CULTURE

The Full Breakdown of the 2020 Candidates' Dance Moves

Because the American people deserve to know

Photo by Georgia-de Lotz Unsplash

With less than a month left until the Iowa caucuses officially kick off primary season, it seems like we've spent the last decade slowly whittling away at an endless list of candidates.

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CULTURE

Kirstie Alley's Awful Tweets (Still) Point to Everything Broken in American Politics

Her thoughts on billionaires, socialism, and impeachment betray a complete disinterest in understanding the topics she discusses

Kirstie Alley 'This Morning' TV show, London, UK

Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Update 3/24/2020: Kirstie Alley has kept her streak of awful going. Taking to Twitter last night, Alley praised Donald Trump's "recent decorum, sincerity, & care," and his "willingness to solve problems." This despite the fact that Trump's delayed response to the COVID-19 pandemic has sent US infection rates on a trajectory that exceeds Italy's terrifying model, and shortly after news that an Arizona couple had poisoned themselves trying to take advantage of the unproven "cure" that Trump has recklessly touted in his press conferences.

The tweet also comes amid a newly opened debate about whether the country should return to business as usual before the pandemic has run its course—allowing the healthcare system to be overwhelmed, and many thousands or millions to die in a misguided effort to prop up the foundering stock market. As Trump put it, "Our country wasn't built to be shut down."


When Kirstie Alley, star of Cheers and Look Who's Talking, was last in headlines, she was explaining how she had traded a cocaine habit for a flower addiction.

It's actually a really sweet story, but whatever is in those flowers must be pretty great stuff and seems to have overwhelmed any awareness of our cultural moment or political realities, because she has since been feeling herself on Twitter in a way that is truly remarkable. The latest entry in the saga arrived around the time the impeachment vote was announced on Wednesday night, when Donald Trump officially became the third president in US history to be impeached. If you want to say that impeachment may not be the right political move, or that other articles of impeachment would have been more effective, there are valid arguments to make. But Alley's take is not one of them.

Alley adopted a sage tone to declare it a "dangerous precedent" and let the world know that "it's gonna be a bumpy decade," as if allowing a president to exchange political help for military aid would not be a dangerous precedent, as if the coming years could somehow be anything but "bumpy" to the point of terrifying division and chaos. What world has she been living in? Does she not realize that the US is currently more divided than at any time since the Civil War? That every Republican lawmaker is beholden to a Trump-adoring constituency in a way that precludes any criticism of his petulant whims, racism, or corruption?

This is not the first time Alley has tweeted regrettable opinions about Trump and the Republican Party. She actually endorsed him in 2016 before walking back that endorsement after the Access Hollywood "grab them by the pussy" tape came out. So maybe she has an ulterior motive in criticizing the Democrats for finally standing up to this absurd regime. More importantly, when she talks about the dire backlash that's headed our way, what does she think that will look like? Will Republicans no longer allow a Democratic president to appoint a Supreme Court justice? Will they redraw maps to cling to power? Or adopt obstructionist tactics with the explicit goal of ensuring that the next Democrat in power only serves a single term? Or maybe they'll just track down a petty personal scandal to build an impeachment case on. That would be so crazy...

In case you don't feel like clicking those links, I'll just let you and Kirstie Alley know that all those things have already happened. And the process of avoiding craven political retaliation from the Republicans would be literally indistinguishable from letting them do whatever they want. So… nice try.


But Alley has other opinions, too. On Monday she also wanted the world to know that she is staunchly anti-socialist. So much so that she recently compared the term "democratic socialist" to "gentle nazi." Strange, then, that the handful of Democratic Socialist countries in Europe are listed as full democracies, according to the Democratic Index. This is in contrast to America's "flawed democracy." And really, all the countries rated "full democracies" incorporate more socialist-leaning policies than the US—like single-payer health care, or fully socialized medicine, just as an example. Is it possible that Kirstie Alley doesn't know what she's talking about? Did she grow up in an era that poisoned her mind with trickle-down, free market, American exceptionalism, domino effect Cold War propaganda? Is she maybe…a boomer?

The reality is that, whatever the issues with its implementation, the underlying ethos of socialism is fundamentally more democratic than that of capitalism. Under true capitalism—and to a lesser extent America's dilute form—owners necessarily control everything from work to speech to political power. You have rights to the extent that you can own things, and the right to ownership is the only one that's fundamental. Under true socialism—and to a lesser extent the dilute form found in Scandinavia—workers are in control of their work and the nation's wealth belongs to the will and the needs of its citizens.

In other words, a Democratic Socialist is far from the contradiction Alley lays out in "gentle Nazi." So as long as we're in agreement that Nazis are fundamentally violent and bad, maybe we can get on the same team with standing up to the politician who has made them feel welcome in America? And if we aren't going to impeach him for creating concentration camps at the border and deporting tens of thousands of people to face death and sexual assault as a result of violence that we export to our southern neighbors, can we at least hold him accountable when he tries to cheat his way through reelection? No? That's a bad precedent?

The truth is that the truly bad precedents in our politics stretch back decades. Since at least the days of Newt Gingrich, the GOP has adopted the approach of pushing as far right as they possibly can while labelling taxes, regulations, social services, and critiques of expanding wealth inequality as "Socialism." In response, Clintonist Democrats have tacked toward the center on economic issues, running away from any accusation of radicalism or a desire for dramatic change.

The result has been that the political left in America has spent decades slowly eroding while the "center" has shifted further and further toward the economic right—toward favoring ownership above all else. And while those economic right policies are not really all that popular with Americans today, the regressive social agenda that the GOP has attached to it has a vocal, enthusiastic core of straight white support—one that makes plenty of room for figures like Donald Trump, Steve King, David Duke, and real, live, non-gentle Nazis.

Now Millennials are faced with being the first generation of Americans since the New Deal who have worse prospects for the future than their parents. And Kirstie Alley apparently sees nothing wrong with that. While many of us are waking up to a potential for economic progress and wondering if the socialist boogeyman was all that scary to begin with, Kirstie just wants to go back to the civil politics that brought all of this on—back to a time when the idea of a more equitable distribution of wealth was not even on the table.

Fortunately, not everyone is so rigid in their mindset. Alley's thoughts on socialism were prompted by an interaction with Hillary-Clinton-advisor-turned-darling-of-the-far-left Peter Daou, who had offered a challenge to Twitter at large: justify the existence of billionaires. Come up with a reason why any individual should own so much money. So much power. Money rules our lives—our politics, our press, our legal system—so what could possibly justify one person having such immense sway over all those sectors? The power to buy legislation, kill negative news stories, and get away with any crime you want to commit. Who deserves that?

Alley had a lazy and thoughtless response ready to go: all you have to do is come up with something really nifty! If enough people want to give you money for it, you deserve to have dominion over the world! The follow up was even less compelling, but I want to dig in on this idea. Don't get me wrong, people who create great products and services deserve reward and recognition. Of all the world's ultra-wealthy people, the small group of successful creators are the ones who most nearly deserve what they have. But a billion of dollars?

Let's say you invent a cool video game that everyone likes? Well, now you have enough money that you can blast your awesome opinions about race and sexuality as loudly as you want. Good for you, Notch! Though you might want to spread your wings and buy up some media companies like some other billionaires have done. If you do that, you can basically just run for president and everyone will have to take you seriously! All because of that video game you came up with, Notch. Or the money you illegally inherited from your dad, Donald. Or that emerald mine in Africa, Elon. Makes a lot of sense.

It would be easy and petty to run through Kirstie Alley's acting credits as though the legacy of Veronica's Closet precludes her from doing some background reading before involving herself in politics. I don't think that actors of any stripe—or anyone else with a platform, an audience, and a message—should be excluded from a conversation on the basis of benign things they've done for money. That isn't why Kirstie Alley is out of her depth here.

You can make movies about talking babies and even be a Scientologist and still have important things to say—though maybe not about psychiatry. You also don't need to have three degrees in political science to have a valid opinion on current events. But if you really think that creating a thing that people want is so inherently good as to justify the wild excesses of unrestrained capitalism, you should at least be willing to read The Lorax to get a sense of where that leads.

CULTURE

Pantone Anounces Shockingly Political Choice for Their 2020 "Color of the Year"

No one expected an endorsement of Bernie Sanders... And also, no one else noticed it

Image edited to reflect author's perspective

Screenshot via Instagram

In a stunning revelation, Pantone shed their usual apolitical stance and used their 2020 "Color of the Year" announcement to all-but-explicitly endorse Bernie Sanders' candidacy for president.

Widely known for providing color standardization for graphic design and fashion, Pantone took a risk—in an era when many people deride the politicization of previously non-partisan activities—by announcing "Classic Blue" for 2020. Breaking from traditional, non-partisan colors like 2019's Living Coral, they veered past centrist choices like "Calm Blue," or "Amtrak Blue" to boost the "Classic Blue": a clear nod to the New Deal Democrat approach of Bernie Sanders.



While Pantone didn't mention Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate—or any political issues whatsoever—in their announcement, it's not hard for a politically obsessive weirdo like me to read between the lines and find hidden messages throughout. Allow me to guide you through their sly endorsement of the Senator from Vermont.

Classic Blue, also known as Pantone 19-4052—even this numerical code references the 1940-52 FDR-Truman era of robust social programs and high taxes on the wealthy— is described as "timeless and enduring hue elegant in its simplicity." Pantone further claims that it "highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era." This perfect summation of both the New Deal vision and Bernie Sanders consistent approach to policy over the last four decades encapsulates Pantone's recognition that while Sanders is perceived as "radical" from the perspective of Clintonian neoliberals, he actually represents a return to old school Democratic values that have been systematically stripped out of American politics since the 1970s.

Unlike many candidates—and colors—that would have us focus on the suffocating limitations of the status quo, Bernie and Classic Blue both point to "the vast and infinite evening sky [which] encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication." And while many candidates—and colors—have allowed the shifting winds of public opinion to dictate their positions, we can look to Bernie and Classic Blue for the "constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,"


American Horizon | Bernie Sanderswww.youtube.com


In recent decades, we've taken it in stride that even "progressive" politicians will lie to us, make cuts to social programs that people rely on, and maintain America's militaristic approach to foreign policy. Bernie represents a shift from that form of politics, which is why he's gained so much popularity in this era of turmoil. In times like these, according to Pantone, "it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction."

In case the message wasn't clear enough, at the unveiling event Pantone provided accompanying sensory experiences to represent the spirit of "Classic Blue" including a "soft velvety texture,"—not unlike a smooth Bernie—and a soundscape that captures "vivid nostalgia." Ahem.

With Pantone's endorsement now in the bag for Bernie, expect the other candidates to begin jockeying for the coveted Crayola seal of approval.

FILM & TV

Hillary Clinton Appears in Cameo on Murphy Brown

The first episode of the classic reboot shows Clinton making fun of both herself and Trump

On Thursday's premiere of the Murphy Brown reboot, former Secretary of State and Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton made a little surprise cameo.

The episode "Fake News" aimed to poke fun at the state of affairs in America and Donald Trump himself.

Fans first knew of a celebrity cameo when show creator and writer Diane English teased that an "enormously famous person" would be in the reboot premiere during the Television Critics Association press tour panel.

The scene starts off with someone alerting Murphy Brown that she'll be getting a new secretary and that they interviewee will be coming up shortly. "Oh goodie, I haven't had one of those in a while," quips Brown.

Then, we hear the elevator ding and out pops Clinton in her signature red jumpsuit. She introduces herself to Brown and states that she'll be interviewing for the secretarial position. Instead of playing herself directly, Clinton takes on the persona of "Hilary Clendon" — or rather, Hilary with one L.

Brown goes on to marvel at how much Hilary and Hillary look like each other and tells her how demanding the job is. When Clendon lists her credentials, she accidentally lets it slip that she was "the secretary," then abruptly corrects herself. Clendon also says that she has "lots of experience with emails."

Brown finishes the interview telling Clendon she might be too qualified and takes her card — the email reads "hilary@youcouldahadme.com," poking fun at both herself and America, basically. The scene ends with Clendon walking back to the elevator and Brown speechless.

The show follows Murphy Brown and her FYI team on her show 'Murphy in the Morning,' which aims to tear down "fake news and alternative facts."

The original show ran for 10 seasons from 1988 to 1998 and boasted a number of guest stars and celebrity appearances — we'll probably see more of that in the reboot if the show decides to follow its original pattern. Notable guests included Connie Chung, Aretha Franklin, and former Vice President Dan Quayle, who also went on the show to poke fun at himself.

However, we do know that Clinton has one more television cameo planned for this season — she'll also appear next to former Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Madeleine Albright in Madam Secretary on Oct. 7 for the season five premiere.


Amber Wang is a freelancer for Popdust, Gearbrain and various other sites. She is also a student at NYU, a photographer and a marketing intern.



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BOX OFFICE BREAKDOWN | A Walk Down Memory Lane

AUGUST 3RD-5TH | What's Coming to Theaters This Weekend

comicbook.com

The hot summer days have blurred into August and the hotter films just keep coming.

In Popdust's column, Box Office Breakdown, we aim to inform you of the top flicks to check out every weekend depending on what you're in the mood to enjoy. Looking to laugh? What about having your pants scared off? Maybe you just need a little love? Whatever the case may be, we have you covered. Take a peek at our top picks for this week…

The Darkest Minds

Teenagers suddenly develop a slew of weird abilities, but the government is not feeling it, so they decide to send them away to detention camps. Sounds totally normal given the state of our union. Ruby, however, manages to escape from this camp and joins a group of other runaways. Together, they are going to try and fight the adults and take back the future that is theirs.

Purchase Tickets for The Darkest Minds

PG-13 | Running Time 1hr 44m | 20th Century Fox | Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Starring:Bradley Whitford, Mandy Moore, Amandla Stenberg, and more!

The Spy Who Dumped Me

We all have interesting stories about our exes, but not all of them turn out to be spies. That is the case for one of these women, who along with her best friend gets dragged into an international conspiracy that takes them on the run throughout Europe. They might end up dead but hopefully, they are having a good time while doing it.

Purchase Tickets for The Spy Who Dumped Me

R | Running Time 1hr 57m | Lionsgate | Director: Susanna Fogel

Starring:Mila Kunis, Sam Heughan, Kate McKinnon, and more!

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