Trump-era politics creates turmoil, firings and, sometimes, great ratings for entertainers

Washington Post ^ | August 31, 2013 | Steven Zeitchik

[EdnaMode]

[snip]

A year and a half into the Trump presidency, entertainment companies are grappling with a fan base that is splintering into political factions as never before. Whether in regard to explicitly political entertainment or the rapidly multiplying number of entertainers who talk about politics, Americans appear to be increasingly figuring ideology into their Hollywood ­choices.

Some fans, to be sure, have long been drawn to or repelled by the occasional outspoken celebrity — Jane Fonda for her antiwar views, for example. But fans are now judging a much wider range of entertainment and entertainers for the way those people express their views in America’s increasingly polarized climate. These days, how fans feel about stars can be as much about ideology and outspokenness as it is about roles and personal style.

[snip]

Republican fans of Robert De Niro vowed to boycott the actor’s movies in June after he stood up at the Tony Awards and, to the surprise even of those closest to him, unleashed two expletives at the president on live television.

[snip]

For years, Jennifer Lawrence was the biggest movie star in the country, driving “The Hunger Games” to nearly $1.5 billion in U.S. box office receipts between 2012 and 2015.

Since the election of Trump, Lawrence has been more outspoken about the White House, saying in interviews that the administration has become “almost an obsession.” In an interview in December, she said she wanted to take a “martini to the face” of the president, prompting a retort from Donald Trump Jr. online. Since she began speaking out, Lawrence has had several box office disappointments — “Passengers,” “mother!” and “Red Sparrow.” While only the first was expected to be a broad hit, the latter two underperformed, even with their more modest expectations.

[EdnaMode]

Where ratings have been hurt by the leftist politics: award shows, overtly political movies and TV shows, and non franchise movies headlined by actors (like Jennifer Lawrence) who angered their fanbases.

Where people benefited: some late night talk show hosts (whose audiences are mostly young leftists who get their "news" from them), and some "niche" programing on cable/streaming.

So basically, it's not good for business except when the audience is pretty small.

[Steely Tom]

I thought “the knockout game” created quite a bit of turmoil, but only for people who don’t matter to The Washington Post.

[grania]

I’ve gotten out of the habit of going to the movies. I just can’t get into the story when the actors and actresses are so in-your-face about their political opinions in their personal lives. It defines them, instead of the role taking over their identity.

[ClearCase_guy]

I truly don’t understand Trump Derangement.

Sure, if you have close ties to illegal immigrants, Trump is sort of an existential threat. I get that.
But he has no policies that hurt homosexuals.
He has no policies that hurt Blacks.
His policies are having beneficial effects throughout all strata of society.
Why the hatred?

Now, with old Baby Boomers like Jane Fonda and Robert DeNiro, I kind of see that they’re disappointed that the Liberalism and Progressivism of their youth is no longer moving forward. I’m sure that disappoints them.

But Jennifer Lawrence? What is the deal with her? Why does she need to harbor such a desperate hatred for President Trump? It makes no sense at all to me. Unless she’s just totally obsessed with killing babies. I guess she sees Trump as an obstacle to that.

[cuban leaf]

Johnny Carson just skimmed the surface of politics. The current crop, from what I’ve seen, go all in against or for politicians, praying they are in an echo chamber.

[EdnaMode]

Good questions. I don’t understand it either. A lot of the women in Hollywood are rabidly pro abortion, so that could be the reason that Jennifer Lawrence and others hate Trump.

[UCANSEE2]

It’s all about money and power.

To sell newspapers/tv news shows the media has to create chaos and fear.

If a Dem is President, the ‘people’ are the problem and the President will ‘fix’ the problem and remove our fears.

If a Repub is President, the ‘president’ is the problem and the people will ‘fix’ the problem and remove our fears.

[ClearCase_guy]

So ... I get that. I’m sure that’s how they think. Big Trump scandals 24/7, they get to sell their product and make money and influence events. Great.

But newspapers are shutting down. Pittsburgh no longer has a daily.
CNN Ratings are a joke.
NFL viewership is down.

They want money and power? I don’t think attacking Trump with rabid hatred is getting them what they want. From a business perspective, it’s a terrible business plan.

[bigbob]

Michele Wolff and Kathy Whatshername, not so much.

I think for many of them its more that Trump beat Hillary and is undoing the Obamanation than hating Trump personally. If not, then all the history of libs sucking up to him because he was a source of money and influence shows just how shallow they are.

[McGavin999]

Idiot people who are easy millionaires and have empty heads. Just like the NFL. Too stupid to figure out half their audience disagrees and therefore half their income goes out the window. DUH

[EQAndyBuzz]

“A year and a half into the Trump presidency, entertainment companies are grappling with a fan base that is splintering into political factions as never before. Whether in regard to explicitly political entertainment or the rapidly multiplying number of entertainers who talk about politics, Americans appear to be increasingly figuring ideology into their Hollywood ­choices.”

You take away their money, you take away their power.

[UCANSEE2]

There are 2 reasons for JL’s behavior (along with other ‘popular’ movie stars).

1. They are immature and ignorant. They don’t have time to learn for themselves, and depend upon the attitudes of their peers.

2. Their Talent Agent instructs them on what to do and say so as to keep them in the ‘limelight’. These press agents ‘sell’ their ability to manipulate various stars to the politicians and media.

[Red Badger]

Johnny was more even handed. He would do jokes on both sides. Today’s current Johnny impersonator is one sided...................

[Will88]

Fonda and DeNiro are not baby boomers. Born in 1937 and 1943.

[UCANSEE2]

I don’t think attacking Trump with rabid hatred is getting them what they want. From a business perspective, it’s a terrible business plan.

Does THE VIEW still have an audience ? Is it still on TV ?

How about CNN ?

How many 24 HOURS OF WEATHER channels are there ?

How much money is being made off of 'climate change' ?

Why is CO2 to blame for causing the temperature to rise, and yet no mention is made of the fact that every 'engine', every air conditioning unit generates MASSIVE amounts of HEAT ?

How many people believe that Trump must be impeached, and how did that come about ?

When politicians/top federal employees quit or are fired from their government positions, where do many of them get hired on ?

The media is the deep state.

Due to the internet/social media some of their 'power' is being lost, but they aren't going to allow that to continue. They are shutting down websites and users who do not agree with them.

[UCANSEE2]

You take away their money,

Exactly how would one do that ?

[Turbo Pig]

But Jennifer Lawrence? What is the deal with her?

Because she literally has an 8th grade education, she makes her living pretending to be someone else, she's directly surrounded by people in Hollywood that are screaming in a liberal echo chamber, and she's really not that bright. Guarantee you that the only thing it would take to turn her in to a rock ribbed "conservative" would be surrounding her with non liberal people screaming in a echo chamber.

[EdnaMode]

Good points. I think a lot of actors want to be accepted by their peers. And yeah I think a lot of them are being told what to say in interviews.

[Sergio]

“But there seems to have been an actual decline in rational thinking. The United States had become a place where entertainers and professional athletes were mistaken for people of importance. They were idolized and treated as leaders; their opinions were sought on everything and they took themselves just as seriously — after all, if an athlete is paid a million or more a year, he knows he is important … so his opinions of foreign affairs and domestic policies must be important, too, even though he proves himself to be both ignorant and subliterate every time he opens his mouth. (Most of his fans were just as ignorant and unlettered; the disease was spreading.)” ― Robert A. Heinlein, To Sail Beyond the Sunset

[Albion Wilde]

Entertainment and media folks seem not to recognize that the audience for E&M is only a portion of all adults, and that it skews heavily to younger people, who as a group start out leftist and drift towards the center with age and responsibilities. So, they are operating under a delusion that they represent more than half the country. They don’t see that leftist opinions are not the mainstream of the electorate.