poem Common recited on Def Poetry Jam.(Photo: Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

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Common Comes to the White House - After the rapper was invited by Michelle Obama to be a part of a poetry event at the White House, Sarah Palin and a host of other Republicans blast the first lady for including him. Their gripe? A political-minded poem Common recited on Def Poetry Jam.(Photo: Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

Photo By Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup

LL Cool J’s BET Hip Hop Award Acceptance Speech - At this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards, the G.O.A.T received the I Am Hip-Hop Icon Award. Instead of giving the usual speech thanking folks, LL dispensed some social awareness through rhyme. "They won't feed us as they'd rather defeat us like an aborted fetus, but the greatest feat is to get back up on your feet."(Photo: Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

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LL Cool J’s BET Hip Hop Award Acceptance Speech - At this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards, the G.O.A.T received the I Am Hip-Hop Icon Award. Instead of giving the usual speech thanking folks, LL dispensed some social awareness through rhyme. "They won't feed us as they'd rather defeat us like an aborted fetus, but the greatest feat is to get back up on your feet."(Photo: Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

Lupe Fiasco’s BET Hip Hop Award Performance   - Always one for controversy, Lupe Fiasco rocked a pro-Occupy Wall Street t-shirt and performed a heartfelt rendition of his powerful “Words I Never Said.” Providing vocal accompaniment was a burka-clad Erykah Badu. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Summit on the Summit)

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Lupe Fiasco’s BET Hip Hop Award Performance - Always one for controversy, Lupe Fiasco rocked a pro-Occupy Wall Street t-shirt and performed a heartfelt rendition of his powerful “Words I Never Said.” Providing vocal accompaniment was a burka-clad Erykah Badu. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Summit on the Summit)

Russell and Kanye Show Love to Occupy Wall Street  - As the Occupy Wall Street movement gained momentum, Kanye West and Russell Simmons stopped by Zuccotti Park (OWS's Manhattan encampment) to show their support. They are among the growing ranks of celebs who support OWS.(Photo: E. Hall/INFphoto.com)

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Russell and Kanye Show Love to Occupy Wall Street - As the Occupy Wall Street movement gained momentum, Kanye West and Russell Simmons stopped by Zuccotti Park (OWS's Manhattan encampment) to show their support. They are among the growing ranks of celebs who support OWS.(Photo: E. Hall/INFphoto.com)

Soulja Boys Disses the Troops  - Rap’s boy wonder went more than viral when he uttered the words, "f--k all the Army troops/Bitch, be your own man,” on the cut “Let's Be Real.” Of course, some army personnel were up in arms over the lyrics. Despite apologizing for the misstep, Soulja Boy’s music was banned by the U.S. military.(Photo: WENN.com)

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Soulja Boys Disses the Troops - Rap’s boy wonder went more than viral when he uttered the words, "f--k all the Army troops/Bitch, be your own man,” on the cut “Let's Be Real.” Of course, some army personnel were up in arms over the lyrics. Despite apologizing for the misstep, Soulja Boy’s music was banned by the U.S. military.(Photo: WENN.com)

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Tracy Morgan Anti-Gay Stand-up - In the gay slur heard ‘round the world, comedian Tracy Morgan, during a stand-up routine, threatens to stab his own son if he were homosexual. The bone-headed comment lined the gay community and quite a few celebs up against Morgan. All would end peacefully when the 30 Rock star publicly apologized.(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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Tracy Morgan Anti-Gay Stand-up - In the gay slur heard ‘round the world, comedian Tracy Morgan, during a stand-up routine, threatens to stab his own son if he were homosexual. The bone-headed comment lined the gay community and quite a few celebs up against Morgan. All would end peacefully when the 30 Rock star publicly apologized.(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

Morgan Freeman Calls Tea Party Racist - The veteran actor appeared on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight to deny he’d provided narration for a Tea Party-supported Republican candidate. Afterwards, he called the Tea Party “racist.” Some predicted his statement would hurt ticket sales for Dolphin. The film hit number one its second week. (Photo: Phil McCarten/PictureGroup)

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Morgan Freeman Calls Tea Party Racist - The veteran actor appeared on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight to deny he’d provided narration for a Tea Party-supported Republican candidate. Afterwards, he called the Tea Party “racist.” Some predicted his statement would hurt ticket sales for Dolphin. The film hit number one its second week. (Photo: Phil McCarten/PictureGroup)

Jay-Z Knocks Obama on Unemployment Rate  - Having long been a supporter of President Obama, Jay took a sobering look at the prez when saying about the high unemployment rate: “Numbers don't lie. Unemployment is pretty high. It's f----d up, but he's trying not to be the angry Black man."(Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

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Jay-Z Knocks Obama on Unemployment Rate - Having long been a supporter of President Obama, Jay took a sobering look at the prez when saying about the high unemployment rate: “Numbers don't lie. Unemployment is pretty high. It's f----d up, but he's trying not to be the angry Black man."(Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Donald Trump's Running for President   - The Donald flirted with the idea of running for president in 2012, and it looked promising…until he began rekindling the racist “birther” argument over the authenticity of President Obama’s birth certificate. After the Prez, once again, provided proof (and took care of some pirates), the Donald politely bowed out. (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

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Donald Trump's Running for President - The Donald flirted with the idea of running for president in 2012, and it looked promising…until he began rekindling the racist “birther” argument over the authenticity of President Obama’s birth certificate. After the Prez, once again, provided proof (and took care of some pirates), the Donald politely bowed out. (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

Kobe’s F-Bomb.   - After getting hit with a technical foul, an irate Kobe storms to his seat. Disagreeing with the call, the NBA star calls the ref two F words. (Hint: the second word was a gay slur.) After he is fined $10,000, Bryant issues an apology to the president of a gay rights organization.(Photo: AP Photo)

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Kobe’s F-Bomb. - After getting hit with a technical foul, an irate Kobe storms to his seat. Disagreeing with the call, the NBA star calls the ref two F words. (Hint: the second word was a gay slur.) After he is fined $10,000, Bryant issues an apology to the president of a gay rights organization.(Photo: AP Photo)

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President Obama to CBC: “Take off your bedroom slippers!”  - Speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus’s annual dinner, the Prez used his posium time to tell the organization (and, indirectly, the Black communities they represent) to stop whining. Given that Obama never spoke that message to his other constituencies (gays, Latinos, Jews, etc.), the CBC and Black folks get pissed.(Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)

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President Obama to CBC: “Take off your bedroom slippers!” - Speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus’s annual dinner, the Prez used his posium time to tell the organization (and, indirectly, the Black communities they represent) to stop whining. Given that Obama never spoke that message to his other constituencies (gays, Latinos, Jews, etc.), the CBC and Black folks get pissed.(Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)

Oprah Refuses to Back Obama Re-Election Campaign - In the 2008 presidential race, Oprah’s endorsement helped rally the female vote for then-candidate Obama. Unfortunately, her public endorsement caused the widely reported erosion in her talk show’s ratings. With ratings for her new OWN network on the line, she allegedly refuses to publicly endorse Obama’s re-election bid. Instead, she interviews the Prez and first lady on her show.(Photo: AP Photo/OWN, George Burns) 

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Oprah Refuses to Back Obama Re-Election Campaign - In the 2008 presidential race, Oprah’s endorsement helped rally the female vote for then-candidate Obama. Unfortunately, her public endorsement caused the widely reported erosion in her talk show’s ratings. With ratings for her new OWN network on the line, she allegedly refuses to publicly endorse Obama’s re-election bid. Instead, she interviews the Prez and first lady on her show.(Photo: AP Photo/OWN, George Burns)

Tavis Smiley Goes Off Over Pres. Obama’s “Slippers” Statement  - Following President Obama’s “slippers” statement at the CBC dinner, one of the biggest critics of the speech was Tavis Smiley. The talk show host used his program to blast the president for his choice of words to the caucus and, in essence, to Black America.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Tavis Smiley Goes Off Over Pres. Obama’s “Slippers” Statement - Following President Obama’s “slippers” statement at the CBC dinner, one of the biggest critics of the speech was Tavis Smiley. The talk show host used his program to blast the president for his choice of words to the caucus and, in essence, to Black America.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)