I watched the whole debate, and, while he was awful, I thought it was one of Biden's better performances. He didn't fall asleep or get lost, and sometimes he used real words.
I have read a number of rumors that Biden is not only fed a group of drugs before a public appearance, but he is given hyperbaric treatments just prior to his appearances. It is just rumor, but maybe.... I have known die-hard Dems who watch nothing but MSNBC all day, and hear the same platitudes all day every day. THAT is who was surprised when they actually saw their hero on the debate stage. The media who acted surprised actually were not. They have known since before his election that he was not mentally intact. They just have been lying to cover that up for so many years now that it shocked them he was allowed to be onstage for that long to show them as liars.
Don, What do you mean by recent phenomenon. It may not be that much of a recent phenomenon. In an article in Newsweek from 2021 ( https://www.newsweek.com/52-celebrities-history-activism-1607668) it mentions Muhammad Ali and his protesting the war in Viet Nam, Marlon Brando, Ossie Davis, Sammy Davis,Jr. being involved with the civil rights movement, and Humphrey Bogart protesting McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee. So I think political activism by celebrities isn't that new. It may be, like everything else, due to the 24 hour news cycle, the internet, etc, it's just more obvious.
Jill Biden definitely is scary sometimes...sorry...most of the time. It's kind of a toss up between her being the First Lady most likely to be voted "Wicked Witch of the West" or Hillary Clinton winning the award.
I saw where Jill Biden is helping Joe down the steps. If I didn't know he was her husband, I could swear Jill was helping her father down the steps.
The celebs didn't usually become involved in campaigning for a candidate. Ali was naturally a figure in Civil Rights, and Bogart was upset to see so many of his friends targeted by McCarthy, but I don't think they endorsed specific candidates though. The internet and the television media has made it easier for them to do it though.
The most prominent occasion that I remember was during the campaigns between Hillary and Trump with a dozen or so celebs vowing to leave the country if Trump won. Note: Sadly, when Trump did win, all the lying celebrities who made those promises stayed. ( dern it )
From Sky News (Australia) coverage of the debate, the news anchor was wondering who Joe is waving at since there is no studio audience.