We just finished with the presidency of Donald Trump two months ago, leaving many people with the impression that the cult of celebrity in the executive was done. But this isn't the first time, or the last, that this phenomenon will happen. In fact, I'd argue that Trump was just the beginning.
It's easy to forget that media darlings as president isn't a new thing. Reagan is the big example, movie star and head of the Screen Actors Guild going all the way to president. But he wasn't the first either.
There are many examples throughout American History. Teddy Roosevelt, JFK and even Washington were all media darlings. And now it seems to me it's accelerating. We all remember calls for Oprah to be president, or the Rock.
But the story for this week is Will Smith has potentially thrown his hat in the ring.
“I will certainly do my part, whether it remains artistic or, at some point, ventures into the political arena,” he said.
I think our days of seeing media influence politics are really ramping up. We are gonna see more celebrities as president.
Super interesting post, Steven. Although you didn't mention this specific instance, I'm sure it ran through your head while making the post. Kayne West, also known as Yeezy, announced himself wanting to run for president back in 2016 in which everyone in the media took this as a joke. Nevertheless, in 2020 he did run. Obviously, he did not get enough votes to even cover the smallest percentage of voting Americans, as he is probably as unqualified as it gets for the job, aside from his bipolar disorder amongst other things... it was still definitely a shock to all. Great post!
ReplyDeleteReply #7: 03-07-2021: Steven Moore: The Celebrity President
ReplyDeleteThe celebrity president is certainly a phenomenon that will continue. It is simply too good for ratings. People don’t want to watch a milk toast leader mumble and shuffle about. They want someone who looks good on camera and can deliver an iconic line. You did leave one important celebrity out though, President Obama - lest we forget his iconic dancing on Ellen. If Trump was the celebrity villain for the media, then Obama was the celebrity hero. It is uncertain if Biden will be able to rise to this status. So far, he certainly does not seem to have the energy or desire, despite the media’s best efforts to portray him otherwise. It seems that his dogs will likely become bigger celebrities than he will, and let’s be honest, maybe that’s okay.
I agree that there have been many media personalities that have gunned for the US presidency, with Reagan and Trump being examples of ones who actually won. I agree that this phenomenon is not going away any time soon and actually might never go away. While it is entertaining to think of the rock or Will Smith being the president of the United States, it is not something we should strive for. We need individuals that are qualified for the job. While Will Smith and the rock might be great at politics, I don't see it enough to be confident in them. I mainly only know the two for their acting careers, nothing more. With social media growing ever more popular, I see many more celebrities in the future making jabs at running for the US presidency.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!