If hindsight is 20/20, this may be the moment we all look back on as the dawn of full-blown celebrity politics. If Donald Trump can run for president, why not younger stars from the entertainment business? As odd as it may seem to take the question seriously, we’ve been heading this way for a long time.
Is it really that surprising, for instance, to learn that Kanye West has promised to run for the White House in four years? “Much to the delight of his fans—and shock to just about everyone else—West, 39, announced he was running for president during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards,” the New York Daily News recalled.
Now, with a fresh round of tweets and hashtags imploring him to make good on the vow, West is weighing in again. “When I talk about the idea of being president, I’m not saying I have any political views,” he told BBC radio host Annie Mac. “I don’t have views on politics, I just have a view on humanity, on people, on truth. If there’s anything that I can do with my time and my day to somehow make a difference, while I’m alive, imma try to do it.” His shocking pro-Trump rant at a concert in San Jose, California, however, will likely shed a negative light on his views of humanity and the truth.
Speaking of tweets, Chris Rock dropped a bomb of his own on just two days after the election. “I’m gonna run in 2020 wish me luck,” he deadpanned, posting a meme-ready image of himself waving in front of a golden presidential seal, below a slogan promising “the only thing white is the house.”
There’s even some hope for disgruntled Republicans who’d like to replace Trump with a better celebrity option: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, People’s new Sexiest Man Alive—and a former Republican National Convention speaker in 2000—is game. “Not only is the former WWE wrestler turned movie star the world’s highest-paid actor—he earned a staggering $64.5 million this year, according to Forbes—his commanding but charismatic personality has some fans asking him to run for president,” Vanity Fair affirmed. “I wouldn’t rule it out,” he smiled. “It would be a great opportunity to help people, so it’s possible. This past election shows that anything can happen.”
Could be worse, right?
