Many thanks to everyone who has put a little something in the Hullabaloo stocking this year. It’s so reassuring to know that in these turbulent times online, this old site still has something to offer. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This 20 year anniversary is making me think about how incredibly lucky I am to have been at the right time in my life to be able to transition to spending my time doing something I feel passionate about. It’s not that I didn’t like my previous career working in the film business. I certainly did. It was a good career for a young person, lots of excitement, travel and fun. But as time went on I lost interest in the process and grew to hate the game.
I had always been a political junkie but, like a lot of people, as I got older I found myself more and more interested in current events and non-fiction than the obsessive interest I’d always had in film and entertainment. Strangely enough, it turned out that the years I spent in the movie business (as well as my peripatetic youth) helped prepare me for a laser focus on politics in the 21st century.
I recall, in particular, back in 2015 when Donald Trump came down that escalator. Most people thought he was a joke. But my experience in the entertainment business showed me that he had power that was being overlooked. I wrote the next day:
[T]here is something else he has that may be even more valuable than money: stardom. I don’t think it’s possible to place a political value on the fact that Trump has had a prime-time network TV show for over 10 years with “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice.”
“The Apprentice” averaged 6 to 7 million viewers a show with finales sometimes getting between 10 and 20 million viewers. Last year’s “Celebrity Apprentice” averaged 7.6 million a show. Fox News’ highest rated shows rarely get more than a couple of million viewers and they are all elderly hardcore Republicans. The Donald has a wider reach and might even appeal to the most sought-after people in the land: non-voters.
It’s impossible to know if that’s a serious possibility. But it’s fair to say that many more people in the country know the name of Donald Trump than know anyone else in the race (with the possible exception of Jeb Bush). It’s hard to quantify that kind of name recognition but it’s certainly not worthless in our celebrity-obsessed culture. And remember, Trump would not be the first show business celebrity who everyone assumed was too way out there to ever make a successful run for president. The other guy’s name was Ronald Reagan.
Donald Trump was a character I was familiar with because I’d worked with people like him. And I knew he was bad news. I could tell that he was a perfect right wing avatar in this political moment because I’d been closely documenting the conservative movements descent into lunacy for many years — and watching domineering celebrities like him bulldoze their way to success relying on instinct and chutzpah alone. It was a match made in heaven.
I don’t know if his show has gone stale and people are ready to move on . He certainly seems to have lost some of his shine. But I wouldn’t dance on his grave just yet. If there’s one thing Americans love, it’s a comeback. It’s the oldest story in the book.
I’m a little tired right now and I’m sure you are too. All this sturm und drang for the past few years has taken its toll. But the world won’t stop even if we want it too so starting next year I’m afraid that we will have to gird ourselves for the Great Revenge Tour 2024 and the DeSantis “Great Whitebread Hope” Salvation Crusade whether we want to or not. The stakes are too high to turn away.
We will be here as long as we can and anything you can do to help keep the lights on is very appreciated. It’s a dirty job but somebody’s gotta do it!
And Happy Hollandaise everyone!