Hollywood starlets donned their finest wool hats during President Donald Trump’s first months in office.
Stars like Jane Fonda, Miley Cyrus, Scarlett Johansson, Madonna, Jessica Chastain, Cher and more took part 2017-era marches to protest Trump’s election. The real estate mogul faced serial accusations of sexual impropriety, but voters looked past the allegations.
Madonna made the most news, sharing how she dreamed of blowing up the White House, presumably with Trump inside.
It was part of Hollywood’s raucous anti-Trump movement. The sequel-happy industry may be ripe for an encore given Trump’s electoral victory Nov. 5.
Don’t bet on it.
Why? Several reasons come to mind.
The Election Wasn’t Close
The Trump victory wasn’t a “landslide” in conventional terms, but he won all the critical swing states and even the popular vote. That helped curb any possible demonstrations on Nov. 6, and it left progressive voters feeling even more blue than usual.
Celebrity Opinions Take a Hit
Story after story confirms a hard truth for the celebrity class. Their collective opinions didn’t move the electoral needle this time around.
Yes, Trump earned a larger share of celebrity endorsements than usual, including Hulk Hogan and Zachary Levi. That support was dwarfed once more by a crush of A-list stars, including Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Ben Stiller, Jeff Bridges, Harrison Ford and many more.
Now, the collective stars will have to think hard about extending endorsements in future election cycles. They’ll likely do so, but it won’t take the form of the 2017-era marches.
The MeToo Fallout
The Women’s Marches took place months before Harvey Weinstein’s epic downfall. The disgraced producer’s sexual abuse legacy inspired the MeToo movement both in and outside of Hollywood. The industry rallied behind the cause, funded the Time’s Up organization and vowed to combat abusers across the culture.
And then it all came crashing down.
The movement’s overreach, seen via attacks like those against comic Aziz Ansari, hurt the cause. Celebrities savaged President Trump but let others skate, including President Joe Biden, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Va. Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax.
They all had one thing in common: The Democratic Party.
When news hit that Time’s Up had collaborated with Gov. Cuomo the institution collapsed. And, along with it, Hollywood’s moral authority on the subject.
Hollywood Is Contracting. Bigly
Tinsel Town is in trouble. Yes, recent box office results have been mostly positive, but the fallout from 2023’s dueling strikes and the streaming realignment have left the industry reeling.
This is no time to alienate potential customers with incendiary rhretoic. And most stars know it.
Worst. Misogynist. Ever.
We may never know the truth behind the assault allegations against Trump. We do know that the former and future president has selected a flurry of powerful women to key positions in his administration.
- White House chief of staff: Susie Wiles
- Attorney general: Pam Bondi
- U.N. ambassador: Elise Stefanik
- Secretary of labor: Lori Chavez-DeRemer
- Secretary of homeland security: Kristi Noem
- Director of national intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard
- White House press secretary: Karoline Leavitt
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