Comment to yesterday's post
The problem with mocking President Trump with parody is that he has no limits or boundaries.
He is already a super-exaggerated over-the-top character.
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| Trump, in the oval office, surrounded by gold swag, wearing a hat saying "Trump was right about everything." |
This is Trump's penthouse home. For real. How does one parody this? More gold? Is that possible?
He has redecorated the Oval Office. How would Saturday Night Live exaggerate this?
Gavin Newsom got a ball rolling in social media. The public, using artificial intelligence graphic tools, has taken over my social media feed with posts mocking Trump. Trump's merchandise:
Mocking Trump's presentation of himself as under the guidance and protection of Jesus Christ:
Mocking Trump's presentation of himself as the virile stud in possession of a trophy wife. The recurrent theme is that Melania is disgusted by Trump and is hot for Newsom.
A related theme is the contrast in age. Newsom is strong; Trump is old, fat, and weak:
"Look how foolish Trump is!" is more damaging to the Trump brand than "Look how frightening Trump is." Trump wants to scare people into doing his will, so he makes wild and improbable threats, and then goes through with some of them.
-- Starve children and burn food rather than feed victims of famine in Africa? Yes. They are Africans. We aren't their keepers.
-- Cut funding of research on drugs? Yes. Universities are full of lefties. Smack them down.
-- Ban entire law firms from entering federal courthouses unless they pay a ransom to Trump's personal charities? Yes. They once represented a client or cause he doesn't like. Show who is boss.
Trump is legitimately frightening.
That doesn't mean he isn't also legitimately ridiculous.
My memory is that it would have been verboten it to joke about the attacks on JFK, Gerald Ford, or Ronald Reagan. Times have changed. Both Donald Trump and Don Junior joked about the skull-cracking assault on Nancy Pelosi's husband in the kidnapping attempt on Speaker Pelosi. I don't remember a big stir. Our sense of "presidential decorum" has changed. Trump made the assassination less an attack on democracy and more an opportunity for merchandising and branding. It was a campaign boost demonstrating courage, an indomitable spirit, and God's protection. Trump used it to show off.
Flags for sale:
A huge ear bandage at the Republican convention. Look at me, America!!!
It became an impromptu campaign button for Republicans:
Newsom isn't mocking the assassination attempt. He mocks the way that Trump turned the assassination attempt into a marketing ploy. Trump presented it as heroic.
Parody does brand judo by turning it into a self-serving marketing con by a huckster.
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6 comments:
Trump is like a comic book villain, pandering to a confederacy of dunces. He's a hot, steaming pile of bullshit, greed, narcissism, anger and hate. Republicans love wallowing in it.
Newsom's tactic demands precision to maintain its effect. As a potential candidate himself it has maximum effect, in fact he may be the only person who can pull it off. This is the social media World we live in. HOWEVER, LET'S NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE DISTRACTED FROM THE MAXWELL "INTERVIEW". IT'S UTTERLY WORTHLESS AND CLEARLY SHE WAS REWARDED FOR HER LIES WITH A TRANSFER TO A CUSHY "CLUB FED" AND VERY LIKELY A PARDON PROMISE OR FAST TRACK SUPREME COURT REVERSAL.
Decorum is dull. Only the extreme will meme.
This will certainly elevate the level of rational debate. Exhibit 1: garbage vs. dinosaur in yesterday’s comments.
I’ll say this for Newsom: at least he’s playing the game. But is he playing it well enough, and is that game something that the Democratic base will respond to?
Will the same people who responded so strongly to Obama‘s “hope and change“ message respond to Newsom’s “Trump of the left” shtick? I just asked my Magic 8-Ball, and it said, “Ask again later.“
Trump is using the White House to further enrich himself at our expense, using the military to invade American cities and using the Justice Department to attack his critics and opponents. There's nothing rational about him or the people that are OK with what he's doing, and thus no basis for "rational debate."
Comedy gold? Maybe today Joseph Welch would have resorted to this playground approach instead of his grave admonishment in the name of decency. Maybe not.
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