The TV Trump

The TV critic of the New York Times, James Poniwwozik, has an interesting view of our president - he can best be perceived as a reality TV character, rather than as a politician or as a normal person.


I am very grateful that I do not watch reality TV.  I watched the first (?) season of The Apprentice and was properly mesmerized by the horrors of watching Amarosa's disgusting antics. Plus there was the fascinating disgust of watching Trump preen as well. That was more than enough to turn me off to reality TV.  Never more....


But, reality TV has gone on to a number of successful shows, and they all seem to present a formula for success.  Apparently the biggest drive for a reality TV performer is to keep the red light on - i.e. have the camera on and watching them.  How do they do it?  What does Trump do now that he is on the biggest reality TV show of all time - "Trump is President". 


Here is the formula - I present Mr Poniwwozik's observations in bullet form.  I want this as a reference when I get especially disturbed by the latest outrage designed to "keep the red light on" and focused on the TV Trump::

• Using TV as a magnifying glass, to make himself appear bigger than he was.   
• What does TV want? It wants conflict. It wants excitement.
• It wants a fight.
• It wants MORE. It is always eating and never full.
• Playing a character on reality TV means being yourself, but bigger and louder.
• Telegenic brashness
• You do not attempt to understand other people, except as obstacles or objects.
• Project your "fullest" you.
• Encourages “getting real.” (resonates with a rising conservative notion: that political correctness kept people from saying what was really on their minds)
• To be real is to be the most entertaining, provocative form of yourself - that will focus the red light on you
• Amarosa wrote - “exaggerate the unique part of themselves.” - the “strategy” is to do what feels good.
• Fighting.
• Insulting
• The only solution for any given problem was a being a Trumpier Trump.
• Never de-escalate and never turn the volume down.
• He serves up one “most shocking episode ever” after another, mining uglier pieces of his core each time
• Be aggrieved over minor slights
• Taunting, insults, dog whistles
• He’s half-man, half-TV, with a camera for an eye that is constantly focused on itself.
• His character shorthand is “Donald Trump, Fighter Guy Who Wins.”

Before taking office, he told aides to think of every day as “an episode in a television show in which he vanquishes rivals.” 


This perception of Trump actually explains his actions more accurately than any political or psychological analysis I have read.  He becomes easy to see now. 


He is still dangerous, because the nature of the Show is ever escalating outrage, and as a desperate performer losing his audience who happens to be president, killing people (wars - attacks by outraged "fans" - other countries feeling permission to act in their most authoritarian ways - etc.) becomes a ratings booster.




But, you know?  The act gets old.  Tired.  Used up.  No longer fascinating.  Soon it will be time to turn the channel.  Just like audiences did on The Apprentice. 


It went off the air.  It failed.
 


Ho hum....